SHARING BREAD

 ²⁶ ”Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’

 ²⁷ ”But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’

Luke 13:26-27 (NIV)

Jesus has a word for those who labor in injustice and unrighteousness – “Away from me!”  The word translated “evildoers” comes from two Greek words:   “Ergates” meaning “worker, laborer, one who does something” and “Adikia” meaning “without justice; injustice, unrighteousness, wrongdoing, misdeed, impropriety, and fault.  It is the failure to discharge one’s duties toward others and the failure to abide by the lawful standard of appropriate conduct.  It represents a disregard for order, convention, harmony, and beauty, especially for the world.  Biblically, unrighteousness is considered ultimately to be an act against God Himself – essentially a disregard for what God has revealed to be the true character, function, and purpose of things.  Righteousness is the keeping of God’s law.”  Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible New Testament Lexical Aids

Undoubtedly, the call to righteousness among God’s people and the certain blessings which follow the righteous life permeate the pages of Scripture. One of my personal favorites, penned by King David, is found in Psalm 37:

²⁵ I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. ²⁶ They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed. Psalms 37:25-26 (NIV)

In contrast to the retribution of the unrighteous, the Lord establishes and protects the way of the righteous – His love and protection follow those who pursue righteousness and holiness.  Indeed, when Abraham pleads with God to stay His hand from destroying Sodom, he uses the argument of righteousness:

 ²³ Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? ²⁴ What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? ²⁵ Far be it from you to do such a thing–to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”   Gen 18:22-25 (NIV)

We all know the story, Abraham petitions God down to sparing wicked Sodom for the sake of ten righteous souls.  Unfortunately, ten righteous souls could not be found within Sodom’s walls.  Hence, the destruction ensued yet God spared the righteous Lot and his family by pulling them out.  As stated before, God does not delight in unrighteousness but delights in those who live righteously.  Psalm one gives us yet another confirmation of our verses for today:

 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. ² But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. ³ He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. ⁴ Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. ⁵ Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. ⁶ For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.   Psalms 1:1-6 (NIV)

Lastly, Peter gives us a strong warning regarding this same subject:

⁴ For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; ⁵ if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; ⁶ if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; ⁷ and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men ⁸ (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)– ⁹ if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment. ¹⁰ This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority. 2 Peter 2:4-10 (NIV)

⁴ For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. ⁵ May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,   Romans 15:3-5 (NIV)

What I glean from this:

• I must not labor in injustice and unrighteousness.
• God has called me to live a righteous life.
• I am given hope through endurance and the encouragement of Scripture.

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SHARING BREAD

²⁵ Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’

“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’

Luke 13:25 (NIV)

Such solemn words in our Savior’s speech!  Jesus addresses this in other passages of Scripture too.  We find in Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount:

²¹ ”Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ ²³ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Matt 7:21-23 (NIV)

Plainly, Jesus is giving us fair warning here.  Our entry to heaven does not merely consist of our knocking and pleading, crying out Lord, Lord, prophesying, driving out demons or performing miracles – all of which wolves in sheep’s clothing have the ability to do.  No, Jesus tells us our entry to heaven depends on if He knows us and where we come from.  I am reminded of another passage in Matthew which sheds a bit more light on our topic for today:

⁴⁶ While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. ⁴⁷ Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” ⁴⁸ He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹ Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”   Matt 12:46-50 (NIV)

“Christianity is not a religion but a relationship of love expressed toward God and men.”  Sherwood Eliot Wirt

“Our great honor lies in being just what Jesus was and is.  What greater glory could come to any man?”  A. W. Tozer

If you are a child of the King then you will bear a resemblance to Him.  Just as there is a familial resemblance to our earthly family, there should also be a familial resemblance to our Spiritual family.  Do our words and actions point others to Christ?  Do we resemble Jesus?  Jesus tells us in the Gospel of John:

 ²³ Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. ²⁴ He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. John 14:23-24 (NIV)

This, of course, is not perfection but a desire of the will to be obedient to His commands and a strong distaste for those things that displease our Lord. Love what He loves and hate what He hates.  Any sin we commit represents a nail to Him – it is crucifying His heart all over again.  Should we thus treat sin so lightly?  It is the work of Satan himself that we are amused with depravity.  It is the beginning step in our embracing of it.

“The Holy Spirit gives the soul a natural relish for the sweetness of what is holy and for everything that is holy as it comes into view. He also intensifies a dislike and disgust of everything that is unholy.”  Jonathan Edwards, Religious Affections

 Consider Judas – with a pretense of piety, he did the devil’s drudgery in Christ’s uniform.  He walked closely with the Lord Jesus.  He ate with Him.  He performed miracles in Jesus’ name.  Judas called Jesus Lord and was privy to be in His inner circle of twelve.  Yet Judas was a turncoat, a deserter, a traitor.  His issue was money.  In keeper of the disciples’ money bag, he delighted in helping himself to what was put in it:

 ⁴ But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, ⁵ ”Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.   John 12:4-6 (NIV)

Believer, beware of the little foxes in your vineyard!  They can destroy a life!  Contrast Judas with Moses.  Hebrews 11 tells us:

²⁴ By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. ²⁵ He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. ²⁶ He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.   Heb 11:24-26 (NIV)

“It will do us good to be very empty, to be very weak, and so to go about our Master’s work.”  Charles Spurgeon

What I glean from this:

• Just because I espouse faith in Jesus does not mean I have faith in Jesus.
• If I am a child of the King I will bear a resemblance to Him.
• I must never treat sin lightly.

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SHARING BREAD

²² Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. ²³ Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

He said to them, ²⁴ “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.”

Luke 13:22-24 (NIV)

I love how Jesus takes every opportunity to instruct others as He makes His way to Jerusalem!  This is reminiscent of the passage in Deuteronomy the Jews refer to as the “Shema” calling us to do likewise as we make our way through this life toward “home”:

 ⁴ Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. ⁵ Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.   Deut 6:4-9 (NIV)

We are to teach our children (and those within our sphere) all throughout the day – when we sit, when we walk, when we lie down and when we get up.  We teach those we love through our words and our actions.  In teaching these truths, it is also a confirmation that we firmly believe they are for our good and for the good of those we are closest to.  If you have precious Truth, don’t you want to share it with those you love most?  God knows that there is a direct correlation between our holiness (obedience) and our happiness.  He knows how we are made and the very best life path for us, He holds out to us through our obedience.

As Jesus is teaching, someone asks if only a few people will be saved.  His answer may surprise some of the “soft” Christians of our day.”Make every effort” is an interesting phrase Jesus uses.  The word translated “effort” is from the Greek word “Agonizomai”.  The Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible New Testament Lexical Aids sheds the following light on this word:  “a contest, conflict.  To fight in a contest, struggle in competition, engage in a dreadful battle, or strenuously endeavor.  It was used of the heroic struggle of devout men in the quest for virtue. Generally, it means to exert great effort, struggle with concentration and intensity, and to fight against any obstacle that would impede entrance into God’s kingdom.” 

Jesus speaks of this “narrow door” or “narrow gate” again in Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount:           

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.   Matt 7:13-14 (NIV)

Here Jesus places less emphasis on external requirements (Pharisaical actions), yet still important, and more emphasis on internal transformation.  It is easier for us to follow a set of rules than for us to change and become more and more like Jesus.  It is the constant “Agonizomai” of the will.  As believers, we still have our sinful nature as well as the precious Holy Spirit residing within us.  As we make our way through this life, walking towards the light of home, the old nature should be shrinking and the Holy Spirit growing.  This is NOT done automatically but one step at a time.  It is the narrowing of the life which God Himself prunes and conforms as we are obedient to His light revealed through the Spirit. As we are obedient to act on what the Holy Spirit reveals – to die to that so to speak (“a living sacrifice”), He blesses and grows us and shows us yet another thing!  We will always be in the process of learning, growing and pruning.  None of us will reach perfection in the here and now.  We will not be made whole until we are in heaven with Jesus – and such a glorious day that will be!

This pruning process is often painful but always worth it!  I fear many abort when troubles or afflictions come – running to worldly “comfort” as their god.  Looking for a quick fix for their pain, the band-aid the world offers placed on their gaping hole of pain will never hold.  Truly, it is better to do it God’s way.  I made up my mind many years ago to quit kicking against God’s best for my life.  I believe that He honored that.  I am not saying that it was easy; I am saying that it was worth it!  He has always been faithful; He will be likewise to you too.  Someone needs to hear that today!

 ¹² Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³ But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. ¹⁴ If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. ¹⁵ If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. ¹⁶ However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. ¹⁷ For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? ¹⁸ And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 1 Peter 4:12-18 (NIV)

What I glean from this:

• I am to teach Truth to those in my sphere through my words and my actions.
• There is a direct correlation between my holiness (obedience) and my happiness.
• God’s pruning process is difficult but necessary.  Hebrews tells us:  ¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.   Heb 12:11 (NIV)

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SHARING BREAD

²⁰ Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? ²¹ It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

Luke 13:20-21 (NIV)

I love what Matthew Henry states about the above verses:

“What shall I compare the kingdom of God to?  It will be quite different from what you expect.  You expect it will appear great, and will arrive at its perfection all of a sudden; but you are mistaken, it is like a mustard seed, a little thing, is tiny to the eye, and promises but little; yet, when sown it became a tree.  Many perhaps were prejudiced against the gospel, because its beginnings were so small.  Christ wished to remove this prejudice, by assuring them that though its beginnings were humble, its future would be prosperous; so that many should fly there, to lodge in the branches of it.  You expect it will make its way by external means, but it shall work like yeast, silently and intangibly, and without any force or violence.  A little leaven leavens the whole lump; so the doctrine of Christ will strangely diffuse its savour into the world of mankind.  But you must give it time, and you will find it does wonders.  By degrees the whole will be leavened.”

⁷ Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.   Job 8:7 (NIV)

Consider with me that the work of the gospel often comes on the scene appearing very weak, humble and small in its beginnings.  The first breaking out of the gospel is like the sunrise.  We see the purple, blue and pink hues beginning to appear in the sky as the sun slowly makes its entrance giving light to the day.  Likewise, young converts are as little lambs that must be carried along.  Scripture tells us in Isaiah:

 ¹¹ He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.    Isaiah 40:11 (NIV)

All the while the Good News is growing and entering on the scene.  The seed begins to grow as our actions are changed and our knowledge becomes clearer through the power of the Holy Spirit – our love and passion becoming more and more inflamed.  Just as the seed of the Gospel begins to grow, the yeast works through the dough both silently and insensibly while all the world cannot hinder its growth or prevent it from communicating its truth or permeating its aroma.  Again, Matthew Henry states:

“Thus it was in the world.  The apostles, by their preaching, place a handful of yeast in the great mass of mankind, and it had a strange effect; it put the world into ferment, and in a sense turned it upside down.”

⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. ⁴⁷ For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ “   Acts 13:46-47 (NIV)

The Gospel was effective, not because of the people bringing it but because of the power of the Holy Spirit indwelling them.   For we are told in Scripture:

¹³ When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.   Acts 4:13 (NIV)

Wisely, Gamaliel, a Pharisee and honored teacher of the law of that day states the following about the apostle’s actions:

³⁵ Then he addressed them: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. ³⁶ Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. ³⁷ After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. ³⁸ Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. ³⁹ But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”   Acts 5:35-39 (NIV)

When the Gospel is in the heart, it works a change.  It begins to permeate all the faculties of the soul conforming us into the image of Jesus – winsome, wooing, loving and irresistible. It is thus effective not by outward force but by the inner force of the Holy Spirit which no one can hinder.

 ¹⁰ I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.   Isaiah 46:10 (NIV)

What I glean from this:

·       The kingdom of God begins small but grows great in size.

·       A new believer is like a little lamb which Jesus carries in His arms and close to His heart.

·       The Holy Spirit enables me to become like Jesus.

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SHARING BREAD

 ¹⁸ Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? ¹⁹ 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.”

Luke 13:18-19 (NIV)

In our verses for today Jesus gives us a vivid contrast between the tiny size of the mustard seed and the great plant that grows from it and likens it to the influence of the kingdom of heaven which appeared small and insignificant at that time but eventually would have far reaching effects becoming a mighty force.  Preceding Mark’s description of this same parable Jesus gives us yet another interesting point:

 ²⁶ He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. ²⁷ Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. ²⁸ All by itself the soil produces grain–first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. ²⁹ As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”   Mark 4:26-29 (NIV)

Man scatters or sows the seed (the Good News of Jesus through the Word of God) and without human agency, in the mysterious sovereign work of God, this planted seed sprouts and begins to grow.  God works in the life-bearing seed which, when planted in good soil, grows from stage to stage producing the grain sans human intervention.  Believer, how important it is that we are faithful in the sowing!  Scripture tells us:

¹⁴ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? ¹⁵ And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”   Romans 10:14-15 (NIV)

“The salvation of one soul is worth more than the framing of a Magna Carta of a thousand worlds.”  John Keble

“Carrying God’s gracious offer involves human beings whom God has brought to Himself and then uses as His heralds. They share God’s message of salvation because He will save everyone who calls on His name. Paul quoted from Isaiah 52:7 concerning the eagerness of the bearers of good news. Those who bear it have beautiful… feet, that is, their message is welcome.”  Bible Knowledge Commentary

Are we eager bearers of the Good News of Jesus?  Our Lord’s last command just prior to His ascension dealt with this same truth:

¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”   Matt 28:18-20 (NIV)

“God has an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the fame of His name among the nations.”  John Piper

“The making of a disciple means the creating of a duplicate.”  Juan Carlos Ortiz

Jesus’ commission which was not only applicable to those present but also for all subsequent followers, was the command to “make disciples”.  As Jesus was always about His Father’s business, we too should be likewise.  How does this flesh out in the believer’s life since certainly not all are called to foreign missions?  I believe we all have a mission field within our spheres of influence.  Oftentimes we are the only Jesus many will “see”.  So how are we doing?  This is a high and worthy calling.   Many will not hear our words because our lives are too loud.  We often blend with the world and not with Christ.  This is due to many things not the least of which is ignorance to God’s revealed will through His Word.  I will never forget many years ago someone asking me if I thought it was acceptable for them to take a certain action that, evidently unbeknownst to them, was a blatant “No” in Scripture.  This person was someone I would have considered to have had at least that much knowledge of God’s Holy Word.  It left quite an impression on me of the power of our minds to justify and condone what we desire to do over what God says “No” to.  We are all susceptible to this – it is called human nature.  But it is not ok nor is it condoned by God. 

“The best protection against Satan’s lies is to know God’s truth.”  Anonymous 

“Obedience to God is the most infallible evidence of sincere and supreme love to Him.”  Nathanael Emmons

What I glean from this:

·       God’s kingdom began by appearing small and insignificant yet eventually grew with far reaching effects.

·       I am called to be a sower of God’s seed.  The results are in His hands.

·       It is important how I live my life as I may be the only contact someone may ever have with Jesus.  “Christianity is not a religion but a relationship of love expressed toward God and men.”  Sherwood Eliot Wirt

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SHARING BREAD

¹⁷ When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.

Luke 13:17 (NIV)

The religious leaders had been publically disgraced by their attitude towards healing on the Sabbath yet gladness and joy prevailed among the people over all the gloriously splendid things Jesus was doing.  Jesus is all about doing the gloriously splendid things for those with eyes to see!  We find this all throughout God’s Word.  David tells us:

³ When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, ⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? ⁵ You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.   Psalms 8:3-5 (NIV)

“David was amazed that God should exalt finite man to such a place of honor.”  Bible Knowledge Commentary

Peter, James and John were certainly privy to gloriously splendid things on the Mount of Transfiguration.  We find in Luke:

²⁹ As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. ³⁰ Two men, Moses and Elijah, ³¹ appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus.    Luke 9:29-31 (NIV)

Paul gives us this glorious truth in 1 Corinthians:

⁷ No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. ⁸ None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹ However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” — ¹⁰ but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.   1 Cor 2:7-10 (NIV)

Paul also tells us in 2 Corinthians:

⁷ Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, ⁸ will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? ⁹ If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! ¹⁰ For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. ¹¹ And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!    2 Cor 3:7-11 (NIV)

I love what the Bible Knowledge Commentary states about the above verses:

“The ministry of the New, by means of the Spirit, leads men to faith in Christ and the imputation of His righteousness (Rom. 3:21-22; 4:24). Like a candle before the sun the Old Covenant paled and passed away (Gal. 3:19-25) before the grandeur of the New, which is eternal (Heb. 13:20). If the Old is glorious, how much more glorious is the New!”

It is so interesting to me how the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, like many people of our day and time, will go to the extreme not to believe no matter how much truth is presented to them.  The healing of the man born blind in the gospel of John certainly enforces this point:

¹³ They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. ¹⁴ Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. ¹⁵ Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” ¹⁶ Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”   John 9:13-16 (NIV)

¹⁸ The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. ¹⁹ ”Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” ²⁰ ”We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. ²¹ But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” ²² His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue.    John 9:18-22 (NIV)

²⁴ A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” ²⁵ He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” ²⁶ Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” ²⁷ He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” ²⁸ Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! ²⁹ We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”  ³⁰ The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. ³¹ We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. ³² Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. ³³ If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” ³⁴ To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.   John 9:24-34 (NIV)

As Jesus plainly tells the Jews gathered around Him in John:

²⁴ The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” ²⁵ Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, ²⁶ but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. ²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”   John 10:24-30 (NIV)

What I glean from this:

• I am to be joyfully delighted over all of the wonderful things God has done for me.  An attitude of gratefulness towards God and all that His hand has bestowed for my good is not only proper but beneficial for me.
• Jesus is always doing gloriously splendid things for my eyes to see.  Praise Him!
• I should not be surprised when some do not believe no matter how much truth is made manifest nor miracles performed.

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SHARING BREAD

¹⁵ 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? ¹⁶ 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?”

Luke 13:15-16 (NIV)

In our verses for today, Jesus gives the synagogue ruler a sort of an “in your face” reply to his statement that healing should only occur on the six days that were for work and not on the Sabbath.  Our Savior shows them the hypocrisy of their way of thinking.  They would unbound their animals to refresh them on the Sabbath yet not set free a bound person that had been in that condition for eighteen long years, I might add!  I am not feeling a great deal of love for the brethren from this synagogue ruler!  Isn’t it amazing how we often get so set in our ways – unwilling to change when presented with Truth only because it may be different from the way we have always done things or consider that they should be done!  Jesus was not pleased with this.  In fact, he begins by calling them hypocrites, feigned characters, and pretenders – appearing pious but actually quite pitiful.  Scripture has much to say about hypocrites.  Jesus tells us in Matthew:

 ²⁷ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. ²⁸ In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.   Matt 23:27-28 (NIV)

Appearing to people as righteous on the outside through their religious conformity, these teachers of the law and Pharisees were full of wickedness and Jesus had a word for them – “Woe!”   Paul tells us that our motives behind our actions are as important as our actions themselves thus strengthening Jesus’ point on hypocrisy.  If our motives are not pure our actions are in vain.  We find in 1 Corinthians:

¹ If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.    1 Cor 13:1-3 (NIV)

Exalted eloquence vanishes quickly while love produces eternal effects; prophecy, wisdom, knowledge and faith all of which Paul championed as great gifts were nothing compared with love; even self-sacrifice and self-immolation can be for naught if not backed by love.  Love is that which never fails!  Love is the greatest commandment:

³⁶ ”Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

 ³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”    Matt 22:36-40 (NIV)

All the commandments and all the laws hinge on these two points:  love for God and love for man who is made in the image of God.  John tells us that is how we know that we are children of God if we have love for the brethren:

 ¹⁹ We love because he first loved us. ²⁰ If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. ²¹ And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.   1 John 4:19-21 (NIV)

“All is vanity but to love God and serve Him.”  Thomas a Kempis

“Love, in the Christian sense, does not mean an emotion.  It is a state not of the feelings but of the will; that state of the will which we have naturally about ourselves, and must learn to have about other people.”   C.S. Lewis

“He loved us not because we were lovable, but because He is love.”   C.S. Lewis

What I glean from this:

• Woe to me if I am hypocritical, a pretender.  My motives for my actions must be pure for they are as important as the action itself.  God knows.  He alone examines the heart:  ¹⁰ ”I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.” Jer 17:10 (NIV)
• Love for God and loving my neighbor as myself are the two greatest commandments.  “Love and humility are the highest attainments in the school of Christ.”  John Newton
• I demonstrate the love of Christ in loving my brother as myself.  “If we do not show love to one another, the world has a right to question whether Christianity is true.”  Francis Schaeffer

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SHARING BREAD

¹⁴ Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”

Luke 13:14 (NIV)

How biting and damaging is legalism.  Ever been “crucified by Christians”?  If so, you know how it stings!  Excessively adhering to the law as a means for salvation, this religious leader was actually hindering others from the kingdom ringing true the words of Jesus stated earlier in Luke:

⁵² ”Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”  Luke 11:52 (NIV)

Paul gives us insight into legalism in 1Corinthians chapter10:

²³ ”Everything is permissible”–but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”–but not everything is constructive. ²⁴ Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. 1 Cor 10:23-24 (NIV)

Our goal is to do what builds Christ’s body, the church – that’s constructive.  We are to be about those things which both strengthen and edify believers and seekers always taking care that we do not cause others to stumble and fall by our own poor behavior.  We do not live as unto ourselves.  Later in this same chapter of 1Corinthians we are told:

³¹ So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ³² Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God– ³³ even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.   1 Cor 10:31-33 (NIV)

The command is to love God and our neighbors.  Our behavior should be for God’s glory pointing others to Christ, leading some to a new birth and others to maturity (salvation and justification – not division!).  We are to follow the example of Christ, who, out of obedience to God, “did not consider equality with God something to be grasped”, yet was selfless, loving, humble, winsome, and approachable.  Jesus was not going to allow the religious leaders of His day to put God in a rule box of do’s and don’ts.  He came to turn the world’s way of thinking upside down.  While there are certainly absolutes in Scripture, sometimes God calls us to do things we perhaps would not deem a “prescribed plan” – sort of an out of the box, if you will assignment.

There is a story of a church in a fancy neighborhood, with fancy cars and fancy people and fancy lifestyles.  Everybody blended if you know what I mean.  A homeless man, destitute emotionally, financially and spiritually decided as a last hope to go for a visit.  The church was filled as the back doors swung open and the dirty, disheveled, emotionally crippled man made his way in.  There was no place to sit as he walked slowly past aisle after aisle of judgmental whispers.  “What could this man be thinking,” some said; others could not believe he would have the audacity to come into their church clad in such squalor.  Finding no room in the pews, he quietly makes his way down to the front of the church and sits on the floor.  “How dare this man be so disrespectful”, many mused.  Someone needed to act and act quickly to remove this disruption from their fancy church before their fancy clothes would be spoiled by the stench of the world.  Suddenly, one of the leading elders of the church rose from his accustomed place, cane in hand.  Slowly he begins to make his way down to the “intruder”.  Every eye was fixed on him as he made his way down.  All the people were thinking “Great!  He will escort him out and that will be the end of it!”  You could have heard a pin drop as they waited patiently for the old man to get to the front of the church. To their surprise, when the elder reached the point of his mission he placed his cane on the floor and lowered himself down by this needy man extending to him the right hand of brotherly love.  The sermon had been preached without a word.  Love had been shown and a life had been strengthened and changed – in fact, through this demonstration of love and mercy, many lives had been strengthened and changed!

 We must remember that Jesus never turned the sinner away who came seeking healing but often blasted the self-righteous right off of their pompous stand.  

¹³ But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”   Matt 9:13 (NIV)

“The Pharisees did not think they were sinners (sick) so they would never have sought out the Lord (the Physician). The Pharisees always brought the proper sacrifices, but they were totally lacking in compassion toward sinners. When mercy is lacking, then religious formalities are meaningless.”    Bible Knowledge Commentary          

 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6 (NIV)

God desires our devotion and loyalty expressed through loving mercy towards others and loving allegiance towards His commands – knowing that they are always for our good and for the good of others never to hinder or to hold us back.

What I glean from this:

·         I am to be about what strengthens and edifies others not what tears them down.

·         I am to love God and my neighbor.

·         I am not to be self-righteous but merciful.

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SHARING BREAD

¹⁰ On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, ¹¹ and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. ¹² When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” ¹³ Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.

Luke 13:10-13 (NIV)

Believer, Jesus came to release from bondage those who are imprisoned by their infirmities.  The word translated “infirmity” is from the Greek word “Astheneia” meaning:  “Without strength, powerless; used of physical weakness and spiritual or moral weakness – infirmities of the soul; a limited position. Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible New Testament Lexical Aids. Do we have any “infirmities of the soul” holding us captive which we greatly desire freedom from?  Are we bound to anger, rage, malice, slander or filthy language?  Do we have a problem with greed or excessive abuses of any type?  Do we have “secret” sins that we do not want anyone to know about?  Jesus wants us to know that we no longer have to wallow in sin; He came to set us free.  His job description in Isaiah plainly tells us:

¹ The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,   Isaiah 61:1 (NIV)

Indeed, this was the passage that Jesus Himself read from the scroll at the synagogue in Nazareth.  We are told in Luke:

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, ¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  ²⁰ Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, ²¹ and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:18-21 (NIV)

Amazing!  Wouldn’t you have loved to have been there?  What could those people have been thinking?  He was giving them a heads up to His mission. On this side of the cross we can know for certain that Jesus came and died to set us free.  We no longer have to be encumbered with the sins of this world.  If the Son has set us free, then we are free indeed (John 8:36)!

¹ It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.   Gal 5:1 (NIV)

The above verse tells me that we can fall back again into slavery to sin just as a clean sow will go back to wallowing in the mud!  Believer, may it never be!   As Paul so poignantly shows us in these verses from Romans:

⁴ Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?  Romans 2:4 (NIV)

 ¹ What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? ² By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?   Romans 6:1-2 (NIV)

 ¹¹ In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. ¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. ¹³ Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. ¹⁴ For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.   Romans 6:11-14 (NIV)

What we are discussing here is habitual, debilitating, life taking, joy and peace pillaging, relationship destroying and purposeless reigning sin in one’s life.  Does not sound too profitable does it?  It certainly should make one want to reassess the value of their actions!

“We Christians should dare to be different!  Jesus’ disciples influenced thousands to embrace the Christian faith because they out-thought, out-lived, and out-loved their neighbors.”  Billy Graham

Great….ok, so how do we go about appropriating this magnificent truth into our lives?  I am glad you asked (or I asked!!).  The Bible gives us the following instructions to keep from falling back into sin. Remember one never falls into holiness only into sin – holiness must be a pursuit:

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.   Eph 6:10-18 (NIV)

• Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power (not our own).
• Daily dress in the full armor of God:  the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, our feet fitted with peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the Word of God.  Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, God’s Word – are to be our wardrobe!
• Stand firm – do not cower but stand!
• Pray

What I glean from this:

• Jesus came to set me free from my “infirmities of the soul”.
• I should never go back to slavery.   I have the choice.
• I am to be strong in God’s mighty power clothed in the full armor of God.

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SHARING BREAD

⁶ Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. ⁷ 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?‘ ⁸ ”‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. ⁹ If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

Luke 13:6-9 (NIV)

Jesus’ main point here is that judgment will occur to non fruit bearers.  Scripture is replete with the importance of a walk that matches our talk.  The fact is, talk is cheap. It is easy to espouse Truth but difficult to live it.   A person will live or flesh out what they believe.  This fleshing out of Truth or, quite frankly, obedience to God’s revealed will, is called “fruit” in Scripture.  This is precisely why John the Baptist cried out to the Pharisees (the religious leaders of his day):

⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. ⁹ And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.   Matt 3:7-10 (NIV)

We are all sinners in need of a Savior.  All is a very inclusive word indeed!  Not one of us is righteous in our own standing.  Not one.  These religious leaders believed they were safe because of their ancestry as children of Abraham.  Jesus came and turned this thinking around.  In His talk with Nicodemus one of Israel’s teachers, Jesus states:

³ In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” ⁴ ”How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” ⁵ Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. ⁷ You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’    John 3:3-7 (NIV)

No one receives preferential treatment.  We all come to the foot of the cross the same:  “wretched, pitiful, poor, bind and naked”.  Since this is the sad state of every unbeliever, those who have been redeemed through faith in Christ, those who are children of the King, those who belong to Jesus, should indeed “shine like the stars in the universe” as they hold out the Word of life!  There certainly should be a difference in the life of the redeemed which ultimately points others to Christ.  The fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control – should be made manifest in our lives.

Interestingly, in the parable, it was God who came to look for the fruit.  This fig tree was planted in His vineyard using up His good soil.  It was given an advantage over the fig tree that perhaps grew by the side of the road.  Believer, the church is also God’s vineyard.  Matthew Henry states:

“We are fig trees planted in His vineyard.  It is a mark of favour.”  

God requires and expects fruit from those planted in His vineyard.  It dishonors God greatly to enjoy the privileges of the gospel and yet not act upon it.  In our parable for today He has been patient.  He has waited three years and has not found any fruit.  He was not overly ambitious in His expectations, He merely expected fruit.  Not only was no fruit produced His good soil had been wasted.  Again Matthew Henry states:

“Those who do not do good commonly do harm by the influence of their bad example.  And the harm is the greater, and the ground the more used up, if it is a lofty, large, spreading tree, and if it is an old tree of long standing.”

The doom is passed against it – “Cut it down!”  Barren trees are to be cut down because there is no place for purposeless trees in God’s vineyard.  Enter the intercessor! Christ is our great Intercessor and sets before us our example to follow in pleading for others.  We owe it to our Lord Jesus that barren trees are not immediately cut to the ground.  He prays for a merciful reprieve and His prayer is reinforced by His endeavors setting forth for us our parts in praying for others and the ensuing actions that are called for. Once again Matthew Henry states:   

“Unfruitful professors of religion, if after long unfruitfulness they will repent, and change, and bring forth fruit, shall find all is well.  God will be pleased; minister’s hands will be strengthened.  There will be joy in heaven for it; the ground will be no longer used up, but bettered, and vineyard beautified, and the good trees in it made better.  As for the tree itself, it is well for it; it shall receive the blessing of God; it shall be purged, and shall bring forth fruit.”

⁷ Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. ⁸ But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.   Heb 6:7-8 (NIV)        

What I glean from this:

• I am to produce fruit in keeping with repentance.
• As a believer in Christ, I am to manifest a changed life.
• I am to be an intercessor for the barren trees in my sphere.

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