Luke 17:20-37, When Is It Over?

When the Kingdom of God Comes in the Midst of You

Luke chapter 17 be reading from verses 20 to 37.

Hear the word of the Lord.

Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come He answered them the kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed. Nor will they say look here it is or there for behold the kingdom of God is in the midst of you and he said to the disciples the days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man and You will not see it and they will say to you look there or look here.

Do not go out or follow them. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other so will be the Son of Man in his day. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

Just as it is it was in the days of Noah. So it will be in the days of the Son of Man 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 likewise just as it was in the days of Lot.

They were eating and drinking buying and selling planting and building. But on the day when Lot went out from Sodom fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all. So will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed on that day?

That the one who is on them housetops 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. Remember lots wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it.

But whoever loses his life will keep it. I tell you in that day there will be two in one bed one will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left and they said to him where Lord He said to them where the corpse is there the vultures will gather.

The World Is Not Yet Over

Make the Lord had his blessings to the reading of his Holy Word. We'll ever been through some ordeal maybe like a medical procedure an exercise a Suspenseful football game. That's an ordeal a bad movie and wonder When will this be over?

Just last week we saw a Super Bowl that that we knew because of the way the Patriots came back from last year. But was it over until it was over? I mean until there were nothing but zeros left on the clock.

Then finally, it's over last month the college football Championship game it went past the zeros on the clock when the time ran out. It still wasn't over but in overtime After a 16-yard loss By the eventual winning team that will go nameless.

Just when you expected The game to go on at least three more plays you would assume the game was suddenly surprisingly.

Over.

So when is it over? Sometimes we're in something and we rightly want it to be over but it's not. The doctor still has to poke around. We still got to do a few more laps or reps. The suspense is killing you as the game keeps going but it's close.

I guess we can walk out of a movie. If we really you know, we don't kill. We just so bad and you don't don't care until it's over. You can walk out of that. But sometimes we can't get out of something before it's over.

Businesses often make us sign contracts. So we won't get out of them. Just because we feel like it should be over. Depressed people. Wish life would be over. They might be suicidal or they may just don't care to do anything.

There's a stay in bed late as every day if they can stare out the window. No desire for anything to do anything to achieve anything. To have their favorite foods or do their favorite activities or watch a TV show or anything.

Life for them is over. They think even if they have to go on living a little while longer. But it's not. It's not over until it's over. But when is it over? This world not the planet mind you but this social system what Paul calls this present evil age in Galatians chapter 1 verse 4.

When is it over?

With this world where might makes right and money makes the world go around and people live for money and pleasure and Immorality is celebrated on TV and lies are openly told and killing certain people is presented bizarrely as a right to choose a pride predominates.

When is it over. When will all this be over? When will God finally intrude put an end to it all? That's what every righteous person, you know wants to know from time to time. Maybe all the time would have you have your senses your Convictions offended by what you see out there in the world by arrogant men claiming to have all the answers running the world immorality made normal unfaithfulness now acceptable.

Now even the church was supposed to be the pillar and bulwark of the truth is used by some to make themselves wealthy or Powerful or just for their ego so they can be somebody. You got to listen to me.

False doctrine flourishes and many churchgoers don't care about the word. They only want to hear their opinions affirmed and if they and if they don't get that they say it's over and they go somewhere Else, when is it finally go all of that mess?

Finally going to be over and we finally get to the perfect world where all God's enemies are put under Jesus's feet.

When.

Well, that's what we see here in two parts first now and second not yet. It's over now. But not yet. Well first the Pharisees hearing Jesus talked about a lot about the kingdom of God. He's constantly talking about the kingdom of God got which God's rule where he reigns where he's in charge.

They asked him when the kingdom of God would come. Now they thought they knew what that would mean that it would mean they thought it would mean an uprising. Of the Jews a great king like David and from the line of David seizing power.

Leading an army driving out the Romans restoring all of Israel's old territory. Dominating their neighbors that they would be the next big Empire in the region whether Rome liked it or not. For these Pharisees they wanted to know.

When the rule of the Romans would be over. When will their humiliation is being subject to a Gentile power? So humiliating to be under their thumb, when would that that be over when will these sinners?

These people who don't keep the law all around them and if they get away with it. Because there's no punishment because the Romans not gonna punish them for it. When will they when will that them being able to run loose like that be over?

When will they finally be punished and their life of their flaunting their sin? When will that be over? So Jesus answers their question very succinctly he says first the kingdom of God is Not coming with signs to be observed.

It's not like you know, what? Dr. Luke writing this what is cups and custom to symptoms of a disease. You can tell certain disease that goes through stages as early symptoms and you watch see how it progresses and soon It will be in if you see the early symptoms, you know soon It will reach another stage and it'll be in full bloom.

No, the kingdom of God will not be like that. It won't be like like last October or August 21st the Eclipse. Remember the big Eclipse or soon after a couple weeks after that was the Sun and the planets were in the constellation Virgo.

Making a sign as many people said that the end was here September 23rd, I think it was supposed to be the end was supposed to be then will we would that just blew right by. People want signs so they can get ready so they can stop living for.

Whatever for getting rich maybe stop indulging their lusts with pornography so they can stop being distracted by everything else. They want a sign like a stop sign. So they will finally stop and they'll get ready for Jesus.

They want a sign that all this will be over here. Jesus is saying the kingdom of God is not Coming with a sign notice that very clearly. He tells that to the Pharisees because that's important because there's a lot of teaching out there from all kinds of different people.

Saying differently the kingdom of God does not come with a sign. Then Jesus says they are at least the people who are in there who are right they will not say Look, here it is. Here's the kingdom of God.

It's here or it's there over there. It won't be in a city where the Saints are Control and they impose their rule. There's the kingdom of God. Let's go live there. It won't be in New England in America just because the Puritans went there and established their their Bible commonwealth's.

It won't be in a retreat somewhere where everybody's a Christian and you can just sit back and trust that everything here is perfect. It won't be some perfect Church. If only we could go there and join them and get rid of all this mess that we're having to do with.

No, it won't be here or there because Jesus tells us but the Pharisees. That's key speaking of the Pharisees behold. Look you Pharisees pay attention open your eyes. The kingdom of God is in the midst of you.

Now some people here. But there's some people think that Jesus is teaching some kind of mystical idea. Some translations happening if your translation has this get a new translation if it says the kingdom of God is within you.

Yeah, that's wrong because he's speaking to the Pharisees and you think about it. There's the kingdom of God within their hearts. Think about that. You know, some people think that's what Jesus is teaching though.

It's a mystical ideas. It's the king was within you and your heart if only you'll open it up. That's where you'll find God within. No, that's not what he means. He's speaking to the Pharisees and certainly wouldn't mean that the rule of God is within them.

Would he if only you know, you know. Although you Pharisees will get in touch with the spark of the divine and within each and every one of you. No, we didn't mean any of that stuff. He means as a DSV here that the kingdom of God is it's here.

You're asking Pharisees when the kingdom of God will come on earth. It's already now among you. It's on earth already.

Look.

Behold here it is. They've come to the king. Think about this. They've come to the king and basically they're asking him a king. When's the king gonna come? Except they don't know that he's the king and he tells them I'm standing right in the middle of you.

Look look and see.

Here I am.

Where Jesus is there is the kingdom of God. He is the king. He brought in the kingdom of God when he was on earth. He said in Luke chapter 11 verse 20 that if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons and it was Then the kingdom of God has come.

It's a past tense. It has perfectly it's been completed. It's it's come here Here it has come upon you here. Jesus says Is the kingdom of God and here in this passage Jesus has just healed ten lepers.

Remember it's a sign of his kingdom That where he rules the curses of sin Are driven out and no disease portrayed sin as much as did leprosy this kind of disfiguring disease that ate away at the body was Mary and I saw some leprosy in Ethiopia people's fingers and Extremities where body would just be eaten away be gone here.

Jesus healed leprosy to show That his rule was on earth. He was undoing all the effects of sin so we conclude from that that the kingdom of God has come and here he says it. Again, when will the kingdom which is the rule of God come?

Well, the rule of the king is wherever the king is not much of a king if you're not ruling where you are He's the king. He brought it never does the Bible say as some teach today that he's just offered the kingdom and And it was rejected and so he took back the offer and here here they they ask him Where does the kingdom come or when does the kingdom come?

Excuse me, and Jesus says now.

It's here.

Now well, how can that be? You know, they would have thought you know, the kingdom of God ends this world. Came to God. Have couldn't have come yet because the world is still here. It's still going on as we know it.

This world system with Gentiles dominating us sinners still living openly and sin. It's still going on. So the kingdom could not have come. That that's the way they think. I thought when the kingdom comes.

The world as we know it.

Ends.

But they thought wrong. We still have people who teach similarly today that the kingdom will will in this world as we know it. They think and so therefore they conclude on the basis of that wrong assumption that it hasn't come yet.

That Jesus didn't bring it and so we will have to wait for it still. When will when will this world end? Well, we'll look for the signs and the politics and the wars in the Middle East and they're just obsessed with all that stuff.

Because they think that's what the signs are coming. But here Jesus tells us the kingdom has already begun with him on earth the first time it's now. But how come it the world how come the world isn't over yet.

How come it is hasn't ended? Jesus explained that in his parables. You remember all those parables, but the kingdom his kingdom is like yeast. It's like a mustard seed. It's a has a small beginning. It's not this.

Overwhelming.

Visible invasion like a you know an army marching in taking over right away. It's not like that like they were expecting. Sure, the kingdom of God is a great treasure a pearl of great price. That's worth selling everything you've got to get it.

But not everyone accepts it. Just like not every seed scattered on the ground brings a crop. Remember that parable some are hard-hearted like seed on you throw in a stony path. Some are shallow and appear for a time That they love the kingdom of God.

But they're too attached to their money to the pleasures to the fun Whatever the world has to offer and so they wilt away. Some won't let go with their love of money. And so even if they appear to accept the kingdom They don't bear any fruit like seed among a bunch of weeds they just don't grow.

But some come into the kingdom some come in and They love it and they bear much fruit. And so but the point is not everyone in this time it just accepts the kingdom and.

And.

Pursues it and wants it that kingdom is now on earth and another parable. It's like a field planted with good wheat but there's also with weeds and They grow up side by side the wheat and the weeds at the same time and now is the time for the wheat to grow but The time of the weeds is not over yet either.

They're together. One thing I dislike about most debates or opinions a lot of teaching that's out there today about the end times. Which is what really what this is all about what the kingdom of God is about, you know.

It's about with the world will be over. God takes over at the end times. I just like that when the focus is taken off of Jesus. It's often put on something else. For some may be on the destruction of Jerusalem in 8070 and sure that fulfilled some of Jesus's prophecies elsewhere.

But I note here nothing in this passage has to do with the destruction of Jerusalem in 8070. Okay, some people say it's all Jesus's teaching was about that. Well not here doesn't fit here.

And.

Sure did elsewhere but Jesus foresaw it but not here or maybe some events yet to come. They're always looking for something soon to come maybe what's happening with Israel and the Middle East. And so they're just obsessed with that and in all of that all kinds of different opinions.

It's often a sign of a problem because often it's about politics. It's about Middle East. It's about maybe about history. It's about some whatever but it's not about Jesus. And here the King Jesus tells us asked by the Pharisees When his when the kingdom and thus when the king would come.

He says it has come now with him. The focus here is on Jesus. That's all he tells. The Pharisees notice that because until they accept that he is the king They can't enter the kingdom of God. But then he turns to his disciples.

The believers.

Those who accepted him as king and he tells them much more about the kingdom and the next few verses now now sure is. Now like he just told the Pharisees it's in your midst but it's also not yet. And he tells them about two major things first the interim and then the end first there's an interim in verses 22 to 25 and Jesus says the days are coming when you will desire to see One of the days of the Son of Man and you will not see it.

Okay, there's a lot there try to take it apart. But he said remember Jesus is speaking from his time from his time. There are coming days. For him in the in the future there are coming for you you disciples.

It's not to the Pharisees. This is the disciples you believers the church we would say. There are days coming in which you will want to see you'll be your desire. You're longing to see one of that what he calls the days of the Son of Man.

And we'll see in a few verses that he'll use that same term for the time of his return. When he the Son of Man comes back when it's all over so he's saying there's coming a time. Which you people in the church will desire for me to return.

The Son of Man was Jesus's favorite term for himself. He uses it he uses many times four times in this passage alone. It's not that term is not like many people just assume because he's not a man. He's emphasizing his humanity.

You know think about it people around him. Looking at him as a man would assume he's a man. Okay, he didn't need to emphasize that. It refers instead to Daniel chapter 7 where Daniel sees a vision. First of all these series of beasts that represent different kingdoms that are beastly, but then there's one.

Like a son of man. Okay separate from the beasts the empires of this world the powers of this present evil age are like beasts. They're cruel. They're oppressive. They're barbaric but then there's one that's like a son of man and That one like a son of that son of man Brings in God's kingdom on earth.

Overwhelming over toppling over all these other these kingdoms of this world and he is worshiped as God. That's why Jesus especially uses that term like here when teaching about the kingdom of God the son of man is the Messiah Brings in the kingdom of God, but he's something more than that.

Who is worth who could be worshiped like God? Well, Jesus says first the kingdom of God is here now and then that there is coming a time. You disciples for you the church coming a time when you will want to see one of the days of the Son of Man.

To see that it's all over to see Jesus with us again. To see the kingdom of God perfectly come to see all his enemies under his feet. Even the last enemy especially that last enemy death to see no more sicknesses.

No more funerals. No more wondering. No more concussions after falling off a ladder. No more of that kind of thing. There's a time when we'll crave those days to come but they'll be Not yet. Notice that he says that but you will not see them.

It's coming a time now. Eventually, we'll see them but there'll be a not yet. So there's an interim coming. Between when he is on earth. Telling the Pharisees that the kingdom of God is in the midst of you and the time when it's all over the end.

There's a time between those two events and that's the time we're in now. We're in the interim now some people. Some skeptics, especially, you know say we want to say Jesus was wrong about the kingdom coming soon.

They Or even some Christians selling their various end times theories. They don't notice that Jesus clearly taught there will be an interim even in Matthew chapter 24. I know there was several many years ago when we went through that most of the emphasis there was on.

That there's gonna be a long delay. You know, there were ten virgins. They fall asleep. Why because the bridegroom was delayed. That's it's a big emphasis on that. Skeptics say Jesus was this apocalyptic preacher the first century and he was expecting a fiery end to the world right away.

Well, if so.

Why did he teach that the kingdom was like yeast like a mustard seed? Something so small it takes time that it's in your midst. Some say that well the delay was called by the Jews. Rejecting the offer of the kingdom, you know, but in John chapter 6 They don't reject it and John chapter 6 they tried to make him King remember and he ran away on Palm Sunday.

They were welcoming him shouting Hosanna because they wanted him to be that kind of King. But he had already told them that he is not that kind of King as we as we seen. That's not what his kingdom is like that the delay wasn't an accident.

It wasn't caused by their rejection it was part of the plan the plan for an interim. Probably so that you and I could be born and come to faith and know him. There's there's a interim but a time between now when he's speaking here and the days of the Son of Man the end.

So Jesus prepared his people for the time. Between the times he prepared us. For what we're going through right now the time between his bringing in the kingdom. Here and when it's all over the time we're in.

We desire who we should. We desire to see the days of the Son of Man when his rule is fully caught fully come on earth. That's why we pray Your kingdom come. We want this present evil age to be over. That's why the early church shouted Maranatha our Lord come.

We want Jesus to come but for now We're in an interim and in this interim people will say in verse 23. Some people will say look it's there our look. It's here. He's come.

Somewhere.

You know.

Under my control maybe he's coming sung young moon or Jim Jones David Koresh. And Jesus tells us here Don't believe him. It's fake news. Jesus says do not go out and follow them. Well, then if that's the case because you manage to put yourself in the disciples position.

Don't go out and follow them. People say they saw him come back. Don't go out. Don't believe them. Well, then how are we supposed to know? You know Jesus how are we supposed to know when you return if we don't believe anybody and he tells us in verse 24 as The lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to another.

So will the Son of Man be in his day? There by the way is One of the proofs that the day or days of the Son of Man refers to his second coming to the end. So it's like here in his day when he comes. It's like lightning flashing and you think about it when lightning flashes nearby.

You don't have to say hey. Did you see lightning? Did you see like no? No, you know it. It's obvious. It's just it's very impressive, especially very close. Don't believe any report that he's come. Somewhere, you know some on some mountaintop some cave some distant country.

Don't believe that Jesus said that's fake news. Because he his coming is like lightning it's it's obvious. It's public. It's undeniable. It's not isolated or hidden or mysterious or just local somewhere.

It's for all to see. So if you can deny that he's come Then he hasn't. Simple right very simple any report that Jesus has come that you can't see out your own window is Fake news. All right. No one will foresee it.

But all will see it. But Jesus says in verse 25 between the now when he's speaking kingdom of God is in your midst and the end when it's all over is in the interim of the kingdom of God and this world side by side and In this time first he says he the Son of Man Must suffer many things and be rejected.

By this generation and this time the cross is what happens when the kingdom of God Meets this present evil age. But it will eventually the cross will eventually be. What will end this present evil age.

This is that this is the age of the cross. The cross is suffering many things and being rejected. Is what characterizes our lives as we seek to live in the kingdom of God while living in this world? He said he must it is necessary.

It's not a plan B. Because the first plan of bringing in a kingdom and without the cross didn't work. No, that's not what it is. It's not just an optional display of affection. You know that doesn't really achieve anything.

Just kind of shows us how much he loves us kind of like giving a bouquet of roses for Valentine's Day. Doesn't really do anything but it's a nice nice display. No, that's not what the cross is. He said he must suffer it.

It's something that must be done because our sins must be paid for then if we're to follow him. If he must suffer that We're to follow him. We must it's also necessary To take up our cross to share to share his sufferings to be rejected.

Sometimes rejected because we tell the world That its ways are sinful that that 50 Shades of Grey movie is pornography about inducing lust that homosexuality. Is it really the same love their relationships even on Valentine's Day our money even when giving out on pals and Chinese New Year?

Isn't the goal of life? Telling people who are not in the kingdom the truth now in the interim this age of the cross is.

Offensive.

Expect some suffering some rejection some being unfriended in this present evil age. That's what that's what life is like for us in this interim. Before it's over. Well, that's the interim. But what's the end like?

I see Christians commenting, you know, we know the end is near we can see the signs. What Jesus already said that there are no signs. You know then in verse 26, he says the days of the Son of Man again.

There's that phrase will be like the days of Noah, you know days of Noah people were going about their business. Eating and drinking going out to eat eat getting married going to work making money paying mortgages.

Vacationing talking sports. I don't know what kind of sports they had back then but I'm sure they had something sports and or politics. Disorderly days of his routine. Why that crazy old man is building that big boat out here?

We don't know but we don't care and then suddenly Noah entered the ark and the flood came and destroyed them all. Or it's like lot in Sodom. They too were going about their routines. Buying and selling planning and building, you know, there was no sign.

There was no warning that soon they would be destroyed. But on the very day that lot left leave Sodom notice that both cases God protects His people even in the midst of the judgment but then suddenly fire and sulfur.

Rain down from heaven and destroy them all in verse 30. So will it be in the day singular when the Son of Man is revealed? There's the days of the Son of Man when he's revealed when people see him when that like the lightning flashes.

It's obvious in that day the day Christ returns the world faces judgment. It will come suddenly. Without warning or I should say.

Without further warning.

This. This right here is your warning. This is it. You don't get anything else. Here we're warned. You better be ready at any time because he's he's coming. Suddenly at a time you do not expect and on that day in verse 31 When he says what are you to do on that day when he's revealed?

It's too late on that day. It's too late to do anything more. There are not as some as some teach years to prepare, you know days to count down to get your life, right? Something happens and we know we have so many years until the judgment.

No, it will be a surprise. So if you're not ready when it comes It's too late to get ready. And so if you're on the housetop and they had these places to relax on there they have flat roof. So they would go up there just to relax today.

Maybe you say if you're on the porch You know, don't go back inside To try to get some stuff. It's coming. It's so sudden. Don't go back inside to get you know, you get to pack your bags or take your family photos.

Got to have that. Get your precious Jewelry or whatever it is. Or when our house caught fire almost five years ago. We had to call the fire department. They rushed to our house sirens blaring, you know go as fast as they can they were in a hurry.

But we still had time Go back in the house and each one of us did and we kind of each went after the thing that we thought was the Most precious. I went for a removable hard disk for the computer because there's all kinds of pictures and stuff on there.

Somebody went for a video game system and For a laptop, you know get to get some clothes case the fire burned the whole house down and we was all gone. His coming no, it will be will be more sudden than that.

You won't even have that much time. If you're a farmer in the fields, you won't have time to go back into your house and maybe you know Change out of your coveralls. Not time to change clothes. You know the fiction that people will have years to get ready Once these events start is refuted by what Jesus clearly teaches here.

So you better be prepared now. Remember lots wife. He says there's a there's a memory verse for you. I'm committed to memory verse 32. Remember lots wife there. You got one. Don't be so attached to whatever is in your house that you feel the urge To go back and get it to the removable hard disk or the video games or the laptop or the clothes or whatever it is.

Don't be like lots wife longing for the delights that the world offers. While while we're here the things the experiences the relationships That make us not Really desire the days of the Son of Man and we kind of like some of the stuff we got now.

We don't really want him coming back cutting that off. We want what kind of we can be content with a life in this world and we don't really wish it would. The world would be over don't be like her looking back Longingly now sure.

She was probably offended Lots wife. She was probably a righteous woman. She was probably offended by the overt immorality proudly displayed in the town square imposed on people there. They traveling through like you're probably offended by all kinds of things.

You see out there by seeing ads for 50 shades of gray or demands that we celebrate sexual indulgence. Even perversion that we agree that it's the same love. We're offended by all that probably should be.

We get used to it don't we it's kind of overlook it. Besides we think there's so many other things this world offers. So enjoyable exciting Super Bowls. There's good food entertaining movies nice houses fancy cars We can enjoy.

All those things.

And just overlook the rest like lots wife. But remember a sage Spurgeon said she looked.

She longed.

She lingered and she died. Instead of being like lots wife. Jesus repeats the challenge in verse 33 That he first gave us. And Luke chapter 9 verse 24. Wait after he there after he foretold his death on a cross and he and the resurrection.

That we looked at two years ago on Good Friday. Whoever would save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake will save it there. It makes sense on it. It's about his coming crucifixion sacrifice for our sins.

But here here it is again repeats it again now in the context about the end. How are you going to survive the end? How will you survive the judgment that comes so suddenly that you had that you better not try to run back to get it.

Get to get into your house to get your favorite thing or two. How are you going to survive that? By not being so attached To what's in your house. Your life is not here with this with the stuff that you bought with the fun that you had.

It's really it's not that it's really not that you love iPads or video games or cars or football or your wife or husband and family. It's not that you love those things less than people in the world. Is that you love Jesus more and that love makes the other.

Good things.

Pale in comparison. Your life is in the one who is coming and so you can easily lose What this world gave you? So be ready. Be ready to let go of your things of this world and then be ready for separation from those closest to you.

Again.

Jesus's challenge to discipleship is shocking. Christianity today is so often sold first as a as a strategy for improving your relationships now and Then a way of keeping them for eternity. You know, you'll go and be with those who went who died before you reunited.

We're shocked That when Jesus tells us first, you know first a few weeks ago that we must hate those relationships at least compared to him. And in the end when it's over we had baby we had better be ready for separation.