Luke 17:22-37
The Kingdom of God (2)
We started looking at this section of Scriptures last week. Jesus was
on the road to Jerusalem when the Pharisees "demanded of him" about
the kingdom of God. Both Jesus and John had been preaching the
kingdom was coming. Now they wanted to know where it was. Jesus
spend the remainder of the chapter answering their query. He gave
them three different thoughts.
I. \\#20-21\\ Statement - The Statement was that there are two
kingdoms. One will come to the earth in a very literal and
physical fashion. The other is within the believer. The last one
is the one that we are a part of today.
II. \\#22-36\\ Signs - Jesus gave six signs related to the coming of
His earthly kingdom.
A. \\#22-25\\ A Misdirected Mindset - A lot of people are going to be wrong
about Jesus’ return before He comes to set up His kingdom.
1. While some will tell you Jesus has come, don’t believe
them.
2. His coming will not be here or there but everywhere! Like
the lightning shining from one of heaven to the other.
3. With that reference, we know that Jesus was talking about
His Kingdom coming because the rapture coming will be
like a thief in the night.
B. \\#25\\ A Suffering Savior - That might not seem like much of
a sign since it happened over 2.000 years ago, but Jesus’
death was and is the single biggest step between where He
was at that time and establishing His kingdom.
C. \\#26-27\\ A Preoccupied People
Luke 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe,
so shall it be also in the days of the Son of
man.
27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives,
they were given in marriage, until the day that
Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came,
and destroyed them all.
1. There is nothing tell-tailing in these verses.
2. They describe doing what people do.
a. \\#27\\ They ate and drank.
b. They married and gave in marriage.
c. \\#28\\ They bought and sold.
d. They planted and built.
3. Jesus mentioned two Old Testament characters to
illustrate, and although I broke them apart in my
outline, Jesus mentioned them together.
a. Both illustrations are illustrations of judgment,
but Jesus describes the world has being too busy to
worry about it.
b. What is the sign here? The sign is that people will
be preoccupied with life when Jesus brings His
kingdom to the earth.
4. This sign is actually what I call a non-sign.
a. It is a FACT that describes everyday people.
b. Everyday people have the same problem in every
generation—staying alive.
c. They work, they eat, the plant, they build—and that
is their life.
d. The anti-Christ may come, but they still have to live.
e. Extraordinary signs may be visible, but they still
have to live.
f. As hard as it to image, even in the middle of the
events of the book of Revelation—water turning to
blood, the sun scorching men, demonic creatures
afflicting mankind—people will still have to get and
go to work, whatever that will be.
5. But is also a WARNING.
a. Don’t let life get you so busy that you fail to notice
what is going on around you in the spiritual world.
b. This warning is not to the cold or the indifferent.
It is to the busy.
c. You can get so preoccupied with life, that you lose
your soul.
D. \\#28-30\\ A Perverted People
Luke 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days
of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought,
they sold, they planted, they builded;
29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom
it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and
destroyed them all.
30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the
Son of man is revealed.
1. While Jesus used both Noah and Lot as examples of a
preoccupied people, there is no mistaking that Lot’s
circumstance also speaks of specific sin.
a. \\#29\\ Jesus mentioned the judgment that came on it.
(i.e. God "rained down fire and brimstone and
destroyed them all.")
b. \\#32\\ He also hinted at what happened to Lot’s wife
for wanting to go back.
2. What it the sin? Homosexuality
3. I believe of all the signs given in this section, the rise
of homosexuality is the most telling.
4. Why?
a. There is no doubt that this sin has always been
around.
b. Abraham and Lot lived more than 4,000 years ago.
(1) That puts them closer to the beginning of the
human race than to the end of it.
(2) But that is when we find the first Biblical
reference to homosexuality and it was obviously
very well accepted by the many.
c. Then what makes homosexuality a telling end-time sign?
(1) It’s brazenness.
(a) While homosexuality has always been around,
it has not always been so brazen.
(b) I do not know the history of this sin but I
imagine the boldness of those who
participate in it will hasten God’s
judgment.
(2) I believe it is the world-wide acceptance and
preference of it.
(3) Seemingly, the whole world supports it and feels
the needs to attack any who do not.
(a) The State of Massachusetts and the city of
Milwaukee already have bans prohibiting
anyone from counseling a homosexual.
(b) California wants to make it a crime to do
so.
(c) In talking with a preacher friend last week,
we both agreed it would likely be the
preaching against homosexuality—not the
preaching of the gospel or the preaching
on hell—that would likely start the
persecution of the church in America.
(4) And the speed with which it is spreading. USA
Today reported today that the Boy Scouts of
America will no longer be the Boy Scouts. They
will be called "Scouts" as they now welcome
boys, girls, and those that are somewhere in-
between. That is a far distance to travel in
since their 2013 decision to allow homosexual
scouts to join.
https://www.cnn.com/2013/05/23/us/boy-scouts-sexual-
orientation/index.html
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/05/02/boy-
scouts-scouts-bsa-girls-joining-cub-scouts/572036002/
E. \\#31-33\\ A Rapid Response
Luke 17:31 In that day, he which shall be upon
the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him
not come down to take it away: and he that is in
the field, let him likewise not return back.
32 Remember Lot’s wife.
33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall
lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall
preserve it.
1. Something is going to happen that will require a rapid
response.
a. The text does not really say what is going to happen.
b. It calls it "the day when the Son of man is
revealed."
(1) Typically we would think that is THE day when
Jesus returns as detailed in:
Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a
white horse; and he that sat upon him was called
Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth
judge and make war.
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his
head were many crowns; and he had a name written,
that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in
blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed
him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen,
white and clean.
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword,
that with it he should smite the nations: and he
shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he
treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and
wrath of Almighty God.
2Thess 1:7 …when the Lord Jesus shall be
revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that
know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ:
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting
destruction from the presence of the Lord, and
from the glory of his power;
(2) But seriously. On that day, just where do
you think you would run to?
2. Although there is nothing in the text to suggest it, I
think this is actually telling the people what to do
on the day that the anti-Christ is revealed.
a. \\#Matt 24:15-19\\ describes almost the same warning
but here it is applied to the Abomination of
Desolations.
b. All I have time say on that tonight is that when
the anti-Christ is revealed, one of the first
things he will do is to desecrate the temple.
c. That and his other wicked activities are called
the Abomination of Desolations.
3. When that happens, flee from Jerusalem into the mountains
and flee quickly!
a. One will not have time to gather possessions from
his home.
b. If he is in the field, he does not have time to
go back by the house.
c. With the warning of Lot’s wife, Jesus tells the
people that they cannot look back on what was.
d. If he does, he will lose his life; but if he
flees immediately, there is some hope of staying
alive.
F. \\#34-36\\ A Sudden Stealing
Luke 17:34 I tell you, in that night there shall
be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken,
and the other shall be left.
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one
shall be taken, and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall
be taken, and the other left.
1. Jesus was describing a stealing of people.
2. Some think Jesus was speaking of the rapture and he
could have been but that would be going backwards to
an event that will happen BEFORE the Abomination of
Desolations.
3. More likely Jesus was speaking of the people either
being gathered for judgment or reward when He comes
to establish His kingdom.
a. Most figure the people being taken are being
taken to judgment.
Mt 13:30 Let both grow together until the
harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say
to the reapers, Gather ye together first the
tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them:
but gather the wheat into my barn.
b. But the Bible makes it clear that the saved will
be gathered too.
Matt 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a
great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather
together his elect from the four winds, from one
end of heaven to the other.
III. \\#37\\ Site
Luke 17:37 And they answered and said unto him,
Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever
the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered
together.
A. The question being asked is WHERE?
1. Jesus had just said some people would be taken. Perhaps
the people are asking, "Where will they be taken to?"
2. But most likely, they are asking where the Kingdom of God
will be.
B. Jesus’ answer was—as it often was—cryptic.
Luke 17:37 Wheresoever the body is, thither will
the eagles be gathered together.
1. The body
a. Jesus was calling some thing or someone a body.
b. This is the word used for a body—either living or dead.
c. In Matthew, the same expression is given in a similar
context except the word for a DEAD body is used.
Mt 24:28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there
will the eagles be gathered together.
2. There is no doubt that Jesus had been talking about God’s
earthly kingdom coming to earth, but I have a hard time
accepting that Jesus would speak of His kingdom as a dead
body.
3. Neither can I see Jesus talking about the church or
believers in general as a dead body.
4. I do not know that I have an understanding of this
prophecy and it might be that there isn’t supposed to be
one until we are closer to the time of it being
fulfilled.
C. But I will tell you what I think today.
1. I think the carcass is a reference to Israel. While it may
be alive when Jesus comes to set up His kingdom, it is
dead right night and will have been dead from most of the
time since Jesus left to go to the Father.
2. I think the eagles are Christians. Throughout the Bible,
eagles speak of the mature Christian.
D. The question being asked is where is this kingdom going to be?
1. It is going to be where Israel and the Christians are.
2. During the tribulation, both Christians and Jews will be
battered by the anti-Christ.
3. But even then, I think the believers will be attempting to
witness to and help Israel.
4. Israel, the dead body, will have the eagles, believers,
fluttering around it.
5. The people of Israel will be in Israel, many of them at
Jerusalem.
a. And there some Christians will be gathered.
b. And that is where the Lord will come with His
kingdom.
I confess, I do not know if that is correct or not, but I do know that
Jesus will come to establish His kingdom on earth. Between now and
then, the ride is going to be rough. I hope you are bucked into the
body of Christ by the waistband of truth and the shoulder strap of
faith!
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