On the Road to Jerusalem: A Study of Luke (The Kingdom Is Coming - Luke 17:20–18:8)

At Sligo Presbyterian Church, we're using the Gospel of Luke to discuss the journey made by Jesus Christ to the city of Jerusalem, from his birth to his ascension. During our time together, we’ll look at the following:

• Session 1 - The Announcements (Luke 1:1-56)
• Session 2 - The Births (Luke 1:57–2:21)
• Session 3 - Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:22-52)
• Session 4 - The Ministry of the Baptist (Luke 3:1-20)
• Session 5 - Jesus is Identified (Luke 3:21–4:13)
• Session 6 - Off and Running (Luke 4:14–5:16)
• Session 7 - Early Controversies (Luke 5:17–6:11)
• Session 8 - Choosing and Preparing the 12 (Luke 6:12-49)
• Session 9 - The Christ (Luke 7:1-50)
• Session 10 - Hearing and Doing (Luke 8:1-21)
• Session 11 - Revealing the Power of God (Luke 8:22-56)
• Session 12 - You Are the Christ of God (Luke 9:1-27)
• Session 13 - A Different Kind of Christ (Luke 9:28-50)
• Session 14 - Beginning the Journey (Luke 9:51–10:24)
• Session 15 - Love of God and Neighbor (Luke 10:25-42)
• Session 16 - Prayer (Luke 11:1-13)
• Session 17 - Conflicts and Controversies (Luke 11:14-54)
• Session 18 - Getting Ready [Part 1] (Luke 12:1-34)
• Session 19 - Getting Ready [Part 2]  (Luke 12:35–13:9)
• Session 20 - Unexpected Reversals (Luke 13:10-35)
• Session 21 - Kingdom Etiquette (Luke 14:1-35)
• Session 22 - Parables of Joy (Luke 15:1-32)
• Session 23 - The Problem with Wealth (Luke 16:1-31)
• Session 24 - Forgiveness and Faith (Luke 17:1-19)
• Session 25 - The Kingdom Is Coming (Luke 17:20–18:8)
• Session 26 - Rich and Poor (Luke 18:9-18:30)
• Session 27 - Approaching the City (Luke 18:31–19:28)
• Session 28 - The Entry into Jerusalem (Luke 19:29-48)
• Session 29 - Jesus in the Temple Again (Luke 20:1–21:4)
• Session 30 - The Coming End (Luke 21:5-38)
• Session 31 - The Last Supper (Luke 22:1-20)
• Session 32 - Parting Words (Luke 22:21-38)
• Session 33 - Prayer, Arrest and Denials (Luke 22:39-62)
• Session 34 - Trials (Luke 22:63–23:25)
• Session 35 - Crucifixion and Death (Luke 23:26-56)
• Session 36 - Empty Tomb and Emmaus Road (Luke 24:1-35)
• Session 37 - The Blessing and Departure (Luke 24:36-53)

In our twenty-fifth session, we looked at Luke 17:20–18:8 and talked about the Kingdom of God and the return of the Son of Man. The discussion and passage are below.

Luke 17:20-18:8 [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition]

Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.”

Then he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. They will say to you, ‘Look there!’ or ‘Look here!’ Do not go; do not set off in pursuit. 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. But first he must endure much suffering and be rejected by this generation. Just as it was in the days of Noah, so, too, it will be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed all of them. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot, they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day that Lot left Sodom it rained fire and sulfur from heaven and destroyed all of them; it will be like that on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, anyone on the housetop who has belongings in the house must not come down to take them away, and likewise anyone in the field must not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. Those who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it. I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken and the other left.” Then they asked him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the eagles will gather.”

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my accuser.’ For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’ ” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”