Yeah…that’s pretty intense, is it not? I bet it felt similar to what those disciples felt who walked along that road to Emmaus after the crucifixion a few days later and unbeknownst to them, Jesus joins them and walks along side of them talking of all the recent events. You can read about this in Luke 24. The next thing you know, we read where “their eyes were opened, and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.” (31) Both men were in awe and then said to one another…”Did He not just open the scriptures to us?” (32). Then they met up with the disciples there in Jerusalem and shared what happened to them.
As they were discussing all of this, Jesus Himself just pops in…speaking peace to them and joins them in a meal. What follows there in this same text (33-49) is fascinating as well. It would appear that Jesus begins sharing with them, as if ‘connecting more dots’ from the time of Moses and the law… to that present time. When I say ‘connect the dots’, I say that from reading vs. 45 where “He opened their understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures.”
Keep in mind that Jesus is there with His disciples, His followers…and HE…is the one that opens up the word for them to ‘see’ it and understand it. It was not their commentaries or intellect that does this. Remember what Jesus told Peter back in Matt. 16 where he had some kind of ‘revelation’ as to who Christ was and Jesus commends him there saying “flesh and blood have not revealed this to you, but My Father in heaven has.” (17). And of course there is the well documented event following the parable of the sower where Jesus met in private with His Disciples and basically does the same thing for them there explaining the meaning of that parable. (Matt. 13) He told them that God’s word was basically closed or hid to those who are ‘on the outside’ but that He opens their understanding to the mysteries of God’s word. (11).
I believe there really are many people out there who would desire a deeper understanding and insight to God’s word but fail to meet the ‘qualifications’ for this. I say qualifications because Jesus told others that even though they were diligent in searching the scriptures looking for life, they would not actually find it until they ‘came to Him’. (John 5:39-40). I will again, make the case that ‘coming to Jesus’ means you come to Him with your whole heart. Failure to do so just leads you to a ‘form of godliness’ and you will never experience the genuine life changing power of this gospel. (2 Tim. 3:5)
Let me clue you in to a common scenario that runs through my head when I’m typing out these daily postings. I am only sharing with you what I feel like I am learning from scripture and am anxious to do so. But I have these moments where after sharing a passage or two that has just so resonated with me, I can see where the impact of God’s truth can have a stunning effect on others…especially when it seems to say just the opposite of what we’ve always thought or believed. And after I’ve posted this, I have this moment or conversation go through my head where I can hear people confront me and ask: “What are you saying here?” as if they are incredulous themselves when they feel that impact of God’s word. My response is always the same: “I’m just saying what God is saying! You can do what you want with it, but you better know this is what it says.” What God says, really does matter.
We are aware how the enemy is always quick to show up and question that, what God says, you know. –“Has God really said?” (Gen. 3:1)
Which leads me back to the gospel of Luke. We read there at the end of chapter 12 where Jesus was talking to a crowd, even calling them ‘hypocrites’ because they could easily discern changing weather patterns and signs in the skies able to see what the weather would be. But then they were ignorant or blind to ‘seeing’ the signs of the times, or in other words, spiritual truths and insights. (54-56). We tend to do that more often than we’d care to admit if we are honest with ourselves. But that is what Jesus told them there in chpt. 12. Then we get to chapter 13.
I have had this next portion of text on my mind in recent days to write about. There are three very distinct and defining stories shared one after another that are not accidental. Nothing, God does is accidental. And as we read through this portion of the chapter, perhaps you too will see quite the connection, given what we have been examining the past week or so pertaining to God’s laws and curses and how the enemy comes in to steal, kill, and destroy.
We read there in 13:1 where some of those present with Jesus at this time, (following the ‘weather discussion’) told Jesus about some recent news that had disturbed people in the region apparently. Pilate must have overseen the death of some Galileans whose blood had been mingled with their sacrifices. The exact details of what entailed here are not given but it does not sound good. You gather from the conversation here that they are asking a question that we all ask following times when we hear of tragic loss of lives -Why? Why did this happen to them?
Lets’ follow along and here what Jesus had to say. For some of you, this may be the ‘first time’ you have seen this despite having this passage marked.
Jesus asked: “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered such things?” (2)
There is so much here in that one question to unpack so let’s not get in a rush.
People do that, you know, they suffer and die. Been happening ever since the fall of man in the garden. Suffering and sickness and disease and death were never part of God’s original plan for His creation. But He did tell us early on that we will for sure encounter ‘death’ when we fail to do what He ask of us. (Gen. 2:17). God surely said that. Eating off the wrong tree can have adverse effects or consequences; or, as we mentioned during our study in Deut. 28 last week, they are called ‘curses’. Those first 14 verses pointing to all the benefits of obeying God outlined nothing but good things for them if they would be diligent to follow and trust and obey God with all their hearts. You don’t read of any ‘bad’ or adverse things happening to them. Those come in the next 54 verses detailing all the curses that would come upon them for breaking God’s laws.
That is what ‘sin’ actually is…breaking God’s laws. (1 John 3:4). The folks whom Jesus was teaching were aware of this. That is why some asked Him about that blind man whom Jesus healed there in John 9. But before He did, Jesus answered their question telling them that this man was not born blind because of his sin nor his parent’s sin. On the contrary, this was for God to be glorified and then Jesus opened his eyes. I think Jesus takes great delight in opening the eyes of the blind. ;-). I understand why some people cite this story in John 9 using it to dismiss the idea that sin can bring suffering or illness or disease or anything bad on people, or at least watering down the idea that there is no sure ‘link’ between the two. But I beg to differ. I would submit that in this case with the blind man, this story was an ‘exception’ and not the rule. We can discuss that later though. Back to our story in Luke 13.
Jesus asked them: So you think these people suffered more…because they were ‘worse sinners’ than everyone else? Listen to His own answer to that question which is clear and defining: “I tell you, No!; but unless you repent you will …all…likewise…perish.” (3) And if there was ever a time where we see Jesus ‘drive’ a point or truth home, you need look no further because He does so in the very next verse. “Or what about those 18 people in Siloam where that tower collapsed, killing them. Do you think this happened to them, killing them…because they were any worse sinners than all the others? Again…I tell you, No. But unless you repent, you too…will all likewise…perish.” (5)
Does that resonate with any of you reading this today? There really is no need to add to or take away from the words Jesus just spoke here. I would really encourage you to spend some time chewing on this passage here as I am totally confident that the Lord can give you even more insight to this.
Jesus knows how to speak plainly. These were bad events that took place where people suffered. And He directs a connection here to those listening (us as well who are reading) that we too, will suffer and die in some similar fashion unless…we ‘repent’. He tells us twice there that we will ‘perish’. Repent…or you too…will perish.
Do you think it is possible that we might fail to truly understand the meaning of those two words, ‘repent’ and perish’? This I can tell you, the word ‘repent’ does not simply translate to ‘accept Christ as your Savior’. Lots of people have done that while failing truly repent. And failure to ‘repent’ means you and I will ‘perish’. (You might do a simple word study on the meaning of that word –‘perish’.
Jesus is warning them there in that story. Jesus was always warning people to ‘repent or else’. He was not trying to heap condemnation on them or make them feel bad about themselves. That was not His mission. He came to save and rescue us. ALL. OF. US. (John 3:17) Jesus was on a rescue mission to turn people from their sinful ways lest they be destroyed by the wrath of God that was on the earth. He came to get people ‘in the ark’ just as in the days of Noah.
And guess what? He was not finished with that rescue mission. Jesus commissioned the church to continue on doing as He had done, teaching ‘all things’ that He had taught the first group of disciples. We have either lost our way or fallen asleep because we seem to be caught up in just about everything else than fulfilling that single mission. I would submit that the ‘church at large’ has fallen into the same condition that the prophets of old warned about, growing at ‘ease’ and ‘complacent’. (Amos 6:1; Zephaniah 1:12). And the very fact that we find ourselves in a similar condition, would suggest that before we can be of any use rescuing others, we ourselves first…need to be rescued, woke up…and truly repent.
Or else we too will perish. That is what Jesus said. His words, not mine.
See you tomorrow.
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