Luke 21 - Jesus Describes the Destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and Gives us the Signs to Look for When He Will Return TBD???

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The Widow’s Offering

Jesus' story of the widow's offering is short but very powerful. The widow put in a few small coins, which wasn't much compared to the large offering brought forth by the rich.  But Jesus commends her with the words, "This poor widow has put in more than all the others."

Why did he mean by that? She put in more relative to what she had. She was more generous because as a percentage of what she could give, it was much more than the rich put in. This is one of the weaknesses of a strict "tithing" message. Of course, tithing is biblical and most people should at least be working toward a tithe. But like the widow's situation, someone who is not tithing could be a lot more generous than someone who is. 

For example for someone who makes a million dollars and has limited expenses, a tithe of $100,000 might not be a big deal. But, for someone making $50,000 and barely being able to come up with rent each month, tithing $5,000 might be next to impossible. Let's say they can only give $2,500. So you might say well one person gave $100,000 but the other person gave $2,500, but the $2,500 might represent a more generous gift in God's eyes. $2,500 might be sacrificial but the $100, 000 not!

Bottom line: giving is something between each person/family and God. Only you can know what is generous for you. The question to answer is what do I need to give in order to trust God with my money. Being generous frees us from the grip of materialism and slavery to "stuff". 

The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times

As you read Luke's version of the End Times, it has similarities with Matthew 24. Matthew's version adds a few more details. The passage starts out with the disciples admiring the temple and Jesus telling them that there would be a day when the temple would not be standing. King Herod had brought the temple back after 1,000's of years of the Jewish people having no temple. 

King Herod more than doubled the temple mount area, increasing it to about 36 acres (150,000 square meters). Herod’s rebuilding work started in 19 B.C., and was only completed in A.D. 63, taking more than eighty years. It was finished only seven years before it was destroyed. (Guzik)

So the key to interpreting both Matthew 24 and Luke 24 is to realize is that there are two separate events Jesus is referring to in these chapters. One, is the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70 by the Romans. The other is the Second Coming of Jesus. They are similar in a lot of ways, yet different. One is God's judgment in a temporal sense. The other is God's final judgment. 

“We must regard the siege of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple as being a kind of rehearsal of what is yet to be.” (Spurgeon)

Jesus says this generation will not pass away before they see these things happening, as he describes the events preceding his Second Coming. This may be confusing because obviously Jesus did not return during the disciples' lifetime. So what are we to make of this? Here is a good explanation. 

Jesus did not refer to His own generation and that of the disciples, but of the generation that sees those signs; they will also see the very end." (Guzik)

So Jesus is both teaching what will happen to his present audience, his disciples, and what will happen to his future audience, everyone born after that age including us. 

Jesus gives several signs of His Second Coming which are present today. They are birth bangs of His eventual return and the final judgment of God. 

1. Wars. We have seen two world wars in our century and there were many other wars that preceded them. People often speculate that World War III will be the final one. But people probably thought that about WWII too. The bottom line is we don't really know.

2. Earthquakes. We, in California, are very familiar with earthquakes. There were many in the Roman Empire in Jesus' day too. 

3. Famines. There is widespread famine even today. Estimates are 828 million people go without food every day. 

4. False Messiahs. There is a list of many people who have claimed to be the Messiah. They have one thing in common ... they were all proven to be wrong. Here is just one example in the 19th century. 

One notable example of this was the prophetic expectation in 1846 with William Miller in the United States. Because of his prophetic interpretations, calculations, and publications, there were hundreds of thousands in the United States who were convinced that Jesus would return in 1846. When He did not, there was great disappointment, with some falling away, and some cultic groups spawned from the prophetic fervor. (Guzik)

5. Persecution of Christians even unto death. There are 10 countries right now where it is very dangerous for a Christian to live. 

260 million Christians in the world experience high levels of persecution for their choice to follow Christ. - (forthematyrs.com)

6. Family members and friends will betray each other. As a pastor I have seen many instances where someone's Christian faith alienated them from family and friends. I know many who desperately would like one of the family members or friends to believe in Christ only to be met with rejection and sometimes hostility. 

So as you can see, all of the things Jesus said were signs of the end of age are happening now. So what does this mean for us? 

We need to be ready. Jesus could return any day. The reason he hasn't returned yet is that he is still wanting people to come to the truth and acknowledge Him as their Savior. That is why I don't necessarily agree with the sentiment expressed by many well meaning Christians that they hope Jesus will return soon. While I can see why they feel that way, I see every day Jesus has given us as a day to try to share and lead people to Christ. 

So how can I be ready for Jesus to return? I can be ready by doing the one thing he told me to do. And this is NOT ONLY just avoiding sin. I can be ready for Jesus to return by obeying the last command He gave his disciples, 

"Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And teaching them to obey all I have commanded. And lo, I am with you until the end of the age!" Matthew 28:19-20

On the day Jesus returns I hope I am having coffee with someone I am discipling! 

Are you ready? Are you engaged in fulfilling the Great Commission with the church you belong to? This is why you should be part of a church. To be part of a group that meets together to worship God and make disciples of all nations! You can't do it alone. Jesus never advocated "long ranger" Christian. The church is the body of Christ and Jesus has given each person gifts so that they church can be missionally effective. Rick Warren says, "We are better together" He is right!