Truth

R. J. Burkholder, 2024
Luke 12:49-59
“Signs of the Times”
Summary: Jesus warns that He didn’t come to bring peace on earth, but division and a reminder
of the coming judgment of God.
Verses 49-50: “I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already
kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be
accomplished!”
 Jesus will baptize with fire.
 Straightened – sunechō – “held together”, constrained, preoccupied
 He is becoming more focused on His path to the cross.
Verses 51-53: “Do you suppose that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but
rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against
two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against
the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-
law.”
 App: Explain Isaiah 9:6, Luke 2:14, and John 14:27.
 App: Why do people hate Christians?
 App: Who has become divided against you since being saved? Have any of those
relationships been healed?
Verses 54-56: And he said also to the people, “When you see a cloud rise out of the west,
straightway you say, ‘There comes a shower’; and so it is. And when you see the south wind
blow, you say, ‘There will be heat’; and it comes to pass. You hypocrites, you can discern the
face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that you do not discern this time?”
 People – ochlos – crowd, throng
 West – Mediterranean Sea. South – Arabian Desert.
 Sons of Issachar – could discern the times.
 Jesus gave them many signs. A storm was brewing. Messiah had come. Judgment was
coming.
 App: What signs did they have? What signs do we have?
Verse 57: “Yea, and why even of yourselves do you judge not what is right?”
 They were very good at judging and should have been able to judge the signs and
miracles as well as know right from wrong.
Memory verse:
Romans 5:1
Mat. 3:10-12
Mar 10:37-39
Luke 9:51
John 12:27-28
Mat. 10:21-22,
34-36
Luke 2:34-35
Isaiah 9:6
Luke 2:14
John 14:27
John 15:18-21,
16:33
Mat. 16:1-3
I Kings 18:44-
45
I Chr. 12:32
Mat. 15:30-31
Luke 7:19-22
Isaiah 35:4-6
Dan. 9:24-26
Zec 9:9, 6:9-13
Mal. 3:1, 4:2-6
Mat. 21:32
Deut 32:28-29
Mat. 21:32
John 7:24
R. J. Burkholder, 2024
Verses 58-59: “When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, as you are on the way,
give diligence that you may be delivered from him; or else he hale you to the judge, and the
judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer cast you into prison. I tell you, you shalt not
depart from there, till you have paid the very last mite.”
 Avoid judgment if you can! They had the answer right in front of them.
 App: How could they avoid the judgment of God? How can we avoid the judgment of
God?
Lesson: Get right with God while you still can.
App: Can you have peace with the world and peace with God?
Mat. 5:21-26
Prov. 25:8-10
Psalm 32:5-6
Romans 5:1,
12:18
James 4:4