LUKE CHAPTER 13
SCRIPTURE
Today I will summarize Luke chapter 13 where Luke wrote about Jesus teaching the people that they needed to repent. Where Jesus healed a woman on the Sabbath and where Jesus taught that not very many people will be saved. One day some of Jesus’s disciples came up to him to report a massacre. They said Pilot ordered the killing of many people when they were offering their sacrifices at the temple. Jesus said,” Do you suppose these people were greater sinners than everyone else and that is why this happened? I tell you no. But unless you repent you will all likewise perish.
Do you recall the tower that fell and killed those 18 people? Do you suppose those 18 people were greater sinners than everyone else and that is why this happened? I tell you no. But unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Jesus continued and said,” Let me tell you a parable.” A man had a fig tree that had been planted in his vineyard. He came looking for a fig on it but did not find any. He said to the vineyard keeper,” Cut this tree down.” I don’t want to use up any more nutrients in the ground. I have been looking for figs on this tree for three years and I have not found any. The vineyard keepers said let me dig around it and put fertilizer around it for this next year. Let me see if I can help it produce fruit. If it does not produce fruit after this year, then will be cut it down. The vineyard owner agreed that is why everyone is not immediately killed. God is patient ad he is giving everyone time to repent and to bear fruit. But the time is quickly running out. One Sabbath day Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues. There was a woman there who for 18 years had a sickness that was caused by a spirit and her spine was bent over. She could not straighten her back at all.
When Jesus saw her, he said,” Women you are freed from your sickness and he laid hands on her. Immediately she stood up straight and glorified God. But the synagogue official was angry. He said to everyone,” There are six days in which work should be done. Come during those days to get healed not on the Sabbath day. Jesus said,” You Hypocrites! You untie your ox or donkey and lead him to water on the Sabbath Day and this woman who is truly Abraham’s daughter was bound by Satan for 18 years. Should I have not released her from prison on the Sabbath Day? But all the opponents were humiliated but the rest of the crowd was giving glory to God for all the things Jesus was doing and saying. Jesus said the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed and like leaven it grows larger and larger until it engulfs everything and it will engulf everything.
While Jesus was passing from one city to the other teaching along the way, someone asked him a question. The person asked, “Lord, are there only a few people who will be saved? Jesus answered and said,” Don’t worry about everyone else. You strive to enter through the narrow door. Many people will seek to enter that door and will not be able to.” I am that door. Once I stand up and shut the door many people will knock outside and say, “Lord, open the door for us. I will say, “I don’t know you. They will answer and say we ate and drank in your presence and you taught in our streets. I will say, “I don’t know you. Depart from me all your work of iniquity. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isacc, and Jacob, and all prophets of God in the kingdom of God but you will be cast out. There will be many who will come from the east and the west. The north and the south and they will recline at my table in the kingdom of God. I tell you a mystery. The last will be first and the first will be last. Some Pharisees came up to him and told him,” you better go way from here and leave. Herod wants to kill you. Jesus told them,” Go and tell that fox, “Behold! I cast out demons and do miracles today and tomorrow and on the third day, I will reach my goal. No one will stop me while I make my journey.” I must go to Jerusalem. Oh, Jerusalem the city that kills the prophets. How I wanted to gather your children together like a hen gathers her brood of chicks under her wings but you refused. Your house has been left to you desolate. You will not see me again until you say, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
OBSERVATION
The thing I think the lord wants us to understand after reading this chapter is that we should not assume when something bad happens to someone that they are getting paid back for what they have done. We all deserve punishment if we do not repent. God wants us to see that he is patient and the reason why everyone is not immediately killed is that he is giving us all time to repent for our sins and to produce fruit. The Lord wants us to see that some sicknesses are caused by spirits and by Satan. God wants us to see that there is a narrow door that leads to life. Most people will not enter through that narrow door in time. When they suddenly want to enter the door will be closed. Jesus is that door.
We all deserve punishment for our sins against the Holy and perfect God but God is patient and he does not immediately give us what we deserve. He gives us mercy and grace. Are you wasting the days of grace? No one will know when the door will be closed. There is still time to repent. Why don’t you do that right now? Come let us place our faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. Jesus was crucified on the cross as our substitute. The father raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus conquers death and hell and his return is near. God said if you confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and if you believe in your heart all this is true. You will be saved. When men and women hear the good news of the kingdom of God coming in Jesus the Messiah, they must change or be judged with judgement. Jesus spoke words of hope and glory but demanded change. It grieved him that despite listening to the Good news and the sacrifice made, we still don’t repent. My dear friends, we Christians have a dual message of hope, love and justice. To be faithful to our lord we must proclaim both to our generation and not neglect them. According to Jesus, all have sinned and all need repentance. All are under a judgement of death unless we repent. That none of us will make it unless we repent. We must call upon God for mercy now before the inevitable judgement is handed down.
PRAYER
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love. According to your abundant mercy blot out our transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, and you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight. So that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgement. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being. You teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean. Wash me and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness. Let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Crete in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your holy spirit away from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it. You will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart. O God, you will not despise. Do good to Zion in your good pleasure. Build up the walls of Jerusalem. Then will you delight in the right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings? Then bulls will be offered on your altar. Having believed your promise, I receive your forgiveness, recognizing that you remove sin as far as the east ad the west. Choosing to remember it no more. There are no words to thank you for this grace. I am very sorry I grieved you, the Holy Spirit and Abba father. I will try my level best not to offend you anymore. I am not worthy to untie your sandals but only say a word and I shall be healed. Please forgive me I ask this in the name of your beloved son our lord Jesus Christ Amen.
