The Man Who Made the World's Worst Bargain - Nathan Rages

 

This message from Luke 22:1-6,21-23 is about the downfall of Judas Iscariot, the disciple who sold out Jesus Christ in exchange for thirty pieces of silver -- the world's worst bargain. We highlight six elements in the story:

1. His desperate partners (v2,4-5).
2. His Satanic possession (v3).
3. His privileged position (v3,47).
4. His shocking betrayal (v21-23,47-48).
5. His terrible bargain (v4-6).
6. His fulfillment of prophecy (v21-22, Ps. 41:9,55:12-14, Zech. 11:12-13).

What Jesus' Prophecies Mean to You - Nathan Rages

 

In this Second Part of our teaching from Luke 21:5-36, we focus on practical application.  How can we apply Christ's prophetic message in our own lives?  Here are seven ways:
1. Trust Jesus’ reliable words. (v32-33).
2. Realize the Old Covenant era is totally finished (v5-6,20-24).
3. Don’t be misled by “end-times” teachers (v8).
4. Expect persecution to result in Gospel opportunities (v12-15).
5. Take comfort that Christ’s suffering people will triumph (v16-19,28).
6. Know that all God’s threatened punishments will happen (v22-23).
7. Stay spiritually alert and ready to face Jesus (v34-36).

The Amazing Accuracy of Jesus Prophecies - Nathan Rages

 

Luke 21:5-36 contains Luke's version of Jesus' longest prophecy discourse in the Bible.  This message first walks through an outline interpreting the meaning of the passage and then describes how Jesus' prophecies were amazingly fulfilled in history just as He had predicted.
1. Initial prediction of Temple’s destruction (v5-6).
2. Disciples’ questions about the timing and the sign (v7).
3. Jesus’ answer:
     Preliminary upheavals in politics and nature (v8-11).
     Persecution of Christians (v12-19). 
     The sign that destruction is now imminent (v20).
     Actions for believers when destruction is imminent (v21-23).
     Jerusalem’s great suffering (v23-24). 
     Signs in the heavens and fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy (v25-28).
     Parable about trees (v29-31).
     How soon all these things will happen (v32-33).
     Exhortation to obedient alertness (v34-36).   

Historical fulfillments of Jesus' prophecies
1. Temple destroyed without one stone on another (v6).
2. False messiahs misleading people (v8).
3. Wars, revolts, and political disturbances (v9-10).
4. Earthquakes (v11).
5. Famines (v11). 
6. “Great signs from heaven” (v11).
7. Christians persecuted by Jews, including martyrdom (v12,16). 
8. Persecution leading to witnessing opportunities in which  believers had on-the-spot eloquence (v13-15).
9. Jerusalem surrounded by armies (v20).
10. Christians fleeing from the city to safety (v21).
11. Extreme suffering within Jerusalem (v22-23).
12. Jews dying by the sword (v24).
13. Jews sent into captivity throughout the nations (v24). 
14. City “trampled underfoot by Gentiles” (v24).
15. Catastrophic political changes (v25-26). 
16. All happening while members of “this generation” were alive (v32).  

Learning from a Widow's Radical Giving - Nathan Rages

 

In Luke 20:41-21:4, Jesus completes His ministry at the Temple in three brief incidents in which He:
1. Asserts His own deity (20:41-44).
     David’s son.  
     David’s Lord.
2. Attacks false teachers (20:45-47).
     Their proud hypocrisy.
     Their coming condemnation.
3. Applauds sacrificial giving (21:1-4).
     Observing the gifts.
     Evaluating the true cost.

Applications for our own giving:
1. Jesus observes what we give.
2. Jesus values our giving in light of our overall situation.
3. The poor are often the greatest givers.
4. Our giving demonstrates the reality of our faith.
5. New Covenant giving is radical.

Defending the Resurrection - Nathan Rages

 

In Luke 20:27-40, Jesus is tested by the Sadducees regarding the doctrine of the resurrection, which our Lord defends by correcting their false assumptions and pointing them to the Scriptures.  This message focuses on five aspects of the account: 
1. The unbelief of prominent religious people (v27).
2. The false assumptions made about future things (v28-33).
3. The differentness of the age to come (v34-36,38).
4. The authority of Bible details (v37-38). 
5. The ones worthy to attain resurrection life (v35).

Rendering Unto Caesar - Nathan Rages

 

In Luke 20:19-26, Jesus' enemies try to trap Him with an impossible-to- answer question about our obligation to pay taxes.  Jesus' answer is among His most famous sayings and provides us with these practical applications:
1. Beware of fake religious devotion (v19-23).
2. Worship Christ’s divine wisdom (v24-26).
3. Fulfill your obligations to the government (v25).
4. Fulfill your obligations to God (v25).

A Parable Like No Other - Nathan Rages

 

Jesus' "Parable of the Vine-growers" as found in Luke 20:9-19 is unique among our Lord's parables in that it gives a summary of the spiritual history of Israel along with predictions of major future events.  It also teaches five great Biblical themes, each of which can be applied to ourselves:
1. The evilness of humanity (v10-16).
2. The patience of God (v11-13).
3. The exaltation of Christ (v17).
4. The destruction of Christ-rejectors (v15-16,18).
5. The new people of God (v16).