2016-08-07 Luke 17:25-28 Kingdom Coming (3): Delay Does Not Mean Cancellation

KINGDOM COMING (3): DELAY DOES NOT MEAN CANCELLATION (Luke 17:25-28) August 7, 2016 Intro – For an HS composition class the teacher gave for an exam. The subject was “What?” That sent most people into an hour-long frenzy. But one guy finished in 1 minute. His composition said, “So what?” That’s the ultimate expression of indifference, isn’t it? So what? Incredibly, that was the reaction Jesus got from most people. After all the miracles, the amazing preaching, the undefeated record in encounters with His detractors – what was the final verdict of the nation of Israel? So what? He didn’t fit their mold, so they turned away. But in doing so, they sealed their own fate. Apathy led to destruction. That’s the theme of our message today. Jesus has emphasized to the Pharisees that His kingdom has a spiritual dimension that they are missing. But having made that point, Jesus turned to His disciples to reassure them that the kingdom also has a physical dimension. It’s not coming immediately, like they think. But it will come and He goes on to give 8 characteristics of that coming kingdom. We looked at 3 last week: I. Jesus’ Coming is Desired by True Believers (22) II. Jesus’ Coming is “Not Yet” to the Disciples (22b) III. Jesus’ Coming Will Be Unmistakable (23-24) Now they would be thinking, “If that’s true, why not now? If we’re not going to Jerusalem to inaugurate the kingdom, then why? IV. Jesus’ Coming Is Delayed By Rejection (25) Why Jerusalem now: v. 25: “But first (before any coming kingdom) he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.” They’re saying, “I wonder what He means by that?” And what He’s telling them is that everything is delayed by rejection. If that sounds ominous, it is – particularly for that generation of Jewish people. But in the long run, nothing thwarts God’s perfect plans. The human setback is used by God to forward the plan He has had all along. All of that is tied up in that little verse. So let’s unpack it further. It contains bad news, but it also contains good news! A. Bad News The bad news is expressed succinctly in Jn 1:11: “He came to his own; and his own people did not receive him.” That’s a sad verse bc beginning with 1 Abe, God created a nation called Israel and revealed Himself thru them for the next 2,000 years, promising blessing if they would obey His commands but trouble if they would not. He delivered them from slavery in Egypt, in a wonderful preview of salvation, and put them into the land of Canaan. He gave them judges and then kings to rule over them. And there were a few bright spots, like during the time of David. However, by and large, the Israelites entangled themselves in the idolatrous gods of the surrounding people, resulting in God delivering them into captivity in Assyria and Babylon by 600 BC. But God’s covenant with Abe was unconditional and God’s faithful to His Word. During their captivity in Babylon, God gave prophetic visions thru Daniel promising an everlasting kingdom. A key prophecy in that regard is found in Daniel 9:24-27. It plays big time into what Jesus says in Lu 17:25 “But first he must suffer . . . and be rejected.” Must! Δει. It is necessary. Why is it necessary? Two reasons. Because that is the means of paying the penalty for sin – and because it has been prophesied. Where? Several places, but Daniel 9:24-27 is one of the most pivotal prophecies in the OT. In summary, Gabriel tells Daniel in 9:24 that God has determined to make an end to sin and transgression by the end of 490 years. He’s predicting a 490 year window to finalize His kingdom. This window will start with a decree to rebuild Jerusalem which historically was one of two decrees made by the Persian Artaxerxes I – one in 458 BC letting Ezra go back to start temple worship again, and a second in 445 BC that is more specific about rebuilding Jerusalem and is the more likely of the two, but either is possible. Further, God prophesies Messiah will come at the end of 483 years, but He will be cut off – killed. Why? Rejection. “His own people did not receive Him.” It was prophesied, and I think Luke tells us the day it became official. Look at Jesus entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday in Luke 19:41, “And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! (the things promised in Dan 9:24). But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you.” Jesus is here predicting what the Romans will do to Jerusalem 40 years later in AD 70. They destroyed the city. Why? Because Israel as a nation rejected their Messiah. God’s time clock for them stopped at 483 years – 7 years short of the time allotted to bring in the kingdom. 2 Rejection led to an indefinite delay in finishing things up – a delay during which the Jews have been highly persecuted and dispersed among the nations. And why did all this happen? Lu 19:44: “because you did not know the time of your visitation.” They missed their Messiah. The most privileged generation in the history of mankind rejected their only hope. Instead of the coronation day it could have been Palm Sunday was rejection day. And with that the clock stopped. What a human tragedy. Now Romans 9-11 and others make clear God is not done with Israel. He’ll never break His promise in Gen 15. But Israel’s on hold until God takes the church out of the world, starts the time clock for Israel again Daniel’s 7 yrs of tribulation plays out until Israel finally turns to Jesus in repentance and restoration. Until then, the kingdom’s on hold. B. Good News Now, the good news amidst the bad. V. 25: “But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.” It doesn’t look like good news – “But first he must suffer.” But it’s the best news ever given to mankind. It is reminiscent of what Joseph said to his brothers in Gen 50:20 when they fear he will kill them for betraying him after their father, Jacob, has died. Joseph responds: “20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” So what Jesus’ generation meant for evil against Him, God meant for good to bring many people eternal life. By His death He “became a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). His own killed Him “that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb 2:14). Their rejection became our redemption. Seven hundred years before, Isaiah knew why He would suffer: “Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, (paying for sin in His death), he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; (Resurrection -- 700 years before it happened – and all so that ) the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.” (Isa 53:10). What they intended for evil; God intended for good. II Cor 5:21, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Without this there could be no kingdom – no end to sin – no eternal life – no coming in Glory – no nothing. Not without this. But God’s eternal purposes are never thwarted. The plan is delayed, but not 3 denied. No man and no devil can ever thwart God’s perfect intentions. That’s good news, is it not? God’s ways are not our ways; they are way better. Little Billy used to hang around the local market where older boys would tease him. Tell him he was two bricks shy of a load or two pickles short of a barrel. They’d offer Billy his choice between a nickel and a dime. Billy would always take the nickel; it was bigger. One day the owner said, “Billy, those boys are making fun of you. Don’t you know a dime is worth more than a nickel?” Billy grinned: “Sure I know a dime is worth more. But if I took the dime they’d quit asking me to choose. So far I’ve gotten $20 off those guys.” God’s ways are always better, Beloved. He turned rejection into redemption. I think this is why Jesus said in Mt 13:45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” Why a pearl, not a diamond? Because of all the precious stones, the pearl is the most humble in origin. It begins with a wound and created by God’s healing process. And so God’s kingdom is built upon Jesus’ death and resurrection. He died as a Savior and He was raised as a King ready to inaugurate His kingdom when the Father says, “Now!” Are you in? I hope you’re in! V. Jesus’ Coming is Unexpected in Its Timing (26-28) 26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 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. 28 Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. ” Jesus’ coming is unexpected in its timing. For many, it will be unexpected. Period! In Noah’s time people were eating, drinking and marrying. Same with Lot, with business added. So – anything wrong with eating, drinking, marrying, doing business? Of course, not. So what is the point? The point is these people expected those activities to keep going forever without interruption. As it was it would always be! There was certainly no sense that judgment could fall on the extreme wickedness in those places. So when the flood came and when fire fell, the people were absolutely unprepared. And Jesus says in v. 30, “30 so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.” Surprise! Peter warned about this in II Pet 3:3, “3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 4 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 (the 2nd coming is a myth).” If they were already saying that 30 years after Jesus, no wonder we hear it today, right? It’s been 2,000 years. The idea that Jesus is going to return to this earth bodily in glory and dominion is preposterous to most people – a myth, a fairytale, a religious boogeyman. But Peter goes on: II Pet 3:8, “8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.” This is a potent reminder, isn’t it? In God time, it’s been two days since Jesus first coming. Two days! Not literally, of course, but God doesn’t measure time like we do. Just because the promise is old doesn’t mean it’s invalid. Delay doesn’t mean cancellation! Jesus is coming just as clearly as He did the 1st time. But like a thief, you don’t know when. I don’t, you don’t, no one does. His coming will be unexpected in its timing. The rhythm of normal life will be dramatically interrupted when He comes crashing in. He’s coming again. History, of course, is littered with people who thought they knew when based on some secret code they found in the Bible. Hippolytus of Rome predicted AD 500 based on the dimensions of the ark! Didn’t happen. William Miller predicted 1844 – didn’t happen. Charles Taze Russell, founder of JW’s predicted 1874 – didn’t happen. Herbert W. Armstrong – 1936, then 1943, then 1972, then 1975 before giving up predictions. Harold Camping –9/6/94, 5/21/11, 10/21/11 – before issuing a public apology. Jack Van Impe 2012 – last of several before he gave up. Many predictions are still out there (F. Kenton Beshore – 2021, Jeanne Dixon, 2020). Jesus will come when we least expect it. You say, “Don’t passages like Joel 2:3-31, Luke 21:25, and Matt 24:29 predict signs in the heavens that show He is coming?” Yes, they do. But listen to Mark 13:24 which clarifies that those things are so close as to part of the event. 24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.” Those aren’t timelines, they’re accompanying signs! If anyone tells you they know when Jesus is coming again, move on. No one knows. Jesus Himself didn’t know: Mt 24:36 “But concerning that day and 5 hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” That’s amazing! Living thru His human nature, even Jesus did not know the time of His 2nd coming. Who could be so bold as to think they have figured out what He didn’t know? In multiple parables, Jesus ended by warning “for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Mt 24:44). That tells me when someone does make a prediction, you can almost be sure it won’t be on that date. It will be at a time “you do not expect.” That hasn’t kept people from trying. The disciples kept trying. On the day Jesus ascended back to the Father in Acts 1, they are asking if now is the time He will bring the kingdom. He replies in Acts 1:7, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.” Then He urges them to get on with the task of sharing the gospel with the whole world. Conc – Why has God left us in the dark as to the exact time of Jesus’ return? Here’s why – so that we will expect it any time – and be ready any time. That was the point many parables. Just because it hasn’t happened yet, don’t think it won’t. Don’t be scoffers. It’s only been two days in God time. Don’t be indifferent about God’s plans. That is a path that leads to destruction. On Christmas Day 1776, American hopes of winning their battle for freedom from England were at a low ebb. After loosing several early battles in NY, they were encamped in NJ with many deserting thinking all was lost. Washington wrote a cousin, “I think the game is pretty near up.” But on Christmas night he took a great gamble. He crossed the Delaware River planning to surprise the British garrison in Trenton. The weather was brutal; the river filled with ice – conditions, combined with the holiday caught the British with their guard down. Nevertheless, they were warned. A Tory spy knew Washington was coming. He appeared that night at the headquarters of British commander Col. Johann Rall (a Hessian mercenary). The spy was denied an audience, so he wrote his urgent message and sent it to Rall. But Rall was involved in a poker game and stuck the note, unread, into his pocket. He was still playing poker when the first shots rang out early the next morning. With no time to organize to meet the threat, the Americans soon had their first great victory of the War. Indifference to the message that Washington was coming led to death and destruction. And indifference to the message that Jesus is coming again also leads to death and destruction. Don’t be among those caught unprepared. Delay doesn’t mean cancellation. Let’s pray. 6