Luke 21:34-36. Sleep is horrible for the soul. ◦ “Knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer.

Luke 21:34-36

Watching forJesus

Watching for Jesus

Sleep is horrible for the soul.◦ “Knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake

out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” (Rom 13:11).

◦ “Let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober” (1 Thess 5:6).

Watch, for Jesusis coming!

Watching for Jesus

Luke 21 is difficult.◦ The disciples were discussing how beautiful the temple

was & Jesus says there’s coming a day when not a single stone of the temple would be left standing (vv 5-6). “Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign

will there be when these things shall come to pass?” (v 7). In Luke’s account, the disciples do not ask about the end

of the world.

Watching for Jesus

At verse 8, Jesus begins to discuss the destruction of Jerusalem & he uses apocalyptic language.◦ Unfortunately, some have interpreted his words to

refer to the end of the world.◦ But, Jesus isn’t speaking about the end of the world.

Jerusalem would be surrounded with armies (v 20). Those in Judea are to flee to the mountains (v 21).

Watching for Jesus

But, after Jesus predicts the destruction of Jerusalem, He speaks about His Second Coming (vv 25-28).

He then tells the Parable of the Fig Tree about the destruction of Jerusalem (vv 29-33).

Then, Jesus switches back to the Second Coming & speaks this morning’s text.

Luke 21:34-36

Watching for Jesus

We’ll never know when that day is coming.◦ “Ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son

of man cometh” (Matt 25:13).◦ “Yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so

cometh as a thief in the night” (1 Thess 5:2).

Luke 21:34-36

Watching for Jesus

You know the universal nature of that judgment that day.◦ “Every one of us shall give account of himself to God”

(Rom 14:12).◦ “We must all appear before the judgment seat of

Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor 5:10).

Luke 21:34-36

Watch, for Jesusis coming!

Watching for Jesus

We need to be an anticipating people.◦ It seems that—as a general rule—people forget the

fact that Jesus is coming again.◦ What if we trained ourselves to say, “If the Lord wills”?

“Ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that” (Js 4:15).

Saying “If the Lord wills” reminds us of the temporary nature of this life.

Watching for Jesus

We need to be ready when Jesus comes again.◦ In this text, Jesus urges his disciples to get rid of the

alcohol & the other cares of this life that prevent watching for Jesus.

◦ What in your life prevents you from watching for Jesus?

Watching for Jesus

Self-examination is warranted.◦ “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove

your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2 Cor 13:5).

Watching for Jesus

What do you need to do to get rid of the sin in your life?◦ Do your sins need the light of confession?

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed” (Js 5:15).

◦ Do you need help getting rid of that sin? “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are

spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Gal 6:1-2).

Watching for Jesus

In our text, Jesus urges prayer as a way of preparing for his coming.◦ Prayer focuses our attention on things that really

matter.◦ Is it any wonder that Paul wrote, “Pray without

ceasing”? (1 Thess 5:17).

If we understood thatwe need to “Watch, forJesus is coming,” how

would our lives bedifferent?