2016-08-14 Luke 17:26-37 Kingdom Coming (4): Judgment Deferred is Not Judgment Denied

KINGDOM COMING (4): JUDGMENT DEFERRED IS NOT JUDGMENT DENIED (Luke 17:26-37) August 14, 2016 Intro – A real estate agent shows some property to an out-of-town prospect saying, “The climate here is perfect. Nobody dies here.” Just then a funeral procession passes by. The prospect says, “Well, what’s that?” Quick as a wink, the real estate agent says, “Local mortician. Starved to death.” That’s like the denial most people live with. Consciously or unconsciously, they reject the idea of a final accounting before God. Hitler, maybe, and Stalin and the likes. But everyone? No. Yet judgment is at the core of Jesus’ teaching. Jesus’ disciples were expecting a kingdom where they would play lead roles in a breath-taking universal rulership by Messiah widely predicted in the OT. But Jesus has some startling clarifications for them. All of them relate to a 2nd coming of Jesus that the disciples did not yet understand. What seemed like a discrepancy in the OT – the prediction of a mighty, reigning Messiah, but also a suffering, humiliated Messiah -- is explained in that He will appear on earth not once, but twice – the first time to suffer, die and make atonement for sin – the second time to rule and reign – forever. So in Lu 17:22-37 Jesus is correcting expectations. He is not going to Jerusalem this time for a coronation, but for an atoning death and resurrection. But someday He will come again in a manner more in keeping with the disciples’ expectations. Many spiritualize that 2nd coming. But, Beloved, if He came bodily and literally fulfilled OT promises in His first coming, it is irrational to think that He will not fulfill other promises just as literally in His 2nd coming. He’s coming again, and He characterizes that coming in 8 ways for His disciples, the first five of which we’ve looked at. I. Jesus’ Coming is Desired by True Believers (22) – Longing for His coming will not make it so, but true believers will always be looking. II. Jesus’ Coming is “Not Yet” to the Disciples (22b) – What they expect is coming, yes. But while they can accept the spiritual rulership of their Savior/King now – the physical aspects of the kingdom are “not yet.” III.Jesus’ Coming Will Be Unmistakable (23-24) – No one will have to look for Him in dark corners. His coming will get worldwide attention. IV. Jesus’ Coming Is Delayed By Rejection (25) – Israel’s rejection caused the delay. But delay isn’t cancellation. All’s on time in God’s program. V. Jesus’ Coming is Unexpected in Its Timing (26-28) – Efforts to predict when are fruitless; God wants us to be looking for it all the time! That leaves 3 characteristics. All deal with judgment as Jesus explodes the myth that people are not accountable. God’s patience has led many to believe judgment is an illusion. It’s not! As salvation was key to His first coming preparing spiritually for the kingdom; judgment is key to His 2nd coming preparing the physical dimension. Three critical points. VI. Jesus’ Coming is Characterized By Judgment (26-30) 26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.” Don’t be fooled by the appearance of normality. Picture this cartoon. A trapeze artist swings out and releases his grip expecting to be caught by his partner as he’s done a thousand times before. But as he reaches out for his partner he sees that there is no one on the 2nd trapeze. Instead there is a note: “Dear John, There’s no easy way to tell you this . . .” That’s the way it was in Noah’s day when after hundreds of years of normalcy, and 120 years of preaching about a flood that never came – suddenly it did come! And there were a lot of surprised and horrified people. So imagine what it will be like when Jesus comes again – this time not to seek and save but to judge. God has given previews. Occasionally God judges instantly to remind us judgment deferred is not judgment denied. Aaron’s sons – Nadab and Abihu, priests who disobeyed God, so Lev 10:2 relates, “2 And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.” Instantaneous judgment. So, too, Uzzah in II Sam 6:6 when he reached out to steady the ark in disobedience to God’s command not to touch it. Instant death. Jesus tells us catastrophic events, like the tower that fell in Luke 18 is the same thing – warning by instant judgment the same awaits all who will not repent. Augustine observed, “When God wants to, He takes notice of human sin and judges it; He doesn't defer for a moment. On the other hand, when He wants to, he does defer judgment. Why? Bc if he never judged in the present time, God would be thought not to exist; but if He judged everything in the present time, nothing would be left for the judgment.” Rom 2:4 reminds us: “God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” God normally defers judgment to give opportunity. But judgment deferred is not judgment denied. All who reject Christ will give account – usually at death. But Jesus’ 2nd coming will bring the same instantaneous judgment on a whole generation as happened with Noah and Lot – only this judgment will set in motion the once-for-all cleansing of society as a whole. It will be a great day – unless you are a rejecter of the Lord Jesus. The 2nd coming is very different from the first, isn’t it? The 1st had the virgin birth of an innocent baby laid in a manger in abject humility. But listen to the 2nd. Rev 19: 11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.” If that should happen today, are you ready? For as surely as Jesus came the first time He is coming again. And just as sure as He is coming again, those who have denied His Lordship will be brought to account. “Normal” ends the day He comes or the day we die. On that day as when God shut the door to Noah’s ark, the door of opportunity is shut forever. A flight attendant announced: “You are onboard Flight 1124 to Boston. If Boston is not in your travel plans, please tell us.” People continued getting settled until shortly the door closed. The flight attendant came on again, “You are on board Flight 1124 to Boston. If Boston it not in your travel plans today – it is now!” That’s how it will be for a lot of people when Jesus comes. We are all sinners by birth and act. We’ve been warned to repent, but if we continue normal, soon when the door will close and the announcement will be, “You are on board Flight 1 to hell. If that is not in your travel plans today – it is now.” Don’t let that be you. Take action now. Repent now. VII. Jesus’ Coming is Characterized by Division (31-35) Let’s start with vv 34-35: “34 I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. 35 There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left.” Jesus’ coming will divide. Two people who are equals and doing the same exact thing – perhaps husband and wife in one case – will suddenly be separated without notice – one taken and the other left. Jesus’ coming will divide the whole world into two parts. Now, the big question – is the one taken, taken in judgment and the other left to safety? Or is the one taken to safety and the other left to judgment? Great commentators are almost equally divided on this issue! No dogmatism! I think those taken are to judgment. 3 reasons. First, in v. 27, Jesus likens His coming to the time of Noah. He makes the same comparison in Mt 24: 39 “and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” In this parallel passage those “swept away” are taken in judgment. Second, in Mt 25 Jesus speaks of dividing people at His 2nd coming – one group on His right (sheep) and another on His left (goats). Those on the right are invited into His kingdom. But Mt 25:41: 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” Those taken are taken in judgment. Third, immediately after this judgment, Jesus is going to set up his earthly kingdom. Believers will be part of that, so it is more consistent to see those taken as taken in judgment and those left as left to enter the kingdom. But we can’t be dogmatic. The main thing to see is that people will be divided into two distinct camps at Jesus’ coming. Believers and non-believers. But the previous verses add insight: V. 31: “31 On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.” Oftentimes this passage has been used to teach that in one’s hurry to escape judgment, he should not take time to grab anything – just get out. And language similar to this is used to teach exactly that in Mat 24:17-18 regarding a time near the middle of the Tribulation. But this passage is at the end of the Tribulation. And the key to interpretation is v. 32: “Remember Lot’s wife.” Let’s do that. As God prepared to destroy wicked Sodom, He graciously removed Lot and his family. But as they were fleeing for their lives, Lot’s wife famously looked back – longing for the things she was leaving behind – and turned into a pillar of salt. She shared in the judgment that was falling because she loved her possessions, her position and her earthly prestige – this world -- more than she loved the Lord who was rescuing her. Her rebellious heart was revealed and she was destroyed. Jesus’ point is – Don’t do that! don’t go back and try to rescue your earthly life when Jesus comes. That would show you have a heart that loves this world more than it loves Jesus. It would reveal your self-centered universe and expose you to the judgment that is coming on all who love this world. That is the point of v. 33: “33 Whoever seeks to preserve his life [on earth] will lose it, but whoever loses his life [to Christ] will keep it.” You try to save your life in this world and you’ll lose everything. Jas 4:4, “4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” So, what do we love? Is something ahead of Him? Are we trying to hold Him with one hand and our earthly life with the other? Which rules? I Jn 2: 15) Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16) For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17) And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” This is the question Jesus is raising. What do you treasure? If it is not Jesus first, that may not show now, but it will surely be revealed when He comes again. So better settle that question in His favor and the sooner the better. In that day Worldlovers will be divided from Jesus-lovers quickly, definitely and permanently. When Pompeii was being excavated they found the body of a woman preserved in the ashes of Vesuvius. Her feet were turned toward the city gate, but her face turned backward toward something just beyond her outstretched hands. What was it? A bag of pearls. With death hard on her heels, she stooped to pick them up and was destroyed in the process. Contrast that with six-year-old Matthew Huffman. His parents were missionaries in Brazil. One morning he had a fever that soon became so intense he was losing his eyesight. They put him in the car to rush him to the hospital. As he lay in Mom’s lap he extended his hand into the air. Mom pulled it down, but soon He reached up again, so Mom asked, “Matthew, what are you reaching for?” He replied, “I’m reaching for Jesus’ hand.” With those words he slid into a coma from which he died 2 days later. Only 6, but he’d learned who to reach for when confronted with eternity. For whom or what will you reach? How important is He really? Where is your treasure – because that’s where your heart will be, and sooner or later – at the moment of death or the moment Jesus returns, your heart will guide your reach – for Jesus or something else? VIII. Jesus’ Coming is Characterized by Finality (37) 37 And they said to him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures (not eagles as some translations) will gather.” The disciples wonder where all this judgment is going to take place. Jesus’ appeals to realities again. We all know that when someone or some animal dies out in the open, the vultures will gather. Likewise, Jesus is saying, “Where unbelief is found, judgment will find it.” Jesus’ answer is less calculated to reveal some exact place, but rather intended to emphasize that judgment is sure and final on those who have rejected Him. It be slow in coming, but when it does it will descend with precision and purpose. Where the corpse of unbelief resides, the vulture of judgment will find and consume it. It is popular these days to say that people will have another chance to accept Jesus after they die. Rob Bell, in Love Wins claims that God’s love will eventually overwhelm even the most stubborn of sinners, tho it may take a significant amount of time in hell to bring about that repentance. Clark Pinnock takes much the same approach “appealing to evangelicals to make the shift to a more inclusive outlook”, claiming that “God will find faith in people without the person even realizing he/she had it.” He follows with the assertion that people will be given another chance after death. The problem is, these claims have no substantiation in Scripture. Just the opposite. Heb 9:27 says, “It is appointed unto man once to die and after that comes judgment.” Jesus is indicating the same thing here. When He comes, the door of opportunity is closed forever. Just as the door to the ark was eventually closed by God Himself, so the door of salvation through faith in Christ closes at the moment of death or the moment when Jesus comes again. Our fate is sealed. Our decision must be made now. Later will be too late. Conc – A few weeks ago I saw Bob Costas interview Wade Bogg, HOF 3rd baseman for the Red Sox when they lost the 1986 WS to the Mets. Boggs was shown crying as the last out was recorded, so Costas asked if the hurt ever went away. Boggs said, “No,” but not for the reason you would expect. He explained: “The WS was four days after I buried my mother. Tragic [He began to cry]. That’s why I was crying. I was crying in part because we lost and because I knew I had to go home. I knew I had to go home and walk in the door. My mom wasn’t going to be there. It crushed me. That’s why I was crying. I came back [from her funeral] knowing when I crossed the white line I could play. And it would alleviate the hurt. But then the finality of the last out. It was over. I didn’t have the white line anymore. I knew I was going home and through the door and she wouldn’t be there. I never wanted to face that door. But I had to once the last out was made.” Boggs could live in denial while things were “normal” on the field. But then came the last out! And soon we will all face the last out, Beloved. Either thru death or Jesus’ return. And we’ll have to go thru that door. Are you ready to go through that door? Does He have your heart? Is He your treasure? Don’t live in denial. Judgment’s coming. Be ready – be in Christ. Let’s pray. .