The Son of Man Coming - Luke 21:25-36

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Introduction

[ILLUS] William Miller was a prosperous farmer and a baptist preacher on the side in the 1800s. He also believe that Jesus was going to return in the year 1843-1844. He had studied the Bible, did a little math, and out popped the time period between March 1843 and March 1844.

At first, Miller kept his view of Christ’s return to himself. Then he discussed it with a few friends. Then he wrote about it in newspapers and sent out a little book on it to those who inquired about his view.

Soon he had a following—a following called the Millerites (not the Miller-lites, that’s a different group!).

But soon one of Miller’s follower concluded that Jesus would actually come on October 22, 1944—just a little beyond Miller’s original time frame but still within reason. That day became known as the Great Disappointment.

Miller and his followers waited and waited but Jesus didn’t return.

Some kept looking for His return in the days ahead.

Others went back to their old denominations.

Others just tried to rebuild the lives because they had sold everything because they were convinced that Jesus was coming back on that certain day.

These Millerites splintered into different groups and then came back together as the Seventh Day Adventists, which we still around today—they think we’re wrong because we worship on Sunday instead of Saturday—but my point in telling you all this is to say—I don’t stand before you today as a William Miller.

I don’t know for certain when Christ is going to come.

I can’t tell you a day, a year, a decade, or even a thousand year period in which I’d be willing to say, “I’m certain He’s coming then!”

But I stand before you today as a preacher of the Word of God—and God’s Word says that Jesus is certainly coming.

In fact, the Word made flesh tells us that Himself in this passage we are about to read.

[READING - Luke 21:25-36]

Luke 21:25–36 NASB95

25 “There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” 29 Then He told them a parable: “Behold the fig tree and all the trees; 30 as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near. 31 “So you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near. 32 “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place. 33 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. 34 “Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; 35 for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. 36 “But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

[PRAYER]

[CIT] In this passage Jesus spoke to His disciples about the time before His second coming—a confusing and terrifying time—but nevertheless a time of certain hope for those who know and depend on Jesus as the Son of Man.

[PROP] We often feel like we are living in days of great upheaval but I do believe it’s going to get worse before it gets better—things are going to become even more confusing and terrifying before Jesus comes.

That’s why we must know Jesus and depend on Him for the strength to endure to the end.

[TS] In this passage NOTICE first…

Major Ideas

NOTICE #1: The Signs of His Coming (vv. 25-28)

Luke 21:25–28 NASB95

[Exp]

Signs -

sun, moon, stars,

roaring sea and waves,

the powers of the heavens will be shaken

Reaction of Nations -

dismay among nations,

perplexity,

men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world

The Son of Man -

coming in a could

with power and great glory

Instruction to Disciples -

But when these things begin to take place,

straighten up and lift your heads,

because your redemption is drawing near.

[Illus] The prophet Elisha and his servant were surrounded. The King of Aram had sent horses and chariots and a great army to Dothan (Israel not Alabama); he sent his army by night and surrounded the city to kill Elisha.

Elisha’s assistant rose early in the morning, went out, and saw the chariots and horses circling the city. He said to Elijah, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”

He was dismayed.

He was perplexed.

Perhaps he was about to faint from fear and expectation of things to come.

But Elisha prayed, “O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw.”

Behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire are around Elisha.

Elisha said to his servant, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

Elisha saw saw past the upheaval. He saw past the dismay, the confusion, the fear.

He saw that his redemption drew near. (cf., 2 Kings 6)

[App] We may feel surrounded by increasing upheaval. The world is spinning more rapidly out of control. Sickness is increasing. Conflict is increasing. Immorality is increasing. And all of it is increasing rapidly. We may be tempted to be discouraged. To say to Jesus, “Alas, my Master! What shall we do?”

But in this passage in Luke, Jesus opens our eyes to see past the upheaval to the redemption—our redemption—that draws near!

Do not be discouraged brothers and sisters!

Straighten up and lift up your heads!

The Son of Man is coming in a cloud with power and great glory!

[TS] …

NOTICE #2: The Certainty of His Coming (vv. 29-33)

Luke 21:29–33 NASB95

29 Then He told them a parable: “Behold the fig tree and all the trees; 30 as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near. 31 “So you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near. 32 “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place. 33 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

[Exp]

Jesus told them a parable and its explanation

Parable: Behold the fig tree and all the trees, as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near.

Explanation: So you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near.

Jesus gave a general time between signs of His coming and His arrival

Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place.

Jesus emphasized the certainty of all this

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

[Illus] Imagine being Jesus’s disciples hearing all of this at this time. Jesus hasn’t even been crucified yet. He hasn’t risen from the dead yet. He hasn’t ascended to Heaven in a cloud yet. He hasn’t sent the Holy Spirit upon them yet. They’ve seen some incredible miracles and even performed some incredible miracles themselves, but even so, all of this must’ve been hard to believe.

But what proof of all this did Jesus offer them?

I think it was the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple that was mentioned in the passage before.

Jerusalem was God’s city and the temple was God’s house! How could it be that it would be ransacked and toppled like Jesus said it would be? That surely was hard to believe as well.

But when it happened 40 or so years later, the disciples were even more assured that everything Jesus said would come to pass was a certainty.

If Jesus was right about that upheaval 40 years before it happened, then it stands to reason that He is right about the great upheaval that will take just before He comes again.

[App] Do you live with the certainty that Jesus is coming?

Maybe one day, maybe soon, maybe evening, maybe noon! Coming again! Coming again! Of what a wonderful day it will be! Jesus is coming again!

The days leading up to it may be days of great upheaval, but when He comes on the clouds with great glory and power, it will be a wonderful day! A glorious day!

A day we are certain to experience as guaranteed by Jesus!

Heaven and earth will pass away, but His words will not pass away!

They are guaranteed!

[TS] …

NOTICE #3: The Strength Needed before His Coming (vv. 34-36)

Luke 21:34–36 NASB95

34 “Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; 35 for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. 36 “But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

[Exp]

Be on guard

so that your hearts will not be weighted down with

dissipation

and with drunkenness

and the worries of life,

and (if you are on guard) that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap

for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth.

But keep on the alert at all times,

praying that you may have strength

to escape all these things that are about to take place,

and to stand before the Son of Man.

[Illus] Recently a friend of mine went to the beach with his teenage son. The red flags were out but they decided to go into the rough water anyway. He figured he could handle it, right up until one of those waves handled him. It lifted him, spun him, and drove him into the sand and seashells under the water, scrapping him along the bottom while it drug him to shore.

The pictures he posted afterward showed his yellow cheek and black eye.

He thought he had the strength to handle it, but he did not.

[App] The signs of great upheaval begin to occur, there will be dismay and confusion and fear like Jesus says, but there will also be those distracted with the ordinary cares of life like food and family…

…and then there will be some others… perhaps some like us… who say, “We know what all this means! It means Jesus is coming! We need be afraid! Jesus is coming! I candle handle this upheaval! Jesus is coming!”

No!

Jesus is coming.

We do know what the upheaval means.

We do not need to be afraid.

But we must never think that we can handle it on our own.

What does Jesus tell us to do?

Luke 21:36 NASB95

36 “But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

We must not assume that we will be strong enough.

We must not convince ourselves that we are strong enough.

We must pray that we will be strong enough to escape the dismay, confusion, fear, and distraction that will come with the upheaval…

…and instead stand before Jesus believing, encouraged, and redeemed.

[TS] …

Conclusion

Where has your mind and heart been in recent days? Pandemic? Violence? Inflation? Conflict? Misery? Confusion? All those things are regular contributors to the daily news.

But don’t let that upheaval discourage you.

Look beyond the upheaval and believe that Jesus draws nearer.

Look beyond the upheaval and be encouraged. Your redemption draws near. The Kingdom of God is near.

Look beyond the upheaval and stand in the strength that God supplies—the strength that only comes through faith in Jesus, the Son of Man.

Daniel 7:14 NASB95

14 “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.

The Son of Man comes.

Are you ready?

[PRAYER]

[RESPONSE] If you don’t know if you’re ready…

If you don’t know how to be ready…

…come speak to me during this time of response or after the service.

I’d love to talk with you about trusting and following Jesus so that you will be ready when He comes.

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