Bible Commentaries
Luke 21

Verses 1-4

1. Intro:
   1. Remote controls have more & more buttons on them these days.
      1. It was only a few months ago, I learned what the PIP button was.
      2. Problem: was a different channel playing in the middle of the screen.
         1. It is “Picture-In-a-Picture.”
         2. It gives the ability to view 2 things on the screen.
      3. Today I’m clicking on the PIP button as we read Luke 21:1-4 – This is the Disciples’ picture w/in Jesus’ picture. [Read text]
         1. The widow gives a great picture of true religion, & the rich a great picture of false religion.
2. WIDOWS MITES! (1-4)
   1. ​​​​​​​[1] The Disciples saw rich people giving; Jesus saw a poor widow sacrificing!
   2. Story - Remember the story of the Pig and a chicken that were looking for work? They came upon a church sign which was advertising a breakfast be held in a few days. At the bottom of the sign the menu was given, it read “Help needed to serve breakfast with Ham and eggs. Apply for job here”. The chicken turned to the pig and said, "Hey let’s help out with this breakfast. I’m willing to give my eggs!” "Yes,” said the pig, “but yours is only a contribution, mine is a SACRIFICE."
   3. Sacrifice – I’ve been on the receiving end of sacrifice:
      1. Fatted sheep in Etropole, Bulgaria killed for my supper; Fatted Pig in PI; Ceviche in Davao Bajao/Sea Gypsies; Box of choc’s in Ukraine.
   4. The religious leaders were interested in all they could get out of life. She was interested in what she could give in life. (Phillips; pg.246)
      1. She was the most famous giver ever!
   5. [2] The Disciples saw Portions; Jesus saw Proportion!
   6. He noticed & appreciated her gift, not because of the size but because of her generosity.
   7. It’s not just what we give, but what we give in relation to what we have.
      1. Illus. – It’s the difference between handing out coats to the homeless that were donated. Then, running out when still one was needed, & you take off your brand new coat & hand it to him.
         1. That’s proportion. Giving from what you had, rather than from what others had.
      2. Winston Churchill, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give!”
   8. Check out 2 Cor.8:8-15 (esp.13,14 equality twice)
      1. The early Christians always gave out of there poverty.
      2. It’s not more spiritual to be poor, that isn’t our goal.
      3. But equality seems to be God’s heart. (Ex.16:18 manna)
      4. So it’s not how can we take ourselves down towards poor level, but how can we bring them above the poverty line.
   9. Ronald Sider says, in Rich Christians in an age of Hunger. (Read pg.1,2)
      1. “Will we continue to toss crumbs from our table to the poor, instead of giving them a seat at the table?” Yonce Shelton
   10. [3] The Disciples saw how much; Jesus saw how much was left!
   11. “God’s estimate of benevolence takes in not only what is given but what is reserved.” George Bliss
   12. The depth of her poverty?
       1. 1^st word in vs.2 is [π penichros`] it was the very general term for poor (living day by day).
       2. 2^nd word in vs.3, by Jesus, was [π ptochos`] “It is more than poverty; it signifies destitution, abject poverty.” LKGNT
   13. “When you start with nothing & give something, you wind up giving more than those who start with something & give little.” Todd Stiles
   14. [4] The Disciples saw it as the least; Jesus saw it as the most!
   15. Those who give “the widow’s mite” give their all, not their least.
       1. This is how many live still today. Taking all they have for the next 24 hours, to maintain life. She gave hers to God.
   16. She put in more than all – not more than one of them, but all of the rich combined!
       1. Figuratively, Jesus was emptying the 13 vessels, & calculating & counting up all the shekels that were there, gold & silver both, & placing them on his heavenly scales.
       2. This is not possible mathematically, but it is spiritually! Why?
          1. Because God has a way of taking little things, & making them big things! {all I have are these 5 loaves & 2 fish, but what are these?}
       3. Example: 1 Kings 17:8-16 Elijah & the Widow.
   17. [5] The Disciples saw people giving many things; Jesus saw a widow giving everything!
   18. It seems like she was “1 mite away from never being heard of!”
       1. ​​​​​​​She could have kept one back, but gave both.
       2. She just showed us how to “love the LORD your God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength!”
       3. “If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” But if I give a penny w/the widow’s heart…it is great gain to me & to God!
   19. She dropped in far more than a mite. When she gave those 2 copper coins, she was giving everything. [Be clear this isn’t a financial issue, it’s an everything issue!]
       1. Yes everything! She had nothing to fall back on, nothing to rely on.
       2. She gave her next meal, her next wardrobe, her next gift for a friend.
       3. She has nothing left. No more resources. No more savings.
       4. Yet she gave it to the God of all creation. This prompted the Almighty God of the universe to sit up & take notice!
          1. Breaking forth through the dark, dreary dullness of that day, a ray of light, a ray of beauty, a ray of glory, busts through.
          2. Interesting on the widows mite: Obverse: anchor upside-down in circle. Reverse: star of eight rays.
       5. Mark 12:44 lets us in on what Jesus was doing.
          1. Jesus was a people watcher. But not only watching their actions but watching their motives!
          2. The IRS really doesn’t care what your motive is in giving to them? – But God cares what your motives are!
          3. Hannah said in her prayer in 1 Sam.2:3, “For the LORD is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.”
          4. Kicking back in the covered colonnade…watching what people were giving. And knew exactly what each put in the shofaroth.
          5. (13 trumpet shaped brass receptacles into which offerings were put towards temple expenses, & to meet the needs of the poor)
          6. Imagine many coins hitting the brass! – It probably sounded like those coin counting machines in the super markets today!
          7. The Mishnah said each bore inscriptions designating what the offerings were for: “New Shekel dues”, “Old Shekel dues”, “Bird Offerings”, “Young birds for the whole offering”, “Wood”, “Frankincense”, “Gold for the Mercy-seat”, & on 6 of them “Freewill-Offerings”. (Shekalim XI.5)
       6. Lk.14:33 “…any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” [It’s a common trait to those who follow Him!]
       7. Like Abraham – Take your son & offer him on Mt. Moriah.
       8. Like Job – Shall we accept good from the Lord & not bad?
       9. Like Peter, James,& John – They left everything & followed Him.
       10. Like Paul – My whole life is being poured out as a drink offering.
   20. Yes, sacrifice is what followers of Jesus do in the Kingdom Adventure!
       1. Living as a disciple is a willingness to give!
       2. For example: Give up my rights & forgive; give up control & pray; give up my pride & respond humbly; give up my stuff be generous; give up my authority & submit to Christ; give up my love & reach out to my world. [That’s how to give everything, all of me!]
   21. What I have, He claims; what He claims, I yield; What I yield, He takes; what He takes, He fills; What He fills, He uses; what He uses, He keeps; What he keeps,…He satisfies!

Verses 1-4

1. Intro:
   1. Remote controls have more & more buttons on them these days.
      1. It was only a few months ago, I learned what the PIP button was.
      2. Problem: was a different channel playing in the middle of the screen.
         1. It is “Picture-In-a-Picture.”
         2. It gives the ability to view 2 things on the screen.
      3. Today I’m clicking on the PIP button as we read Luke 21:1-4 – This is the Disciples’ picture w/in Jesus’ picture. [Read text]
         1. The widow gives a great picture of true religion, & the rich a great picture of false religion.
2. WIDOWS MITES! (1-4)
   1. ​​​​​​​[1] The Disciples saw rich people giving; Jesus saw a poor widow sacrificing!
   2. Story - Remember the story of the Pig and a chicken that were looking for work? They came upon a church sign which was advertising a breakfast be held in a few days. At the bottom of the sign the menu was given, it read “Help needed to serve breakfast with Ham and eggs. Apply for job here”. The chicken turned to the pig and said, "Hey let’s help out with this breakfast. I’m willing to give my eggs!” "Yes,” said the pig, “but yours is only a contribution, mine is a SACRIFICE."
   3. Sacrifice – I’ve been on the receiving end of sacrifice:
      1. Fatted sheep in Etropole, Bulgaria killed for my supper; Fatted Pig in PI; Ceviche in Davao Bajao/Sea Gypsies; Box of choc’s in Ukraine.
   4. The religious leaders were interested in all they could get out of life. She was interested in what she could give in life. (Phillips; pg.246)
      1. She was the most famous giver ever!
   5. [2] The Disciples saw Portions; Jesus saw Proportion!
   6. He noticed & appreciated her gift, not because of the size but because of her generosity.
   7. It’s not just what we give, but what we give in relation to what we have.
      1. Illus. – It’s the difference between handing out coats to the homeless that were donated. Then, running out when still one was needed, & you take off your brand new coat & hand it to him.
         1. That’s proportion. Giving from what you had, rather than from what others had.
      2. Winston Churchill, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give!”
   8. Check out 2 Cor.8:8-15 (esp.13,14 equality twice)
      1. The early Christians always gave out of there poverty.
      2. It’s not more spiritual to be poor, that isn’t our goal.
      3. But equality seems to be God’s heart. (Ex.16:18 manna)
      4. So it’s not how can we take ourselves down towards poor level, but how can we bring them above the poverty line.
   9. Ronald Sider says, in Rich Christians in an age of Hunger. (Read pg.1,2)
      1. “Will we continue to toss crumbs from our table to the poor, instead of giving them a seat at the table?” Yonce Shelton
   10. [3] The Disciples saw how much; Jesus saw how much was left!
   11. “God’s estimate of benevolence takes in not only what is given but what is reserved.” George Bliss
   12. The depth of her poverty?
       1. 1^st word in vs.2 is [π penichros`] it was the very general term for poor (living day by day).
       2. 2^nd word in vs.3, by Jesus, was [π ptochos`] “It is more than poverty; it signifies destitution, abject poverty.” LKGNT
   13. “When you start with nothing & give something, you wind up giving more than those who start with something & give little.” Todd Stiles
   14. [4] The Disciples saw it as the least; Jesus saw it as the most!
   15. Those who give “the widow’s mite” give their all, not their least.
       1. This is how many live still today. Taking all they have for the next 24 hours, to maintain life. She gave hers to God.
   16. She put in more than all – not more than one of them, but all of the rich combined!
       1. Figuratively, Jesus was emptying the 13 vessels, & calculating & counting up all the shekels that were there, gold & silver both, & placing them on his heavenly scales.
       2. This is not possible mathematically, but it is spiritually! Why?
          1. Because God has a way of taking little things, & making them big things! {all I have are these 5 loaves & 2 fish, but what are these?}
       3. Example: 1 Kings 17:8-16 Elijah & the Widow.
   17. [5] The Disciples saw people giving many things; Jesus saw a widow giving everything!
   18. It seems like she was “1 mite away from never being heard of!”
       1. ​​​​​​​She could have kept one back, but gave both.
       2. She just showed us how to “love the LORD your God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength!”
       3. “If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” But if I give a penny w/the widow’s heart…it is great gain to me & to God!
   19. She dropped in far more than a mite. When she gave those 2 copper coins, she was giving everything. [Be clear this isn’t a financial issue, it’s an everything issue!]
       1. Yes everything! She had nothing to fall back on, nothing to rely on.
       2. She gave her next meal, her next wardrobe, her next gift for a friend.
       3. She has nothing left. No more resources. No more savings.
       4. Yet she gave it to the God of all creation. This prompted the Almighty God of the universe to sit up & take notice!
          1. Breaking forth through the dark, dreary dullness of that day, a ray of light, a ray of beauty, a ray of glory, busts through.
          2. Interesting on the widows mite: Obverse: anchor upside-down in circle. Reverse: star of eight rays.
       5. Mark 12:44 lets us in on what Jesus was doing.
          1. Jesus was a people watcher. But not only watching their actions but watching their motives!
          2. The IRS really doesn’t care what your motive is in giving to them? – But God cares what your motives are!
          3. Hannah said in her prayer in 1 Sam.2:3, “For the LORD is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.”
          4. Kicking back in the covered colonnade…watching what people were giving. And knew exactly what each put in the shofaroth.
          5. (13 trumpet shaped brass receptacles into which offerings were put towards temple expenses, & to meet the needs of the poor)
          6. Imagine many coins hitting the brass! – It probably sounded like those coin counting machines in the super markets today!
          7. The Mishnah said each bore inscriptions designating what the offerings were for: “New Shekel dues”, “Old Shekel dues”, “Bird Offerings”, “Young birds for the whole offering”, “Wood”, “Frankincense”, “Gold for the Mercy-seat”, & on 6 of them “Freewill-Offerings”. (Shekalim XI.5)
       6. Lk.14:33 “…any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” [It’s a common trait to those who follow Him!]
       7. Like Abraham – Take your son & offer him on Mt. Moriah.
       8. Like Job – Shall we accept good from the Lord & not bad?
       9. Like Peter, James,& John – They left everything & followed Him.
       10. Like Paul – My whole life is being poured out as a drink offering.
   20. Yes, sacrifice is what followers of Jesus do in the Kingdom Adventure!
       1. Living as a disciple is a willingness to give!
       2. For example: Give up my rights & forgive; give up control & pray; give up my pride & respond humbly; give up my stuff be generous; give up my authority & submit to Christ; give up my love & reach out to my world. [That’s how to give everything, all of me!]
   21. What I have, He claims; what He claims, I yield; What I yield, He takes; what He takes, He fills; What He fills, He uses; what He uses, He keeps; What he keeps,…He satisfies!

Verses 5-28

1. Intro:
   1. Illustration - In a small college town a Tavern frequented by students ran the following ad in the campus paper during the days before Parents Weekend: "Bring Your Parents for Lunch Saturday. We'll Pretend We Don't Know You!" - The college chaplain posted a revised version on the campus bulletin board. It read: "Bring Your Parents to Chapel Sunday. We'll Pretend We Know You!"
      1. The Temple was beautiful, & the people were showing up to Temple…but they were “playing Temple” like 2 little children pretending to play house!
2. AIN’T NOTHING SACRED ANYMORE? (5-28)
   1. This is Luke’s version of the Olivet Discourse.
      1. Also found in Mt.24,25(full account) & Mrk.13(parts of it).
      2. Except only Luke hits on the destruction of Jerusalem.
   2. Note: “donations” (5) right after widows mite story of dropping gifts in receptacles.
   3. DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE(ad 70)! (5,6)
   4. How beautiful was it? - Read Josephus, The Wars of the Jews; Book5 Chapter 5; pg.707,708.
   5. Hey nice Temple building huh Jesus? – Yes but 1 day, it will be destroyed. Hey nice Church building huh Jesus? – Yes but 1 day, I will rapture the true church unto Myself, & these buildings others can have.Hey nice Temple I’m living in(our bodies) huh Jesus? – Yes but 1 day, it will decay into dust, but then where will your soul & spirit be?
      1. Jesus always pointing out eternal perspectives!
   6. Caution any time we place our admiration on the outwardly religious life.
      1. A mortician does his best job to make a lifeless body look as alive as possible.
         1. Many professing Christians do the same!
         2. The Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard once said, “that it is so much easier to become a Christian when you aren’t one, than to become one when you assume you already are.”
   7. Jeremiah prophesied the destruction of Solomon’s Temple; Jesus prophesied the destruction of Herod’s Temple.
      1. Many in Jeremiah’s day thought God would never allow His Temple to be destroyed; nor His people to be judged.
      2. See Jer.7 (esp.11,12)
   8. Destruction of His Temple?… “Ain’t Nothin Sacred anymore???”
      1. God did go that far in Shiloh; God did go that far w/Solomon’s Temple; God did go that far w/Herod’s Temple; & God will go that far again!!!
      2. God goes to that length when? When it no longer exists to glorify Him!
      3. Example: Mt.21:13 “My house shall be called a house of prayer”; Mt.23:38 “See, your house is left to you desolate”; Mt.24:2 Assuredly, I say to you, not 1 stone shall be left here upon another.
      4. We ought to be glorifying God in not only our spirit…but also in our body.
         1. Our body is a temple!
         2. Read 1 Cor.6:19,20 [Both need to glorify Him!]
         3. Q: What looks very religious on your outside, but stinks to high heaven on the inside?
      5. “The Temple can only give sanctuary as a sanctuary!”
         1. When man takes, over God leaves!
         2. Q: What have you taken over in your body or spirit?
   9. The Babylonians destroyed Solomon’s Temple in 587 bc.
   10. When Roman armies besieged Jerusalem in 70ad.
       1. The last fanatical defenders took refuge in the Temple [ultimate hiding place!]
          1. Eventually, the Romans overwhelmed them & leveled the Temple, just as Jesus predicted. (Shepherd’s Notes; pg.76)
   11. PRIOR TO THE TEMPLE DESTRUCTION! (7-9)
   12. Signs!!! - Q: Do you remember that song from a long time ago? [1971 “Five Man Electric Band”, rock group from Canada, big hit “Signs”] “Signs, signs everywhere is signs, blocking up the scenery, breaking my mind. Do this, don’t do that can’t you read the signs?”
       1. We live in a nation full of signs. Some are helpful & some are confusing.
       2. For example, here are some actual signs seen around our great country. From a small town in California… “Fishing for children Only - Limit 3”. From Maui, Hawaii… “Bottomless Pit - 65 feet deep”. From Austin, Texas, a sign on a balcony read… “Please be aware that the balcony is not on ground level”.In Mitchell, South Dakota is a sign that reads… “Safe Haven Small Animal Hospital - Hunters Welcome”.From Los Angeles… “Caution: Blind Drivers Backing Out”. Also from Los Angeles… “Antique tables made daily”.A sign in Racine, Wisconsin read… “Happy Easter! We Rent Handguns”
       3. We’ll see these signs can be confusing also. Are they for then, now, later?
   13. (7) When is the temple going to be destroyed, & What signs should we be looking for?
   14. (9) Thought of the day was: when the Temple was destroyed, then the old order would be over, & the new order be established(new kingdom).
       1. Jesus says, “no, that doesn’t signify that the end is right away.”
   15. END OF TRIBULATION! (10,11)
   16. (10) Here’s some signs regarding the end of the old order.
   17. Jesus taught His followers what would happen immediately before His return to set up the kingdom.
       1. Being ready for the kingdom was the purpose of this teaching.
          1. Thus the Rapture is not in view in this passage.
          2. As with all prophecy in Scripture, the teaching had immediate application to the hearers.
          3. They were to live righteous lives because of events which would occur in the future.
   18. But these signs seem like continuous signs? – Yep…that’s the point!
       1. ​​​​​​​There has never been an hour in the history of the Christian church, when the signs have not pointed to the possibility of a consummation.
       2. The point is…every generation is called to have an attitude of readiness & watchfulness! (see vss.8,28,31,34-36)
       3. The disciples thought it was only about them. 2000 years later we think it is about us. Both are right! Every generation should heed the warnings!
   19. BEFORE END OF TRIBULATION! (12-19)
   20. Here’s Jesus’ perspective on persecution: “Don’t see persecution as a threat, see it as an opportunity to bear testimony/witness!”
       1. But Jesus you don’t understand!…“Oh wait...yes you do!”- “That’s exactly what You did!”
   21. (16,18) How do you put these 2 verses together?
       1. “They will put some of you to death…not a hair of your head shall be lost”.
       2. Jesus said earlier, “be not afraid of them who kill the body, & after that have no more that they can do.”
       3. Even though a believer dies, he or she will be protected eternally by God!
   22. Personal Application: Times of tribulation(trials) can be times of testimony, and the Spirit would give us the wisdom and words that we need.
       1. When we know what will happen, then we can be ready to meet it.
   23. MIDDLE OF TRIBULATION! (20-24)
   24. This could describe both the destruction in ad 70, & in the middle of the Trib.
       1. Before was the prophecy/warning & now the destruction itself.
   25. (24) The times of the Gentiles – This is only a phrase but it covers a long period.
       1. This began with the captivity of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.,
          1. it will end when Jesus Christ returns to earth & delivers the city (Zech.13,14).
   26. Let’s see how Jesus’ prophesy is doing thus far:
   27. Roman rule continued until 324ad.
   28. The Byzantine Empire controlled Jerusalem until 614.
   29. The Persians governed briefly until 629.
   30. In 638 Muslim Arabs conquered the Holy City. (The Ummayads, ruling from Damascus, built the Dome of the Rock mosque on what was believed to be the site of the Jewish Temple, completing it in 691)
   31. The Abbasid Arabs took over in 750; their capital was Baghdad.
   32. The Egyptians imposed their rule in 878.
   33. The Crusaders, thinking they were acting in the name of Yeshua, came to the Holy Land in 1096 “to reclaim it from the infidels.” (In 1099 they not only defeated the Muslims but massacred all the Jews they could find. The Crusaders in turn were driven out in 1187 by the Kurdish Ayyubid leader Saladin)
   34. Battles between Crusaders and Muslim Arabs continued until 1244, with dominion being established by the Egyptian Mamluks in 1250.
   35. Suleiman the Great displaced them in 1517, and his Ottoman Turks held sway in the Holy Land for 400 years.
   36. They were defeated by Britain’s General Allenby in World War I. (The British Mandate given by the League of Nations lasted until 1948, when, in the wake of the Nazi Holocaust, the world’s conscience was momentarily pricked enough to permit the State of Israel to be established by a just over 2/3 vote of the United Nations General Assembly)
   37. The U. N. plan of 1947 Jerusalem was to have been an internationalized city, but when 5 Arab countries attacked Israel within hours of her independence she fought back and conquered the western, more modern part of Jerusalem. (Nevertheless the Old City of Jerusalem, the portion the present verse speaks about, which includes the Temple site, was occupied by Jordan until the 6-Day War)
   38. On June 8, 1967, the Israeli army entered the Old City and converged on the Western/Wailing Wall, liberating Yerushalayim at last.
   39. Then the gov of Israel granted management of the Temple site to a Muslim Council.
       1. ​​​​​​​Today the Muslim Council still controls the Temple Mount.
   40. SIGNS BEFORE THE END OF THE TRIBULATION! (25-28)
   41. We must not confuse this event with His “coming for the church” (Rapture), for that can occur at any moment. We are not looking for signs; we are looking for the Savior.
   42. Here’s is where the old order of creation passes away, & the new order/new kingdom/ Christ’s eternal kingdom kicks in.
   43. Here Jesus emphasizes, not the signs themselves, but the effect of the signs on humanity unprepared for Christ’s coming.
   44. (25,26) So how is it going to wrap up?
       1. The world will be in such a chaotic state, out of control.
   45. (28) When these things begin to occur, His followers alive at the time will lift up their heads, a symbol of rejoicing, because their redemption (i.e., safety in the kingdom brought by the returning King) will be drawing near.
   46. The attitude of the Christian should ever be that of the lifted head, & a light upon the face, knowing that at any moment He may come!
   47. Redemption(deliverance; release for the payment of a price) is the reason believers can stand up & lift their heads. Especially in the end, because redemption is so close!
   48. Q: What dangers do I see us facing today?
       1. Complacency, gratification, being lulled to sleep, inactivity, religiosity, apathy! [Quit grooming the exterior, & start renovating the interior]
   49. Q: How can we overcome the enemy & be ready to meet Jesus? Where will we find the power to do so? What shall we do while we wait? How will we be victorious?
       1. Rev.12:11 “they overcame him(devil) by the blood of the Lamb(at the cross) and by the word of their testimony(speak up), and they did not love their lives to the death(put it all on the line, die to self every day).”
   50. If you want to be distressed -- look within. If you want to be defeated -- look back.
   51. If you want to be distracted -- look around. If you want to be dismayed -- look ahead. If you want to be delivered -- look up!

Verses 5-28

1. Intro:
   1. Illustration - In a small college town a Tavern frequented by students ran the following ad in the campus paper during the days before Parents Weekend: "Bring Your Parents for Lunch Saturday. We'll Pretend We Don't Know You!" - The college chaplain posted a revised version on the campus bulletin board. It read: "Bring Your Parents to Chapel Sunday. We'll Pretend We Know You!"
      1. The Temple was beautiful, & the people were showing up to Temple…but they were “playing Temple” like 2 little children pretending to play house!
2. AIN’T NOTHING SACRED ANYMORE? (5-28)
   1. This is Luke’s version of the Olivet Discourse.
      1. Also found in Mt.24,25(full account) & Mrk.13(parts of it).
      2. Except only Luke hits on the destruction of Jerusalem.
   2. Note: “donations” (5) right after widows mite story of dropping gifts in receptacles.
   3. DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE(ad 70)! (5,6)
   4. How beautiful was it? - Read Josephus, The Wars of the Jews; Book5 Chapter 5; pg.707,708.
   5. Hey nice Temple building huh Jesus? – Yes but 1 day, it will be destroyed. Hey nice Church building huh Jesus? – Yes but 1 day, I will rapture the true church unto Myself, & these buildings others can have.Hey nice Temple I’m living in(our bodies) huh Jesus? – Yes but 1 day, it will decay into dust, but then where will your soul & spirit be?
      1. Jesus always pointing out eternal perspectives!
   6. Caution any time we place our admiration on the outwardly religious life.
      1. A mortician does his best job to make a lifeless body look as alive as possible.
         1. Many professing Christians do the same!
         2. The Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard once said, “that it is so much easier to become a Christian when you aren’t one, than to become one when you assume you already are.”
   7. Jeremiah prophesied the destruction of Solomon’s Temple; Jesus prophesied the destruction of Herod’s Temple.
      1. Many in Jeremiah’s day thought God would never allow His Temple to be destroyed; nor His people to be judged.
      2. See Jer.7 (esp.11,12)
   8. Destruction of His Temple?… “Ain’t Nothin Sacred anymore???”
      1. God did go that far in Shiloh; God did go that far w/Solomon’s Temple; God did go that far w/Herod’s Temple; & God will go that far again!!!
      2. God goes to that length when? When it no longer exists to glorify Him!
      3. Example: Mt.21:13 “My house shall be called a house of prayer”; Mt.23:38 “See, your house is left to you desolate”; Mt.24:2 Assuredly, I say to you, not 1 stone shall be left here upon another.
      4. We ought to be glorifying God in not only our spirit…but also in our body.
         1. Our body is a temple!
         2. Read 1 Cor.6:19,20 [Both need to glorify Him!]
         3. Q: What looks very religious on your outside, but stinks to high heaven on the inside?
      5. “The Temple can only give sanctuary as a sanctuary!”
         1. When man takes, over God leaves!
         2. Q: What have you taken over in your body or spirit?
   9. The Babylonians destroyed Solomon’s Temple in 587 bc.
   10. When Roman armies besieged Jerusalem in 70ad.
       1. The last fanatical defenders took refuge in the Temple [ultimate hiding place!]
          1. Eventually, the Romans overwhelmed them & leveled the Temple, just as Jesus predicted. (Shepherd’s Notes; pg.76)
   11. PRIOR TO THE TEMPLE DESTRUCTION! (7-9)
   12. Signs!!! - Q: Do you remember that song from a long time ago? [1971 “Five Man Electric Band”, rock group from Canada, big hit “Signs”] “Signs, signs everywhere is signs, blocking up the scenery, breaking my mind. Do this, don’t do that can’t you read the signs?”
       1. We live in a nation full of signs. Some are helpful & some are confusing.
       2. For example, here are some actual signs seen around our great country. From a small town in California… “Fishing for children Only - Limit 3”. From Maui, Hawaii… “Bottomless Pit - 65 feet deep”. From Austin, Texas, a sign on a balcony read… “Please be aware that the balcony is not on ground level”.In Mitchell, South Dakota is a sign that reads… “Safe Haven Small Animal Hospital - Hunters Welcome”.From Los Angeles… “Caution: Blind Drivers Backing Out”. Also from Los Angeles… “Antique tables made daily”.A sign in Racine, Wisconsin read… “Happy Easter! We Rent Handguns”
       3. We’ll see these signs can be confusing also. Are they for then, now, later?
   13. (7) When is the temple going to be destroyed, & What signs should we be looking for?
   14. (9) Thought of the day was: when the Temple was destroyed, then the old order would be over, & the new order be established(new kingdom).
       1. Jesus says, “no, that doesn’t signify that the end is right away.”
   15. END OF TRIBULATION! (10,11)
   16. (10) Here’s some signs regarding the end of the old order.
   17. Jesus taught His followers what would happen immediately before His return to set up the kingdom.
       1. Being ready for the kingdom was the purpose of this teaching.
          1. Thus the Rapture is not in view in this passage.
          2. As with all prophecy in Scripture, the teaching had immediate application to the hearers.
          3. They were to live righteous lives because of events which would occur in the future.
   18. But these signs seem like continuous signs? – Yep…that’s the point!
       1. ​​​​​​​There has never been an hour in the history of the Christian church, when the signs have not pointed to the possibility of a consummation.
       2. The point is…every generation is called to have an attitude of readiness & watchfulness! (see vss.8,28,31,34-36)
       3. The disciples thought it was only about them. 2000 years later we think it is about us. Both are right! Every generation should heed the warnings!
   19. BEFORE END OF TRIBULATION! (12-19)
   20. Here’s Jesus’ perspective on persecution: “Don’t see persecution as a threat, see it as an opportunity to bear testimony/witness!”
       1. But Jesus you don’t understand!…“Oh wait...yes you do!”- “That’s exactly what You did!”
   21. (16,18) How do you put these 2 verses together?
       1. “They will put some of you to death…not a hair of your head shall be lost”.
       2. Jesus said earlier, “be not afraid of them who kill the body, & after that have no more that they can do.”
       3. Even though a believer dies, he or she will be protected eternally by God!
   22. Personal Application: Times of tribulation(trials) can be times of testimony, and the Spirit would give us the wisdom and words that we need.
       1. When we know what will happen, then we can be ready to meet it.
   23. MIDDLE OF TRIBULATION! (20-24)
   24. This could describe both the destruction in ad 70, & in the middle of the Trib.
       1. Before was the prophecy/warning & now the destruction itself.
   25. (24) The times of the Gentiles – This is only a phrase but it covers a long period.
       1. This began with the captivity of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.,
          1. it will end when Jesus Christ returns to earth & delivers the city (Zech.13,14).
   26. Let’s see how Jesus’ prophesy is doing thus far:
   27. Roman rule continued until 324ad.
   28. The Byzantine Empire controlled Jerusalem until 614.
   29. The Persians governed briefly until 629.
   30. In 638 Muslim Arabs conquered the Holy City. (The Ummayads, ruling from Damascus, built the Dome of the Rock mosque on what was believed to be the site of the Jewish Temple, completing it in 691)
   31. The Abbasid Arabs took over in 750; their capital was Baghdad.
   32. The Egyptians imposed their rule in 878.
   33. The Crusaders, thinking they were acting in the name of Yeshua, came to the Holy Land in 1096 “to reclaim it from the infidels.” (In 1099 they not only defeated the Muslims but massacred all the Jews they could find. The Crusaders in turn were driven out in 1187 by the Kurdish Ayyubid leader Saladin)
   34. Battles between Crusaders and Muslim Arabs continued until 1244, with dominion being established by the Egyptian Mamluks in 1250.
   35. Suleiman the Great displaced them in 1517, and his Ottoman Turks held sway in the Holy Land for 400 years.
   36. They were defeated by Britain’s General Allenby in World War I. (The British Mandate given by the League of Nations lasted until 1948, when, in the wake of the Nazi Holocaust, the world’s conscience was momentarily pricked enough to permit the State of Israel to be established by a just over 2/3 vote of the United Nations General Assembly)
   37. The U. N. plan of 1947 Jerusalem was to have been an internationalized city, but when 5 Arab countries attacked Israel within hours of her independence she fought back and conquered the western, more modern part of Jerusalem. (Nevertheless the Old City of Jerusalem, the portion the present verse speaks about, which includes the Temple site, was occupied by Jordan until the 6-Day War)
   38. On June 8, 1967, the Israeli army entered the Old City and converged on the Western/Wailing Wall, liberating Yerushalayim at last.
   39. Then the gov of Israel granted management of the Temple site to a Muslim Council.
       1. ​​​​​​​Today the Muslim Council still controls the Temple Mount.
   40. SIGNS BEFORE THE END OF THE TRIBULATION! (25-28)
   41. We must not confuse this event with His “coming for the church” (Rapture), for that can occur at any moment. We are not looking for signs; we are looking for the Savior.
   42. Here’s is where the old order of creation passes away, & the new order/new kingdom/ Christ’s eternal kingdom kicks in.
   43. Here Jesus emphasizes, not the signs themselves, but the effect of the signs on humanity unprepared for Christ’s coming.
   44. (25,26) So how is it going to wrap up?
       1. The world will be in such a chaotic state, out of control.
   45. (28) When these things begin to occur, His followers alive at the time will lift up their heads, a symbol of rejoicing, because their redemption (i.e., safety in the kingdom brought by the returning King) will be drawing near.
   46. The attitude of the Christian should ever be that of the lifted head, & a light upon the face, knowing that at any moment He may come!
   47. Redemption(deliverance; release for the payment of a price) is the reason believers can stand up & lift their heads. Especially in the end, because redemption is so close!
   48. Q: What dangers do I see us facing today?
       1. Complacency, gratification, being lulled to sleep, inactivity, religiosity, apathy! [Quit grooming the exterior, & start renovating the interior]
   49. Q: How can we overcome the enemy & be ready to meet Jesus? Where will we find the power to do so? What shall we do while we wait? How will we be victorious?
       1. Rev.12:11 “they overcame him(devil) by the blood of the Lamb(at the cross) and by the word of their testimony(speak up), and they did not love their lives to the death(put it all on the line, die to self every day).”
   50. If you want to be distressed -- look within. If you want to be defeated -- look back.
   51. If you want to be distracted -- look around. If you want to be dismayed -- look ahead. If you want to be delivered -- look up!

Verses 29-38

1. Intro:
   1. Memorial Day – to commemorate soldiers who died in war. Also, extended to those who have served or are serving their country presently.
   2. The ancient sport of falconry employed trained hawks in the chase of wild game. When the "educated predator" was allowed to fly, however, it often rose too high for human eyes to see it against the blue sky. It was therefore not uncommon to carry a small caged bird called a shrike. The hunter could then easily tell where his hawk was located by watching the antics of the little creature in front of him, for it instinctively feared the falcon and always cocked its head to keep it in view. The Christian desperately needs the sensitivity and perception of the shrike though not in fear but with loving expectation.
2. TREE WATCHER! (29-38)
   1. THE SYMBOL! (29)
   2. Not only the parable of the Fig tree, but really all trees for that matter!
      1. Maybe just happened to be a Fig tree in front of them.
      2. But any tree will work for this illustration. (i.e. not Israel=Fig Tree here)
   3. THE SIGNIFICANCE! (30,31)
   4. (30) When you see signs of spring you know summer is near.
      1. Here in our Valley, when you see the Strawberry stands start opening… you know summer is near!
      2. When you see California Wild Poppy’s pop up along our 15 frwy…
      3. When you see our staff start wearing flip flops to work…
   5. (31) When you see signs of end times you know His Coming is near.
      1. Even as the leafing of a tree announces the coming of summer, so the signs of 21:25,26 will announce & guarantee the Son of Man’s coming.
      2. “Watch everything, & watching it, see God, & know that the Kingdom is ever near!” (Morgan)
   6. THE STABILITY! (32,33)
   7. The certainty of all this is assured by 2 emphatic elements.
   8. [1] This generation(the 1 present at that time) won’t pass from the scene (32)
      1. Backed by the promise – “Assuredly I say unto you”.
   9. [2] God’s Word won’t pass from the scene (33)
      1. The coming of the Son of Man is a more enduring promise…than the existence of heaven & earth.
      2. It’s good for every age & every generation.
      3. Q: How does that promise regarding His Words warm your heart?
   10. Heaven & earth will pass away – The promise of God is that the future is not going to be like the present.
       1. Everything wrong, everything evil will pass away, & we have the hope of a new Heaven & Earth. Where peace, justice, hope, joy, & love will have no end!!!
   11. THE SUMMARY! (34-36)
   12. (34) Take heed to yourselves – Be on your guard. Don’t get lazy. Don’t give up. Don’t cave in.
       1. Ok, but can you give me a few things that You’d warning me against?
   13. Lest your heart weighed down with: (weigh down = pressed, depressed, heavy)
       1. The sense of being no longer sensitive to what is happening.
       2. [1] Carousing – dissipation.
          1. Drunken nausea. Signifies the distressing after effects of intoxication. [LKGNT]
          2. Strongs – “the giddiness & headache caused by drinking wine to excess”.
       3. [2] Drunkenness – Intoxication.
       4. [3] Cares of this life – Anxieties.
          1. Don’t be weighed down with concern & worry for your life here.
          2. Anxiety for this life, daily life, worldly life, secular life, everyday life
          3. The worries of this life are a distraction - They are dangerous to our spiritual growth because they take focus off Jesus!
          4. Stop worrying: If something concerns you, do something about it. If you can’t do anything about it, let it go!
             1. Be concerned for things you are responsible for.
             2. Worry is being concerned for things over which you have no control.
          5. When we worry we deny the faithfulness of God!
          6. I wonder if the cure is to be so anxious for the next life?
          7. Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all others thoughts are drained. - Arthur Somers Roche
          8. The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety. George Mueller
          9. An average person’s anxiety is focused on :
             40% -- things that will never happen
             30% -- things about the past that can’t be changed
             12% -- things about criticism by others, mostly untrue
             10% -- about health, which gets worse with stress
             8% -- about real problems that will be faced
   14. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years, and those nations progressed through this sequence:
       From Bondage to Spiritual Faith;
       From Spiritual Faith to Great Courage;
       From Courage to Liberty; From Liberty to Abundance;
       From Abundance to Selfishness;
       From Selfishness to Complacency;
       From Complacency to Apathy;
       From Apathy to Dependency;
       From Dependency back again into bondage. (Alexander Fraser Tyler (1748-1813) in The Decline and Fall of The Athenian Republic.)
       1. [4] That Day come on you unexpectedly – (i.e. 2^nd Coming)
   15. Notice the difference in the attitude of Christians & that of other men in times of crisis & judgment. What makes the difference?
   16. (Message) “But be on your guard. Don’t let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you by complete surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, for it’s going to come on everyone, everywhere, at once. So, whatever you do, don’t go to sleep at the switch. Pray constantly that you will have the strength and wits to make it through everything that’s coming and end up on your feet before the Son of Man.”
   17. (35) Whole earth effected during trib not local! (also Rev.3:10)
   18. (36) Watch – Keep on the alert.
       1. Main practical thought for this chapter is that of watchfulness!
          1. (vs.8,28,31,34-36)
       2. This how the Christian is to live!
       3. It is actually a large part of our life, watching & waiting. And we’ve mastered it in many other areas:
          1. ​​​​​​​As Parents of teens (watching & waiting for their return);
          2. Every spring those who plant gardens;
          3. Lines at amusements parks (watching the line ahead carefully As we patiently waiting);
       4. A love one going through surgery (we watch the clock, & wait for the doctors to give us the update).
       5. On Christmas morning as kids, the grueling wait, as dad knew just how to create hunger & anticipation. (nothing to get mad at, he knew how much more special it would be)
       6. Q: Haven’t you ever made someone wait for something?
       7. Toby Mac concert @ Spirit West Coast (get done at end, you know they’ll come back for encore, just not sure exactly when, makes exciting)
       8. Watching & waiting is a reality of life here on earth!
   19. When it comes to being on the alert and ready at any moment to do the job, it’s hard to beat the Pony Express. This historically famous mail service between St. Joseph, Missouri, and California depended on constant movement and readiness. Relay stations were established every ten to fifteen miles. A rider would shout aloud as he approached a station, giving the station master very short notice that he needed to be outside waiting with a fresh mount. Even when a rider came to the station where he was to spend the night, another rider was already mounted and waiting, ready to grab the first rider’s bundle of packages and continue the trip.
   20. Pray always – Ummm what are we praying for exactly?
       1. [1] That you’d have strength to escape all these things (can’t do it on own strength).
       2. [2] That you’d be able to stand before Jesus.
   21. Grammatically, this phrase is best understood as revealing the means by which one can be watchful…be always watchful by praying. (Shepherd’s Notes; pg.79)
   22. By reminding ourselves daily that Jesus may return before the day ends, we will walk carefully so that we will not be caught unprepared when He comes.
       1. 1 John 2:28 “And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming”.
       2. (Message) “And now, children, stay with Christ. Live deeply in Christ. Then we’ll be ready for him when he appears, ready to receive him with open arms, with no cause for red-faced guilt or lame excuses when he arrives.” ☺
   23. HOW JESUS SPENT HIS LAST WEEK! (37,38)
   24. (37) His last Days – teaching the temple.
       1. Wonder if He was thinking back to when He was a junior higher (age12), discussing the Word of God with the religious leaders there.
   25. His Nights – Camping on His favorite mountain.
       1. Wept over Jerusalem from there; Just gave last sermon there; Gethsemane; Ascension; will Return on that same mountain.
   26. (38) All the people came to hear Him teach.
       1. But Jesus…the religious leaders hate you; the Temple itself has become a den of thieves; then WHY are you teaching there?
          1. And Jesus was quick to seize the opportunity; and the people were glad to hear Him!
          2. Because needy people were there, who desired to hear Him!
             1. Don’t be discouraged by naysayer’s, minister to those who want to hear.
   27. Meet Jesus early in the morning!

Watchfulness:

Have you ever watched a bird sleeping on its perch and never falling off?

How does it manage to do this? The secret is the tendons of the bird's legs. They are so constructed that when the leg is bent at the knee, the claws contract and grip like a steel trap. The claws refuse to let go until the knees are unbent again. The bended knee gives the bird the ability to hold on to his perch so tightly. From sleeping birds we can learn the secret of holding things which are most precious to us -- honest, purity, thoughtfulness, honor, character. That secret is the knee bent in prayer, seeking to get a firmer grip on those values which make life worth living. When we hold firmly to God in prayer, we can rest assured he will hold tightly to us.

Verses 29-38

1. Intro:
   1. Memorial Day – to commemorate soldiers who died in war. Also, extended to those who have served or are serving their country presently.
   2. The ancient sport of falconry employed trained hawks in the chase of wild game. When the "educated predator" was allowed to fly, however, it often rose too high for human eyes to see it against the blue sky. It was therefore not uncommon to carry a small caged bird called a shrike. The hunter could then easily tell where his hawk was located by watching the antics of the little creature in front of him, for it instinctively feared the falcon and always cocked its head to keep it in view. The Christian desperately needs the sensitivity and perception of the shrike though not in fear but with loving expectation.
2. TREE WATCHER! (29-38)
   1. THE SYMBOL! (29)
   2. Not only the parable of the Fig tree, but really all trees for that matter!
      1. Maybe just happened to be a Fig tree in front of them.
      2. But any tree will work for this illustration. (i.e. not Israel=Fig Tree here)
   3. THE SIGNIFICANCE! (30,31)
   4. (30) When you see signs of spring you know summer is near.
      1. Here in our Valley, when you see the Strawberry stands start opening… you know summer is near!
      2. When you see California Wild Poppy’s pop up along our 15 frwy…
      3. When you see our staff start wearing flip flops to work…
   5. (31) When you see signs of end times you know His Coming is near.
      1. Even as the leafing of a tree announces the coming of summer, so the signs of 21:25,26 will announce & guarantee the Son of Man’s coming.
      2. “Watch everything, & watching it, see God, & know that the Kingdom is ever near!” (Morgan)
   6. THE STABILITY! (32,33)
   7. The certainty of all this is assured by 2 emphatic elements.
   8. [1] This generation(the 1 present at that time) won’t pass from the scene (32)
      1. Backed by the promise – “Assuredly I say unto you”.
   9. [2] God’s Word won’t pass from the scene (33)
      1. The coming of the Son of Man is a more enduring promise…than the existence of heaven & earth.
      2. It’s good for every age & every generation.
      3. Q: How does that promise regarding His Words warm your heart?
   10. Heaven & earth will pass away – The promise of God is that the future is not going to be like the present.
       1. Everything wrong, everything evil will pass away, & we have the hope of a new Heaven & Earth. Where peace, justice, hope, joy, & love will have no end!!!
   11. THE SUMMARY! (34-36)
   12. (34) Take heed to yourselves – Be on your guard. Don’t get lazy. Don’t give up. Don’t cave in.
       1. Ok, but can you give me a few things that You’d warning me against?
   13. Lest your heart weighed down with: (weigh down = pressed, depressed, heavy)
       1. The sense of being no longer sensitive to what is happening.
       2. [1] Carousing – dissipation.
          1. Drunken nausea. Signifies the distressing after effects of intoxication. [LKGNT]
          2. Strongs – “the giddiness & headache caused by drinking wine to excess”.
       3. [2] Drunkenness – Intoxication.
       4. [3] Cares of this life – Anxieties.
          1. Don’t be weighed down with concern & worry for your life here.
          2. Anxiety for this life, daily life, worldly life, secular life, everyday life
          3. The worries of this life are a distraction - They are dangerous to our spiritual growth because they take focus off Jesus!
          4. Stop worrying: If something concerns you, do something about it. If you can’t do anything about it, let it go!
             1. Be concerned for things you are responsible for.
             2. Worry is being concerned for things over which you have no control.
          5. When we worry we deny the faithfulness of God!
          6. I wonder if the cure is to be so anxious for the next life?
          7. Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all others thoughts are drained. - Arthur Somers Roche
          8. The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety. George Mueller
          9. An average person’s anxiety is focused on :
             40% -- things that will never happen
             30% -- things about the past that can’t be changed
             12% -- things about criticism by others, mostly untrue
             10% -- about health, which gets worse with stress
             8% -- about real problems that will be faced
   14. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years, and those nations progressed through this sequence:
       From Bondage to Spiritual Faith;
       From Spiritual Faith to Great Courage;
       From Courage to Liberty; From Liberty to Abundance;
       From Abundance to Selfishness;
       From Selfishness to Complacency;
       From Complacency to Apathy;
       From Apathy to Dependency;
       From Dependency back again into bondage. (Alexander Fraser Tyler (1748-1813) in The Decline and Fall of The Athenian Republic.)
       1. [4] That Day come on you unexpectedly – (i.e. 2^nd Coming)
   15. Notice the difference in the attitude of Christians & that of other men in times of crisis & judgment. What makes the difference?
   16. (Message) “But be on your guard. Don’t let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you by complete surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, for it’s going to come on everyone, everywhere, at once. So, whatever you do, don’t go to sleep at the switch. Pray constantly that you will have the strength and wits to make it through everything that’s coming and end up on your feet before the Son of Man.”
   17. (35) Whole earth effected during trib not local! (also Rev.3:10)
   18. (36) Watch – Keep on the alert.
       1. Main practical thought for this chapter is that of watchfulness!
          1. (vs.8,28,31,34-36)
       2. This how the Christian is to live!
       3. It is actually a large part of our life, watching & waiting. And we’ve mastered it in many other areas:
          1. ​​​​​​​As Parents of teens (watching & waiting for their return);
          2. Every spring those who plant gardens;
          3. Lines at amusements parks (watching the line ahead carefully As we patiently waiting);
       4. A love one going through surgery (we watch the clock, & wait for the doctors to give us the update).
       5. On Christmas morning as kids, the grueling wait, as dad knew just how to create hunger & anticipation. (nothing to get mad at, he knew how much more special it would be)
       6. Q: Haven’t you ever made someone wait for something?
       7. Toby Mac concert @ Spirit West Coast (get done at end, you know they’ll come back for encore, just not sure exactly when, makes exciting)
       8. Watching & waiting is a reality of life here on earth!
   19. When it comes to being on the alert and ready at any moment to do the job, it’s hard to beat the Pony Express. This historically famous mail service between St. Joseph, Missouri, and California depended on constant movement and readiness. Relay stations were established every ten to fifteen miles. A rider would shout aloud as he approached a station, giving the station master very short notice that he needed to be outside waiting with a fresh mount. Even when a rider came to the station where he was to spend the night, another rider was already mounted and waiting, ready to grab the first rider’s bundle of packages and continue the trip.
   20. Pray always – Ummm what are we praying for exactly?
       1. [1] That you’d have strength to escape all these things (can’t do it on own strength).
       2. [2] That you’d be able to stand before Jesus.
   21. Grammatically, this phrase is best understood as revealing the means by which one can be watchful…be always watchful by praying. (Shepherd’s Notes; pg.79)
   22. By reminding ourselves daily that Jesus may return before the day ends, we will walk carefully so that we will not be caught unprepared when He comes.
       1. 1 John 2:28 “And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming”.
       2. (Message) “And now, children, stay with Christ. Live deeply in Christ. Then we’ll be ready for him when he appears, ready to receive him with open arms, with no cause for red-faced guilt or lame excuses when he arrives.” ☺
   23. HOW JESUS SPENT HIS LAST WEEK! (37,38)
   24. (37) His last Days – teaching the temple.
       1. Wonder if He was thinking back to when He was a junior higher (age12), discussing the Word of God with the religious leaders there.
   25. His Nights – Camping on His favorite mountain.
       1. Wept over Jerusalem from there; Just gave last sermon there; Gethsemane; Ascension; will Return on that same mountain.
   26. (38) All the people came to hear Him teach.
       1. But Jesus…the religious leaders hate you; the Temple itself has become a den of thieves; then WHY are you teaching there?
          1. And Jesus was quick to seize the opportunity; and the people were glad to hear Him!
          2. Because needy people were there, who desired to hear Him!
             1. Don’t be discouraged by naysayer’s, minister to those who want to hear.
   27. Meet Jesus early in the morning!

Watchfulness:

Have you ever watched a bird sleeping on its perch and never falling off?

How does it manage to do this? The secret is the tendons of the bird's legs. They are so constructed that when the leg is bent at the knee, the claws contract and grip like a steel trap. The claws refuse to let go until the knees are unbent again. The bended knee gives the bird the ability to hold on to his perch so tightly. From sleeping birds we can learn the secret of holding things which are most precious to us -- honest, purity, thoughtfulness, honor, character. That secret is the knee bent in prayer, seeking to get a firmer grip on those values which make life worth living. When we hold firmly to God in prayer, we can rest assured he will hold tightly to us.