SCRIPTURE: LUKE 13
REPENT OR PERISH (vs. 1-9)
Some people told Jesus that those Galilean whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices suffered that way because they were worse sinners than other Galileans. But Jesus answered them: “No! unless you repent, you too will all perish.” (v. 3). Then Jesus asked them: Those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them, do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no!. But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” (v.4-5)
Parable of the Fig Tree:
A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now, I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?” The man replied: “Sir, leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine!. If not, then cut it down.”
A CRIPPLED WOMAN HEALED ON THE SABBATH (vs. 10-17)
While Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, a woman who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years was there. She bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity”: (v. 12). Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
The synagogue rulers were resentful because Jesus healed the crippled woman on the Sabbath day. The Lord answered him: “You hypocrites! Doesn
t each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?” (v. 15-16). When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things Jesus was doing.
THE PARABLES OF THE MUSTARD SEED AND THE YEAST (vs. 18-21)
What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches.. The kingdom of god is like a yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough. ”
THE NARROW DOOR (vs. 22-30)
“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because you will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir open the door for me.’ But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Then you will say, “We ate and drank with you and you taught in our streets.’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers”. There will be weeping there and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.
JESUS’ SORROW FOR JERUSALEM (vs. 31-35)
Some Pharisee came to Jesus and told him to leave this place and go somewhere else because Herod wanted to kill him. Jesus replied,
“Go tell that fox, ‘I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal”. In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day – for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” (v. 35)
THOUGHTS:
Pilate killed the Galileans because he thought that they were rebelling against Rome. Those killed by the Tower of Siloam may have been working for the Romans on the aqueduct there. The Pharisees, who were opposed to using force in dealing with Rome. said that the Galileans deserved to die for rebelling. The Zealots, a group of anti-Roman terrorists would have said the aqueduct workers deserved to die for cooperating. Jesus said that neither the Galileans nor the workers should be blamed for their calamity. And instead of blaming others, everyone should look to his own day of judgment.
The parable of the fig tree teaches us that God would never tolerate forever their lack of productivity. The gardener was patient to take care for another year but we must begin to bear the fruit God has created you to produce.
Jesus disposed the hypocrisy of the Pharisees by pointing out that on the Sabbath day, they would untie their animals and care for them, but they refused to rejoice when a human being was freed from Satan’s bondage.
The Jews expected that the Messiah would come as a great king and leader to free them from Roman’s rule. But Jesus said that his Kingdom was beginning quietly like a tiny mustard seed that grows into an enormous tree or the spoonful of yeast that doubles the size of the bread dough.
There is no way that we can be saved except through Christ. We have to get in through the narrow door by following Him whatever the cost. We have to make our decision now because the door will not stay open forever.
People in God’s kingdom are not necessarily the people we expect to be there. Some respectable religious leaders seemed to claim allegiance to Jesus but secretly they were morally corrupt. Only those that have acknowledged their sins and turn to God can enter the kingdom of God.
There will be surprises in God’s kingdom. Some who are despised now will be greatly honored then. Some influential people here will be left outside the gates. Many “great” people on this earth (in God’s eyes) are virtually ignored by the rest of the world. God does not measure on a person’s earthly popularity, status, wealth, heritage or power but his commitment to Him.
Jerusalem was the largest city of Israel that represents the nation’s spiritual and political capital. It symbolizes the whole nation which the Jews around the world visited. But Jerusalem had a history of rejecting God’s prophets and it would also reject the Messiah.