Beware, Blessing is Coming

TITLE: Beware, Blessing is Coming

TEXT: Luke 21.10-19, Jesus Speaks of What Is To Come

INTRODUCTION:

Good evening Church Family! It is such a joy to be together with you all once again as we celebrate Holy Week together this evening and look forward our celebration of Easter together this coming Sunday.

I’m only going to speak for a few minutes this evening since we still have some crafts planned for the kids, but I do want to take some time to continue the progression of the narrative we have seen in our Family Worship Guide this week.

Monday - The Triumphal Entry (Luke 19.28-44)

The people, His disciples, offer up praise to King Jesus and honor Him with their worship as He humbly enters Jersualem, the city who kills the prophets sent to it. Jesus weeps over the city who did not recognize the coming of peace and only judgment remains to come.

Tuesday - Parable of the Wicked Tenants (Lk 20.9-18)

What will the owner of the vineyard do the the tenants who have treated his servants harshly and killed his son whom he sent to them? He will bring about swift judgment on them. Israel and its religious leaders would be judged for their rejection of the True Son.

TONIGHT - Lk 21.10-19, Jesus Speaks of What is To Come

Background

Throughout Holy Week, Jesus continues to be among the people teaching of the kingdom of God, and his authority is repeatedly challenged as they sought to bring a charge against Him and ultimately kill Him.

Tell us by what authority you do these things? (Luke 20.2)

With fake sincerity… is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar? (Luke 20.19-22)

Deceptive questions about the resurrection (Luke 20.27-40)

Jesus warned against the scribes and the coming destruction of the temple.

Beware, Blessing is Coming

Luke 21:10–19 ESV

10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. 13 This will be your opportunity to bear witness. 14 Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. 17 You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your lives.

(v.10-11) What to expect before the End

Jesus warns his disciples about future events that are to take place in the near term (the destruction of the temple in AD 70) and in the long term prior to His return. He warns them to be watchful of these things and not deceived by anyone that would claim to have come in His name.

Be Watchful, Waiting, and filled with Wisdom.

(v.12-15) The Resurrection Changes our Purpose

Notice here the shift in v.12…. BUT.

All of these crazy things are going to happen! Nations will rise up against each other in war. The very earth will quake and fracture. Famine and suffering will not be uncommon. But even in these things, do not forget what I have told you, Jesus said.

Luke says before all of these things… the world will persecute you in word and action. The world will purposefully pursue you, they will press on in their endeavor to bring you to synagogues, to prisons, before kings and governors. WHY?

Bc of the name of Christ.

John 15:18–19 ESV

18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Jesus assured them that the world would hate them solely because of Him. And their hatred stems from the reality that they would no longer belong here. Jesus’ wording here is forward looking!

These are things that would occur when His disciples were saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, when His church is established, and his people are walking faithfully in what they had recieved… after Jesus had called them out of this world spiritually into His marvelous light of salvation.

Hatred Leading to Suffering

Those in Christ throughout the ages have been brought before rulers to be confronted, challenged, and even threatened because of the name of Christ they proclaim. It is here that the natural person succumbs to fear and resorts to self-preservation… but Luke exhorts His readers/hearers to be ready. For even here… in the midst of persecution…the purpose of the church thrives and the Lord is there every step of the way.

Luke 21:13–15 ESV

13 This will be your opportunity to bear witness. 14 Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.

In our worst possible situations, Luke says - welcome to the land of opportunity! You are blessed with the chance to bear witness to Christ! And do not even be concerned to prepare, for Words and Wisdom will be granted to you. Such boldness is found in knowing the truth!

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 ESV

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

1 Corinthians 15:16–17 ESV

16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

Every hope we have in life and death is rooted in the truth of Jesus’ resurrection, and such a truth changes everything about us as the people of God, most specifically the purpose for which we continue to draw breath on this earth - To bear witness concerning Christ alone for salvation from sin.

(v.16-19) The Resurrection Secures Our Place in Eternity

Finally, Luke delivers some sobering news to his hearers. You will be hated by all for the name of Christ, possibly even those of your own household or family. Furthermore, belief in and bearing witness to Jesus will even lead to some people’s death.

Life is short… death is certain…and Jesus tell’s them their death may come quickly if they faithfully bear witness to His name. Not exactly the best sales pitch to grow the church, right???

Unless, the next point is also true.

Luke 21:18–19 ESV

18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your lives.

This is not a promise of their physical lives being preserved, but it is a guarantee that they would suffer no eternal loss. Their salvation and eternity with Christ is secure!

And as we endure such things for the sake of what is true, even things that could cause us great physical harm or death, we just prove the words of Christ to be true… True Life is Found in Christ.

Luke 9:23–24 ESV

23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

This is no call to seek out persecution in order that we can lose our physical lives. Instead… as we consider the suffering of our Savior, His crucifixion, and His resurrection this week, let us remember that because of glorious reality of his resurrection… Our Purpose as the body is certain and Our Position in Eternity with Him is secure… all because of His grace.