Good morning and welcome back! Sorry for the last few days...quick trip to State College (Thursday through Saturday night), then work on Sunday and quick trip to Vermont for the day; Monday was a busy day with trip to vet for Finn and some work for a friend! I'm exhausted! But I am back and will get caught up with the readings and commentary!
Luke 13 was a short chapter but some very stern words from Jesus about true believers and repenting and coming to God! There seems to be a greater sense of urgency in this chapter than in the previous chapters (Jesus is nearing the end of ministry). Right away we hear Christ almost demand "Change your hearts, now!" (vv 3, 5). Jesus uses some recent examples, both man created (Pilate) and nature created (tower of Siloam) to basically say, you have no idea when your time will come, so turn to the Lord now. God doesn't cause bad things to happen, they just happen, and we never know when that will be- so change your hearts now! I try to be good; I try to do good- but I know I fail. Hearing these words makes me somewhat nervous- what if my time were to end today- how would I be received by God? Not the best thought- but what about you? Are you good and set?
God comes looking for fruit (v 6) and isn't happy with what there is- nothing! God is interested in the fruits we are producing! The gardener says, give it some time and let me do some gentle tending (vv 8-9). We all strive to do well, but we all need some tending at times too. Sometimes, we are the gardeners proving care for others. There is a Carl Jung quote (I have been searching for it but can't find it right now) that says something like we all need to be trained alongside the master to grow right. What kind of fruit are you producing? Are you in need of gardening and tending or are your more of a gardener?
The mustard seed/ yeast parables (vv 18- 21) are ones that we have heard several times. I found an interesting commentary that suggests that Jesus is really commenting on the corruption of the church by false religion! A mustard tree is generally not a big tree, but Jesus describes a huge monstrosity that even has birds (said to be symbolic of the evil powers) resting in it! Following that, the yeast is sometimes representative of evil, so the yeast contaminates the entire measures of flour! Is there evil or bad in the church? Can a small bit of bad (yeast) "contaminate" a whole church?
Jesus is the narrow gate (v 24) and we are to strive to get through it. In the original Greek, the word strive means to struggle. Is it a struggle to get to Jesus? What are some of the struggles we face? There are obstacles that prevent us from getting to Jesus; there are things in our life that are trying to prevent us (or do prevent us) from fully forming a union with Christ. When that door is closed, there is no way to open it again. Again, Jesus' sense of urgency in forming a union with Him and God. Tough words to hear from Jesus!
Jesus foretells his death in the next set of verses (vv 31-35). People warn Jesus of Herod, and Jesus' response is, "You tell Herod I don't have time for him right now!" (v 32) I hear Jesus saying this in a somewhat snarky voice, but that's just me! He calls Herod a fox- a cunning but weak ruler. This must have really upset Herod! And then Jesus says, "on the third day I will reach my goal" (v 32). The immediate goal of healing and preaching; the future goal of resurrection! Who/what are the "foxes" in our contemporary world that want to take Jesus away from us? Can we respond to them like Jesus responded to Herod- I don't have time for you right now?"
We end this chapter with some mournful but also comforting words. Jesus knows the turmoil that Jerusalem has and will experience. Jesus is very mournful in this passage (vv 34- 35). Have you ever seen a mom chicken guard her babies? I have had some chicks hatched in the barn a few times. Mom and babies will be outside, minding their own business; a hawk may fly over and mom lets out a distinctive call and her babies come running to her. She fluffs up her wings and the babies crawl right in for protection from the predator. When the hawk is gone, the babies come out and life is good again. Rome (the predator) will be coming down hard on Jerusalem, and Jesus has been trying to gather the people up and protect them. Do you feel Jesus' protection for us now? Can you feel and sense the urgency Jesus has for the people of Jerusalem?
Have a good day reading! Will hopefully post chapter 14 later today!
Shalom+
Pastor Paul
I think we should be saying “Welcome Back”! Hope you are all caught up and rested! I was hoping that the lamb would give birth while I was there but then thought - But what do I do next? How do I shoo them into the corner “pen”? So maybe it’s good it didn’t happen! 😃 Remember how you and I were discussing the fact that to tell a lie is as great a sin as anything else? I think that’s what Jesus is saying in verses1-9 when he asks if the Galilean who suffered under Pilate have sins greater then the other Galileans? Did the 18 who perished when the tower of Siloam fell have sin greater then the other men in Jerusalem? His answer is no! If we do not repent, our punishment will be as great. You know, I always thought that repent was to express regret or remorse over an action or saying, but I read a commentary that said in the Bible repent meant to completely change direction - 180 degrees - to God. So how many times do we get to repent? Asking for forgiveness for committing a sin I get. But repent? I am not good and set! There are so many thing I want to do yet. Some as simple as trying to live each day as a good person - something that is a struggle each day! When I read vs. 18 -21 I did not get the impression that Jesus was describing the evil in churches at all. Although, I agree that evil in a church - allowed to continue - can destroy the church. Jesus begins 18 saying “Unto what is the kingdoms of God like? And where unto shall. Resemble it?” To me he is trying to describe the Kingdom - not the evil in churches. I think he uses the mustard seed because the tree begins to grow as large as needed to be - even housing birds. And the more leaven is added, the larger the bread grows until it is the size that is needed. Does this make sense? No matter how long it takes for God to return and how many people live and die we can never outgrow the Kingdom - there will always be room. I hope I will make the narrow gate, but life, thoughts, desires - they all get in the way - hence my struggle of living each day as well as I can. I am surprised that its the Pharisees that warn Jesus about Herod. Isn’t that odd? But I think Jesus is saying that it is not His time yet - all things must happen according to the prophets. I truly hope that when God returns, in whatever shape or manner, I will be among those saying “Bless is he that comes in the name of the Lord.”
ReplyDeletesin is sin...and we do get to repent (turn completely around like you say) and I agree...how many times? Once is god, but multiple times? I guess if we do that then we never repented the first time! And I understand your description of the kingdom of God with the mustard tree. The comment I made was from something that I read...just a different perspective! Considering Jesus was often at odds with the Pharisees, it is surprising that they were the ones to warn of Herod! Good points and thanks for the commentary!
ReplyDelete