Luke 21 (7)

Pray Psalm 22.23-25.
You who fear the LORD, praise Him!
All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him,
And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!
For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;
Nor has He hidden His face from Him;
But when He cried to Him, He heard.
My praise shall be of You in the great assembly;
I will pay My vows before those who fear Him.

Sing Psalm 22.23-25.
(Darwall: Rejoice, the Lord Is King)
All you who fear the Lord, now praise His holy Name!
You children of His glorious Word, declare His fame!
We stand in awe of our eternal God, and on His mercy call.

For He has not despised the anguish of our King,
nor from Him hid His eyes, Who knew such suffering.
Let praise arise from all who love and serve the Ruler of the skies!

Read Luke 21.1-38; meditate on verses 25-28.

Preparation
1. What “signs” did Jesus tell us to mark?

2. To what do those “signs” point?

Meditation
“Watch where you’re going!” Did your mom ever yell that to you after you had walked into a wall, knocked over a plant while running through the house, or tripped on a rug? It’s good advice for every stage of our lives. Especially for us who believe in Jesus, because we know where history and our lives are going. We know what lies ahead for us beyond this old world. And we know how we must prepare for those final events that will usher in the new creation.

Jesus took great pains to tell us as much as we need to know about the course of history unto the time of His return. A variety of “signs” (v. 25) will, like road signs counting down the miles to your destination, keep us assured that we’re on the right track and making progress toward our goal. As we see those signs we should look up to the Lord, knowing that His coming will be sudden and seeking His help to make sure we are ready for His return (vv. 28, 34-36). As we look ahead to His coming, we have His Word (v. 33) that we will be “counted worthy” to stand before Him without fear, so long as our lives in the present reflect the end toward which we constantly look (v. 36).

We need to watch where we’re going in life, so that our walk follows in the footsteps of Jesus (1 Jn. 2.1-6) and our path points beyond this world to the new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells.

The Christian makes progress in the Kingdom by looking in four directions at once: Up, to see the Lord in glory. Back, to remember all He has said and done. Ahead, to keep focused on where we’re going. And around, so that each step contributes to our preparation for seeing Jesus and being like Him. The Christian’s vantage point on life points toward the return of the Lord. If we see that clearly and long for it earnestly, watching and praying with all vigilance (v. 36), then we will have no fear when we see Jesus breaking through the clouds in glorious triumph.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Surely the time is getting closer for Jesus’ powerful and glorious return. Oh, how we long for that Day.

God’s people have been looking forward to this Event for a long time. Daniel, in the first year of Belshazzar’s reign in Babylon, had a dream and visions in his head while on his bed. This is part of what he saw:
“I was watching in the night visions, and behold,
One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven!
He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him.
Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away,
and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed” (Dan. 7.13, 14).

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke
in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
has in these last days spoken to us by His Son,
Whom He has appointed heir of all things,
through Whom He made the worlds;
Who being the brightness of His glory
and the express image of His person,
and upholding all things by the word of His power,
when He had by Himself purged our sins,
sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…” (Heb. 1.1-3).

“Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud
with power and great glory…the kingdom of God is near” (Lk. 21.27, 31).

“The Christian’s vantage point on life points toward the return of the Lord. If we see that clearly and long for it earnestly, watching and praying with all vigilance, then we will have no fear when we see Jesus breaking through the clouds in glorious triumph.”

With this end in sight, we will say with Paul: “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4.8).

For reflection
1. Do you think about or meditate on the return of Jesus? Explain.

2. Why is it important that Christians “keep the end in sight” of this earthly life?

3. What “signs” do you observe that tell you we’re right on track with Jesus’ Word?

The cosmic signs and earthly chaos are indications that the decisive and consummate rule of God is approaching. Earl Radmacher (1931-2014), NKJV Study Bible Note on Luke 21.31

Pray Psalm 22.26-28.
Ask the Lord to give you a clear and compelling vision of the Kingdom to come, both now, as you seek and advance it in your Personal Mission Field, and eternally, once Jesus has returned in glory and we see Him as He is.

Sing Psalm 22.26-28.
(Darwall: Rejoice, the Lord Is King)
Then all the poor shall eat and praise with us the Lord.
Forever we His praise repeat and trust His Word.
Praise God above, all you who keep His vows and who His mercies love!

All nations shall repent and hasten to the Lord.
All those to whom His truth is sent shall praise His Word.
The Lord is King! His sovereign rule on high now we His people sing!

T. M. and Susie Moore 

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.