Watch Yourselves, Sermon from Luke 21:20 by Dr. Gil Martin

I ask you to take your copy of God's word and turn again to the 21st chapter of Luke if you're in a Pew Bible That's page 1047 this morning we'll close out the 21st chapter by considering verses 20 through 38 Luke 21 beginning in verse 20 and I will read through the end of the chapter which is verse 38 at this time I ask all who are able to please stand for the reading of God's holy word hear now the word of the Living God but when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies then you know that its desolation has come near then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains and let those who are in inside the city depart and let not those who are out in the country enter it for these are days of vengance to fulfill all that is written alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days for there will be great distress upon the Earth and wrath against this people they will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled and there will be signs and sun and moon and stars and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the Roaring of the Sea and the waves people figing with fear and with fore boing of what is coming on the world for the powers of the heavens will be be shaken and then they will see the son of man coming in a cloud with power and great Glory now when these things begin to take place straighten up and raise your heads because your Redemption is Drawing Near and he told them a parable look at the Fig Tree and all the trees as soon as they come out in leaf you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near so also when you see these things taking place you know that the kingdom of God is near truly truly I say this generation will not pass away until all is taken place Heaven and Earth will pass away but my words will not pass away but watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap for it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole Earth but stay awake at all times praying that you may have a strength to escape all these things that are going to take place and to stand before the son of man and every day he was teaching in the temple but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called alet and early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him this is the word of God you may be seated oh father again as we open your word we cry out in faith for the presence and the illumination of your Holy Spirit even the Spirit of Truth oh Spirit of the Living God fall fresh upon us and unplug our ears soften our hearts that we might hear and follow the voice of the Good Shepherd the Lord Jesus in his name we pray amen well it seems that predicting the return of Jesus has always been the hobby horse of certain theologian iians in 1988 Edward wisnet wrote a book called 88 reasons why the Rapture will happen in 1988 well as a title suggests he claimed to have figured out the return of Jesus would be in 1988 well he was wrong in his 1970 book the late great planet Earth how Lindsay also predicted the return of Jesus would be in 1988 well it's 2024 and he's still not returned evangelist Harold Camping claimed the end of the world would come on March 21st 1988 it did not the reason these writers believed they could pinpoint the return of Jesus was because of what they called quote signs of the end Earth earth quakes famines Wars escalating hatred materialism but they were dead wrong back in verse n Jesus said these things must first take place but the end will not be at once well books like this aren't quite as common as they once were but there's still a SCH smattering of them here or there and there's still TV preachers who have made a career off of end times prophecy end of the world speculation continues today setting a date for Jesus return has been the pursuit of many but it is nothing more than a Fool's errand because all such prophecies are eventually proven wrong Jesus said in Matthew 24 but concerning that day and hour no one knows not even the angels of Heaven nor the son but the father only as we come to the close of Luke's version of the olette discourse Jesus wants us to understand our concern is not to fixate on when he is returning Our concern is to be ready for his return Jesus tells us in this very passage watch yourselves watch watch yourselves because he will return suddenly and unexpectedly now Jesus will have more to say about his return as we work through this section but first he will return to the question the disciples posed back in verse 7 in verse six Jesus prophesied about the destruction of the temple he said not one stone will be left standing upon another and to his words the the disciples then asked teacher when will these things be and what will be the sign of when these things are about to take place well Jesus did not answer that question immediately instead he spoke about things that must come to pass in the last days the days between his first coming and his second coming but now in verses 20 through 24 Jesus will give them an answer to their question but when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies then know that its desolation has come near then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains and let those who are inside the city depart and let those let not those who are out in the country enter it for these are days of Vengeance to fulfill all that is written Jesus says when you see Jerusalem surrounded that's actually a poor translation of the Greek the Greek actually contains a participle and what it literally means is when you see Jerusalem being surrounded now that is an important point because Jes Jerusalem was not surrounded in one Fell Swoop this was a process that took the Roman armies a while to completely surround the city the actual Siege and destruction of jerus Jerusalem took about 5 months and Jesus is saying when the people see this occurring when they see the Roman armies mounting and increasing in number surrounding the city that's your sign destruction is at hand Jesus said for those in Judea meaning outside of Jerusalem flee to the hills if you're in the city get out that's not the normal course of action in this day in such a time normally one would flee to a walled City that's the place they would hi tail it for to seek refuge and safety in a fortified City but Jesus says don't do it get out of Dodge as fast as possible do not remain in the city or it will be curtains for you he States these are days of vengeance to fulfill all that is written now what's Jesus talking about he's referring to various Old Testament Promises of cursing for being unfaithful to Yahweh just a smattering of them Leviticus 26 and I will lay your cities waste and will make your sanctuaries desolate and I will not smell your pleasing Aromas and I myself will devastate the land so that your enemies who settle in it shall be appalled at it from Deuteronomy 28 verse 49 and following the Lord will bring a nation against you from far away from the end of the Earth swooping down like the eagle they shall besiege you in all your towns until your high and fortified walls in which you trusted come down throughout all your land God told Solomon at the dedication of the temple but if you the people of Israel turn aside from following me and do not keep my Commandments and my statutes that I have set before you then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight and this house will become a heap of ruin God is about to carry out those promises of curses verse 24 they the people of Jerusalem will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled well as Jesus prophesied it came to pass the Jewish historian Josephus who lived in this time wrote thousands upon thousands upon thousands of residents of Jerusalem were slaughtered and butchered the city was completely leveled the only thing left standing was a small portion of the Western Wall stragglers who did not flee the city were gathered up and publicly crucified others were starved to death as the Roman encircled the city cutting the city off Jesus warns that this is coming words of judgment and Devastation for Jerusalem but can we not also see in these words of warning The Compassion of the Lord Jesus how you might ask he's giving them warning God's judgments don't come without God's warnings he gives warning on what to do and what not to do and that's striking is remember this is the last week of Jesus life he is mere days away from the cross from enduring the Pains of hell but again he's not focused on himself he's not worried about what lies ahead he continues to be focused on others he gives Words of War warning yes the destruction of Jerusalem was severe but it was a just judgment but Jesus is selflessly warning people how to escape it well there is a greater judgment coming when Jesus returns and likewise Jesus has warned people of it and he's warned them of the one and only way of Escape God's law cannot be violated without retribution and consequences Israel's constant Rebellion against God's law means once again judgment is assured this is the second time Jerusalem will be leveled to the ground because of Israel's rebellion and nothing has changed in our day God's law cannot be violated without retribution sin is not a popular subject in today's world sin is not a popular subject in today's church but sin is vital that we understand sin is any failure to keep God's law any want of Conformity unto or transgression of the law of God great or small and all sin is odious to God and he will bring judgment on on every sin you and I ever commit sin is not something that Looms on the periphery of our being is something that's at the very heart of our being every aspect of our being is Tainted and corrupted by sin our hearts our Wills our affections our emotions and again I know this doesn't make for popular or Feelgood preaching but that does not change the reality that it is biblical we don't grasp the sinfulness of sin and we don't understand that sin left unchecked will seize Us in its Iron Fist we cannot deliver ourselves from its vice grip Upon Us many people see sin as simply making bad choices well sin leads us to bad choices but sin is far far more than that it is an evil power that rules us and destroys us sin numbs the soul sin blinds the eyes of our hearts in many many people have perished while being quite pleased with themselves how many sins does the bible ta teach it takes to condemn us to hell one that's because all it takes is one sin to leave us short of the glory of God and saving faith and repentance in Jesus alone is the only Escape in Hebrews 2:3 the writer ask how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation he poses a question but if you turn to that text you'll see the questions then left unanswered the silence is deafening because the question answers itself There Is No Escape God's judgment against sin and evil is not always executed speedily but it will be executed many foolishly think that the god of the Old Testament and the god of the New Testament are different I can't tell you how many times I've heard this well that Old Testament God he was all about wrath and judgment but that new testament God he's about love and grace well nothing is farther from the truth first of all God is unchangeable but secondly the Old Testament is full of abundant exhibitions of God's grace and the new test Testament contains many many warnings about God's Wrath and judgment God is unchangeable and as he Reed down judgment on Jerusalem in 70 AD he will re down a fearful and final judgment on all who reject Jesus that day is coming so Jesus now shifts gears he's given the disciples the sign of the destruction of Jerusalem and in verses 25- 28 he shifts back to his second coming Jesus speaks of signs that will precede his return He says these are signs that will be quite unnerving natural disturbances Marine disturbances they'll be so great Jesus says people will be fainting with fear the world will seem to be coming completely unglued and then they will see the son of man coming in a cloud with power and great Glory what will the unbeliever do then what will the unbeliever do when the regular course of life is halted in an instant what will they do when the Earthly treasures and TR drets that they have made their God are rendered worthless what will they do when they see the Jesus they have rejected reviled and repudiated suddenly appear in power and Glory it will be the most horrifying of times for them and there will be no escape the unbelieving world continues to Mock and scoff and sneer at the notion of a coming day of judgment but it's always been that way Peter wrote of this in the first century second Peter 3: 3 and 4 scoffers will come in the last day with scoffing following their own sinful desires they will say where is the promise of his coming for ever since the fathers fell asleep all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation Peter's telling us those who are in love with sin will stop at absolutely nothing to evade the reality of coming judgment to evade the reality that they are not autonomous to run from the truth that they are accountable to the Living God whether they acknowledge it or not and that a fearful day is looming over their heads the prophets called it the day of the Lord maybe you've met people like this Peter writes they will say where is the promise of his coming for ever since the fathers fell asleep all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of Creation in other words yeah yeah yeah blah blah blah we keep hearing about this socalled second coming but where is it today is just like yesterday and tomorrow will be just like today I've heard that the scoffers assert that this cycle of life and death will continue eternally the world will remain as it is perpetually they vehemently deny that God will decisively intervene to judge the wicked but mocking and scoffing does not change or alter what sacred scripture declares simply choosing not to believe something does not mean it isn't true there is a coming day of judgment and Jesus has declared as much I read in the last year or so a recent poll I think it was a Gallup poll indicated that the overwhelming majority of the millennial generation never gives a single thought to Eternity our culture lives as if such a day isn't coming they live as they lived in Peter's day yet the word of God is clear such a day coming did you know that of the 27 books of the New Testament only four do not contain some teaching on the return of the Lord I think that means it's pretty important yet in spite of the scriptural evidence scoffers continue to scoff but the day is coming when God will bring the world's Rebellion to a screeching halt the day of the Lord will come as as certain as the flood came in Noah's day God extended a period of Grace for 120 years while Noah constructed the ark and likewise we're living in a period of extended Grace in the last days but that period of Grace is not going to last forever the day of the Lord is coming he has decreed it and it will surely come to pass we can't allow the mocking and the scoffing of the lost to shake our faith we need to cling to the promises of God and what they say if God sent Jesus the first time as he prophesied he will send him again as he prophesied the return of Jesus will be a day of unmitigated Terror for the unbeliever but Jesus says for his people this should be just the opposite now when these things begin to take place straighten up and raise your head because your Redemption is Drawing Near what Jesus is saying is however horrifying however terrible these signs may be for the unrighteous they should fill us with joy because they're telling us the culmination of our Salvation is at hand our complete deliverance from sin from the evil of the world from the Devil is upon us our Resurrection bodies in the new heavens and the new Earth are almost here we will bid an eternal farewell to sin sickness sorrow and death everything that makes this Earthly life trying and sometimes devastating will be gone forever in the blink of an eye the True Believer in Jesus should look forward to the day of his return scripture says we should pray for the return of Jesus the Bible in essence ends on that note the closing words to Revelation John says amen come quickly Lord Jesus but do we pray for it do we pray for the return of Jesus as scripture calls us to or are we quite comfortable in our Earthly lives surrounded by our Earthly Treasures I believe a large number of Christians and I'm speaking of true redeemed Christians not nominal ones I believe a large number of Christians are satisfied with the status quo they're comfortable in the Here and Now with their Earthly treasures and their toys yes they believe Jesus is coming again yes they're happy Jesus is coming again but just not right now are we praying for the return of Our Lord verses 29 through 33 Jesus tells a parable look at the Fig Tree and all the trees as soon as they come out in leaf you know for yourselves and know that the summer is already near so also when you see these things taking place you know that the kingdom of of God is near truly I say to you this generation will not pass away until all has taken place Heaven and Earth will pass away but my words will not pass away now this section is greatly disputed among commentators they dispute on what Jesus is talking about he talking about the destruction of Jerusalem or is he talking about his second coming and the dispute centers around what Jesus says in two of these verses in verse 31 Jesus says when you see these things taking place what are these things is it the signs he mentioned in verses 20 through 24 regarding the destruction of Jerusalem or the signs he mentioned in verses 25 and 26 regarding his second coming the other issue is in verse 32 Jesus says truly I say to you this generation will not pass away until all has taken place well if Jesus is speaking of his second coming then he was a false prophet he didn't return in the first century ad now many commentators have explanations to try to wriggle around that issue I'm not going to get into that now for the sake of time but I think Jesus is now speaking again about the impending destruction of Jerusalem that's what the parable of the Fig Tree is teaching about Jesus is saying the Fig Tree buds in the spring and when the Fig Tree buds everybody knows summer is imminent summer comes every year without human assistance we can do nothing to bring summer's coming and we can do nothing to prevent it but it there is a sign that summer is coming soon in like manner when the signs Jesus mentioned in verses 20 through 24 appear the destruction of Jerusalem is imminent the Gathering of the Roman armies the disciples should know the end is near the fall of Jerusalem however is a for telling of the final judgment the generation that will not pass away until all is taken place is the generation that will witness the destruction of Jerusalem Jesus never predicted he would return in the first century ad and the disciples never asked him that they asked him about the destruction of the temple which he answered but he's presenting the destruction of the temple as a a foreshadowing of the final judgment the temple was destroyed Jerusalem was destroyed in that generation in 70 AD exactly as Jesus foretold in verse 33 he declared Heaven and Earth will pass away but my words will not pass away now that is a remarkable claim of deity and authority Jesus is saying that his words will Outlast Heaven and Earth he says his words are more enduring than creation when Jesus says something the discussion is over to believe something contrary to what Jesus says makes you wrong you you can be very sincere in what you believe but if they contradict what Jesus says then you are sincerely wrong Only God Can Make a declaration like this one Jesus has made Heaven and Earth will pass away but his words will never pass away everything we see when we look at creation the skies the mountains The Roaring ocean they appear to be strong and stable do they not but in reality they're unstable what could appear to be stronger than a Raging Sea well Jesus words for one the grass withers the flowers fade but the word of our God will stand forever and the word of the Lord continues to prove true true as everything it prophesies continues to come to pass the word of God is self attesting that it is enduring Eternal and unchangeable Jesus closes this section with a warning to his disciples that includes us he's saying watch yourselves verse 34 but watch yourselves lest your hearts be weigh down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap if there is Ironclad certainty that what Jesus says is going to happen and there is his disciples must be prepared we must be vigilant we must be careful to be alert and not allow our hearts to be weighed down by the world and the ways of the world the world poses a constant spiritual danger to us notice to whom Jesus is speaking he's not addressing self-righteous Pharisees he's not addressing those who outrightly oppose him he's speaking to his disciples to Peter James John and the rest of the apostolic band he's warning them watch yourselves Paul gave a similar warning in 1 Corinthians 10 let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall two things we must be careful to never do do not overestimate our strength and do not underestimate our depravity notice Jesus puts the cares of life right up there with drunkenness and debauchery they're right up there with him he obviously sees the cares of Life as a very great danger lurking in the shadows he tells us watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down he's calling us to faithful discipleship he's calling us to fix our eyes upon him he's calling us to live Sanctified lives because he could return at any moment he's not calling us to waste time on idle speculation about when he's returning and he's not calling us to be weighed down by the cares of Life all we know all we'll ever know and all we need to know is that he is returning and that leads Lees us with two choices ignore Jesus words and indulge ourselves or remain faithful live each day as if he is returning today I think we'd all live a whole lot differently if we knew Jesus was coming back today he's in essence saying we can watch ourselves and be ready or we can be fools the things that weigh us down are not not always lured wickedness he mentions the cares of life but they are dangerous traps for us are they not anxiety stress worry concern about things that are completely out of our control do they not weigh our hearts down and when our hearts are weighed down we take our eyes off of God and when we take our eyes off God we're opening ourselves up to wickedness life's lesser matters can consume us if we take our eyes off of Jesus he's a great example of his own words at this very moment what's he going what's he doing at this very time he's going about his father's business he's remaining faithful while the events of the coming days are SW swirling around him Jesus isn't ignorant that his crucifixion is just on the horizon Jesus isn't ignorant that he's about to experience the fullness of the wrath of God but he's Faithfully going about his father's business that's what he calls us to do final two verses verses 37 and 38 and every day he was teaching in the temple but at night he went out and loded on the mount called alet and early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him Luke didn't throw these final two verses in simply to give us information they really are quite remarkable if we digest the entire scene if anybody had caused to be weighed down by the cares of life life at this time it was Jesus the scribes and Pharisees are plotting to kill him he knows Judas will soon betray him he knows that Peter will deny him that the other disciples will scatter like cockroaches the horrors of the Cross are getting closer and closer but Jesus remains steadfast and faithful we're called to be like likewise my friends we're called to watch ourselves to be diligent as we live in this evil and depraved world we must remember that evil is swirling all around us we also can't forget that evil also lurks within us we must contend every moment of every day with a treacherous heart a world looking to to ens snare Us in its wickedness and the Relentless attacks of our adversary the devil thankfully God has given us all things pertaining to life and godliness he's given us his word and he's given us the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit he's given us everything we need for Godly living from justification to sanctification to glorification and all of this is ours through the blood of Jesus Satan's schemes in our own sinful hearts are no match for God's divine power he has granted and continues to grant us all we need to live Godly lives that glorify him and manifest Jesus to a dark and Fallen World but we must be diligent we must watch ourselves day by day and Moment by moment let us pray father we thank you that you are constantly with your people at every moment of life and good times in in bad you are there you will never leave us or forsake us your everpresent help in times of trouble and you have given us all things pertaining to life and godliness oh Lord help us to do what Jesus commands Us in John 15 help us to abide in him help us to abide in him that we might bear fruit and bring glory to your name help us to abide in him that we might shine his light to a twisted and perverse generation We Praise You Lord Jesus in your matchless name amen