Introduction: Let us remember that at the end of the Bible, the book of Revelation in its penultimate verse tells us: “He who bears witness to these things says: Surely I am coming quickly. Amen; yes, come, Lord Jesus.” Christ returns and our life on earth must be with that expectation to conduct ourselves righteously and live in a way that is pleasing to the Lord…
Prayer prepares us for the second coming of Christ
1) Jesus Christ will return a second time.
Luke 17:20-25 “When the Pharisees asked when the kingdom of God was to come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God will not come with warning…for the kingdom of God is within you…as lightning flashes from one end from heaven to heaven, so also will the Son of man be in his day. But first it is necessary for him to suffer a lot… ”.
The context teaches us that the Lord Jesus has ministered a mighty miracle by healing ten lepers, and immediately after this the Pharisees ask him about the coming of the kingdom of God.
The Lord’s response teaches us many things, Jesus said in the first place: “the kingdom of God will not come with warning” that is, the first coming of the Lord Jesus who announced the gospel of the kingdom, would not begin with his proclamation as King or with the seizure of physical power in the country.
And secondly, Jesus said: “behold, the kingdom of God is within you”, indicating that the kingdom was already present and that what they had to do was recognize it, the kingdom of God had come with him and lived in their midst.
The Master also teaches us that in those last times many will rise up saying here is the Son of Man (Jesus Christ) but that will not be true, because Jesus Christ in his second coming will shine like lightning shines from one side of the sky to the other.
This is precisely a warning against false christs and false prophets who will arise in the end times. We cannot deny that today there is an abundance of error teachings, heresies and the formation of new sects.
In verse twenty-five Jesus teaches that at his first coming he did not come as the King of kings to establish his kingdom, but rather as the Lamb of God to give his life as a ransom for many.
They failed to see that the Messiah had to die on the cross first, and then come as the King of kings and Lord of lords to judge the nations and establish his kingdom.
Everything in its time, first the sacrifice on the cross and then the crown on his head; this reminds us that God does everything well and perfect in his time. Christ is not delaying, he is coming at the perfect time and as a church we must be prepared.
two) Jesus Christ will return at a time similar to the days of Noah and Lot. Luke 17:26-30.
Verse thirty tells us that just as it was in the days of Noah and in the days of Lot, so will life on earth be when the Lord Jesus Christ returns the second time. So that the life of those times will manifest itself again and this will be an evidence of the proximity of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Briefly considering the life of those days in the times of Noah and Lot, as the Bible itself teaches us, we can then say that they will be times in which there will be:
a) Immorality and extreme violence. The Bible tells us that in Noah’s time wickedness multiplied on earth, that’s why Genesis 6:11 says “And the earth was corrupted before God and the earth was full of violence”.
b) Unrestrained life. Increasingly, man tries to live without taking God into account, and for this reason, in the name of his rights, he promotes abortion, free sexual development, euthanasia, etc. Society engages in many things and projects seeking its own success and following its own trends regardless of God’s judgment.
c) The multiplication of evil. From basic to higher education, that which displeases God is promoted. Many countries that stood out for being countries with a Christian majority today are not, and many of their temples are now shops and warehouses.
d) The corruption of marriage as a divine institution. We see today with how much intensity the union between people of the same sex is defended and promoted, and free sexual development is encouraged, reaching the extreme of teaching children not their gender but the one they wish to follow, although this goes against the Creator.
and) The very institution of marriage is attacked from many fronts, since it is no longer seen only between a man and a woman, but between two men or two women, among other things. The number of divorces is growing, and most of today’s young people prefer not to get married.
This set of things makes the behavior of world society a message to heaven similar to the time of Noah and the time of Lot. So we can think that the second coming of Jesus Christ is near, and that is why we must prepare our hearts.
The evil in Noah’s time rose to the limit of God and the flood came; the wickedness in Lot’s times rose to the limit of God and it rained fire and brimstone; in current times evil will rise to the limit of God and the Lord will come to judge the nations.
3) God will deliver his people. Luke 17:31-37.
The words that the Lord Jesus now uses allow us to see several aspects of his second coming that are very important:
It reminds us first of all of the case of Lot’s wife, who with the rest of her family was instructed not to look back and to leave Sodom in haste to avoid the fire that would fall on the cities because of the judgment for sin.
Lot’s wife looked back and became a pillar of salt. Why did she look back even though the angel had told her not to? We don’t know if she went out of curiosity, but most likely she looked back longingly on the city of Sodom and the lifestyle she left there.
This teaches us that we should love the things of God more than the things of the world, because these things are temporary, but the things of God are eternal.
That is why the Master said: “Everyone who tries to save his life will lose it; and everyone who loses it will save it”; Lot’s wife did not want to lose her life in Sodom and she lost it, but whoever loses her life, that is, whoever refuses the life that the world offers, will be saved from her.
Jesus continues speaking and says: “there will be two together… and one will be taken and the other will be left” and the disciples ask Jesus: Where, Lord? And he says to them: Where the body is, there the eagles will gather. These expressions are an allusion or reference to a rapture, which reminds us that some will be reserved for salvation and others for judgment.
Let us remember that when God sent judgment on Egypt, he delivered his people; Noah was saved from the judgment in an ark, Lot was taken out of the city and thus was freed from the judgment that was coming, the people of God will also be freed from the judgment to come, because it is written that: “God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” 1 Thessalonians 5:9.
4) Prayer is a strength for the end times and prepares the Christian for the coming of the Lord. Luke 18:1, 8.
We must keep in mind that the Lord ends up teaching the signs of his coming, signs for the end times, and now in Luke eighteen he continues teaching about the need to always pray and not lose heart.
Without a doubt, the Lord Jesus reminds us of the importance of prayer as strength for those complicated and difficult end times. Continuous prayer, communion with God is a necessity and should not be treated with negligence or indifference, because it is not only to seek solutions from God on this earth, but it also prepares us for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The last times are dangerous times, the Bible tells us. In fact the Lord Jesus himself said: “Evil will multiply and the love of many will grow cold”, we must then ask ourselves “How to keep our love alive?”.
God is the source of love and is our strength, and it is in his presence that we are renewed, and for this reason our hearts remain sensitive so as not to be hardened by the deception of sin.
We must take care of our communion with God and be vigilant so as not to fall into routine, or religious cold, or spiritual death, so as not to lose discernment and call “good what is bad, and bad what is good”, but rather we may conduct ourselves with fear and trembling all the time of our pilgrimage on this earth, for our citizenship is heavenly.
Let us remember the parable of the ten virgins, in which five of them were foolish by not taking oil for their lamps, so when the Lord appeared, they were not there and the door was closed; the other virgins were diligent in taking oil for their lamps and when the Lord arrived they went with him to the wedding.
That’s why in verse eight Jesus says, “But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” It speaks to us of that faith that sees the times, that faith that discerns the proximity of the coming of the Lord, that faith that recognizes the need to always pray and not lose heart, it is that faith that, by believing in Jesus Christ and in his second coming, watches over prayer.
Conclusion: We cannot deny that we are in the last times, and as a church we must keep prepared for the coming of the Lord. And without a doubt, as Jesus Christ our Lord taught, prayer is very important in this sense. Let us seek the presence of God and there we will be strengthened, renewed and prepared for our encounter with the Lord.
Written by Pastor Gonzalo Sanabria.
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