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Be Vigilant and Pray at All Times (Luke 21:34-36)

B eware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise 35 like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. 36 Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.” Jesus has been speaking about the destruction of Jerusalem and the final fulfillment of God’s plan. As he comes to the end of this discourse, he turns from describing events to warning his disciples about their inner disposition. The focus is no longer on signs in the world but on what takes place in the heart. In biblical language, the “ heart ” is the center of the person, where thoughts, desires, and decisions are formed. In verse 34, Jesus warns the disciples to not let their hearts become drowsy. A “ drowsy ” heart is not physically asleep but spiritually dull and unresponsive. Jesus names two broad causes of ...
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Nature Gives Signs of the Nearness of God’s Kingdom (Luke 21:29-33)

He taught them a lesson. “Consider the fig tree and all the other trees. 30 When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near; 31 in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. Jesus has just spoken about the coming destruction of Jerusalem and about events that point toward God’s plan to bring salvation to his people throughout all generations until it reaches its fulfillment at the end of time. Now he turns to something very ordinary and close at hand: the fig tree and all the other trees. As he often does, Jesus takes a simple scene from daily life and uses it to help his disciples understand more clearly how God’s plan is unfolding. In the region where Jesus lived, people knew how to “ read ” the trees. For much of the year, a fig tree can...
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Jesus Foretells Jerusalem’s Fall and the Coming of the Son of Man (Luke 21:20-28)

When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that its desolation is at hand. 21 Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. Let those within the city escape from it, and let those in the countryside not enter the city, 22 for these days are the time of punishment when all the scriptures are fulfilled. 23 Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, for a terrible calamity will come upon the earth and a wrathful judgment upon this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 25“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26 People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with powe...
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In Times of Persecution Jesus Encourages Us to Persevere (Luke 21:12-19)

Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. 13 It will lead to your giving testimony. 14 Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, 15 for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. 16 You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all because of my name, 18 but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. 19 By your perseverance you will secure your lives. After foretelling the destruction of the temple and warning about wars, disasters, and false prophets, Jesus now turns to what his followers will experience. Before the great shaking of nations takes place, the disciples themselves will be seized, persecuted, and brought before religious and civil authorities ...
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Wars, Disasters, Deception, and False Messiahs Are Not the End (Luke 21:5-11)

While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, he said, 6 “All that you see here—the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” 7 Then they asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?” 8 He answered, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’ Do not follow them! 9 When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.” 10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky. Jesus is in Jerusalem near the end of his public ministry. Some people speak with admiration about how the temple is ...
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Offer to God from your Want not your Surplus (Luke 21:1-4)

When he looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury 2 and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. 3 He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; 4 for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.” Jesus is teaching in the temple near the end of his public ministry. Just before this scene, he warns the disciples about religious leaders who “ devour the houses of widows” while putting on a show of piety (Lk. 20:47). Against that background, Luke shows Jesus looking up and quietly watching people place their offerings into the temple treasury. In the middle of the flow of worshipers, Jesus notices two kinds of givers: some wealthy people putting in generous sums, and a poor widow who drops in two very small coins. The “ treasury ” likely refers to the collection chests in the temple courts, where worshipers placed offerings that supp...
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The Crucified King and the Promise of Paradise for All Who Repent and Turn to Him (Luke 23:33-43)

When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left. 34 [Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”] They divided his garments by casting lots. 35 The people stood by and watched; the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said, “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Messiah of God.” 36 Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine 37 they called out, “If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.” 38 Above him there was an inscription that read, “This is the King of the Jews.” 39 Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.” 40 The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? 41 And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done n...
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God Is Not God of the Dead but of the Living (Luke 20:27-40)

Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to him, 28 saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, ‘If someone’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.’ 29 Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless. 30 Then the second 31 and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless. 32 Finally the woman also died. 33 Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be? For all seven had been married to her.” 34 Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and are given in marriage; 35 but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36 They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise. 37 That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the ...
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Jesus Confronts Corrupt Worship in the Temple; “My House Shall Be a House of Prayer” (Luke 19:45-48)

Then Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.’” 47 And every day he was teaching in the temple area. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile, were seeking to put him to death, 48 but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on his words. Jesus has just entered Jerusalem as the Messiah who comes “ in the name of the Lord .” Luke then shows him going straight into the heart of Israel’s worship: the temple. What he does there reveals how deeply God cares about true worship and the purpose of this holy place. Luke tells us that Jesus “ entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things ” (v. 45). He does not describe all the details that the other Gospels mention, such as the money changers and the different animals for sacrif...
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Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem’s Coming Destruction (Luke 19:41-44)

As he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, “If this day you only knew what makes for peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. 44 They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” As Jesus draws near to Jerusalem, he sees the city and begins to weep. Luke rarely shows Jesus in tears, so this moment draws attention to the depth of his sorrow. He is approaching the city that holds the temple, the center of Israel’s worship, yet he knows that many within it will reject the peace he offers. When Jesus says, “ If this day you only knew what makes for peace ,” he is speaking about more than the absence of war. In the Scriptures, peace means a right relationship with God that brings wholeness, security, a...
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Jesus Entrusts Us with His Gifts and Expects Us to Use Them Until He Returns (Luke 19:11-27)

While they were listening to him speak, he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the kingdom of God would appear there immediately. 12 So he said, “A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. 13 He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’ 14 His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’ 15 But when he returned after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading. 16 The first came forward and said, ‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’ 17 He replied, ‘Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.’ 18 Then the second came and reported, ‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’ 19 And to t...
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