Luke 21:25-36
"Today's Terminal Generation"
1. An end is certain – will it be this
generation? V. 36
"Watch therefore, and pray always
that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to
pass and to stand before the Son of Man." There will come a time when the world, as we
know it, will come to a close. As the
Father spoke this world into existence in the beginning the Son will return in
glory to judge both the living and the dead. Jesus is coming soon! As we anticipate the celebration of Christ’s
coming into this world as an infant we anticipate Him returning as Judge and
King. Will He come in this generation?
There is a distinct possibility. All we are called to do it to look for
the signs of His coming.
2. There are certain signs of the end - vv. 25, 26 "There shall be signs in the sun and in the
moon and in the stars and upon the earth distress of nations which perplexity
the sea and the waves roaring. Man's hearts failing them for fear; and for
looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of
heaven shall be shaken." What
will be the signs of the end?
Jesus tells us that there will be distinct and specific
signs. May I suggest two. There will be signs that are visible in the physical
world. There will be signs that are apparent in the spiritual world.
A. There will be
signs in the physical world. Jesus tells
us that there will be anxious times in which man's hearts fail them for
fear. We are living in a time of
prosperity, and in a general time of peace.
And yet, there appears to be that we are living in a time of high
anxiety in our world. There are general
fears affecting people. People fear about their future. Will I have enough saved for the future? Will my children be prepared
to survive and continue in this world? We sing these days that there is
"peace on earth, good will toward
man" and yet it appears that there is strife on this world that has
not been experienced up unto this time.
B. Jesus further
explains that there will be signs in the spiritual world. The heavenly bodies
will literally be shaken. We are living
in a time in which many are calling it a time of low morals. Some have referred
to this time as a “post modern world”
in which many are claiming that we no longer need the morals that has governed
our society for so long. Each seems to
be living according to his own law. There seem to be no longer any moral absolutes.
How often have heard the moral climate of our time expressed in the phrases
similar to the following: "I'm OK
and you're OK…you live according to your standard and I'll live according to
mine. Don't judge me and will I certainly won't judge you.”
Live and let live…everything
is relative!"
Like the Roman culture which was not over run by a foreign force but simply
collapsed from within there are some who predict that our society cannot last
unless there is a revival.
Notice how subtle the end comes. It comes like a thief in the
night. It sneaks up on us as almost to catch people unawares. While most people look for the times of the
end to be when the threat of war and disaster are all around; Jesus explains
that the end will come in a time as most people are caught off guard. It comes
when people are not looking for His immediate return.
Illustration: Place a frog in a
pot of boiling water and he will quickly jump out. But if you turn up the heat
ever so slightly he will boil without ever knowing it! So it appears; that
slightly over time, the moral fabric of the world crumbles and few see it
unless there is a keen eye which can read the signs of the times. May the
Savior give us eyes to see and ears to hear, and minds that set our sights upon
Jesus.
3. Preparation for the end - vv. 34-36 "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be
overcharged with fighting and drunkenness and cares of this life and so that
day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell
on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may
be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to
stand before the Son of Man."
We prepare by being watchful. Ask
yourselves; “what needs to happen before
Christ would return physically to this earth?” The answer is…nothing. Nothing needs to
happen before we see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven. In fact,
there is only one prediction that Jesus makes that predicts what must first
happen before the end of this age. In
the Gospel of Matthew Jesus predicts "And
this Gospel will be preached around the world as a testimony to the nations and
then, the end will come." {Matthew 24: 14} Look at a globe. Where has the Gospel of Christ not been
preached? There is not one place where
the Gospel has not been preached! It has been preached on every continant and
in every region!
The time of Christ's return could come at any time. Yes. This
could be the last generation on planet earth.
Is this a terminal generation? Only time will tell. As we prepare for the
celebration of Jesus' first visit to this planet at Christmas, may we also
prepare ourselves for His second return; His Second Advent. When we do that, we will be fully prepared
and ready to welcome Christ when He comes in His glory.
Words-1,115
Passive Sentences – 13%
Readability –78.2%
Reading Level -5.8
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