WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.439 Over the years I've taken and now I have set many examinations and most of them I have forgotten 00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:17.199 them almost immediately after having taken them. But I remember 35 years ago a scene, 00:00:17.640 --> 00:00:23.879 this was just before the summer holidays, Professor Holt walks into class, we had a chalkboard, he 00:00:23.879 --> 00:00:29.000 takes a piece of chalk in his hand, we're sitting there with our exam papers and he writes a simple 00:00:29.000 --> 00:00:37.719 sentence on the board, he said the American Civil War was a watershed moment. And we had three hours 00:00:37.719 --> 00:00:44.980 to discuss that particular sentence, that particular proposition. I use that as an illustration because 00:00:44.980 --> 00:00:54.060 the Bible presents us with three watershed moments in the New Testament. Now a watershed is a change 00:00:54.060 --> 00:01:02.780 of direction. So if you're interested, I agreed with the proposition that the American Civil War 1861 to 1865 00:01:02.780 --> 00:01:08.219 profoundly changed the course of American history. So that pre-war and post-war were fundamentally 00:01:08.219 --> 00:01:15.780 different. When we come to the Bible we have three of these events. Event number one, not surprising, is Jesus. 00:01:15.780 --> 00:01:24.500 The incarnation of Jesus is a watershed moment in human history. The arrival of Jesus changes the course 00:01:24.500 --> 00:01:34.500 of human history. Watershed moment two, the Holy Spirit. Pentecost, the Spirit is poured out, human history 00:01:34.500 --> 00:01:44.500 is forever changed. Today throughout the world, again it's hard to estimate but I'm told two billion or in excess of 00:01:44.500 --> 00:01:54.099 two billion people are worshiping the Lord Jesus Christ. That is quite an advance from 120 in Acts chapter 1. 00:01:54.659 --> 00:02:03.700 The Holy Spirit is poured out and the gospel now goes forth with power to all the nations and the gospel 00:02:03.700 --> 00:02:12.500 is accompanied by the power of God. So Jesus coming, the Spirit being poured out, and as we come now to 00:02:12.500 --> 00:02:19.860 chapter 17 of Luke's gospel, we have the third and final watershed moment of the New Testament. 00:02:20.580 --> 00:02:31.539 You see, the return of Jesus draws human history to a close as we know it. Now you know the phrase that 00:02:31.539 --> 00:02:39.860 sometimes we use, it's not the end of the world. For example, it's a summer's day, you buy an ice cream cone, 00:02:39.860 --> 00:02:48.660 and before you know it, the ice cream falls onto the ground. You're disappointed. You know, you had this 00:02:48.660 --> 00:02:55.220 high expectation of this lovely ice cream cone, there it is on the ground, and what someone might 00:02:55.220 --> 00:03:04.420 helpfully say, it's not the end of the world. It's just an ice cream cone. Luke chapter 17 is the end of 00:03:04.419 --> 00:03:15.699 the world. There is a day coming, we see this described in verse 24, for the Son of Man in His day. 00:03:16.500 --> 00:03:23.699 There's a day coming and this day will change the course of human history forever. It will close the 00:03:23.699 --> 00:03:32.099 current chapter and commence a new chapter in such a way that the before and the after are profoundly 00:03:32.099 --> 00:03:42.180 different. So think of these three moments as you read the Bible. Two of these moments occur before 00:03:42.180 --> 00:03:48.340 the New Testament was written, the coming of Jesus. And when we talk about the Jesus event, we mean His 00:03:48.340 --> 00:03:55.139 life, we mean His death, and we mean His resurrection. And we speak of the Holy Spirit being poured out. We 00:03:55.139 --> 00:04:03.619 don't just mean Acts chapter 2, but we mean the subsequent history of the human race from Acts chapter 22 to the present. 00:04:04.339 --> 00:04:11.459 And the only reason why I can stand here with confidence is that the Holy Spirit Himself promises 00:04:11.459 --> 00:04:18.339 to take the Word of God and apply the Word to the hearts and lives of people. Otherwise, such an exercise 00:04:18.339 --> 00:04:25.859 like this would be completely and utterly pointless. So the coming of Jesus, the outpouring of the Spirit, 00:04:25.859 --> 00:04:34.979 and now the return of Jesus, which is at some point in the future. There are some books that you read that 00:04:34.979 --> 00:04:44.339 change your perspective forever. I remember reading a very short book on preaching. You might suggest that I read a 00:04:44.339 --> 00:04:50.739 few more, but I read a short book on preaching. And it was the proposition that was this was by a man called 00:04:50.739 --> 00:04:59.139 Stuart Oliott from Wales. And he said there are three elements to the teaching of Jesus. And when he identified them, you see 00:04:59.139 --> 00:05:09.939 them all the time. State, Jesus makes statements. Two, illustrate, Jesus illustrates His statements. And three, 00:05:09.939 --> 00:05:19.379 application or apply. So state, illustrate, and apply. And what we have here at the end of 17 and into 18 is Jesus 00:05:19.379 --> 00:05:29.459 doing exactly that. Jesus is telling us something profound about the future. His future and our future. And you see 00:05:30.819 --> 00:05:37.939 that's where human history coalesces. The future of Jesus and the future of human race will intersect. 00:05:37.939 --> 00:05:45.459 And that those two future events will be powerful and profound. State, illustrate, and apply. 00:05:46.579 --> 00:05:53.220 Verse 24, for the Son of Man in His day will be like the lightning which flashes and lights up the sky 00:05:53.220 --> 00:06:00.579 from one end to the other. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. 00:06:01.379 --> 00:06:07.300 Jesus is telling us something significant and substantial. He's telling us something about the 00:06:07.300 --> 00:06:12.900 distant future and he's telling us something about the near future. He's telling us about the near future 00:06:12.900 --> 00:06:18.980 that suffering is coming, His suffering. But he's telling us something about the future to come, 00:06:18.980 --> 00:06:25.379 which is still in our future, that there is a day coming when the Son will return. 00:06:26.660 --> 00:06:30.500 So I've got two points, two very simple points that really come from this passage. 00:06:30.500 --> 00:06:42.019 And the first is, the King is coming. Whether you like it or not. Whether you believe it or not. Whether you welcome it or not. 00:06:42.019 --> 00:06:52.019 You see, God is not contingent. God does not require permission. God does not seek our approval. 00:06:52.019 --> 00:06:58.899 God does not seek our approval. Jesus came with or without human approval. In fact, He came without human 00:06:58.899 --> 00:07:04.899 recognition to be honest. Only a few people noticed Him when He came. The Holy Spirit was poured out again. 00:07:05.299 --> 00:07:12.500 This was not the result of a referendum. But this was part of God's redemptive plan. And God's redemptive 00:07:12.500 --> 00:07:21.779 plan always succeeds. Nothing can thwart Him. Nothing can oppose Him. Nothing can stop Him from doing 00:07:21.779 --> 00:07:31.619 what He is doing. So this is the end of the world as we know it. When Jesus comes and He is coming. 00:07:32.579 --> 00:07:40.899 Human history comes to a close. And a new chapter commences. It's a watershed moment in human history. 00:07:40.899 --> 00:07:48.179 And it's in the future. So Jesus makes a statement that there's a day coming, the Son of Man, 00:07:48.180 --> 00:07:57.780 and that day will be His day. You see, as you read the narratives of Jesus, Matthew or Mark or Luke or John, 00:07:57.779 --> 00:08:06.019 there are some who get it and some who don't. Some who embrace and some who reject. Some who are transformed 00:08:06.019 --> 00:08:14.899 and transfixed and others who are embittered and emboldened and and annoyed. But there's a day coming 00:08:15.859 --> 00:08:25.459 when all will see, when all will know, when there will be no dubiety, no uncertainty, no lack of clarity. 00:08:25.459 --> 00:08:35.379 Jesus arrived to begin with almost as we would say incognito. Didn't recognize Him. His birth was not 00:08:35.379 --> 00:08:41.779 written in the annals of human history because it was unimportant. But His return will be seen 00:08:42.500 --> 00:08:49.299 and experienced by all. So I said, Jesus makes statements. So He's making statements about His 00:08:49.299 --> 00:08:55.620 immediate future. He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. Time and again, 00:08:55.620 --> 00:09:03.299 He prepares His people. He prepares His disciples. They don't get it then, but they get it later. 00:09:03.299 --> 00:09:09.299 And maybe you're here today and maybe some of this material you don't get or you don't get fully. 00:09:09.299 --> 00:09:17.859 That's okay. Because God works in us and He enlightens our minds, He enlivens our hearts, 00:09:17.859 --> 00:09:25.620 so that things that are not clear now begin to become clearer. Jesus is teaching about His death 00:09:25.620 --> 00:09:32.099 and His resurrection during His life were unclear. But after His death and after His resurrection, 00:09:32.100 --> 00:09:39.940 strangely enough, they become clearer. And what we have is an example here that if Jesus is reliable 00:09:40.820 --> 00:09:48.180 about His description of the near future, then we have every encouragement to believe that He is 00:09:48.180 --> 00:09:53.940 accurate about His description of the more advanced future or the more distant future. 00:09:53.940 --> 00:10:01.620 I said the second element of Jesus is preaching was illustration. Jesus gives us two very vivid 00:10:01.620 --> 00:10:08.020 illustrations. He gives us the illustration of Noah and He gives us the illustration of Lot. 00:10:09.860 --> 00:10:15.860 You know the story of Noah and he's not emphasizing the animals here, but the idea of a catastrophic 00:10:15.860 --> 00:10:22.740 worldwide flood. All of a sudden, all was not well. All of a sudden, 00:10:22.740 --> 00:10:31.539 there's only one place of safety and that is inside this boat. Just as it was in the days of Noah, 00:10:31.539 --> 00:10:39.379 so it will be in the days of the Son of Man. Life is going on as normal. Life is normal. There's 00:10:39.379 --> 00:10:44.580 eating and there's drinking. There's marriage and being given in marriage. But then the flood comes 00:10:44.580 --> 00:10:54.740 and everything changes in a moment. It was the same in the days of Lot, eating and drinking, buying and 00:10:54.740 --> 00:11:02.500 selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven 00:11:02.500 --> 00:11:12.340 and destroyed them all. So what is Jesus telling us about His day? His day will be sudden. His day will be 00:11:12.340 --> 00:11:24.500 dramatic. His day will be surprising for many. Now Lot knew the day was coming or knew the moment was coming 00:11:24.500 --> 00:11:33.299 because he was rescued. He brought his wife. He brought his daughters. Noah knew the day was coming and he and 00:11:33.299 --> 00:11:41.620 his wife and his sons and their wives were all in the ark with the animals together. So some are prepared, 00:11:41.620 --> 00:11:53.299 but many are not. So Jesus is illustrating His day. Shocking, surprising, sudden, unexpected for many, 00:11:53.299 --> 00:12:03.379 but expected for some. It will be just like this. That's the illustration. That's Jesus, the teacher here. 00:12:04.580 --> 00:12:11.299 I'm trying to explain, says Jesus, what the future is going to look like, but let me tell you what it's like. 00:12:12.259 --> 00:12:19.700 It's like the days of Noah and it's like the days of Lot. Days of Noah, catastrophic flood, days of Lot, 00:12:19.700 --> 00:12:26.580 fire from heaven, but the picture is similar, isn't it? Everything is going on just as it was until it 00:12:26.580 --> 00:12:34.500 doesn't. Everything was normal as it always was until it wasn't and everything will be going on as normal 00:12:34.500 --> 00:12:41.860 until it isn't. Because when Jesus comes back, everything changes suddenly and there'll be many 00:12:41.860 --> 00:12:49.379 who do not know, many who are not prepared. You think of that illustration of the ark, those inside 00:12:49.379 --> 00:12:57.620 are fine, those outside are not fine. You think of Lot. Lot was rescued. His daughters were rescued. 00:12:57.620 --> 00:13:06.100 His wife was rescued. But those who were left, they were not safe and they were not secure. And in fact, 00:13:06.100 --> 00:13:15.060 Jesus wants to tell us a little bit more about Lot, because we're told in verse 32, remember Lot's wife. 00:13:15.860 --> 00:13:24.500 Remember Lot's wife. Don't turn back. Don't return. When the day comes, it will be just like this on the 00:13:24.500 --> 00:13:31.779 day the son of man is revealed. On that day, no one who is on the housetop with possessions inside should 00:13:31.779 --> 00:13:41.059 go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot's wife. 00:13:42.659 --> 00:13:51.779 Now, my mother was not known for civil disobedience. But there was a time where there was a evacuation 00:13:51.779 --> 00:14:00.100 order for our part of New Jersey. And the evacuation order stated clearly, leave your homes and do not 00:14:00.100 --> 00:14:10.899 take anything. Not even pets. My mother, age 75, I'm not leaving my cats. And she didn't. She took the cats 00:14:10.899 --> 00:14:18.419 with her. Now, thankfully, she and the cats survived to tell the tale. But it's illustrative, isn't it? 00:14:18.419 --> 00:14:25.699 I can get, I better get the, I better get my wedding album. You know, I better get my passport. You know, 00:14:25.699 --> 00:14:31.620 wait, wait a second. Let me, no. Jesus said, no, no, there's no time. There's no time to go back. When he 00:14:31.620 --> 00:14:40.659 comes, that's it. There is no chance to return. There is no time to get anything. It's too late. It's time to go. 00:14:40.659 --> 00:14:51.779 And when he comes back, it's time to go. So it's sudden. It's surprising. And there is no delay possible. 00:14:53.059 --> 00:15:01.539 Lot's wife. You read the story of Lot in Genesis. Quite remarkable. Lot and his uncle Abraham. 00:15:01.539 --> 00:15:11.299 Lot settled in Sodom. And it seemed like Sodom had a very strong influence on Lot, on Lot's wife, on Lot's 00:15:11.299 --> 00:15:19.459 family. God rescued Lot. Lot was a righteous man living in an unrighteous place. Kind of like us today. 00:15:19.459 --> 00:15:24.579 If you're a Christian, you're a righteous person, you're living in an unrighteous place. But this 00:15:24.580 --> 00:15:33.139 warning about Lot's wife is don't have a divided heart. One way or another, you need to choose. 00:15:33.780 --> 00:15:40.500 You need to choose where you're going. You need to choose whose side you're on. You can't have two, 00:15:41.060 --> 00:15:49.220 one feet in two camps. You see, when the moment came, Lot left. Now, the Bible tells us that he 00:15:49.220 --> 00:15:58.420 lingered, you know, he kind of liked where he was, and he lingered, but he left. Whereas Lot's wife turned back. 00:16:01.700 --> 00:16:09.060 That was a mistake. She made a mistake and that was her last mistake. Because when she turned back, 00:16:09.060 --> 00:16:17.379 she was turned to a pillar of salt. Now, what does this tell us? It tells us that Lot was compromised, 00:16:17.379 --> 00:16:25.299 but he still left. But it tells us that Lot's wife, that her heart was still there. And ultimately, 00:16:25.299 --> 00:16:31.379 your heart can only be one place or another. Is your heart here in the world? In that case, 00:16:31.379 --> 00:16:39.539 you will go for your stuff. You will turn back. You will delay. Or is your heart there with Jesus, 00:16:39.539 --> 00:16:45.860 with his coming, in his kingdom? You can't have one foot in two camps, and you have only one heart. 00:16:45.860 --> 00:16:52.100 So where is your heart? Where is your desire? Where is your focus? If it's here in the world, 00:16:52.100 --> 00:16:58.820 or if it's there in the coming kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. So Jesus says the day is coming. 00:16:58.820 --> 00:17:04.900 It's his day. It's not our day. It's his day. There's a day coming when he will vindicate. There's a day 00:17:04.900 --> 00:17:14.660 coming when he will be seen for who he is. Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it. Now, you see, 00:17:14.660 --> 00:17:20.100 the great thing about Jesus, he doesn't keep us in the dark, does he? When he makes these statements, 00:17:20.100 --> 00:17:25.140 when he makes these illustrations, the good preacher hammers the point home. Verse 33, 00:17:25.140 --> 00:17:32.100 whoever tries to keep his life will lose it. And whoever loses their life will preserve it. So what is 00:17:32.100 --> 00:17:41.060 it? Do you want your life here? Is this where you're meant to be? Or are you willing to lose your life 00:17:41.059 --> 00:17:49.619 here to secure life that never ends there? It's a choice. And the Bible constantly presents us with 00:17:49.619 --> 00:17:58.579 choices. But the choices of the Bible are always accompanied with consequences. If you try to keep 00:17:58.579 --> 00:18:05.859 your life, you will lose it, says Jesus. But if you're willing to lose your life, you will preserve it. 00:18:05.859 --> 00:18:13.779 That's again quite an, it's a strange principle, isn't it? I want my life. Well, you're not going to succeed. 00:18:14.339 --> 00:18:21.379 I'm willing to lose my life. Oh, you've chosen well. You see, Jesus has this ability of presenting these 00:18:21.380 --> 00:18:28.820 stark contrasts that seem not to make sense. If you're willing to lose your life, you can have it 00:18:28.820 --> 00:18:35.700 forever. But if you hold on to this life with both hands, you can't keep it. And you can't have eternal 00:18:35.700 --> 00:18:43.060 life either. I tell you on that night, two people will be in one bed. One will be taken, the other 00:18:43.060 --> 00:18:47.460 left. Two women will be grinding corn together. One will be taken, and the other left. 00:18:47.460 --> 00:18:54.340 Let me just say, it's possible to interpret this passage in a lot of different ways. 00:18:56.180 --> 00:19:00.819 And I'm not going to interpret this passage in a lot of different ways. But there are different 00:19:00.819 --> 00:19:07.059 views from different Christians about the coming of our Lord Jesus. I would suggest that many of the 00:19:07.059 --> 00:19:12.660 differences deal with order of events, sequence rather than substance. 00:19:12.660 --> 00:19:22.100 It seems that Jesus is saying here, he might come at night when people are sleeping. He might come in 00:19:22.100 --> 00:19:27.940 the morning when they're grinding corn. He's not telling us the timetable. He's not saying this is a 00:19:27.940 --> 00:19:34.259 morning event or an evening event. What he's telling us is it's a sudden event where people will be doing 00:19:34.259 --> 00:19:42.180 normal things just like they do every day. But the normal things will cease on that day because that day 00:19:42.180 --> 00:19:53.380 will not be normal. It will be extraordinary. Verse 37, again, this passage does have its challenges. 00:19:54.420 --> 00:20:01.460 Sometimes Jesus doesn't answer questions like we would like him to answer them. Sometimes he answers 00:20:01.460 --> 00:20:12.100 questions in a way that seems to be more confusing than helpful. Where Lord, they asked. Where there is a dead body, 00:20:12.100 --> 00:20:20.980 there the vultures will gather. Now if I was marking an exam paper, I might put in the margin 00:20:22.340 --> 00:20:30.420 non sequitur, you know, a little comment. This doesn't seem to follow. Well actually, if Jesus is telling us, 00:20:30.420 --> 00:20:37.539 it does follow. But how does it follow? What does he talk about when he talk about dead bodies and vultures? 00:20:38.820 --> 00:20:50.500 I think what Jesus is saying here is that when this day comes, those who are rescued and safe will be 00:20:50.500 --> 00:20:59.460 rescued and safe. And all that's left will be utter carnage and destruction. Like the flood, 00:21:00.180 --> 00:21:06.579 those in the ark were safe. Those in the ark were not in the ark were not safe. Like that day in Sodom, 00:21:07.220 --> 00:21:15.940 Lot and the daughters, they were safe. Everyone else wasn't safe. On that day, when the righteous are 00:21:15.940 --> 00:21:23.380 redeemed, when the people of God are rescued, they will be safe. But everyone else, as it were, 00:21:23.380 --> 00:21:28.100 the people of God are safe. And the people of God are safe. And the people of God are safe. 00:21:28.100 --> 00:21:32.580 That's the consequence of not being ready. That's the picture that Jesus leaves. 00:21:33.620 --> 00:21:36.340 But the second point, and very briefly, is this. 00:21:36.339 --> 00:21:45.619 This is knowing that the king is coming, we are to keep praying. I said that the third element of the 00:21:45.619 --> 00:21:53.539 preaching style of Jesus is state, illustrate, and apply. Chapter 18 is the application. 00:21:53.539 --> 00:22:00.740 Then, that's the linking word, and that's the word I had neglected to notice. And having been given this 00:22:00.740 --> 00:22:07.619 passage in both halves, that's the obvious word. Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them 00:22:07.619 --> 00:22:15.459 that they should always pray and not give up. The king is coming. There's trial and trouble and tribulation. 00:22:16.179 --> 00:22:23.059 There's heartache and hassle. The king is coming. People of God, what are you to do? Pray. People of God, 00:22:23.059 --> 00:22:30.339 what are you to keep doing? Pray. Keep praying. Don't give up. Why? The king's coming. There is a day coming 00:22:30.339 --> 00:22:39.299 when all will be made right, even though all is far from right now. Jesus uses this illustration. It's so 00:22:39.299 --> 00:22:45.619 vivid, isn't it? He told them in a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared 00:22:45.619 --> 00:22:50.419 what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 00:22:50.419 --> 00:22:57.459 grant me justice against my adversary. Not a fair fight, was it? Here's the judge. He has power. He has 00:22:57.460 --> 00:23:03.620 authority. He has status. Here's a widow. She's weak. She's vulnerable and she's isolated. It's not a fair 00:23:03.620 --> 00:23:12.819 fight, is it? She's weak. He's strong. He has status. She has none. He has resources. She has none. For some 00:23:12.819 --> 00:23:20.100 time he refused, but finally he said to himself, even though I don't fear God or care what people think, 00:23:20.099 --> 00:23:28.579 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice so that she won't eventually 00:23:28.579 --> 00:23:39.219 come and attack me. Looking closely at this passage, the idea here is the judge is worried about getting 00:23:39.219 --> 00:23:47.059 a black eye. The idea here is, you know, being struck in the eye and I've never been struck in the eye, but 00:23:47.059 --> 00:23:52.500 I'm told that if you are struck in the eye hard enough, it creates, you know, bruising that gives 00:23:52.500 --> 00:23:59.700 you a black eye. Now the judge is not so much saying that this is a painful event, but the black eye 00:23:59.700 --> 00:24:07.059 would be a reputational event. This is reputational damage. The judge doesn't want to get a black eye, 00:24:07.059 --> 00:24:12.579 because if he gets a black eye, it'll be obvious that he's been hassled. And then when they say, 00:24:12.579 --> 00:24:18.419 who's been hassling you? Oh, it's this widow. She just doesn't stop. Let me give you an example. 00:24:19.139 --> 00:24:25.699 In prison, I've been working now, I just celebrated my 20th anniversary inside. It's a long time to 00:24:25.699 --> 00:24:32.579 to be inside, but 20 years. And what I noticed over those years is that over the is that many guys have 00:24:32.579 --> 00:24:41.220 black eyes from time to time. And I say, what happened? Slipped in the shower. I mean, we've all done that. 00:24:41.220 --> 00:24:47.380 You slip in the shower and your eye hits the, uh, the water faucet happens all the time. Or I, I slipped 00:24:47.380 --> 00:24:53.460 in the, in my room and my eye hit the corner of my bed. Again, it's quite a common, quite a common 00:24:53.460 --> 00:24:58.740 accident. We've all done that. But what are the guys saying? They've obviously been punched in the face, 00:24:59.380 --> 00:25:04.019 but they don't want to admit that their reputation has been damaged, so they kind of tell you a 00:25:04.740 --> 00:25:09.220 somewhat obvious lie. They're trying to protect their reputation, because they don't want to say, 00:25:09.220 --> 00:25:12.900 oh, the reason why I've got a black guy is somebody stronger than me. Punch me in the eye. 00:25:13.620 --> 00:25:18.339 The judge here is trying to keep his reputation because he's, he's saying somebody weaker than me 00:25:18.339 --> 00:25:23.700 has harassed and harried me so much that my reputation is, is damaged. 00:25:23.700 --> 00:25:34.100 So we pray. We don't give up praying. Not because God is like this unjust judge. No, he's not. He's 00:25:34.100 --> 00:25:43.620 completely just. God is completely just. And what's more, God also cares about his reputation. The unjust 00:25:43.620 --> 00:25:50.100 judge cares about his reputation for all the wrong reasons. God cares about his reputation for all the 00:25:50.099 --> 00:25:58.500 right reasons. So God is never threatened. God is never in danger of his reputation being damaged. 00:25:58.500 --> 00:26:04.819 But when the people of God are harassed and harried, when the people of God are the victims of injustice, 00:26:04.819 --> 00:26:11.619 God's reputation is at stake. And just like the unjust judge cares about his reputation, God who is 00:26:11.619 --> 00:26:18.339 perfectly just and perfectly good, he cares about his reputation. He cares about his people. And what does he do? 00:26:18.339 --> 00:26:30.500 He says, God will bring about justice for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night. Will he keep 00:26:30.500 --> 00:26:40.500 putting them off? No. He will see that they get justice and quickly. God cares. He's not unjust. He's just. 00:26:40.500 --> 00:26:47.459 He's not indifferent. He cares. And he makes sure that in the midst of this troubling time, 00:26:47.460 --> 00:26:54.819 the people of God are experiencing injustice. They are experiencing harassment. And they cry out to their God. 00:26:54.819 --> 00:27:01.620 They might not get human justice. They might not get a human hearing. But they cry out to God and God hears. 00:27:01.620 --> 00:27:11.460 And God answers. And just as Jesus returns at the right time, God always answers at the right time, in the right way, 00:27:11.460 --> 00:27:21.460 with the right response. So the king is coming. Get ready. He's coming suddenly. He's coming unpredictably by many standards. 00:27:21.460 --> 00:27:28.180 But the people of God should be ready. And when he comes, don't take anything with you. You can't take anything with you. 00:27:28.180 --> 00:27:43.620 You don't need anything with you. And when he comes, and until he comes, keep praying. Keep praying. We know he's good. We know he's just. We know he's loving. We know he cares. 00:27:43.619 --> 00:27:49.619 We know he's loving. We know he's loving. We know he's loving. We know he's loving. We know he's loving. We know he's loving. We know he's loving. We know he's loving. 00:27:49.619 --> 00:27:57.619 Does he care about you and me? Absolutely. And just as the unjust judge eventually says, okay, okay, okay. 00:27:57.619 --> 00:28:06.619 God, who is perfectly righteous, will see that his chosen ones receive mercy. 00:28:06.619 --> 00:28:12.759 Now this phrase, chosen ones, I'm going to just, I want to close with this quote from Revelation. 00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:17.279 Because it's remarkable when you see these phrases repeated. 00:28:17.959 --> 00:28:22.679 You see the words in Luke 18 and verse 7. 00:28:25.099 --> 00:28:30.259 When, will God not bring about justice for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night. 00:28:30.259 --> 00:28:34.339 That same phrase is repeated in Revelation chapter 14. 00:28:34.339 --> 00:28:37.079 Revelation 17 verse 14. 00:28:37.199 --> 00:28:37.439 I'm sorry. 00:28:37.579 --> 00:28:38.779 Revelation 17, 14. 00:28:39.339 --> 00:28:41.000 They will wage war against the lamb. 00:28:41.119 --> 00:28:41.839 That's the enemies. 00:28:42.439 --> 00:28:46.419 But the lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of Lord and King of Kings. 00:28:46.980 --> 00:28:51.639 And with him will be his called, chosen, and faithful followers. 00:28:52.259 --> 00:28:53.199 There is a battle. 00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:55.359 And that battle is raging. 00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:57.619 The forces of good and the forces of evil. 00:28:57.819 --> 00:28:58.699 God and the devil. 00:28:59.199 --> 00:29:00.240 God and his angels. 00:29:00.419 --> 00:29:01.559 The devil and his demons. 00:29:01.559 --> 00:29:04.240 And God will win that victory. 00:29:04.419 --> 00:29:06.339 And God will vindicate his people. 00:29:06.619 --> 00:29:09.539 That is the all encompassing nature of this event. 00:29:10.220 --> 00:29:12.740 So there is a watershed moment coming folks. 00:29:13.220 --> 00:29:18.200 And that watershed moment brings this era of human history to an end. 00:29:18.799 --> 00:29:19.519 Are you ready? 00:29:20.299 --> 00:29:21.259 Or are you not? 00:29:21.619 --> 00:29:22.599 Are you prepared? 00:29:23.460 --> 00:29:24.339 Are you praying? 00:29:24.879 --> 00:29:29.319 Because the king is coming and he will vindicate his chosen people. 00:29:29.319 --> 00:29:33.179 Jesus closes the section on this note. 00:29:34.359 --> 00:29:41.460 He says, however, when the son of man comes will he find faith on the earth. 00:29:42.460 --> 00:29:46.319 Faith is not just saying yes to a series of statements. 00:29:47.000 --> 00:29:48.039 Do you believe in God? 00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:48.519 Yes. 00:29:48.639 --> 00:29:50.619 Do you believe in God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? 00:29:50.759 --> 00:29:50.960 Yes. 00:29:51.259 --> 00:29:53.439 Do you believe that Jesus is the savior of the world? 00:29:53.579 --> 00:29:53.859 Yes. 00:29:54.279 --> 00:29:58.179 Do you believe, you know, all of these questions are, these are important questions. 00:29:58.180 --> 00:29:59.060 And you say yes. 00:29:59.480 --> 00:30:03.460 But faith is much more than just a saying of yes. 00:30:04.279 --> 00:30:08.519 The shorter catechism tells us that faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace. 00:30:08.740 --> 00:30:12.299 Whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation. 00:30:12.620 --> 00:30:15.519 As he is offered to us in the gospel. 00:30:16.460 --> 00:30:18.500 This is a solid piece of furniture here. 00:30:18.580 --> 00:30:20.560 But it's not firmly affixed to the ground. 00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:28.179 And I feel that if I lean too much on this, I'm going to, not only will the lectern topple, but I'll topple with it. 00:30:29.019 --> 00:30:33.440 Faith is resting on Jesus, knowing that he will not let us topple. 00:30:33.700 --> 00:30:34.940 He will not let us fall. 00:30:35.259 --> 00:30:38.159 It's not just saying yes to a series of propositions. 00:30:38.519 --> 00:30:43.740 But it's resting upon him as he is offered to us in the gospel. 00:30:44.240 --> 00:30:45.299 How can you be ready? 00:30:45.759 --> 00:30:48.679 When the king comes, you have faith in his son. 00:30:48.680 --> 00:30:51.340 How can you be ready for Jesus' return? 00:30:51.420 --> 00:30:52.980 Because you have had faith in Jesus. 00:30:53.100 --> 00:30:53.940 You trust in him. 00:30:54.240 --> 00:30:55.360 You're praying to God. 00:30:55.500 --> 00:31:00.620 And you're ready for that final event that brings human history to a close. 00:31:00.840 --> 00:31:04.500 And commences a new chapter in human history. 00:31:04.500 --> 00:31:07.240 And a new chapter in our life history. 00:31:07.580 --> 00:31:09.680 A chapter that never ends. 00:31:10.299 --> 00:31:11.100 No more suffering. 00:31:11.640 --> 00:31:12.360 No more sorrow. 00:31:12.820 --> 00:31:13.840 No more injustice. 00:31:14.200 --> 00:31:15.060 No more pain. 00:31:15.420 --> 00:31:16.480 No more disease. 00:31:16.720 --> 00:31:17.620 No more death. 00:31:17.619 --> 00:31:18.059 Why? 00:31:18.319 --> 00:31:19.339 The king has come. 00:31:19.899 --> 00:31:21.479 He's taken his people with him. 00:31:21.939 --> 00:31:25.759 And we will be with him forever and ever. 00:31:26.419 --> 00:31:27.059 Amen. 00:31:28.439 --> 00:31:30.119 We're going to close by singing, 00:31:30.279 --> 00:31:33.879 We will feast in the house of Zion. 00:31:34.479 --> 00:31:36.139 We'll sing these words together.