Example 4: " When Jesus Comes, will you be Glad to See Him? "
(a) Type and Plan: Designed for strangers of long continuance, who have had the truth of Jesus's coming proved times without number, and need to have its significance brought home. Hence the doctrine is taken for granted.
(b) Reading: Luke 17 : 20-end.
(c) Development:
(i) The three classes when Jesus first came: those who were always glad, those who occasionally were, those who rejected him.
(ii) The rejecters: rulers, men with positions to keep, satisfied with themselves. They approach him with expressions of approval (John 3: 1-2)-Jesus makes demands from them -the rebirth, the serpent in the Wilderness. 2. They entertain him in their houses, and on each occasion are rebuked (Luke 7: 40-49; 11: 37-53; 14: 1-24) for thinking they have no sin (Note the woman who has-she appears again), for hypocrisy, for greed, pride and self-seeking.
(iii) The rejecters when Jesus comes: rebels must either conquer or be conquered. Then they killed him; now-Luke 19: 27.
(iv) Those who sometimes wanted him: the ordinary people, the Crowd: Feeding of 5,000-their motives (John 6:2)-Jesus's (Mark 6:34; Luke 9: 11)-and go away when he preaches instead.
(v) Interlude: this is what happens when popular fancy is tickled now with a view to following with serious things.
(vi) Those who sometimes wanted him (continued): The road from Jericho (Luke 18:35)-Palm Sunday-and then the scene before Pilate and " Crucify him "!
(vii) Who were they? Ordinary " good living folk," much the same now as then, as witness war-scenes and peace-scenes.
(viii) These people when Jesus comes: "As in the days of Noah " (Luke 17: 25-30). Unpreparedness, pre-occupation with life, and day coming unawares.
(ix) Those who always wanted him: The sinner of Luke 7, faithful disciples of John 6 ; reclaimed sinners (Matthew, Simon Zelotes, Magdalene),, men conscious of need (" I am a sinful man "). Their response to " Repent ye." (x) Disillusionment and renewed joy: when he died (Luke 24: 21) and when he rose again (John 20:20; Luke 24: 52). Renewed expectation (Acts 1: 5) and promise (Acts 1: 11). (xi) The disciples when Jesus comes: fulfilment of hope: 1 Pet. 1: 13; John 11: 24 ; 1 Thess. 4: 14; Heb. 9:28.

This is altogether simple. It has an easily remembered threefold structure (a little after the pattern of the Parable of the Sower) and the great merit of appealing to the earthly life of Jesus for its inspiration. We might with profit do this more often. It is concentrated almost entirely in Luke (only the Luke references need be turned up) and so should be easy to follow in the Bible.