In this episode, Bryce breaks down Luke Chapter 21.
Chapter 1: What is the focus of Luke Chapter 21?
What's going on, guys? Welcome back to another episode of the Bryce Carver Podcast. I'm Bryce, and today we are on Luke chapter 21 of the 24-day Luke Christmas Challenge, where every day we've been reading a chapter of Luke. So by the time you get to Christmas Eve, you would have read the whole Gospel of Luke. Moses has jumped in my lap once again to block the camera.
This is his favorite thing to do. I think like, you know, I have a curse of... moses blocking the camera i have a friend of mine carl he has the curse of the leaf blower where every time he does a podcast a leaf blower goes off before we get into chapter 21 guys january 19th 6 p.m here in los angeles we got our first ever live podcast show moses will be there He'll be there. I'll be there.
It's going to be a powerful night. I want you guys to come out. Go get your tickets at jesusinthestreet.org slash tickets to come join us. It's going to be a powerful night. It's going to be awesome. I want you guys there. And the funds actually help support our ministry. It actually helps us create the videos and mobilize us to go to these dark places in America and share the gospel.
So it's going to be good. Now I got to scoot Moses over because we are, oh, he does not want to scoot over. There we go. Scoot over. Scoot over. All right. There we go. All right. Chapter 21. Let's read what's going on here. First, we've got a widow's offering and we're going to see a story of some Pharisees tithing versus a widow.
Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box. And then he saw a poor widow putting two small copper coins. And he said, truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. He said, not just one of them, more than all of them combined. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.
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Chapter 2: What does the widow's offering teach us?
What is this saying? That the spirit behind the giving is greater than the amount we give. That if our heart posture behind giving is to destroy the gates of hell, is to see the kingdom of God expanded versus to flaunt our money or because it doesn't hurt our pocket, there's a big difference there. Now we're about to jump into verse 5. See, isn't that so crazy?
See, so quick to just understand these little tidbits. Like, man, there's so many just small things that we can just understand very quickly here. Now, the rest of this chapter 21 is going to be mirroring what goes on in Matthew chapter 24 about the end times. Now, there's a complete picture in Matthew chapter 24, but there's some stuff here that we can still learn in Luke chapter 21.
And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, So right now, Jesus is prophesying something that's going to happen in A.D. 70. where Rome is basically going to surround the city of Jerusalem, and then they're going to level Jerusalem.
I think approximately at this time, like 1.1 million Jews were killed during this thing that happened in AD 70, that Jesus is actually prophesying is going to happen. But when they went through and leveled Jerusalem, they took out the temple as well. And keep in mind, in Acts 6, we see that speaking against the temple could have been marked as blasphemy.
So this is a very bold thing that Jesus is doing, but he's prophesying that like, hey, this thing's going to happen. The temple's going to go down. And it actually does happen in AD 70. And they asked him, teacher, when will these things be? And what will the sign when these things are about to take place? So he's not just talking about the temple.
He's going to talk about the end times here, but he's also talking about, look, what's going to happen here and then soon when Jesus Christ will return a second time. See that you are not led astray, for many will come in my name saying, I am he and the time is at hand. Do not go after them. Many people have come now and said that they are Jesus and they have not been Jesus.
Many people have come saying, oh, this is the date and the hour in which Jesus is going to return again. That is a lie. No one knows except God the Father. Even Christ doesn't know. Only God the Father knows. Now Jesus is going to foretell wars and persecution. Then he says, and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.
But before all this, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. The Bible teaches us that those who endure till the end will be saved. And in Revelation, it actually talks about there being a great falling away.
Why would people fall away and leave the faith? Why would people do that? Well, for one, it might be the persecution. Because we're about to read here later on in verse 16 about who will be delivering people up for persecution. So sometimes persecution, people can't handle the heat, so they get out of the kitchen, they leave Jesus, they denounce the faith, maybe because of other different things.
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Chapter 3: What prophecy does Jesus make about Jerusalem?
But he's like, look, when you're getting persecuted, this is the perfect time to bear witness. And then he says, settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. So he's saying the Holy Spirit will give you the strength and the words to speak at the time period.
Verse 16, who's going to deliver you up for persecution? You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends. And some of you, they will put you to death. You will be hated for my name's sake, but not a hair on your head will perish. By your endurance, you will gain your lives. He's saying, look, even the closest people to you might deliver you up for persecution.
This is what's going to happen in the end times. We believe in a great falling away. The people are going to leave the faith. But he's like, endure to the end. Endure to the end. Endure to the end. That's what we're learning. Now in verse 20. He's going to expound on the thing that he prophesied here in verse 6 about the temple being destroyed.
But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart. And let not those who are out of the country enter it. For these are days of vengeance to fulfill all that is written.
Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days. For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people." They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. So AD 70, this happens.
The Romans conquered Jerusalem, and it is. And for a time period, the Gentiles were running Jerusalem. And then if you look in Daniel, I believe it's chapter 9, you see the seven-year time period in which the author here, Luke, is saying this begins after all that happens.
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Chapter 4: What signs precede the end times according to Luke 21?
Verse 25, And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars and on the earth distress of nations and perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is to come of the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken, and then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Now, when these things begin to take place, straighten up, raise your heads because your redemption is drawing near. Jesus is going to bring justice when he returns. Justice and judgment with the iron fist. He's coming down and declaring righteous judgment. It's powerful. And I love like this. It's going to close here. We're not done yet. We've got quite a few more verses.
But when he closes Luke chapter 21, I love it. He's like, look, stay awake, like be prepared at all times. Like when we learn about the end times, it's not a scary thing. It's scary for those that aren't right with God, but it's a warning to always be ready. Always be ready. It's like a, hey, don't wait to get right with God. Get right with God now. Because tomorrow isn't promised.
Jesus could come raining down on a white cloud with power tomorrow. So be cautious, be cautious. Then he gives them the lesson of the fig tree. Look at the fig tree and all the trees. As soon as they come out and leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So you look at the blooming of a fig tree and you know when it's ripe and ready for harvest.
Chapter 5: How should believers respond to persecution?
So also when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all is taking place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. Jesus is giving us signs, saying like, look, here's signs that the end will come, but no one knows the day or the hour, but here's the signs.
And you know what the beautiful thing about the end times is? We've always been in the end times. The end times is just the time period in which we wait for Jesus to return a second time. So imagine how terrified these people were after they saw Jesus Christ crucified in the veil tour, and then he resurrected three days later, and they're like, oh my gosh, he really is going to return.
And then imagine how they felt in 70 AD when 1.1 million Jews were killed in Jerusalem by Romans and they take over Jerusalem. Imagine how they thought that Jesus was about to return the next day. We're here 2000 years later and we don't know when it's coming. I'm not saying that as in to be passive in your faith. I'm saying that is you don't know when. There are signs that tell us.
Now we're closing out chapter 21 with this encouragement. But watch yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life. And that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. Like it's going to come like a thief in the night. Like don't fall to the temptations of the world, drunkenness and cares of this life.
For it will come upon all who dwell in the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place and to stand before the Son of Man. And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet.
And early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him. There's a lot of end times talk there. We can learn a lot from Luke chapter 21. Be encouraged, my friends.
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Chapter 6: What does endurance mean in the face of trials?
As believers, there's a weight and a fear of the Lord of going, okay, if I'm right with God, but there's other people that aren't, then I need to do everything in my power that I can to tell people about Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to bring the increase in their life, to draw people near to him for salvation. Guys, I pray that Luke chapter 21 was a blessing to you guys. I love you guys.
Go get your live podcast show tickets at jesusinthestreet.org slash tickets. And I'll see you guys tomorrow for Luke chapter 22.