Thoughts on Luke – Part 2
LK 7:18 And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things.
John the Baptist is now in prison. It will not be long now before John will have his head removed. Even though John was locked up, we find that he was still well informed about what was going on. Verse 18 says that John’s disciples showed him all these things. What are these things? It is the miracles and teachings of Jesus.
LK 7:19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?
The same man who said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” The same man who said, “This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.” This is a reference to the deity of Jesus because John was born 6 month before Jesus was. This same John is now sending men to Jesus to ask if He is the messiah or not.
LK 7:20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?
What happened to John? Well Jesus did not do what John thought He should do. Like so many of the Israelites of that day, they concentrated on the prophecy of Jesus’ second coming. The one in which He will set up His earthly kingdom. They liked that one. But there was also a line of prophecy that Jesus would come the first time and go to the cross. They did not understand that one.
When John did not see Jesus doing what he thought He should do, then John became discouraged. His faith wavered. You see John has come face to face, so to speak, with a God that he does not understand.
Now before you get too hard on John, this can happen to all of us. We can think that God should do such and such. And when God does not, then we can get discouraged. Our faith can waver. We can say why did God let this happen? Why will God not do something about my situation? God’s ways are higher than our ways. His knowledge is vastly above ours. He sees the beginning to the end. There are reasons why to everything He does and does not do. Most likely John was wondering why hasn’t Jesus brought in the kingdom already. John might have been thinking why is Jesus letting me sit here in prison? It could have been both. John had run into things that he did not understand, and John let that get the better of him. Now notice Jesus’ response.
LK 7:21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.
Jesus demonstrates who He is by healing many. The men that John sent seen it as they were waiting for an answer for John. Then Jesus gives them a message for John.
LK 7:22 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.
LK 7:23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
Jesus tells them to go and tell John what they had seen and heard, the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. This was all proof of who He was. Jesus was indeed the messiah that was to come. Then Jesus adds, blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
John was doubting and offended that Jesus was not living up to Johns expectations. Jesus was telling John don’t be offended in me. Have faith that Jesus knows more than you do. That He does have a plan. Our place is not to understand it all. When you get cancer, don’t be offended in Jesus. When your spouse dies, don’t be offended in Jesus. The list can be almost endless. Bad things are going to happen in this sin stained world. This world is NOT Heaven. No tears and no pain are for Heaven and not now. When something goes wrong or in a way you don’t understand, don’t be offended in Jesus.
If you are a Christian for very long, you will come up against some situation that you don’t understand. When you do, remember these words of Jesus.
LK 7:23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
LK 8:37 Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them;
This is one of the saddest happenings in the New Testament. Jesus has just cast the devils out of a man that had made life hard for the people of the country of the Gadarenes. Because of Jesus the wild man is now clothed and in his right mind.
The people should have been have been rejoicing both for the man that was healed and for the benefit of not having a wild man causing problems.
But instead they all ask Jesus to get lost. You see Jesus had cost them a great deal of money. The herd of swine was worth a lot of money. And it was money that they should not have had. According to the Old Testament they were not to have swine.
Jesus showed them what He could do for them. But Jesus also showed them that He could cause them to lose unscriptural business ventures. They choose their money over Jesus. We see this all the time today.
Many a sinner knows that if they got saved that Jesus would have them get rid of their booze, gambling, you name the sin. And they know that Jesus would want them to change from being greedy to being a cheerful giver.
Many people choose sin and money over Jesus. And in the end it will be the worst choice they ever made.
LK 8:1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
LK 8:2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
LK 8:3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.
Can you imagine what it would have been like to walk with Jesus and to minister unto Him of your substance? The privilege to provide for the Son of God a good meal or to provide for any of His other needs while He walked on the earth. Can you imagine the joy in their heart and the since of purpose that came with ministering to Jesus of their substance?
You can do more than imagine. Read carefully this passage from Matthew.
Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mat 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Mat 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed [thee]? or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink?
Mat 25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]?
Mat 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.
Did you catch the question in verse 37 and answer in verses 38-40?
When you are ministering to even the least of Jesus’ brethren it is as if you are doing it to Jesus.
LK 8:22 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.
LK 8:23 But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.
LK 8:24 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.
LK 8:25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.
Jesus had an appointment on the other side of the lake. He told them, “Let us go over unto the other side of the lake.” Jesus had set the destination; He had a plan and a purpose. His disciples were to go with Him so they could learn. Jesus then goes to sleep. Now just as Jesus knew what lay ahead for Him on the other side of the lake, He also knew that they were going to be in a storm. This did not catch Him by surprise. It was by design that they left when they did. It was by design that the storm came when it did and that it was as bad as it was. And this was a bad storm. The boat was filled with water and they were in jeopardy. The sea was raging and they were in real danger. This was not a pleasant situation and keep in mind that it was the Lord who sent them there.
But also remember that Jesus was right there with them. He did not send them into the storm alone. He had things to teach them in the storm. Here they learn a lesson about faith. Even when the situation looks utterly hopeless, we need to remember that Jesus allowed the trial to come. We need to have faith that there is a reason for it and that He will see us thru it. Things might be tough, but Jesus is right there with you. And no matter how bad it looks He has the power to change the situation. They were in a bad storm, it looked hopeless and like they were going down, and all it took from Jesus to completely turn the situation around, was a few words. That’s it.
You might not see a way out of your problem, but have faith, your situation is no surprise to Jesus and nothing is too hard for the Lord.
LK 9:46 Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.
It is a sad thing, but many preachers do a similar thing today. For many men it is all about numbers. It is about who can be greater. There are many small churches today in small towns that cannot get a good preacher. And it is not because God is not calling men. It is because the men want to be great according to their own standards.
But look at Jesus’ reaction.
LK 9:47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him,
LK 9:48 And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.
Jesus said that the least among you all, the same shall be great.
A man who will not pursue being great in man’s eyes, but will go to a small town and preach and minister to a handful of people because that is where God would have him, according to Jesus, that man is great
LK 9:54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
James and John wanted to command fire to come down from heaven and consume some people like Elias did. This is a reference to 2 Kings Chapter 1.
2Ki 1:10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I [be] a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
Elijah called fire down from heaven to destroy a captain and his fifty men twice in a row. This is what James and John wanted to do when they saw something. Verse 54 says, “when his disciples James and John saw this,” That brings the question, what did they see? The answer is in the 3 preceding verses.
LK 9:51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
LK 9:52 And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.
LK 9:53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
What they saw was some people in a village of the Samaritans who did not receive Jesus. The reason that they did not receive Jesus was that He was set to go to Jerusalem. The Jews and the Samaritans did not like each other. The Jews would travel a great distance out of their way to walk around Samaria. They thought that even walking through it would defile them. Here we see that the Samaritans were also guilty of prejudice. They would not receive Jesus because His face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
Color of skin or nationality is a very poor reason to not receive Jesus. This still happens today. Many Indians in America will not listen to the gospel because they say it is the white man’s religion. However, Jesus came and went to the cross for all men.
Rejecting Jesus is foolish, but James and John had the wrong attitude about it. They actually wanted to destroy these people. Jesus was not pleased with them and He rebuked them.
LK 9:55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
James and John’s attitude was not of God. They were listening to the spirit of Satan at that moment.
LK 9:56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.
Jesus did not come to destroy men’s lives. Killing in His name is not of God. What the Catholics did by killing millions who did not accept their beliefs was NOT of God. It was prompted by another spirit. Instead of the improper reaction of James and John we see the proper reaction to people who refuse to receive Jesus in verse 56. They went to another village. The proper reaction is to wipe the dust off of your shoes and move on. If someone refuses to listen, then just move on to someone who will.
LK 9:59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
LK 9:60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
At first glance this sounds like a hard and uncaring statement. However, you need to understand the culture. Even today in the east, they will use talk like this. When a man’s father gets old the son will stay to bury him even though the father is still alive. What is meant by this is that the son will take care of the father until he dies. This can take years and years. In verse 59 the man was basically saying, my father is old and let me stay and take care of him until he dies. Then after I bury him, then I will follow you.
It is like saying, when it is convent for me then I will follow Jesus. When my family situation changes, then I will follow Jesus. When I don’t have something else to deal with, only then will I follow Jesus. If the man was asking for a day or a week to have a funeral, then he would not have been rebuked. But the man only wanted to follow Jesus when he wanted to and only under the conditions that he wanted to. And thus the rebuke from Jesus. Look, if you are going to follow Jesus, then you have to follow Him no matter what the family situation, no matter what the trial, or the problem that comes up. If you let life’s situations stop you from following Jesus, then you will never follow Jesus because the wicked one will make sure that plenty of problems that will stop you.
The man had the wrong attitude about following Jesus. The correct attitude is found in verse 62.
LK 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Put your hand to the plough. Get going, get working for Jesus and then never quit. Never look back. No matter what comes, no matter how bad the circumstance, keep the hand to the plough.
There are many important teachings in this chapter about how we are to go about God’s work of winning souls.
Lk 10:1 After these things the LORD appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
We are to go out to where the people are and witness.
LK 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
We are to realize that the harvest is great, but the labourers are few. The solution is to pray for God to send more labourers into His harvest.
We need more laborers and not more pew sitters.
LK 10:3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
We are to go as lambs. This is where many go wrong. They go out looking for an argument. That is the wrong attitude. We are to go out as lambs.
LK 10:10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,
LK 10:11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
If they don’t receive you, then you are just to wipe the dust off of your feet and continue on.
LK 10:16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
We are to realize that it is really Jesus that they despise. We need to just put it in the hands of God and not take it personally.
LK 10:17 And the seventy returned again with joy
And like the seventy we should return with Joy. It truly does bring joy to do what the Lord wants us to do. It is a joy to be involved in sharing the gospel with others.
LK 10:17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
Jesus had sent out the 70 and gave them power to heal and power over devils. They return with joy and it seems they were amazed at the power they were given. They said, “even the devils are subject unto us”. They also make a plain statement giving the glory to Jesus by adding, “through thy name.” They knew that it was only because Jesus empowered them that they could do what they did. In reply to the 70 Jesus makes a very interesting statement in verse 18.
LK 10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Jesus tells them in response to their wonder at the power that was given them that He beheld Satan’s fall from heaven. Jesus makes it clear that He existed before He was born of Mary. Jesus is eternal. He was there when Satan was lifted up with pride and fell. Jesus was letting them know that He can give them this kind of power because He is God. He is eternal and all powerful.
LK 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Jesus tells them that His power is above all. It is greater than the power of the enemy and nothing can hurt them. Of course Christians do get hurt sometimes but it is always because God allowed it and has a reason for it. It is never because the enemy was greater.
We can learn several things in this account that applies to us. First we need to realize exactly who Jesus is and the extent of His power. Second we need to realize that whatever power we have to do His work is only because He gave it to us. Third we need to give Him the glory for it. Forth we need to have faith that since He is all powerful and eternal that He can help us with any trial or problem that we have.
LK 10:3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
Jesus sent His disciples out to witness for Him. They were to go out and tell people the gospel. And part of that is telling people that they are lost and going to hell, and therefore they need to be saved. And then you have to tell them that they cannot save themselves; only Jesus can. This is not a popular message with many. And Jesus said they were to go out and tell this message among wolves. He likened the people who don’t like the message as wolves and He likened the tellers of the message as lambs. Wolves attack, kill, and devour lambs. And yet they were to go. This can be a scary thought. Jesus knew that. He then tells them verse 4.
LK 10:4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.
Jesus was teaching that while you are out there don’t worry about your provision. I will take care of you. Yes they are going out as lambs, but Jesus will take care of them. Jesus is the great shepherd. Any good shepherd will protect his flock from the wolves.
The lambs are to trust the Shepherd and go out and do His will. The Bible is very clear, that we are to go out and witness. The command to go cannot be scripturally refuted. So why don’t all Christians go? It really comes down to a matter of trust and obedience. Yes you are a lamb and yes there are wolves out there. The question really is how great is your Shepherd?
The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray in verse one. Then starting in verse two Jesus teaches how to pray by giving us a model prayer.
Pray to the Father which art in heaven
Hallowed by thy name. Recognize who it is you are praying to. Praise Him in prayer for who He is.
Thy kingdom come. Pray for the coming of His kingdom
Thy will be done. Pray for His will to be done and not our will.
Give us day by day our daily bread. Pray for our daily needs.
Forgive us our sins. Confess your sins to God in prayer and not to a man with a backwards collar.
For we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. Mention the forgiveness of others in prayer.
Lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Pray for His strength and guidance to escape temptation, and pray for protection from evil.
Then Jesus gives some wonderful teaching about asking, which is one of the components of prayer.
To receive we must ask.
Have you spent enough time this week in prayer?
After Jesus gave the disciples the model prayer, He then gives them this illustration.
LK 11:5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
LK 11:6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
LK 11:7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
LK 11:8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
LK 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
LK 11:10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
In this illustration a man goes to his friend for food not because he is starving but because he does not have anything to give a visitor. Jesus says the man will not give him the food because of their friendship. But he will give it because of his importunity.
Importunity means; pressing solicitation, urgent request, application for a favor which is urged with troublesome frequency.
So even if the man does not want to give to his friend, he will give in because of a pressing, urgent request that is urged with troublesome frequency. Then Jesus tells them to ask and it shall be given you. Speaking of prayer Jesus says seek and ye shall find.
LK 11:10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Hopefully you are seeing the comparison that Jesus is making. If a friend who does not want to give will go ahead and give due to urgent repeated asking, then how much more will God. A God who is infinitely interested in us. A God who is much more than a friend. A God who loved us so much that He gave us the greatest gift that could be given.
In Jesus’ teaching on prayer we find asking, seeking, finding, and knocking. This means more than a 30 second prayer over your meal. We need to pray with importunity. If we prayed with more of a pressing need, more urgently, and make our requests with troublesome frequency, then we would see more answers to our prayers.
LK 11:27 And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.
Jesus had been preaching and teaching to a large crowd. A woman in the crowd had been listening to His marvelous sayings. At one point she could no longer contain herself and spoke out. But watch what she said. Instead of giving Jesus the praise, she gives it to Mary.
This woman most likely did not know who Mary was. If she did, I think she would have used her name. She might not have known her name but she gives Mary the glory. In a way she was giving Mary the credit for what Jesus was doing and teaching. Jesus was the Son of God. He existed in eternity past. He would have been the same Jesus no matter who His earthly mother was. What this lady was doing was an embryonic form of Mary worship. All the praise, all the glory, all the credit needs to go to Jesus. And notice Jesus’ reaction.
LK 11:28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
Jesus did not accept her acclamation of Mary. Instead He corrects her. He says they that hear the word of God, and keep it. They are the ones that are blessed. Even this embryonic form of Mary worship is corrected by Jesus. The worship of Mary is NOT found anywhere in the Bible.
Mary was indeed blessed in that she had the wonderful privilege of being used by God to bear Jesus into the world. But that is it. She did not create or form Jesus’ character. She did not form His person or His personality. She is not responsible for His righteousness. Mary cannot take credit for Jesus’ teaching or His wisdom. Jesus is the preexistent one. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. All credit, all praise, and all worship, in all its forms needs to go to Jesus and not to Mary.
LK 12:40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
Over and over again thru the centuries some man will declare that he has figured out when Jesus is coming again.
They will think that they have found some secret code in the Bible or they will say that they had a revelation from God. But the Bible tells us that no man knows the hour. Jesus is coming at an hour when ye think not.
When you hear a man say that he knows when Jesus is coming, you can be absolutely sure of one thing. He DOES NOT know when Jesus is coming.
In fact saying that he knows when Jesus is coming automatically makes him a false teacher.
LK 12:1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
There was an innumerable multitude following Jesus. But they were not acting like disciples. They trode one upon another. Some might say that it was only because there was so many people. But that would not explain Jesus’ reaction to it. He said, “Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” Leaven is always a type, a picture, of sin. Jesus called it hypocrisy. They were following Jesus around like a disciple would, but they were not acting like it. Many of them were only pretending. However, their actions gave them away. They trode over each other. The next 4 verses all have connecting words that link them to verse one. In other words the context is the same.
LK 12:2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
LK 12:3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
Verse 2 and 3 could be summed up as be sure your sin will find you out. You cannot hide it. You cannot pretend. You can try to cover it, but it will be uncovered. You speak something in darkness it will be heard in the light. You can speak in a closet and think that you got away with it, but it will be proclaimed upon the housetops. After setting down the principal that you can’t pretend or hide from God, then Jesus says the following:
LK 12:4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
LK 12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Because God sees all and nothing can be hid from Him, then we should fear Him. This is the type of fear that is the beginning of wisdom. If you realize that God sees and notices everything you say and do, then you will not be going into sin under the cover of darkness or in a closet. Watching what you say and do at all times because God is watching is wise. Having the proper fear of the Lord is good for us. It is healthy and leads to making correct choices. God tells us to fear Him because He loves us and He wants what is best for us. He is our heavenly Father and He will chastise us for our good. If He did not, then He would not be a loving Father.
And before Jesus moves on to the next subject He adds.
LK 12:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
LK 12:7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
God does not forget sparrows that are sold for only two farthings, and we are more valuable than they are. He says that even the hairs of our heads are all numbered. When you ponder the Fear of the Lord also remember His great care and love for us.
LK 12:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
Two farthings was a very, very, small amount of money. And two farthings could buy 5 sparrows. This places the value of the sparrow to almost nothing. And yet the sparrow is important to God. Not one of them is forgotten before God. He sees all and notices even something as small as a sparrow.
LK 12:7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
The point is then made that God not only notices the sparrow, but He notices you. And He does it in great detail. It says that even the hairs of your head are all numbered. There is nothing about you that God does not notice. Every circumstance of your life is known by God. And then the application of this truth is given. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Knowing that God pays such close attention to us should have the effect of taking our fear away. We can trust that whatever the circumstance around us (no matter how bad it is) that God is aware of it. God places a high value on us. We need to have confidence in His watchful eye and in His care.
Look at these words from Jesus.
LK 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
He then repeats it in verse 5.
LK 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Every word of Jesus is important, but He is really making a point when He repeats the same thing over again. This is a truth that most preachers do not preach. Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Repentance is necessary for salvation.
Repentance is NOT WORKS. Repentance is a change of mind. It is a turning from and a turning to. To get saved you must change your mind about your sin. You must turn from your sin and turn to God.
ACTS 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
As soon as you turn and call upon Him to save you, then it is God that does the converting. God does all the saving. And God only saves by Grace and NOT WORKS. But you must turn to Him. You must repent or you will perish.
LK 13:1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
Some people came and told Jesus of an event that had recently occurred. They tell him of Galileans who blood was spilled by Pilate while they were sacrificing in the Temple. We can tell that there is more going on here than just giving news because of Jesus’ reaction.
LK 13:2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
These people thought that the Galilaeans deserved what happened to them because they were great sinners. They were judging these people because of what happened to them. What happens to people on this earth is not a valid standard for judging sin. In this life the sun shines on the just and on the wicked. The wicked often prosper here, while the just go thru trials. Much of the punishment for the wicked is reserved for hell. After Jesus states what they were thinking (that the Galilaeans were sinners above all because they suffered such things) then He rebukes them.
LK 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Jesus tells them Nay. What happened to the Galilaeans was not because they were great sinners. It was not justice from God on their sin. Never look at someone who is in a bad situation and say it is judgment on their sin. Sometimes it might be, but you have no way of knowing. God might be allowing it for a totally different reason.
Then Jesus takes the focus and puts it right on those that brought the news. He tells them, but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. He basically tells them that they are no better than the Galilaeans who they were accusing of being great sinners. Jesus then goes on to add another similar case.
LK 13:4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
The situation was the same in that the people Jesus is talking to thought that the tower fell on them because, “they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem”.
LK 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Again Jesus tells them Nay. They did not die in punishment for great sin. The tower falling on them was not due to them being great sinners. And then once again Jesus turns the spotlight on the people He was talking to. “but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
We are all sinners. No one is exempt. We must all repent or we will perish. It does not matter what happens to others. We are sinners, we have fallen short, we cannot meet God’s perfect standard, we are lost, we need to repent or we will perish.
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
LK 13:1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
LK 13:2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
LK 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
LK 13:4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
LK 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Jesus is dealing with some people who have a wrong concept of sin, and a wrong concept of the punishment of sin. Verses 1 and 2 mention some Galilaeans who Pilate killed. They thought that because this happened to them that it was proof that they sinned. They had this idea that bad things happen to you because of sin, and the worse the sinner the more terrible the bad event that would happen to you. This thinking lead to a false conclusion that if anything awful happens to you, then you must be a really bad sinner. And often the reverse thought would come; if nothing bad happens to me then I am ok with God.
In verse 4 Jesus mentions another group that they thought were sinners above all men in Jerusalem. Why did they think this? Because the tower in Siloam fell upon them.
There are plenty of people today who have this same flawed reasoning. I have seen Christians hurt by others for pronouncing judgment upon them only because something bad happened to them. Talk about kicking someone when they are down. Yes God, as a loving heavenly Father, does chastise His children. That is true. But not everything that happens is chastisement. We live in a sin stained world and bad things do happen to people who are living for the Lord. God also allows some bad to come our way to build our faith, or our character, or so that He can use us later to help someone else thru a similar problem. There are many different reasons, and we cannot know why something is happening to someone else.
Look at Jesus’ response to both of the examples that He brought up.
LK 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
He told them flat out, Nay. He was clearly telling them that what they thought was not the case at all. Then He tells them except ye repent. He is basically telling them, you think those people are sinners, but I am telling you that you are a sinner. Don’t worry about those other people who you think are great sinners. You have plenty sin on your own, and if you don’t repent of it you will perish in hell.
The teaching here is clear. Not everything bad that happens to someone is punishment because of their sin. We should never allow ourselves to fall into that corrupted way of thinking.
LK 14:13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
LK 14:14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
These verses teach several very important principals.
First it teaches us that we are to have compassion and charity on the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind. We are to help them even though they cannot recompense us.
Second we will be blessed for it. But notice when we get recompensed for it. It is at the resurrection of the just (The judgment seat of Christ).
None of our good works that we do will be overlooked by God. He will reward us for it in Heaven. This is what the Bible is talking about when it tells us to lay up our treasures in Heaven.
LK 14:12 Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.
LK 14:13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
LK 14:14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
In the verses before these Jesus talks about seeking positions of honor with men. Then in these verses Jesus talks about rewards for service. Many people will serve others because of what they can get in return. They will minister to friends, family, and rich neighbors. In other words people who have a reason or the means to give recompense for your service.
Jesus tells them in verse 13 to serve the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind instead. For they cannot recompense you. Our service is not to be based on what the people we serve can give us.
Jesus says that there is a blessing involved in service without expecting recompense.
Then Jesus says, “for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.” You will be recompensed for all you do for Christ. He is faithful and just. You will be rewarded. Just don’t look for it from the people you serve. Do not let what you can get enter in to who you serve. That is the point here. Your recompense will come in the life to come. It will be given at the resurrection of the just. This is a reference to the judgment seat of Christ. Recompense that is given there lasts for all eternity, whereas recompense here gets spent, wares out, gets lost, rusts, and so on.
Labor with your eye set on eternity. Lay your treasures up in heaven. Serve where and to whom ever that God would have you serve. Do it with the right motivation which is from the heart because you love Him.
In verse 26 Jesus teaches that He is to come first. Our love for Him is to be so great that any other love would seem like hate in comparison.
Verse 27 we must bear our cross to be His disciple and follow Jesus.
Verse 28 thru30 we see that there is a cost involved in following Jesus. He uses the illustration of building a tower. The man who builds it is to first count the cost, and then he is to finish it. Laying the foundation is not enough. If he quits, then others will mock him. The point here is to understand that there is a cost involved, know that, get busy and then you are to finish what you start. In verses 31 and 32 Jesus gives another illustration on the same topic.
Verse 33 Jesus says, “So likewise” So in the same manner as what is in the illustrations. It takes commitment, and sacrifice, and dedication to finish building a tower for example. And if you start it, then you should forsake other things if necessary to finish it. Likewise we are to forsake all to be Jesus’ disciple. Being His disciple must come first and we are to finish the course and not quit no matter what it takes.
Still talking about the same subject Jesus then says:
LK 14:34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
LK 14:35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Salt has a purpose and it is good. But if it loses is savour, then it is worthless. The context here is talking about followers of Jesus. We have a purpose and we are not to quit. If we quit doing what we are supposed to do, then we are like salt that has lost its savour.
This is some pretty strong language from the Saviour. Basically we are to understand that there is a price to be paid for really following Jesus, and we are to keep at the task no matter what. When we stop then others will mock Christianity and the name of our Lord.
Don’t quit following Jesus. Amen.
LK 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
LK 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
Heaven rejoices when one person gets saved. Every time that I read these verses I think of the song The Value of One. This is just the chorus.
“Go sound the horn
Strike up the choir
A sinner is saved
Saved from the fire
No more in darkness
He’s received my son
All heaven rejoicing
That’s the value of one”
If there is joy in the presence of the angels when a soul gets saved, should not we also have great joy when someone gets saved?
If the value of one soul is enough to make heaven rejoice, should we not spend more time in prayer for souls to be saved?
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