Life in the Real World
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Heeding Jesus' warnings and learning to live in the reality of the Kingdom of God.
Text: Luke 9:24-27
Date: 02/12/2023, the Combined service.
Series: "Luke: Thy Kingdom Come" Part 94
Description:
After establishing that the Son of Man will suffer and be killed, Jesus informed His disciples and all who would truly follow Him that they too would be called on to suffer for His name sake. And immediately afterwards, in our text for this lesson, He addresses a broader audience, which He refers to as two, all-inclusive "whoevers". By doing so, He divides all of humanity into those who will hear His words and believe in Him and those who will not. We will closely examine these two groups and add a third-- those newly "born again" who are making the transition from darkness to Light. But throughout this discussion we will realize that the "reality" we perceive around us is not as "real" as the REALITY of the Kingdom of God. And that ultimately, it will be that reality (God's reality) that will determine our eschatological destiny. For those who turn to Jesus in the "life-now" will assure their blessing in the "life-eternal" and thereby gladly and willingly live their "life-now" in the "Real World".
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I. Introduction, John 18:33,36,37,38.
II. Exposition of the text, Luke 9:24-27.
A. Context
1. The flow of thought.
2. The god of "self", Luke 9:23.
B. Living in the Reality of the Kingdom of God.
1. The paradox of radical discipleship, vs. 24.
a. Looking at the words.
b. A play on words.
i. The "life-now" life.
ii. The "life-eternal" life.
c. The paradox of "life".
i. The futility of a "life-now" lived for "self", Heb. 9:27.
ii. The glory of a life lived for Christ.
1) Living the "good" life.
2) A life lived for Christ's sake.
d. The divisive "whoever".
i. The two "whoevers".
ii. The dynamic between them.
1) A warning to recalcitrant unbelievers, Matt. 25:41.
2) A "wake-up call" for believers.
3) An invitation to the newly-reborn, Rom. 8:1, John 10:28-29.
2. The logic of radical discipleship, vs. 25.
a. A profit-loss statement.
b. The perils of a "life-now" lived for "self".
i. Analyzing the profit.
1) Satan's effective temptation.
2) The One who actually owns the whole world.
ii. Comparing the loss.
1) A very poor "trade", Luke 16:22-26.
2) Understanding "himself".
3. The cost of rejection, vs. 26.
a. Ashamed of the Gospel.
i. Inclusive exclusivity.
ii. To be ashamed, Matt. 10:33.
iii. Ashamed of Christ and His Words, John 1:1,14.
1) To disparage the Logos, John 1:1,14.
2) To exalt "self".
3) An epidemic of "ashamed" churches.
b. The horrible consequence, Luke 19:10.
i. When the Son of Man is ashamed, Matt. 10:32-33, 7:22-23.
ii. The eschatological glory of the Son of Man, Luke 9:20,22, Matt. 24:30-31, 2Cor. 5:10, Matt. 13:30, Phil. 2:9-11.
4. The "Real World" is upon us, vs. 27.
III. Application
A. Setting the tone, Isa. 40:25-28.
B. The three "whoevers".
1. A dire warning.
2. A glorious invitation.
3. A wakeup call.
IV. Conclusion
