A Call to Persevere Pt. 3: Don't Go Back! (Our High Calling Part 6)

 

Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you." Then He said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!' Do not go after them or follow them. For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day. But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.  -- Luke 17:20-37

In this passage, Jesus speaks, as always, with authority; exhorting his disciples not to be deceived by this present world and remember the coming kingdom.  The Lord knows that temptations will come to his followers; this world emphasizes the importance of earthly treasures, declaring them worthy of our utmost affection and pursuit.  This was an important and timely lesson for the disciples to hear, because the time was coming when the Lord would no longer be with them.  Following his resurrection and ascension, the disciples would no longer have Jesus present with them in physical body; yet, he would abide with them through his spirit, and being empowered by the Holy Spirit, the Lord's disciples would have to walk by faith.  Oftentimes, when Jesus spoke of the kingdom of God, he was referring to himself!  The Lord was making it known that he ushered in the kingdom of God, that is, the true, living, and only way through which men could be reconciled to a holy God had come, and the way was through him.

There are many religions in our day that, promise life and a way to God.  But, there is only one way to God — Jesus Christ, who is the exact expression of God, the radiance of his glory, who is God.

When he comes, as lightening flashes suddenly and gives light to all the surrounding places, so too will Jesus come suddenly to gather his people who have believed in him and joyfully waited for his return.

Jesus continues by reminding his hearers of his coming resurrection; that he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  He reminds us, how in the days of Noah and Lot, people 'ate, drank, and were given in marriage,' when they were destroyed.  Why is Jesus bringing this up?  It reminds me a lot of Hebrews 2:8-9: 

In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.  

All things were made subject to Christ, yet we do not see the reality of that in this present world.  We see lust, murder, chaos, selfishness, and life lived as if there is no God.  We who have believed know that God has spoken through his Son and he will come back for those who patiently wait for him.  Jesus is reminding his disciples of the days of Noah and Lot, so that they will not be deceived by the allure of the world that tempts us and seeks to pull us back.  Not only this, but to encourage us that he is coming again!

Furthermore, the Lord reminds us of Lot's wife, how when she looked back she became a pillar of salt, saying: “He who seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it."  This is a serious, yet loving and gracious truth from the Lord, because he is pulling us away from the things in this life that grip our hearts and keep us from him, and calling us to himself.  Jesus came to give eternal life, which is to know the Father and Jesus Christ whom he sent.  Spiritual life can only be had in Jesus, he alone can give it and what Christ gives is immeasurably greater than anything the world can offer.  If you have Christ as your Lord and savior, you cannot lose!

Jesus is coming back, and we must not look back seeking to save our lives, for if we do, we will lose it.  I believe that the type of 'going back' that is referred to here, is to look to the world and all that is lost to us as believers and disciples of Jesus, and choose to save those things.  In effect, we are giving up our hope and relationship with Jesus, to have other things.  There is great warning in this text, but also great encouragement to press on and not give up.  Our hope is not dependent on our strength or performance, but God’s promise.  Jesus said:

Truly truly I say to you, he who hears my words and believes in hi who sent me has eternal life, and shall not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life. - John 5:24

Although we have tribulation in this world, Jesus has overcome the world and when he appears, we shall be like him for we will see him as he is.  Our treasure is in heaven.  Don’t go back!  Don't give up!

I would like to close this article with a story of an English pastor by the name of Charles Spurgeon, who almost quit the ministry.  On October 19, 1856, Spurgeon prepared to preach to approximately 10,000 listeners at Surrey Garden Music Hall, when someone in the audience shouted "Fire! The galleries are giving way.  The place is falling."  Although this was a prank, it resulting in chaos among the attendees; the ensuing panic resulting in multiple people, both dead and alive, being trampled.  In the end, seven people died and 28 were seriously injured.

Following this incident, Spurgeon battled severe depression resulting from the disaster, making it difficult for him to even read the Bible.  His pain was so deep, and the struggle so great, that it was questionable if he would ever again return to the pulpit.

By the grace of God, he did!  The Lord pulled Spurgeon out of that darkness and restored him and his ministry.  Spurgeon would go on to be a powerful preacher, used greatly by God to turn souls to Christ.

Although Spurgeon's example was one of fighting the temptation to quit his ministry, there is application for any context in which a believer is tempted to quit.  His ministry was not restored by his own strength, but the Lord restored him.  God is our hope as well and he invites us to come to the throne of grace when we need help.  He will do it!  He is faithful!

Amen!