The Desolate House

Today we will be looking at Luke 13:31-35.

At this point we have demonstrated for us the sad reality of the threats that are made against righteous people.  However, we are also made aware of the desolation that God promises to those who reject His Ways and wickedly go their own way.  When we stiff-arm the attempts of God to draw us to Him, there is nothing left for us but to go on to the ruin and desolation which that path brings.  There is a certain irony in this passage due to the fact that Herod is presented as a threat to Jesus, but in reality it is Jesus and rejecting him that is the greatest threat.

Jesus Is Warned of Herod Antipas

In verse 31 we see that some Pharisees approach Jesus and warn him that Herod Antipas is seeking to kill him.  This is the son of Herod the Great who ruled when Jesus was born.  When Herod the Great died, his kingdom was split up between Herod Antipas (West Galilee and the Eastern side of the Jordan River), Herod Philip (East Galilee) and Herod Archelaus (Judea).  Archelaus did not reign very long before Rome deposed him and put a governor or prefect over Judea and Jerusalem.  Thus Jesus is currently somewhere in the territory of Herod Antipas. 

So why are these Pharisees warning Jesus?  We are not told of their motives.  Possibly they are just trying to get Jesus to leave, or maybe they are secretly followers of him.  Either way, the danger is real undoubtedly.    In Matthew 14:2 we are told that Herod was afraid of Jesus because he thought that Jesus was John the Baptist come back from the dead.  He would have been determined to remove such a threat without thought about its reality.  In fact, politically it would be in his favor.

Jesus is not intimidated by the threat.  He tells them to go back to Herod with a message from Jesus.  First, Jesus calls Herod a fox.  He is a fox as opposed to a lion.  Though Herod has power, he is relatively weak and owes most of his power to the backing of Rome.  Yet, as a fox, Jesus recognizes the cunning nature of Herod.  Some will bring up this reference in light of the Scripture, “do not speak evil of the ruler of your people.”  This verse is intended to protect us from our own sinful nature rather than to shut off all criticism of the ruler.  In fact, most of the prophets that spoke to Israel had to say hard things to the kings that ruled. 

As a fox Herod has his schemes and yet, Jesus has his own schemes.  Jesus relays to Herod the work that he is doing: healing the people and casting out demons.  A clear contrast to Herod’s selfish schemes is clear.  Also, Jesus says that on the third day his work will be completed.  Then he will move on and only then.   Another way to say this is, “I will leave when I am finished with what I am doing.”  It is a direct challenge to the intentions of Herod.

There is also a masked reference, for his disciples’ sake, of the coming resurrection.  Jesus had come to earth to do a specific work.  He would not have his life taken from him.  Rather, he would lay down his life at the time that the Father determines.  On the third day he will be resurrected in a glorified, heavenly body.  He is perfected in the sense that he will then be the perfect, human judge for all creation.

Jesus Reveals His True Fate.

Jesus then goes on to point out that it will not be Herod who puts him to death.  He must die in Jerusalem at the hand of the leaders there.  In verse 33 it literally says that it is unacceptable for a prophet to die outside of Jerusalem.  Clearly there is some biting sarcasm involved here because prophets have died elsewhere.  Yet, Jesus is bringing front and center the blood of righteous prophets that has been shed in the city that is supposed to be the City of God on earth.  This historical resistance and persecution of God and His people is charged against Jerusalem and her leaders.

Jesus then begins a type of lament in verse 34.  He cries out to Jerusalem and declares that he has often tried to draw her under his wings like a hen with her chicks.  This imagery is particularly fitting in light of the “fox” reference to Herod and the obvious “Eagle” reference to Rome (we could add the “wolves” of false teachers).  As the Son of God, Jesus has come as a last attempt to gather the people of Israel and protect them from the dangers that existed at that time.  All the prophets who had come in the past were representatives of Jesus.  They came attempting to bring the people under the protective influence of the Truth of Jesus.  This was continually rejected by the leaders and people, “you were not willing.”  It would not be any different now that the Son had come.

Thus, so be it.  Their house is going to be left to them desolate.  “House” here represents the physical buildings and institutions that comprised of the national governance both politically and religiously.  It also represents the cohesive place of living for the nation as a whole.  Jesus says that it is going to be made into a desert or wilderness literally.  There is some irony here.  The prophets, like John the Baptist, often came out of the wilderness and warned God’s people that they were in danger of being made into a wilderness.  The danger of Israel’s day was that Rome was poised to dismantle the nation, slaughter countless thousands, and disperse the remaining people among the nations.

All this was coming because Israel was rejecting the Son of God, the Truth.  To reject Truth is to embrace lies and the devastation that they bring.  Yet, Jesus gives hope of an end to this desolation.  He says that Israel will become desolate and that they will not see him again until…  The word until is critical.  It always supplies the end of something.  Jesus would leave Israel to its own devices and choice, and they would not see him again.  Until, they say, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”  Clearly this phrase is functioning as a statement of repentance.  Israel is going to reject Jesus as a true representative of God.  They will suffer the effects of such a choice until they change their mind and repent of that rejection.  Is it possible that Israel en masse will one day recognize Christ for who he truly is?  Is it possible that they may repent of crucifying him and cry out for help?  Zechariah 12:10 prophesies just such a scenario.  In fact, in Romans 11:25 and following we see the same “until” connected with Israel’s blindness and hardness to who Jesus is.  There is says that Israel will continue to be blind and hard “until” the fullness of the Gentiles is brought in.  Whether this fullness is an amount of time allotted or a certain quota of people saved, the time of salvation going out to the Gentiles will come to an end.  At that time God will pour out a Spirit of repentant prayer upon Israel.  In the first century Israel was judged by God and the Gentile nations were blessed with the Truth.  But the day is coming when God will judge the nations of the world and bless Israel with salvation.  On that day the “house” of the Gentiles will be left to them desolate.

Let me close this with recognizing that there has always been a remnant who have believed and received the blessing of the Lord in the midst of His judgment and wrath.  Thus though the nation as a whole refused to come under the wings of protection provided by Jesus, a remnant did believe on him and were spared.  Instead of clinging to Jerusalem and its temple, they embraced Jesus and followed him to the nations.  The Church was built upon the foundation of Jesus and a remnant of Jews.  Can we not see that at the end of the age it will only be a remnant of the Gentile nations who have believed?  So too the necessary rhyme of time and action must come full circle as God draws the remnant of the Gentiles into his protection and pours out His judgment and wrath upon the earth.  O friend, save yourself today by putting your faith in Jesus.  Turn to the instructions of His Word to those who want to follow him.  Remember his challenge that it is not easy to follow Him, but to those who do they will find Life.  Don’t put off any longer the need to turn your heart to Christ, and then focus on growing to become more like the True Jesus and not the figment of people’s imagination that often arises.  Get into the Bible and find out who Jesus really is.  

Desolate House Audio

The Narrow Way

Today we will be looking at Luke 13:22-30.

In this passage a man in the crowd asks Jesus a question, “Are those being saved few?”  It is not clear if this was a subject of debate for that day, or whether the teachings of Jesus have stirred this question within him.  Regardless, the answer that Jesus gives is to the crowd.  Thus he uses the man’s question to launch into important teaching for all. 

However, Jesus does answer his question.  We ask questions typically for the sake of satisfying curiosity.  But Jesus always points us back to ourselves.   He teaches us to ensure we are right with God rather than speculate on others.  Jesus gives a short parable to answer the question; a parable about a narrow gate.

Strive To Enter The Narrow Gate

His answer begins in verse 24 with the instruction to strive to enter the “narrow gate.”  Clearly being used as a metaphor, we must ask to what the narrow gate corresponds.  In the passage he goes on to talk about the Master’s house, being shut out of it, and the Kingdom of God.  Thus the narrow gate is access to the Master’s house and the Kingdom of God.  God restricts access to the Kingdom and only those who satisfy His requirements are able to get through. 

This narrow gate shows up in the teaching of Jesus elsewhere.  In Matthew 7:12-14 the narrow gate leads to life and is contrasted with a wide gate that leads to destruction.  In that passage many go through the wide gate, but few go through the narrow gate.  Thus being a part of the Kingdom is equated with receiving life and not being a part of the Kingdom is equated with being destroyed.

In John 10 Jesus refers to himself as the door (or gate) that leads into the sheep pen.  The picture here is clearly being a part of the “flock of God” (i.e. God’s people).  Later on in chapter 14:6 Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”  With all of these verses we can see that the narrow gate is Jesus himself.  Jesus becomes the point of access to the Father, being a part of his people, being a part of His Kingdom, and having life.

It is the narrow nature of the gate through which few are able to enter that answers the man’s question.  Yes, in some ways few are being saved.  Many will attempt to enter, but in the end they will go through the wide gate instead.  Why?  Clearly it is easier to go through the wide gate.  The restrictive nature of the narrow gate is a tight fit.  They will, no doubt, have to leave some things behind in order to get through it.  Yet, too many will not pay such a price.  Instead they cling to the things of this world and find a wider gate.  This brings up an important point.  Few are being saved because of the difficulty, not because of a quota nor because the gate is hard to find.

In the midst of this we can see why Jesus doesn’t give a simple answer to the man.  In some times and in some places many people can be saved.  On the Day of Pentecost after Peter’s sermon 3,000 people came to know the Lord.  Yet, at other times precious few repent and believe.  The question is not are only a few being saved.  The real question is, “Am I pressing through the narrow gate?”  The more people who ask that question the more likely we will see many people coming to the Lord.  Even then, historically it is clear that the majority of the world will continue to go through the wide gate.  Ultimately a large number of believers will be brought together before the throne of God, but they got there by choosing to be a part of that small remnant that follow Jesus in spirit and in truth.

Thus seeking for God is not enough to surmount the obstacles you will incur.  Those who seek will find because God wants to be found.  Yet, then the challenge to enter through Jesus presents itself.  The call to pick up our cross and follow Jesus presents itself.  In Acts 17:30 we are told that, “truly these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.”  Also, in Acts 4:12 it says, “nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”  Up to Jesus God had overlooked the sins of the nations.  But, now that His solution, His messiah, has shown up it is a new day.  He requires all men everywhere to repent of sin and believe on Jesus.  This is presented in the metaphor as going through a narrow gate.  Thus if you feel that this idea is to simplistic and too narrow-minded, you might pause at this point and recognize that even God says it is narrow.  Only those who will humble themselves and put their faith in Jesus can continue on into Life and this will require striving.  This word in the context of enemies would be translated as “fight.”  Thus we must recognize that I will run into resistance to going through the narrow gate.  This resistance will come from within me (flesh) and from my own past choices.  There will also be resistance from people around me, family, friends, and enemies.  A spiritual enemy also fights against us going through the narrow gate.  Through temptations and difficulties (trials) he seeks to discourage us and seduce us back to the wide gate that doesn’t require so much effort.

Enter Before The Gate Is Shut

In verse 25 the parable shifts.  Now the gate has become a door to God’s house.  In fact this could be included with the previous inability to enter.  Once the door is shut no one will be able to enter.  Much like the door of the ark shutting, the judgment rain began to fall, but it was too late to get into the ark. God had shut the door.  We can wait too long to put our faith in Jesus.  We live in an Age of Grace, in which the door to God’s Kingdom is available to all.  Yes, you must strive and it won’t be easy.  But any one (whosoever) can go through the narrow gate if they want it more than this world.  In 2 Corinthians 6:2 we are told, “Now is the day of salvation.”  Like a spouse who doesn’t try to shape up until divorce papers are filed, we can be guilty of too little too late.  When Christ comes at his second coming, it will be too late to make things right.  The die has been cast and the time to pay the piper will be here.  Yet, this shutting of the door also has a personal application.  It is possible that we can cross a line of taking God’s grace for granted for too long.  We may ruin our own hearts ability to respond to the grace of God.  Ultimately we may do so right up to the day of our death.  Once we die, it will be too late to try to make amends with God.  Now is the day of salvation.  Then will be the day of judgment.  Either way, this time of grace is coming to an end.  We need to be pressing in now and encouraging others to do so rather than traveling the wide and easy path.

On that day that the door is shut no amount of pleading and crying will help us.  They will all be rejected.  In the parable the master tells those pleading to be let in that he doesn’t know them (vs.27).  Here the word is one of recognition.  “You do not look like mine.”  Also, he calls them workers of iniquity.  They may have heard his teachings and even attended his “churches.”  However, in the end they lived a life of working (doing) sin rather than pressing through the gate of Jesus.  Jesus truly is a litmus test of whether we love God or love our sin.  Not in the sense of an instantaneous test, but over the course of our life, Jesus forces us to choose.  Or, better yet, to follow Jesus forces us to choose.  Such people will weep and gnash their teeth as they watch others entering into the Kingdom and yet, they see themselves being shut out.

Not All Is As It Seems

Verse 30 ends this section with a warning.  We become so used to trusting our senses that we can forget that God deals with truth not imagery.  God makes decisions based upon the Truth of the matter, not upon what a person looked like.  Thus not everything is as it seems and not everyone is as they seem.  There are some who are great in the Church in this world.  They have high positions of authority, or people think highly of them.  The first of this life will not necessarily be first in the Age to come.  In fact many great people will not make it into the Kingdom of God.  They will be shut out.  And some of those who do make it in will be the least in the Kingdom.   The opposite is also true.  Many who are nothing in this life will be the greats of that Kingdom.  Those who appear to greatly serve God and have a high place within the Church today may end up in the same place as the High Priest of Israel in the days of Jesus; shut out.  We must be careful of not letting such praise of our fellow man mislead us in any way.  We must also make sure that we do not let such great people mislead us from the narrow way, simply because we think they are close to God.  Jesus is the gate.  It is the revelation that He gave us through His Apostles that we are to believe upon and follow.  There is much deception, both intentionally and unintentionally, happening under the umbrella of the Church.

Yet, these things are not categorical.  What I mean is that it is not an automatic thing, that the greatest will be the least and vice versa.  Rather it is a warning to us about the reality of being judged by a holy God who is not affected by sinful desires.  It is not ours to worry about future greatness, but to ensure that we are striving to enter.  No, salvation is not up to our works, but salvation will be met with resistance from our flesh, the world, and the devil.  We are going to have to want Jesus more than this world.  Without such a battle, there will be no place in God’s kingdom.  Thus we must take hold of the Faith that has been once and for all delivered unto those who believe God.  We must also stand fast in the Grace of Christ as we follow His teachings and grow to become more and more like him every day.  May God help us to press through the narrow gate and enter His Kingdom and the place that He has for us.

NarrowWay Audio

The Joy of Jesus & His Disciples

When a child is young it is easier for them to rejoice in the gifts that they receive more than in those who give them.  Hopefully over time they will learn to rejoice more in the giver than in the gift.  Today we are going to look at Luke 10:17-24.  Here we see the disciples overjoyed that they had authority over demons.  Yet, Jesus points them to a better joy, the joy of belonging to God and having His salvation. 

It is not that God doesn’t want us rejoicing.  In fact, God wants us to join Him in what causes Him to rejoice.  When we rejoice in the wrong things our hearts are pulled away from Jesus little by little.

What We Rejoice In Is Critical

As the 70 disciples return from their ministry throughout the cities of Israel, we find them rejoicing greatly with Jesus.  They had been successful and accomplished exactly what Jesus had asked them.  Thus their slight error of rejoicing in their power over demons could have been allowed to slide.  Yet, Jesus takes some time to “rain on their parade.”  It is not because they are too happy and Jesus wants them to be serious.  Rather, their rejoicing is centered on the wrong thing and their joy is being drawn from the wrong well.

Now the problem of demonic possession is real.  It can be prevalent or rare in areas; depending upon where you live.  In places where the Truth of God has been rejected the teachings of demons eventually take over.  Why?  When people quit living by God’s Word they find themselves powerless and empty.  It then becomes too easy to turn to other means of power and fulfillment.  When we seek spiritual power from sources other than God, we fall into the trap of Satan.  Thus many false religions and ideologies have come into being over the millennia of mankind’s existence.  Now not all mental problems are caused by demons.  However, our tendency in the modern era is to discount the biblical record and chalk it up to their ignorance.  This mistake will leave us powerless as well.  In the first century AD, Israel had become such a place where God’s word was only given a superficial nod.  Demonic possession had gone from a rare thing to something that was more common.  The 70 had seen cities and families powerless to deal with these possessed people.  Thus their shock at the obedience of the demons to themselves turns into great joy.

In verse 18 Jesus responds by telling them about seeing Satan fall from heaven like lightning.  Now the Bible speaks of several “falls” of Satan.  So it is not evident to which he is referring.  We know that Satan fell from being a Holy Angel to becoming a Fallen Angel.  He loses his place and position in the heavenly leadership.  Yet, Revelation 12:9 also speaks of a time where Satan is “kicked out” of the heavenlies.  His access to the throne of God is cut off and he is restricted to the earth.  Later he will be cast down into the Bottomless Pit, and then released for a short time.  After this he is cast into the Lake of Fire, from which there is no return.  Is Jesus looking back to the fall from grace at the beginning of creation?  If so he is warning them that Satan too once had powerful authority and yet fell from it out of pride.  However, Jesus may be looking to something during those days.  It is clear that the entrance of Jesus into mankind and the earth had begun the fall of Satan’s kingdom.  Satan had plundered all mankind and it was under his sway.  But Jesus comes forth and begins casting him down from his rule over people and nations.  The Church would extend what Jesus had begun because of the work done at the cross.  In this case Jesus is encouraging them that Satan has lost his place and his kingdom is ripe for the picking.  Of course this will not be completed until the 2^nd coming of Christ, but that is a topic for another time.

The second scenario seems more plausible because Jesus goes on to confirm that he had given his disciples authority over demons.  He calls them serpents and scorpions, but this is clearly a metaphor for the evil spirits.  We must remember that our authority is not over people and nations.  Similarly the enemy we are called to fight is not political parties, racial groups, other religions, or even Islamic Jihadis.  Our real war is against these evil spirits and the teachings or ideologies that they use to control people.

Now even though Jesus has given authority, we have to exercise that authority and learn how to use it.  We need to learn how to pray and fast, keep ourselves in daily communion with Jesus, and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Instead of being fearful of these things or pretending they don’t exist, we need to take a stand against them and cast down their influence over others.  There is one thing to note.  Not all people are possessed by evil spirits.  Most people are just heavily influenced through philosophy and vain arguments exalted against God.  Possession occurs when people actually seek power from those spirits through the occult arts.  This “permission” allows evil spirits to dominate their personality and doesn’t always manifest the same way.  In cases where there is possession the person is generally wanting to be free of the tormenting spirit, although not always.  Yet, people who are under the seductive influence of demons are not so easily helped.  In those cases we have to use the Truth of God to free their mind from the lies they have embraced.

Now Jesus points them to center their rejoicing on the fact that their names are written in the heaven, i.e. that they belong to God and are saved.  I think a good principle to learn from this correction is that we should never rejoice in authority.  It is a duty and a responsibility for which we will be held accountable.  Much is at risk and requires sober focus upon the task at hand to be successful.  Therefore sobriety is the proper response to authority.  But the grace we have received from God is a proper thing to rejoice in. 

Let’s use an exorcism as an example.  The person who is freed from an evil spirit has been given the grace of God.  It is only right for them to rejoice that they are free from the evil spirit, have been given Truth, and are now able to follow Jesus.  However, the person who is used to cast the spirit out should rejoice that they belong to Jesus and now they have a new brother or sister who can experience that joy as well. 

Another example could be that of being a parent.  Raising children is a tough but rewarding task.  It is common for a young couple to rejoice that they have been given a child from God.  He has graced them with the child.  But few would rejoice that they have authority over the child.  No, that is the sobering part of being a parent.  Not only am I responsible to teach this child, but the child quickly shows that it has a sinful nature and often fights us in that responsibility.  Yet, parents can rejoice that the same God who has given them the task will also supply the help of the Holy Spirit to raise them for Him.  Thus the principle is this: rejoice in the grace you have received rather than the authority you have been given.  Rejoicing over authority actually leads to pride, arrogance, and eventually to a great fall.

Jesus Rejoices

As we see Jesus correcting their joy, in verses 21-24 we see that Jesus is not joyless himself.  Just as Jesus wept, he also rejoiced!  God does want us to have joy in life.  But He knows our hearts are tempted to rejoice in the wrong things.  Thus Luke relates those things that Jesus rejoiced in.

He rejoiced that the plan of salvation had been hidden from the “wise” of this world.  This may sound odd at first.  Why would God hide salvation from the wise of this world?  It is perhaps better to ask ourselves in what way it is hidden to them.  The Gospel is not a secret.  The death and resurrection of Jesus were done in the open and later preached openly over the course of two millennia.  It is not hidden in that they have never seen it or heard it.  Rather it is hidden because the choices they have made have blinded them to see that it is a greater wisdom.  They are so filled with their own wisdom that when the wisdom of God comes along, it seems foolish to them.  Yes, they see it with their natural eyes, but supernaturally they cannot see it for what it is.  Though we can learn many things through our knowledge and wisdom of this world, it can never lead us to discover the path of man’s salvation.  Will future artificial intelligences save mankind?  Will genetic manipulation lead to us becoming the gods that we have thrown behind us?  None of these answers or any future ones will really save mankind.  They will only lead to deeper hells and stronger chains.  The only way we can “see” the real path of salvation is to have it revealed to us by God Himself by His Spirit.  Those who are fascinated with their own methods of obtaining wisdom are not quick to turn to such a thing.  God’s wisdom recognizes that if he saves people through mankind’s own wisdom then He only will be stroking the pride of man and making his condition worse.  It was our “wisdom” that got us in this problem in the first place.  “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate it.”  Pride and lust have led to our fall and thus our salvation must cast these things to the ground.  When we recognize the wisdom of God, we too will rejoice that salvation is not something that an elite few of mankind can obtain.  The elite already think they are saved.  But God comes to those who know they are lost and cry out for help.  These He can save.

Jesus also rejoices that the plan of salvation has been revealed to “babes.”  “Babes” here is in contrast to the wise.  This mysterious salvation that is hidden and yet not hidden can be found by babies.  It is hidden to those who are full of themselves and believe that the only gems of knowledge are the ones they have found without the help of any god.  But God has given the truth, not to the Herods, Ceasars, and High Priests of this world.  Rather, he has given it to those whom these look down upon.  Those who are not full of themselves and are not offended at the need to humble themselves are able to receive God’s offer of salvation.  This is what makes Jesus rejoice.  If the way is hidden to you, it is by your own doing.

In verses 23-24, Jesus ends by reminding them of what God has given them.  A new and blessed age had begun through the wisdom of Christ.  In fact Jesus is the wisdom of God sent down to free mankind from the tyrannical pride of its own wisdom.  It is not that we shouldn’t be wise, but that our wisdom is in actuality foolishness.  When our wisdom causes us to cast the Creator aside, and when our wisdom doesn’t think retaining the knowledge of God is important, then we have doomed ourselves.  The Church of Christ was instituted as a part of a new kingdom in which the weak, poor, and babies of this world would be enabled to rise up and walk in the salvation of God.  They would live out this peculiar wisdom of God in the world, and by doing so, cast down the power of Satan and his den of snakes.

Let me encourage you, Christian, first cast down the teaching of demons in your own life.  You may not think of it as so.  But each time you cling to anger over forgiveness you have embraced the same thoughts of Satan and his evil spirits.  Each time you let wounds rule your life, you walk the same path that Satan and his spirits blazed eons ago.  When you have cleared your own life, then you will be able to help others, even to the point of exercising authority over demons.  Let us not walk in fear, or in arrogant pride.  Instead, let us walk in the simple faith of a child and prayerfully use the authority that Christ has given us for the sake of others.

Joy of Jesus Audio

Misunderstanding Greatness

Luke 9 is filled with situations that deal with the issue of greatness: the greatness of Jesus, the greatness of his disciples, and the world’s idea of what greatness means.  Today’s passage is Luke 9:51-56 and focuses on Jesus being rejected by a Samaritan village.  When Jesus is rejected several of the disciples want to destroy the village.  This story forces us to ask the question, “How should a great person react to rejection?”  Isn’t greatness defined by how many people receive you?  In truth, Jesus was great.  The crowds initially flocked to him for self-interest.  But, the closer he came to the cross the fewer people there were around him.  So let’s look at this passage.

The Resolution of Jesus

It says in verse 51 that when Jesus knew it was time to be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem.  This Hebrew idiom of setting ones face towards something is a picture of resolve.  If you want to go somewhere you first turn yourself in that direction.  Christ intentionally headed towards Jerusalem and his crucifixion.  It was the next major stop along his destination of sitting at the right hand of the Father.  However, this Samaritan village was along the way.

Now let me just point out that when it says Jesus was to be received up (also to be taken up) it is pointing to the ascension into heaven.  This same word is used in 1 Timothy 3:16, “He was…taken up into glory.”  It is easy sometimes to know the wonderful things ahead of ourselves and not pay attention to the difficult things that lie in the path to it.  Jesus is headed towards ascension, but rejection and crucifixion lie on the path to it.  It takes firm resolve and a steadfast spirit to stay on such a path.  In order to be glorified our Lord must first be killed.  He bravely marches towards his death because he knows it is a necessary step towards the heavenly work he is doing now.  If he is not crucified and resurrected, then he will not be able to be that high priest who intercedes for us before the Father.  Thus, it is important for us, as believers in Jesus, to understand the purpose of God in this day and age.  We have a glorious future ahead of us that God has promised.  And yet, there are many difficult things that we will encounter throughout our life on our way to that glory.  We may not understand all that they are as Christ did.  However, we must prepare ourselves to be resolute and steadfast.  I have to learn to firmly march towards things that I do not want to deal with in order to reach the good things that God has for me on the other side.

A Samaritan Village Rejects Jesus

Though John 4 records the Samaritan village of Sychar receiving Jesus, here we have the opposite.  As Jesus is headed towards Jerusalem, certain ones are sent ahead to prepare a place to stop, rest, eat, and most likely minister as well.  This would prevent a situation where they all arrive weary and hungry while someone looks for a place to stay.  Plus, it would enable the word to get out to the surrounding area that Jesus would be there.  He could minister to far more that way.  Yet, at some point, the destination of Jesus comes up and the villagers are not happy.  Jesus is headed to Jerusalem.

The racial and religious difference between the Samaritans and the Jews comes to a head here.  The wall of hostility between the two was because of the attitudes of both sides.  They were willing to embrace Messiah if he promoted their side of the religious argument.  Of course Jesus was not a partisan in this debate.  He pointed out the errors of the Samaritans and the Jews.  In fact, the religious Jews were rejecting Jesus for many of the same reasons.  He wasn’t supporting their view.

Now it is most likely that it was the elders of the village who were standing in the way of Jesus staying there.  Either way, the effect of that decision is that they will miss out on a blessing.  The blessing of healings, being set free from sin, and salvation, could have come to this village.  Pride and stubbornness often cause us to miss out on blessings that God has for us.  He is not going to force them upon us.  Yet, we push them away because of things we are not willing to experience.  Are you so tied up in the interpretations and traditions of your ancestors that you are missing what God is trying to do today?  Even the secular world has its own traditions and views of life.  Yet, whether for religious or non-religious reasons, our pride and stubbornness can wall us off from God’s blessing.

James And John Rebuked

James and John’s violent reaction to the offense of rejection is rebuked by Jesus.  But let’s look a little deeper here.  Why would James and John be so offended that they want to destroy the village?  We are given no description of what is going on inside of James and John.  However in Mark 3:17 we are told that Jesus had nicknamed these two, “Sons of Thunder.”  They both seem to have had stormy, quick tempered personalities.  We definitely see such here.  There is probably some bigotry going on here as well.  Jesus had been rejected in other places too.  But this Samaritan village receives their greater wrath.

Either way, James and John ask Jesus if they can call down fire from heaven and destroy the village.  Yes, they were probably offended on behalf of Jesus.  But they were men just like you and I.  They were offended on their own behalf too.  They don’t want to scare the villagers, or give them a sign to impress them.  Rather, they want to destroy them.  They ask Jesus because he is the master and because it is in keeping with what happened earlier in Luke 9.  Jesus had given his disciples authority to heal, cast out demons, and proclaim the arrival of the Kingdom of God.  He hadn’t given them authority to do this.  Thus they are more than asking permission.  They don’t have the ability to bring fire from heaven.  They are asking for God to back up their pronouncement.  Have you ever prayed such a prayer?  “Lord, give me the power and strength to crush and destroy those who stand against me!”  We need only look at how our Lord responded to those who stood against him to know his response to us.

Now the newer translations only say that Jesus rebuked them and they left.  This has to do with the fact that when the older translations were done we didn’t have all the manuscripts we do today.  It seems that early on some notes were added (whether by Luke or others we do not know) to explain further. 

So, the words “like Elijah” appear to have been inserted.  This explains the reason the disciples would have thought of such a drastic action.  They are clearly thinking back to the story of the prophet Elijah in 2 Kings 1.  After Ahab’s death, Ahaziah ruled.  One day he falls and is injured.  So he sends messengers to the false god Baal-Zebub in the Philistine city of Ekron for a prophetic word concerning whether he would recover or not.  Elijah intercepts the messengers and tells them to tell Ahaziah that he is going to die.  When Ahaziah hears the news he is angry and sends 50 troops out to capture Elijah.  The captain of the troops refers to Elijah as “man of God.”  To which Elijah responds, “If I am a man of God then may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.”  Fire does come down from heaven.  Ahaziah sends out another 50 men with the same results again: fire comes down and consumes them all.  When Ahaziah sends out a third group of fifty soldiers, the captain is a humble man.  He tells Elijah why he has been sent but also begs for his life and the life of his men.  Elijah then relents and goes with him.  In this story Elijah represents God’s Law and is not going to be killed by Israel’s king.  When we approach God in arrogance and the might of men we can only expect to be judged by His law. But when the man approached in humility and begged for grace, he was received.

Now that situation is very different from the Samaritan village.  We can be too quick to use examples of godly men for our own justification.  Christ had been rejected before and no such thing was ever encouraged.  He had told them when he sent them out that if they are rejected they are to shake the dust off of their feet and move on.  In the case of Elijah they sought to apprehend the man of God outside of God’s will.  But, here they do not want to apprehend Jesus.  They are simply saying, “Go somewhere else.”

Jesus rebukes this attitude.  Whether these words were added or not, anyone who has studied the teachings of Jesus knows that this is exactly the reason he would rebuke them.  The spirit of Christ was not motivating them to destroy the villagers, but rather it was the spirit of Satan.  What manner of spirit am I?  That is a powerful question.  The Bible says in Proverbs 3:11-12, “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor detest His correction; for whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights.”  They wanted to judge quickly out of hurt pride and revenge.  This is not how God judges mankind.  When God’s judgment comes it will not come out of pride and hurt.  It will come from a pure holy understanding that nothing more can be done to reason with those who have chosen rebellion.

Even the teachings of Christ stand in opposition to this vengeful request.  Love your enemies.  Do good to those who do you wrong.  Bless them that curse you.  Jesus commands this, not because it is okay.  But, he commands it precisely because the long suffering judgment of God has been appointed for a specific day and it will come upon them.  This is the day of God’s grace.  This is the day where God wrestles with man and cries out, “Why will you die?  Come let us reason!”  The spirit of this world is quick to judge and quick to destroy.  But, the Spirit of God is slow to judge in order to leave room for repentance.

Thus Jesus rebukes his disciples because he is here to save people not destroy.  It is impossible for fallen men to perfectly perform the judgment of God.  Only Jesus can do that.  He is the one whom God will send to judge the world and many will be destroyed in that judgment.  Judgment is final and we are too quick to pronounce eternal judgments.  There is no overturning it and no coming back from it.  Thus God is slow to judge.  Don’t let your emotions misrepresent God.  We too often get God’s greatness mixed up with our own.  Jesus says to us, “Pick up your cross and follow me.”  This will take a steadfast resolve and a humble understanding of what a great person does when they are rejected. 

Misunderstanding Greatness Audio