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- Luke Chapter 17 (part 2)
Good morning! ☀️
"When disciples followed a rabbi, they followed him closely so they would never be out of his sight, never be someplace where they couldn’t hear him speak. They followed him so closely that his sandals often kicked up dust."
May you be covered in His dust.
If this is your first time getting Covered in His Dust, WELCOME!
Read Chapter 17 before reading my notes. They’ll make more sense.
Access previous notes on Luke by signing into your account. Click 'Read Online' at the top right of this post and scroll down to find them waiting for you.
For the rest of Chapter 17, we have another story that isn’t all that clear, so again, I'm going to go through it verse by verse.
I’ve touted this chapter as “the most humbling and powerful notes I've sent so far.” That wasn’t clickbait. I meant it.
Let’s get at it.
Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
The Pharisees were deeply interested in the arrival of the kingdom of God. They probably had all kinds of expectations and interpretations of what this kingdom might look like.
Many Jews expected a physical, political kingdom that would liberate Israel from the Romans, while others expected a spiritual kingdom ushering in God's reign and justice.
Some versions, like the King James Version (KJV) and the American Standard Version (ASV), use the phrase “the kingdom of God is within you."
Different translations of the Bible use different words based on how scholars understand the original Greek text. However, both versions essentially mean that the kingdom of God is already here and doesn't rely on visible signs or specific places.
It’s generally accepted that Mark’s gospel was written first, giving us the first written record of Jesus's life and teachings.
Let’s take a look at the way Mark records Jesus teaching about the kingdom of God.
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
As Christians, we’re called to believe and share the Gospel, but most of us don’t really understand it.
You’ve probably heard it described something like this: “We’re all sinners and fall short. Sin separates us from God. His son Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and if we believe in Him, God will forgive us, and we’ll go to heaven. We just need to pray and accept Jesus into our hearts.”
Or some version of that.
That’s close, but it’s missing some key foundational points.
But in that ONE scripture recorded in Mark, Jesus is teaching us what the Gospel is.
The Kingdom of God is here.
Repent.
Believe.
If you’ve ever wondered how to share the Gospel, that’s a great place to start.
If you scroll down a few verses, Jesus reveals more of the Gospel.
And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”
Follow Me.
Make disciples.
And then…
Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.
This is the first time in Mark’s Gospel that a human has called Jesus ‘the Christ.’
This • Is • A • Big • Deal
Up until this point, none of the disciples have voiced that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the awaited King.
This declaration by Peter is pivotal.
Let’s
Dig
Deeper
And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.
The entire Gospel is laid out for us in Mark and it’s what Jesus was referencing in Luke.
The Kingdom of God is here.
That Kingdom has a King, and His name is Jesus.
Jesus died for our sins.
He was resurrected on the third day.
Repent of your sins.
Believe in the gospel.
And follow Him.
That's the entirety of the gospel. It's what Jesus calls us to believe in and spread.
Okay, back to Luke 17
And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming 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, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them.
Remember, we’re nearing the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry. He’s now teaching the disciples that He will die and rise again.
He’s telling us that in the future, people will falsely claim that He has returned. They'll say things like, "Look, he's here!" or "He's there!" But Jesus warns His followers not to believe them, to stay focused, and not be tricked by these false prophets.
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 suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
He compares it to lightning flashing across the sky, which is impossible to miss. Essentially, he's saying that when he comes back, it will be a big and obvious event that everyone will see.
Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
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 when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all—
So will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back.
The Second Coming of Jesus
Jesus talks about the significance of being spiritually prepared and watchful for the return of the Son of Man. He uses the stories of Noah and Lot as examples to show how God’s judgment can happen suddenly and unexpectedly.
Similar to how people were caught off guard in those stories, those who are not alert will also be caught unprepared when the Son of Man returns.
Jesus advises His disciples to focus on being ready rather than worrying about worldly things so they can respond to God’s call promptly and without hesitation.
Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.
Jesus is referring to the story of Lot and his family escaping the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Even though they were told not to glance back, Lot's wife looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt.
Jesus uses this example as a warning against being spiritually unprepared and looking back with a longing for the things of the world.
I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left.” And they said to him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”
Jesus speaks about a time of judgment when some people will be taken, and others left behind. This is not about the Rapture, where believers are taken up to be with Christ before a period of tribulation on Earth.
This conversation centers on judgment.
He uses everyday scenarios—a pair in bed and two women grinding grain—to illustrate His point. When asked where it will happen, Jesus responds with a metaphor, saying, "Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather."
He’s saying that just as vultures gather around a dead body, judgment will come to the spiritually dead or unprepared. This implies that judgment will occur wherever there is moral decay or spiritual deadness.
The Gospel insights shared in this newsletter are inspired by the profound teachings found in 'The Discipleship Gospel' by Bill Hull and Ben Sobels. I couldn’t recommend it more.
As believers, we must know and be confident in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. With that confidence, we can fulfill the Great Commission, whether we’re in Guatemala or the United States.
Following Him is obeying Him and obeying Him is making disciples.
I love you,
George
Uncovering Scripture
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George Sisneros serves as a full-time missionary in Guatemala. He is the founder of Ordinary Missionaries and the El Rosario Christian Academy for Boys.
He’s been married to his wife, Vonda, for 25 years. He’s a father to nine children, five adopted.
George and his family will be expanding to Cuba in 2024.