CHAPTER 17
Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come.” Luke 17:1
Here Luke presents us with some more assorted sayings of Jesus. Some have broken these sayings down into the groups of sin, faith and duty. In the ancient Middle East the tribe, extended family and individual family units were extremely important. It is difficult for us to understand this in our western societies where the individual and individual rights are emphasized above that of the family or group. In the scripture we realize quickly that our relationships toward others are extremely important.1
In Christianity we will be held accountable for our dealings with other people. It is particularly serious if we by our words or actions cause another person to sin or to fall. The matter of being a stumbling block or causing someone else to stumble is very important. The Greek word for causing to stumble is skandala, from which we get scandal. The word was taken from a baited stick trap. The idea is that we by our words or actions can trip up another person.2 We will then become a stumbling block for another. It seems that we have two choices in the church. We can be a building block if we are united with others in the assembly or we can become a stumbling block if we are separate from the body of Christ.
When I was a child I remember that one of our great uncles was an alcoholic. He was a farmer but he spent a lot of time drinking. I still remember him stopping at the road junction in his old car and drinking himself silly before he went home. This man had a very large family and almost all of the children became alcoholics. Most of them died young. I still remember going to the cemetery and seeing their gravestones lined up there. What a stumbling block this man was to those who should have been dear to him. McGee says, “There is one thing worse than going to hell; it is going to hell and having a son or daughter say to you, ‘Dad, I am here because I followed you.’ That is the worst thing that can happen to a person.” 3
Barclay tells of an old man who was dying, but who was troubled with something in his early life. At last he confessed what the problem was. He said, “When I was a lad, I often played on a wide common. Near its center two roads met and crossed, and, standing at the cross-roads, was an old rickety sign-post. I remember one day twisting it round in its socket, thus altering the arms and making them point in the wrong direction; and I’ve been wondering ever since how many travelers I sent on the wrong road.” 4
“It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble” (17:2). This seems like rather drastic punishment at first sight. A millstone was a very common item in the ancient world. Scores of them can be seen today displayed at Capernaum. They ranged from a very small stone with a depression in it and with a round smooth rock that would fit into the depression to giant millstones that were turned by donkeys. Most millstones were made with two components. There was the conical base and then a heavy stone hollowed out to fit exactly over the cone. The upper stone had handles so it could be turned around. Grain was poured into the top and the ground meal came out at the bottom as it was turned.
The upper millstone mentioned here was a very heavy one, no doubt weighing well over a hundred pounds (45 kg.). In the Mark 9:42 parallel of this verse the millstone is further described as one turned by a donkey.5 This is also seen in Matthew 18:6. Of course, with a millstone of this size around one’s neck, the journey to the bottom of the sea would take place quickly. The Jewish people were semi-desert dwellers and were always fearful of large bodies of water. Even King Solomon’s ships were manned by Phoenicians and not Jews. Drowning in the sea was a terrifying prospect to them.6
The little ones referred to in this verse could indicate children but it could also indicate new believers in Christ.7 Tempting others with sin is a very serious matter (Rom. 14:14; 16:17; 1 Cor. 10:32; 1 Jn. 2:10).
When I think of harming little ones in our western society, my thoughts immediately go to child abuse of various kinds. Someone has said that our society today is a child molester. According to the Internet Filter Review one hundred thousand websites now offer illegal child pornography.8 In some of America’s greatest universities professors openly support and encourage pedophilia. Just a sampling from the learned professors should suffice: Professor Harris Mirkin of the University of Missouri says, “Children are the last bastion of the old sexual morality.” Professor John Money of Johns Hopkins University says, “Those who oppose pedophilia are motivated by ‘self-imposed, moralistic ignorance.” 9 It seems like these professors should get their necks ready to be adorned with huge millstones.
FORGIVENESS
So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.” Luke 17:3.
The rebuke to a brother or sister in Christ is a delicate thing. We must rebuke only in the love of Christ (Eph. 4:15). The pattern for rebuking a brother or sister in Christ is given to us in Matthew 18:15-20. It should be carefully followed. Rather than gossiping to others about the problem we should go to the individual first of all and work out the problem.
We should be quick to forgive a brother or sister when they repent and ask for that forgiveness. It was Don Finto who said, “Refusing to forgive is like drinking poison and hoping the other person will die.” Refusing to forgive allows anger and bitterness to build up to a dangerous level within us. I remember hearing of a newspaper add which read: “For sale, New wedding dress never used. Will trade for a 38 caliber pistol.” “The Anglican pastor and poet George Herbert wrote, ‘He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass.’” 10
“Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them” (17:4). Apparently the Jewish rabbis had a saying that if one forgave another three times, that one was a perfect man.11 Here Jesus increases the forgiveness requirement to seven times a day. However, in Matthew 18:21-22, he increases it further to not just seven but seventy-seven times. Essentially, there is no limit to the times we should forgive. Because we are forgiven we are obligated to forgive. If we simply cannot forgive, then we will simply not be forgiven.
“The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’” (17:5). Utley says, “This does not refer to saving faith, but daily faith, faithfulness in working with people—imperfect, impatient, often unloving, ungrateful believers and unbelievers!” 12 The apostles were obviously having trouble believing that they should habitually forgive others. They were plainly shocked by the whole idea. We need to remember that Jesus is both the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2). He is also able to increase our faith. In the last analysis, faith itself is a gift of God (Eph. 2:8).
“He replied, ‘If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it will obey you’” (17:6). As we have seen, the mustard seed was the smallest seed that Israelite farmers encountered. It was tiny. Here Jesus assures us that it only takes a small amount of faith in a great God to do wonders. The mulberry tree here is mentioned by several commentators as the black mulberry. “Ancient Jewish writers sometimes observed that the black mulberry’s roots are spread out, which made it a difficult tree to uproot…” 13 The tree not only grew large but it apparently had the ability to survive some 600 years.14
Obviously, planting a tree in the middle of the sea would have no practical purpose. Jesus was only trying to illustrate the unbelievable results that could come from a tiny amount of faith. We are reminded here that “…the righteous will live by faith” (Rom. 1:17).
Indeed, it might be known someday that a tiny bit of faith might be more powerful than the atomic bomb.
SERVANTS AND THEIR DUTY
Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, “Come along now and sit down to eat?” Luke 17:7
Servants had a rather difficult life. Many of them labored in the fields from sunup to sundown. Some did field-work as well as food preparation. Masters were not accustomed to eat with their slaves.15
The Pharisees probably thought that they had put God under obligation to them because of their righteousness. Sometimes Christians appear to think the same way.16 Here the Lord makes it plain that he is not indebted to us because of our good works or our position in the church. Our service to the Lord is our obligation, or something we owe the Lord. It is a debt of love. Spurgeon said, “Growing saints think themselves nothing; full-grown saints think themselves less than nothing.” 17
“Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do?” (17:8-9). Calvin says, “…how much more shall God have a right to demand the services of our whole life, to the utmost extent that our ability allows, and yet be in no degree indebted to us?” 18 He will not even thank the servant for his devoted effort.
“So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty’” (17:10). Perhaps the Mishnah sums it up well: “If thou hast wrought much in the law claim not merit for thyself, for to this end wast thou created” (Mishnah, Abot, 2:8). Pett says we have done only that which was our duty and thereby we will be saved from pride and arrogance (1 Jn. 2:16). We will therefore not think of ourselves more highly than we ought.19 As Christians we have no claim to fame since it is God who works in us to accomplish all things (Phil. 2:13).
TEN LEPERS HEALED
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. Luke 17:11
We have pointed out on several occasions that Luke was intent upon covering Jesus’ last journey to Jerusalem (from 9:51). At times this journey had been interrupted, as he wandered even to the edge of Jerusalem on occasions, and now he is strangely on the border between Samaria and Galilee. Utley says, “This reaffirms my contention that Luke is not primarily in chronological order, but in theological order.” 20
It is possible that Jesus was in Perea close to the border with Galilee as he taught and ministered.21 We know form John 11:54, that Jesus resorted to a place called Ephraim, about 15 miles (24 km.) north of Jerusalem before the crucifixion. It was near the wilderness so Jesus may have joined the Passover crowds and made his final entrance into Jerusalem.22
“As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, ‘Jesus, Master, have pity on us!’” (17:12-13). Lepers were an all-too-common sight in the ancient world. It was a dreadful disease, isolating them from their families and from the rest of society. Leprosy did seem to break down the barriers of Jews and Samaritans, as they huddled together to survive. According to the law, they stood far off from the crowd and from Jesus (Lev.13:1, 46; Num. 5:2; 2 Ki. 15:5). Fortunately, God’s mercy was near for those who were afar off (Eph. 2:13).
“When he saw them, he said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed” (17:14). How interesting it is that as we obey the commands of Jesus his promises come true in the process. When we stand still and only believe in our minds the same promises are ineffective. For certain, these lepers believed or they would never have started their journey to the priests. Calvin comments: “Show yourselves to the priests. This reply was equivalent to saying, ‘You are clean;’ for we know that the discernment of leprosy belonged to the priests, who were enjoined in the law to distinguish between the clean and the unclean (Lev.14:2f.).” 23
We note here that Jesus was intent on upholding the law (cf. Matt. 8:4). Thus, he sent all the lepers to the priests in order to verify their healing and so that they could present the proper offerings for their cleansing (Lev. 13:2). Of course, all this was designed to bear witness of the power of Jesus to the priesthood.
“One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him— and he was a Samaritan” (17:15-16). The Samaritans, who were literally despised by most Jews, made themselves a pretty good showing in the gospels. This man, who probably had little business going to a Jewish priest in the first place, hurriedly turned back to thank Jesus for his wonderful miracle. His thanksgiving was real as he threw himself at the feet of Jesus. He seemed to have almost dissolved at the Lord’s feet.
G. K. Chesterton once called gratitude the mother of all virtues.24 Indeed, when we are without gratitude all the other virtues seem bland. We are living in a thankless age. Today some people do not bother to say “thanks” even when treated to lunch or when they receive a wedding present. We must not forget that thanksgiving is the manner in which we are to enter the gates of the Lord (Psa. 100:4). Remembering to be thankful can lift us up from the deepest despair. As Christians we must learn to bless and thank the Lord at all times (Psa. 34:1-4). My wife and I have been Christians since childhood, well over 70 years, and we both find that the older we get the more we thank the Lord throughout our waking hours. It seems that the longer we live the more we have for which to give thanks. Start thanking the Lord today and watch the fears and burdens fall away!
The great Bible commentator Matthew Henry was once robbed of his wallet. He wrote in his diary that night the following items of thanksgiving: “First, that he had never been robbed before. Second, that though they took his wallet, they did not take his life. Third, because even though they took it all, it wasn’t very much. Finally, because he was the one who was robbed and not the one who did the robbing.” 25
In former days when hymns were popular we used to sing Now Thank We All Our God. Wiersbe tells us something of the background of this great hymn: “Martin Rinkhart wrote it during the Thirty Years’ War, when his pastoral duties were most difficult. He conducted as many as forty funerals a day, including that of his own wife, yet he wrote these beautiful words as a table grace for his family.” 26
“Jesus asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?’” (17:17-18). Jesus asked, “Where are the other nine?” He is probably asking today “Where are the other millions of my sons and daughters who have forgotten to be thankful?”
Coffman offers some of the reasons that the other nine did not return to give thanks:
One waited to see if the cure was real.
One waited to see if it would last.
One said he would see Jesus later.
One decided that he had never had leprosy.
One said he would have gotten well anyway.
One gave the glory to the priests.
One said, “O well, Jesus didn’t really DO anything.”
One said, “Just any rabbi could have done it.”
One said, “I was already much improved.” 27
“Then he said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well’” (17:19). Morris notes how it is possible to take the verb here to mean more than a cure. It could literally mean that Jesus had saved him.28 Wiersbe says, “The Samaritan’s nine friends were declared clean by the priest, but he was declared saved by the Son of God!” 29
THE COMING KINGDOM OF GOD
Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.” Luke 17:20-21
At this point, Luke begins to delve into eschatology, or the study of last things. Luke presents us with two major sections about the future, 17:20-37 and 21:5-36. Verses 17:20-21 are unique to Luke’s gospel. Both of these sections have some close parallels with Matthew 24 and Mark 13.30 The coming kingdom will not be something that can be observed, such as a political or military movement. The Pharisees were greatly hindered since they thought solely in these terms.
Jesus wanted people to understand that the kingdom of God was already present in the world to some degree. His expression, “the kingdom of God is in your midst” is interesting. Caird comments: “The faith of the first Christians was eschatological: that is, they believed that they were living in the midst of the last event of history, the final act of God’s drama of redemption.” 31 The Messianic King was already among them. Theologians see that the kingdom has an “already-not yet” character about it (1:67-79; Acts 2:25-36; Rom. 1:2-4; Heb. 1:5-14; 1 Pet. 2:4-10; and Rev. 1:6-8).32 It is present, but not completely revealed.
The Greek expression “in your midst” can be understood in two ways. It can mean that the kingdom of God is within us or that the kingdom of God is among us.33 It would seem that the latter meaning is the more appropriate. Jesus was certainly not saying that the kingdom was within the hearts of the hostile Pharisees standing there.34 The kingdom within would have a rather New Age sound anyway.
The kingdom would not be made up of armies, soldiers, chariots, horses and the like. It would not be observed in this manner. Rather, the kingdom would consist of the unity and loyalty of a people to the Lord Jesus.35 While it would not be observable, it would nevertheless make up a mighty and ever-growing force in the world.
SIGNS OF THE LORD’S APPEARING
Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. Luke 17:22
In this verse the Lord is making clear that some amount of time will separate their present situation and the day of his appearing. They will long for the presence of Jesus and they will desire to see the expressions of his power and glory. Things will get worse before the Lord’s return. There will be trials and persecutions (cf. Dan. 12:1; Rom. 8:18-22).36
Believers will pray for the kingdom to come. They will greatly desire it, that they may be delivered from their troubles. “People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them” (17:23). We see similar scriptures in Matthew 24:23-25 and Mark 13:21-23. First of all these verses seem to warn about the idea of a secret coming. We have a great deal of this teaching in the church today, that Christ will appear in a secret rapture and snatch believers out of the earth. We must bear in mind that Bible teaching assures us that it is the wicked who will be taken out of the earth, not the righteous.
Secondly, this passage warns against the appearing of false messiahs in the last days. Obviously, there would be no need for such a warning if the Christians were all raptured out of the world. Over the ages, many false messiahs have appeared. In Israel, some years back, there was a great movement proclaiming Lubavitch Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson as the messiah. Around Jerusalem there were numerous bumper stickers saying “We want messiah now!” I was thinking about putting such a sticker on my bumper until
I realized that they were referring to Rabbi Schneerson. Unfortunately, the good rabbi died in 1994 and was not resurrected. We Gentiles cannot be too hard on the Jews though, because we have had plenty of false messiahs ourselves, such as David Koresh, Jim Jones, and Sun Myung Moon.37
“For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other” (17:24). Clearly, when Jesus appears everyone in the whole world will know about it. It will be like a great flash of lightning (Matt. 24:27). It will be indisputable. When he comes every eye will see him (Rev. 1:7) and his appearing will come as an immense shock and surprise to most people in the world. In fact, millions of people will mourn at his coming (Rev. 1:7) and try to hide themselves from him (Rev. 6:16).
“But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation (17:25). Jesus had spoken to his disciples several times about his upcoming suffering and rejection but they simply could not understand such a thing. Actually, the Jewish world of that time did not expect a suffering Messiah, although such a doctrine was clear in scripture (Gen. 3:15; Psa. 22; 118:22; Isa. 8:14; 52:13-53:12; Zech.12:10).38
“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all” (17:26-27). Noah was a type and pattern for the coming of the Son of Man. Noah was a righteous preacher of the truth but he was not accepted by his evil age. God determined to purge the world by a massive flood and he instructed Noah to build an ark to save himself, his family and the animal kingdom. When Noah and his family entered the ark, judgment immediately fell upon the earth. The entire wicked generation perished, but Noah and his family were saved.
God has promised by the covenant of the rainbow that he will never again purge the world by water (Gen. 9:15). However, as people once again become godless and rebellious in the last days, God will purge the world with fire (2 Pet. 3:7). According to the figures in Revelation 9:18, a third of the earth’s population will be killed. At today’s population figures this would amount to two and a half billion people. Such a number is almost unthinkable! The Greek word for flood in 17:27, is the word kataklusmos. We will have to agree that the last judgment will certainly be cataclysmic in its scope and results.
Noah had to endure the ravages of the flood but he and his family were kept safe in the ark. When God later judged Egypt the children of Israel were present, but also kept safe in the land of Goshen. That is the pattern in the last days. The righteous will be present but will be sealed through the cataclysms and judgments of the end-time.
We note that before their destruction, life on earth was continuing on as normal. People were eating, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until Noah entered the ark. It seems that the people of earth were operating on a totally materialistic plane until disaster fell. There was no room in all their thoughts for God (Psa. 10:4).
“It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed” (17:28-30). Pfeiffer and Harrison say, “Material prosperity and apparent security will prevail at the time of Christ’s return.” 39 It might remind us of some of the scary movies we have seen in the past. In some of those movies, before disaster struck, things were so normal with the radio playing, people laughing and doing regular things like preparing meals. Children’s voices could be heard playing happily in the background. Then, suddenly great disaster fell.
Lot’s situation was much like that of Noah. He was the only righteous man in the exceedingly evil city of Sodom. Life was going on its normal wicked path until Lot left the city. Then fire and brimstone fell from heaven blotting out Sodom and the other evil cities form the face of the earth. We note that Lot, like Noah, did not leave the earth. He actually went through a very difficult time on earth as God purged these cities but he was nevertheless spared.
Utley sums up saying that the coming will be visible and public; social life will go on as normal; the coming will be sudden and unexpected (cf. Matt. 16:27; 24:29-44; 1 Cor. 1:7; 1 Thess. 4:12-18; 2 Thess. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:7; and Rev. 11:15-19; 19:1-21.).40
“On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot’s wife!” (17:31-32). Prophecy is a strange thing. Often prophets visualize several related things together as one picture. I live at the edge of the Rocky Mountains and when one is coming from the eastern plains these mountains can be seen at about one hundred miles out (160 km.). From that point, it looks like there is one continuous high mountain. When one gets closer it is possible to discern many smaller mountains before one gets to the high peaks. Prophecy is a little like that.
Jesus in Luke and the other Synoptic Gospels is viewing the end-time from a great distance. He sees it as one whole. Therefore, the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 is treated as a part of the last days. When Jerusalem was surrounded by the Roman armies of Titus, it was impossible to escape. The rebels slaughtered anyone who tried on the inside and the Romans slaughtered anyone who made it to the outside. Hundreds of thousands of Jews perished in that siege. However, before that encirclement was complete the Christians fled the city according to the Lord’s words (cf. Matt. 24:14-21).
The church historian Eusebius Pamphilus, reports: “The whole body, however, of the church at Jerusalem, having been commanded by a divine revelation, given to men of approved piety there before the war, removed from the city, and dwelt at a certain town beyond the Jordan, called Pella.” 41 Thus, while that great war waged on, killing hundreds of thousands of Jewish people, the church dwelt in safety. This in itself is a very clear picture of the saints in the last day. Had a person returned for anything that person would have been doomed.
Caird comments: “It seems certain that, when Jesus spoke this warning, he had in mind the forthcoming siege and destruction of Jerusalem…the judgment of God on Jerusalem and the last judgment were inseparably linked, that the historic crisis appeared as the embodiment of the eschatological crisis?” 42
Unfortunately, as disaster was falling on Sodom, Lot’s wife looked back (Gen. 19:26). It was her last look, for she immediately was turned to a pillar of salt. We wonder today how many so-called saints of God just have to take one last look at dear old Sodom, or at this present evil age. It could be the last look! The Bible says that Sodom was destroyed because of its homosexuality. The worldly wise folks in this age have done their best to sanctify homosexuality and make it appear as normal. We must not forget that God’s severe judgment still waits in store for all who practice this lifestyle (Rom. 1:26-32).
GUARDING ONE’S HEART
Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. Luke 17:33
The gospel is very simple. It says that those who try to save their lives will lose them in the end and those who lose their lives now for the Lord will save them eternally. Christianity is about surrendering one’s life to the Lord. It is about suffering for the Lord and enduring to the end. A lot of people today think they are really living but they are really dying.
“I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left” (17:34-36). We should note here that the best manuscripts do not have verse 36. It can be found in the margins of the NIV and other versions. Likely it was a scribal note that somehow got included in some of our Bibles over time. The verse appears today in the NKJ, NAS and a few other versions.43
The two in the bed are considered to be husband and wife.44 One will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill. Some ancient mills worked well with a woman turning them from each side. One woman will be taken and the other left. Utley comments: “These two examples are often used as proof-texts for a secret rapture of believers (by dispensational premillennialists). However, in this context, it seems to emphasize the separation of the lost and saved by the angels at the Second Coming (cf. Matt. 24:31; Mk. 13:27)…I do not believe in a secret rapture, but rather the visible return of the Lord, along the lines of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.” 45
Pfeiffer and Harrison say: “‘Taken’ is often applied to the saints, but it may refer to the gathering out of offenders in judgment. Compare the allusions to the tares (Mt. 13:41, 42) and the vine of the earth (Rev. 14:18-19).” 46
“‘Where, Lord?’ they asked. He replied, ‘Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather’” (17:37). The big questions that arise here are, “who are those taken?” and “where are they taken?” (cf. Matt. 24:28). Again, those who support the rapture teaching are certain that the saints are snatched out and taken to heaven, and this before the tribulation begins. However, this picture does not look a lot like heaven.
Bock comments: “Though the term for the birds (Gk. aetos) can mean eagles, in the context of judgment it should be rendered vultures, as it is in other such contexts (Lev. 11:13; Deut. 14:12; Job 39:30; Mt. 24:28). Eagles do not seek carrion; vultures do. The image is grim. The Son of Man’s return means massive judgment; it will be final and will carry the stench of death.” 47
Barclay gives us a warning here that being with a good person does not guarantee our salvation.48 We might go on to say that even being in a good family or in a good church does not guarantee our salvation. When we place our faith in Jesus and in his word; when we live our lives for him, our salvation is assured. In Luke 21:28 we read: “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”