HAVING taught the people, Jesus now gives application, and presses home to his hearers the right response to his teaching. This is something which exhorts all true believers in Jesus, who accept the Scriptures as the revelation of God, to listen to how Jesus tells us we must respond to his teaching concerning future happenings and his return at the end of the world. The Scriptures will be of no value to us if we simply listen to them and are interested in them, but do not bring them to action in our lives. So what is Jesus telling us is the right ans safe way to respond to his teaching.

Jesus is always practical in his teaching and seeks to illustrate his teaching with illustrations that are easy to assimilate, and understand. This is what he does here. He uses an illustration which we all can appreciate. This is the way of all the parables of Jesus. In this parable Jesus describes something we all observe in nature and understand, and can make deductions from. We know when Spring and Summer is near when we see the trees sprouting their green leaves again. In the same way Jesus says that when we see the things he has been describing in the previous verses, then, although we can't determine the exact time, we know the return of Christ is near. Jesus says �Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.�

What does this mean in practice for us who believe? This is not so easy as we might think, for the indications which Jesus gives of his return are a little obscure. I have to ask myself the question when I hear of something catastrophic occurring the world whether this is something of which Jesus has been referring in this chapter, or is it too insignificant. The way forward for me is to say � perhaps this is an indication that Christ's return is near, and in the light of this make sure that I am ready for Christ's return and can rejoice in it. This means I assess my life according to the word of God, and seek to live more in accordance with its teaching, and seek to live less for this world. It means I seek to be more diligent in loving Christ and serving him, and seeking to be a true witness for Christ.

In view of Christ's teaching here it is right for us to seek to interpret all that happens in our world in the light of the teaching of the Bible.

Verse 32 presents difficulties. The question is as to what is meant by 'this generation'. If it means all the Jewish people living at the time when Jesus gave this teaching, it can only refer to verses 20 to 24 and the judgement on the Jewish people and nation when Jerusalem and Palestine were overcome and annihilated by the Romans in AD 70.

The word can also be used for 'race' and then the meaning would be either that 'race' referred to the Jewish people and they would exist as a distinct people until the return of Christ; or that 'race' referred to all human beings, and they would exist until Christ came to judge the whole earth.

Whatever the meaning here we need to take seriously that Jesus is telling us that all he prophesied here will take place, and this includes all his predictions concerning our world and universe. Christians should take this seriously, and live in the light of these things as facts, and react to them in a way that is according to the whole tenure of the teaching of the bible.

In the light of the teaching of Christ here Christians have a different perspective on our world than that which is presented to us by science. Science is continually coming up with some knew speculation about the universe, and the underlying conviction is that this universe and our world will continue for ever is some form, and no doubt that human beings will do so also. The teaching of Christ here is quite clear that the universe as we know it, and the peoples of the world, have a finite end, and this end will occur when Christ returns to this earth in power and great glory.

Jesus speaks of all his predictions as most surely taking place, and he makes clear that our world and the universe as we know it will pass away. Christ's words are �Heaven and earth will pass away�, and this can only mean that our world and all the infinity of space will pass away. It will cease to exist. This truth is unthinkable to the worldly mind, but Christ has spoken of it, and therefore it is the word of God, and will most surely occur sometime in the future

Jesus tells us what will endure and that his words will not pass away. This has particular reference to his words in this chapter of Luke, but also has reference to the whole teaching of the bible. From this every true believer can take great comfort and have deep assurance. It means the gospel of our salvation, being the words of God and of Jesus, will endure and this means that all who believe in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord will endure for eternal life. It means that we will continue to live for all eternity in the new heaven and earth the bible tells us Christ will create, and so we can look forward to the end of this universe without fear and in confidence.