June 28, 2026 - Christ's Return--What We Know for Certain - Luke 17:20-37

Devotional

Day 1: Eternity’s Pull in a Fifth-Grader’s Question

The curiosity of children about heaven and Christ’s return reveals a universal longing wired into every heart. Ecclesiastes names this ache: God planted eternity within humanity, a compass pointing beyond daily routines. This hunger isn’t childish—it’s divine design. Even amid life’s distractions, people crave answers about what comes next. Jesus meets this longing not with vague theories but with concrete promises. His return isn’t a myth but a fixed reality, as sure as the dawn. [04:15]

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
(Ecclesiastes 3:11, NIV)

Reflection: Where have you sensed eternity’s pull recently? How might this longing reshape your priorities today?

Day 2: The Bridge Between Two Comings

Jesus’ first coming as a suffering servant and His second as conquering king form the timeline of hope. To ignore one is to misread history and destiny. The Pharisees missed Messiah’s quiet arrival, expecting fireworks instead of a cross. Yet His humility secured salvation, making His glorious return a reunion, not a reckoning, for those who trust Him. We live on the bridge between “already” and “not yet,” called to steward both grace and urgency. [12:28]

“He said to 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.’”
(Luke 17:20–21, ESV)

Reflection: How does Jesus’ humility in His first coming soften your heart to trust Him? Where might you be overlooking His quiet kingdom work today?

Day 3: Lightning Across the Sky—No Missed Alerts

Christ’s return won’t be a whisper or a rumor. Like lightning illuminating the entire sky, His coming will rupture ordinary moments with undeniable clarity. False claims of secret comings will crumble; no social media update or conspiracy theory will overshadow His global revelation. Preparation isn’t about decoding signs but anchoring in the certainty that when He appears, all will know. [23:47]

“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.”
(Luke 17:24, ESV)

Reflection: What distractions make you prone to spiritual complacency? How can you cultivate alertness without anxiety?

Day 4: Suddenness in the Mundane—Noah’s Dinner Plate

Noah’s neighbors ate, drank, and planned weddings until the floodwaters swept them away. Jesus warns that His return will interrupt routines, not just rebellions. Indifference, not outright evil, often dulls readiness. The call isn’t to abandon daily work but to weave eternal perspective into ordinary tasks. Life’s goodness becomes a trap when it numbs us to life’s purpose. [28:47]

“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, marrying and being given in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.”
(Luke 17:26–27, ESV)

Reflection: What routine today could become an act of worship if offered with eternity in view? Where might comfort be dulling your urgency?

Day 5: One Taken, One Left—The Intimacy of Judgment

Two people sharing a bed or grinding grain will face eternal separation based on their response to Christ. Proximity to faith—through family, friends, or church—doesn’t guarantee salvation. Lot’s wife escaped Sodom but clung to its values, becoming a monument to half-heartedness. Jesus’ return will expose where our true allegiance lies, turning nearness into either joy or tragedy. [34:59]

“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.”
(Luke 17:34–35, ESV)

Reflection: Is there a relationship in your life where you’ve assumed shared faith? How can you courageously clarify where others stand with Christ?

Sermon Summary

Luke 17 starts with the question everybody seems to carry somewhere deep down: what is coming next? Jesus answers the Pharisees first by saying the kingdom of God is not arriving with the flashy, apocalyptic display they expected. The kingdom was already “in the midst” of them because the King himself was standing right there, but pride was looking so high for cosmic signs that it missed the humble, suffering servant right in front of its face.

Jesus then turns to his disciples and points them toward the second coming, the day of the Son of Man. The passage makes plain that the Bible speaks of a double advent. Christ first came in Bethlehem as the sacrificial Lamb, lived without sin, suffered many things, was rejected, died on the cross, rose again, and ascended. Christ will come again, not as a helpless baby in a manger, but as the unmistakable conquering King.

The return of Jesus is certain. The disciples would long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but they would not yet see it. Daniel’s vision of the Son of Man receiving dominion, glory, and an everlasting kingdom stands behind Jesus’ words. That longing shows up every time creation groans, every time war, sickness, broken friendships, and death make the heart cry out, “Let your kingdom come.”

The return of Jesus will also be unmissable. Jesus says false claims will come: “Look here,” or “Look there.” But his coming will be like lightning flashing from one side of the sky to the other. No secret group, cult, private revelation, or invisible return can match what Jesus describes. Plenty missed him the first time. Nobody will miss him the second time.

The return of Jesus will be sudden. Noah’s generation was eating, drinking, marrying, and being given in marriage. Lot’s generation was buying, selling, planting, and building. Jesus points not only to their wickedness, but to their chilling indifference. Ordinary life had swallowed up any thought of judgment until the day judgment fell.

The return of Jesus will expose and divide. Lot’s wife left Sodom, but Sodom never left her heart. Two people may share a bed, share a workplace, share decades of closeness, and yet one may be taken and the other left. Proximity to saved people is not salvation. The only question that will finally matter is how a person responded to Jesus.

Christ first came as Savior so his people would not dread his return as Judge. The judge stepped down from the bench, bore the sentence, carried the cross, and rose again. For those who belong to Christ, the second coming is not an execution date. It is a wedding day.

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Key Takeaways

1. Christ’s return will not be private Christ’s second coming will not require secret knowledge, breaking news, or somebody saying, “Look here.” Jesus compares it to lightning lighting up the sky from one side to the other, which means his return will be public, cosmic, worldwide, and impossible to miss. Any claim that Christ has already returned invisibly or only to one little group has already failed the test Jesus gave. [23:47]
2. The first coming makes mercy possible Christ had to suffer before he came in glory because a holy King arriving only in judgment would leave no sinner standing. The little word “must” carries the mercy of God: the Son of Man must suffer, must be rejected, must bear judgment before he reigns openly. The cross is not a detour on the way to the kingdom; it is the only way sinners can live under that kingdom with joy instead of terror. [26:54]
3. Ordinary life can numb the soul Noah’s day and Lot’s day were not described first by wild rebellion, but by eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, and marrying. The danger is not only obvious evil; the danger is good ordinary things becoming so consuming that eternity disappears from view. A soul can be ruined not only by defiance, but by indifference that never looks up until the flood has come. [29:45]
4. Nearness is not conversion Two people can be as close as husband and wife in the same bed, or coworkers grinding grain side by side, and still be eternally divided. Borrowed faith, family faith, church proximity, and spiritual familiarity cannot answer for a soul before Christ. The final separation will not ask who someone knew, but whether that person belonged to Jesus. [34:59]
5. Believers await a wedding day Christians are not waiting for an execution date, because Christ already bore the sentence at the cross. The Judge stepped down from the bench, took the place of sinners, carried the cross, and rose again. For those who are in Christ, his return is not dread dressed up in religious language; it is the homecoming the heart has been longing for all along.

## [39:58]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[03:29] - Kids Ask About Christ’s Return
[04:54] - Luke 17 and Certain Things
[05:48] - Two Errors About Prophecy
[08:39] - A Note on Verse 36
[11:12] - The Double Advent of Jesus
[13:26] - The Kingdom in Their Midst
[17:23] - What Can Be Known For Sure
[19:24] - The Son of Man in Daniel
[23:03] - The Return Will Be Unmissable
[26:31] - Why Jesus Had to Suffer First
[28:47] - Noah, Lot, and Sudden Judgment
[31:43] - Lot’s Wife and Divided Hearts
[34:39] - One Taken and One Left
[38:23] - Today Is the Day of Salvation

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Luke 17:20-37
“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.’ 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. 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. 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. Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. 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.’” [05:10] [06:45]

Daniel 7:13-14
“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” [19:31]

Matthew 24:40
“Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left.”

Matthew 25:31
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.” [20:15]

Observation questions

In Luke 17, what different things does Jesus say to the Pharisees and then to the disciples about the kingdom of God and the day of the Son of Man? [11:12]
What pictures does Jesus use to describe his return, and what do those pictures show about what his coming will be like? [23:47]
In the examples of Noah and Lot, what everyday activities are listed, and what seems to be the main problem in those scenes? [29:45]
What examples of separation does Jesus give at the end of the passage, and what do those examples show about people who are very close to each other? [34:59]

Interpretation questions

Jesus says the kingdom of God was “in the midst” of the Pharisees. What does that reveal about why they missed the kingdom even while standing in front of the King? [15:31]
Jesus says the Son of Man “must” suffer before coming in glory. Why is that little word so important for understanding why there are two comings of Christ? [26:54]
Jesus compares his return to lightning flashing across the sky. Why does that image leave no room for a secret return, a private revelation, or a hidden group claiming special knowledge? [24:05]
Jesus tells his disciples to remember Lot’s wife. What does her backward glance reveal about the heart, and how can a person appear to leave the world while still loving it? [33:41]

Application questions

Ordinary life can numb the soul. Which ordinary responsibilities or good gifts most easily crowd out thoughts of eternity in this season of life? [30:43]
Jesus warns against chasing voices that say, “Look here,” or “Look there.” What kinds of spiritual claims, online voices, or end-times speculation tend to pull for attention, and how can a believer stay anchored in what Jesus actually said? [23:47]
Lot’s wife left Sodom, but Sodom never left her heart. Where is the pull of this world still strong in the heart right now—possessions, comfort, reputation, relationships, control, or something else? [33:41]
Nearness to saved people is not the same as belonging to Christ. Has there ever been a temptation to rest on family faith, church background, or closeness to Christian people instead of personally trusting Jesus? [35:03]
Jesus says one person may be taken and another left even from the same bed or workplace. How does that press the need for personal repentance and faith rather than borrowed faith? [34:39]
Christ first came as Savior so his people would not dread his return as Judge. When thoughts of Christ’s return come up, is the deeper response hope, fear, avoidance, or confusion? What might that response reveal? [39:58]
For those who belong to Christ, his return is not an execution date but a wedding day. What would it look like this week to live with that kind of hope instead of spiritual drift or dread? [40:12]

Sermon Clips

48s

“``And then the return of Jesus will be something you long for, not something you dread. Christ first came as savior. The judge stepped down from his bench, took our place, bore our sentence, carried our cross, and rose again. Which means that on his second coming, when he returns, everyone who belongs to Jesus will not need to dread his return. Christians are not waiting for an execution date. We are waiting for a wedding day. The return of Christ will not be dreadful for those who are in Christ. It will be the homecoming we've longed for all our lives. Which is why we can say, with hearts full of hope, Come, Lord Jesus. Come.”

63s

“Oh, he could come as a conquering king. But if he did, if he came in his consuming fire of holiness, who could stand before him? If he came that way, he would be a king with no subjects in his kingdom. For who could withstand his wrath? That's why He came first as the suffering Lamb of God for us in our salvation to win for Himself a kingdom. So that when He comes again, we need not fear or dread his coming because that wrath, that consuming fire has already been dealt with on the cross. It's like the judge delayed his judgment so that he himself could bear our judgment. So the time to get right with the Lord then, obviously, is now before the second coming. Listen. There will be no time to get ready. The only hope you have is to be ready.”

50s

“And that, he says, that's why he lifts them up as an example. It caught them utterly unaware. To them, it was just, That is 2026 to me. That's it. I mean I mean, preachers can can preach all they want about the wickedness and the evil in the world. Of course. But what really scares me is the utter indifference. Why is no one thinking about the second coming of Jesus? It could be any minute. We had there's no time to get ready when it comes. We've gotta be ready now. And when you preach this way, what do people say? I don't know. I gotta worry about eating, drinking, buying, selling, planning. I got a wedding coming up. Give my daughter away in marriage. You know? Just the stuff of life. None of that stuff is bad. That's that's the point. That's just good stuff. That's the stuff of life. It's just utter, man, what do you think about the second coming? Second what?”

42s

“Jesus has the most intimate relationship. Look. Look. The a husband and wife sleeping in bed. Yeah. Oh, you know, my wife was always going to those Bible studies. She was always talking about the things of Jesus. You know, that was never really my thing, but, you know, I she kinda dragged me to church every now and then. He says, one taken, one left. Or or or working together, two women who worked at the flour mill. Oh, yeah. You know, I had that coworker. She was always talking to me about the Bible. She was always giving me Bible verses. She was always talking about God and always wanted me to come to church. You know, we worked together for forty years. I guess, you know, being so close to her, I guess I got close to the things of God. Yeah. Yeah. You got close, but one taken and one left.”

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June 28, 2026 - Christ's Return--What We Know for Certain - Luke 17:20-37 - Dr. Tom Richter