Matthew Henry Commentary Luke 21:29-38

"And he spake to them a parable: Behold the fig tree, and all the trees: when they now shoot forth, ye see it and know of your own selves that the summer is now nigh. Even so ye also, when ye see these things coming to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all things be accomplished. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare: for [so] shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth. But watch ye at every season, making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. And every day he was teaching in the temple; and every night he went out, and lodged in the mount that is called Olivet. And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, to hear him." — Luke 21:29-38 (ASV)

Christ tells His disciples to observe the signs of the times, by which they could judge. He charges them to consider the ruin of the Jewish nation as near. Yet this race and family of Abraham shall not be rooted out; it shall survive as a nation, and be found as prophesied, when the Son of man shall be revealed. He cautions them against being secure and sensual.

This command is given to all Christ's disciples: Take heed to yourselves, that you are not overpowered by temptations, nor betrayed by your own corruptions. We cannot be safe if we are carnally secure. Our danger is lest the day of death and of judgment should come upon us when we are not prepared. There is also danger lest, when we are called to meet our Lord, what ought to be nearest our hearts is then furthest from our thoughts.

For so it will come upon most men, who live on the earth, concern themselves only with earthly things, and have no communion with heaven. It will be a terror and a destruction to them. Here see what our aim should be: that we may be accounted worthy to escape all those things; that when the judgments of God are widespread, we may not be in the common calamity, or that it may not be for us what it is for others.

Do you ask how you may be found worthy to stand before Christ on that day? Those who have never yet sought Christ, let them now go to him; those who have never yet been humbled for their sins, let them now begin; those who have already begun, let them go forward and be kept humble. Therefore, watch and pray always.

Watch against sin; watch in every duty, and make the most of every opportunity to do good. Pray always: those will be accounted worthy to live a life of praise in the other world who live a life of prayer in this world. May we begin, spend, and conclude each day attending to Christ's word, obeying his precepts, and following his example, so that whenever he comes we may be found watching.