Ordinary Lives & Extraordinary Coming
3/24/25 Bible Thought (Luke 17)
I’m sure we’ve all heard a story or two of a time when someone rushes back into a burning house to grab a few significant things. Now, going after people to try and rescue them is certainly understandable and commendable, but going to spare earthly possessions is another story. It shows the incredible pull that material things can have on our hearts that one might risk their life to save some of their stuff.
I think this is instructive as we consider the coming of our Lord Jesus from chapter 17 of Luke’s Gospel. First, some Pharisees ask about the coming of the Kingdom of God, and to this Jesus responds,
“The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you” (Lk. 17:20b-21).
The Kingdom isn’t just a coming reality, it is a present one for the King was in their midst. However, as many scholars have noted, the Kingdom has both an “already” and a “not yet” aspect to it.
The Kingdom was inaugurated at Christ’s first advent but won’t be consummated until He comes again. Hence, the disciple in this passage is awaiting the future coming of their King and the culmination of the Kingdom.
Jesus warns about those who will claim that He has come and is in one place or another, because His coming won’t be secretive. Truly, “For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day” (Lk. 17:24). There won’t be any doubting it. Everyone will know it when Christ has returned.
In Luke’s Gospel, the only precursor is His suffering and rejection that ended with the crucifixion (Lk. 17:25). He doesn’t give a timetable or events to watch out for. He doesn’t expect or even desire for people to be predicting days or weeks that He might come based upon world events. Rather, He desires for His disciples to be prepared no matter when He comes.
I know some believers are looking for His coming any day and try and tie modern events to biblical predictions as often as possible. In effect, they’re looking to get out of here!
I know other believers believe that the Kingdom of God will eventually take over the world, and the great commission will be fulfilled. They aren’t looking to escape but to more or less take over. Hence, Jesus’ coming will be the cherry on top, as it were, on a largely redeemed world.
Jesus’ emphasis in this passage though, is not on days or times, but on the readiness of His people at His coming. He likens it to the days of Noah and the days of Lot. There was a catastrophic, sudden judgment in the flood. Likewise, there was a catastrophic, sudden judgment at Sodom and Gomorrah. In both instances, most people were going about their regular everyday lives and had no idea at all that judgment was on their doorstep.
The Lord Jesus says that it will be like this when He comes. It will be a sudden upheaval. If He comes in our day, there will be people at Walmart. There will be people at the redlight complaining that it’s taking too long. There will be people at home cooking. There will be people watching T.V. There will be people brushing their teeth. There will be people scrolling on their phones.
His extraordinary coming will break into otherwise ordinary lives. The question is: Are we ready? More specifically, are you ready? Have you received His gracious offer of salvation? Judgment is on our doorstep and the decision for Christ is one that can’t be delayed. Whether it’s His coming or our death, that day is coming for all of us.
He says there will be two lying in a bed, and one will be taken and the other left. Likewise, there will be two women working together and one will be taken and the other left (Lk. 16:34). The ZIBBC helpfully points out here that, “The image is of separation, one to salvation and one to judgment.”[1]
It will happen suddenly, and the time for decision making will be too late. Will our hearts be ready for His coming? Or are we so tied to the world down here that we’d look back with longing on these former lives? Will we, like Lot’s wife, look back upon that which we’re intended to forsake rather than looking ahead to the salvation that He’s provided? Again, in the terms of the fire, what earthly possessions or things would tie our hearts to life down here and cause us to recklessly turn away from our Lord? Are our hearts tuned to Him in hope of His coming? Or would His coming interrupt too many of our plans and cost us too many of our things? Where is our hope, today?
[1] Clinton E. Arnold, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002), 457.
...and she became a pillar of salt!