2009-07-05 Sermon - Baldwin Christian Church

Luke 13:10-17
v.10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
v.11 And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
v.12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
v.13 And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
v.14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
v.15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
v.16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
v.17 And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

Pretty much from the day Jesus began His ministry, there were certain men following Him around, trying to find any fault, ready to spring up and accuse Him of breaking some commandment. The religious leaders in Jerusalem had a good thing going, getting rich off the back of the common folks, all in the name of religion. Now along comes Jesus, exposing their hypocrisy, and multitudes of common folks were following Him around. It's easy to see why the bigwigs send out spies, to try and destroy Him. They had a lot to lose, but what about this man in verse 14? Jesus was just passing through town, so this man wasn't in danger of losing his job. Why would he say such a strange thing? It was almost like he were saying, "I'm Sorry about your problems, but it's the Sabbath. You can't be healed today. You'll have to come back tomorrow."

How could this happen? People looked up to this man. They trusted in his ability to interpret the Laws of God. A man in his position would preside over disputes, as a judge. He was this town's, this congregation's earthly link to righteousness, to God the Father, but he was completely out of touch. He saw the positive and rejected it, choosing to focus on the negative instead. Well, Jesus replied to him, and it was overwhelming. Jesus opened up their eyes so they could see how they cared more for their livestock than they did for this poor, crippled woman. They were openly ashamed (Colossians 2:14-16), and all the people rejoiced.

No matter what anybody tells you, no matter what you feel on the inside, it's not a simple thing to be acceptable to God. The Bible says, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). This ruler knew enough Scripture to quote the commandment, on the seventh day "thou shalt not do any work" (Exodus 20:10), but that was the sum of his understanding. He couldn't rightly divide the word of truth. He was missing something big. Just three chapters later it says, "on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and ass may rest" (Exodus 23:12). God takes care of us, and we are to take care of our animals. It's all about mercy, but this man couldn't apply the principle to a crippled woman. He knew half the Scripture, he was halfway to God, but he was still all wrong, and he was even called an enemy of the One who will judge him, the Lord Jesus Christ.

If we think God will accept us as we are today, we're probably no different than the ruler of this synagogue. As the Scriptures say, "whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder" (Matthew 21:44), and "let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (1 Corinthians 10:12). When we come near to God, we have to leave our attitude behind, and let Him be our Lord (what He says, goes, no backtalk). This synagogue ruler was only halfway there in his understanding, and that was unacceptable to Jesus.

The Bible does not say, "Go halfway to God, and He will meet you there". It says, "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you" (James 4:8), and "be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves" (James 1:22). If we think God is satisfied with us the way we are right now, we're fooling ourselves. None of us are able to say what Jesus said, speaking of His Father in heaven, "I do always those things that please him" (John 8:29). It isn't enough to hear His word. We have to know His word and put it into practice every day. This is the other half of our pilgrimage to God. If we're hearers only, then we're not even halfway, and that puts us pretty much in the same boat with the ruler of this synagogue. We might be enemies of Jesus.

Well, this all sounds pretty discouraging, doesn't it? It must be, because later on in this chapter someone asks Jesus, "Lord, are there few that be saved?" (Luke 13:23), and He answered, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able" (Luke 13:24). Peter wrote, "the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls" (1 Peter 1:7-9). Jesus also said, he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" (Matthew 24:13). Salvation is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-10). In these passages, we see the words "strive to enter in", "trial of your faith", and "endure unto the end", things that describe the lives of "doers". These things we must be doing, these things we must go through to be saved. Scary? Hard to believe? That's alright. It should be. God says, "to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word" (Isaiah 66:2).

I understand if this makes you discouraged. These things don't seem to be happening in my life, so what hope do I have? I would rather just cling to the verse so often quoted, "For whosover shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13), but that's only halfway. In the very next chapter we're warned, "Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off" (Romans 11:22). Israel is cut off from the knowledge of their Savior. Their lamp has gone out. They have no Temple on the Mount. They go through the motions on the Sabbath day; hollow, empty, mechanical worship. The Lord says, "this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men" (Isaiah 29:13). If we're not continuing in God's goodness every day with persistence, if we accept the status quo in our relationships with each other, and our relationship toward God, then we're in no better shape than blinded Israel, and we too will be cut off. Our light will go out. Jesus warns us, "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned" (John 15:6).

It all seems too hard. What if I just can't do it? It doesn't sound like I can ever please God enough to enter heaven. Can't I just live this life, and then it will all be over for me, sort of like going to sleep, no memory, no consciousness? First of all, know His promise, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (1 Corinthians 10:13). You may recall a teacher, a coach, a drill sergeant, a parent, someone who got more out of you than you ever thought you had. They showed you how much potential you really have, and it didn't kill you, even though at the time you thought it probably would. You have more potential than you know, so don't be discouraged, for God is greater than all these motivators, and He says, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end" (Jeremiah 29:11). Now that's hope you can work with! But what if it still seems too hard? Maybe we'll be motivated by considering the alternative. What happens when we die without our Savior? Do we just cease to exist? Nope. If my name is not written in the book of life, I will be cast into the lake of fire. Will it hurt for just a second or two, then I'll feel it no more, I'll just cease to exist? Nope, doesn't sound like it. Jesus says my worm will not die (the one that returns my body to dust), the fire will not be quenched, the smoke of my torment will rise for ever and ever, and I'll have no rest day nor night (Mark 9:42-48; Revelation 14:9-11). His desire is to save us from that fate. He went way beyond halfway when He took up His cross, but somehow we're content to sit on our hands and only go halfway in our understanding and in our walk.

Jesus' teaching in Luke chapter 13 has an interesting progression to it. In verses 1-5, we're warned about being caught in sin. Be warned, not all of us will die at a ripe old age. Sometimes death comes as a surprise, in a sudden, horrible way. I shouldn't have to go into this subject, considering all the untimely deaths we've heard about lately. The Bible says we're all sinful creatures in need of forgiveness (Romans 3:23), and the wages of our sin is death (Romans 6:23). That's a price that must be paid. We should be amazed that we're still alive today, given one more chance to repent. And, realizing that the goodness of God is leading us to repentance (Romans 2:4), we should be the most thankful people on Earth, turning away from our worldly wisdom and foolish desires, helping one other get ready to meet our Maker. In verse 5, Jesus said, "except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." That should be sending a chill down your spine. Look around you today. Every one of us will go to one of two places when we die. This ought to cause us to rearrange our priorities.

The first step in Luke 13 makes us aware that our lives may end at anytime, and we need to be ready for that. The second step is found in verse 6-9, a parable about a fig tree that isn't producing fruit. It's had chance after chance, but nothing has come from it. The owner expects fruit, and commands the gardener to cut it down. The gardener intercedes for the tree, and the owner gives it one more chance. It must produce fruit now, or it will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

The third step in Luke 13 is the passage we read today. Somehow this ruler of the synagogue was content with only knowing half of what God wanted him to know, but it wasn't enough. He attended and led worship services, but in the end, he was found to be an enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ. We're no better than him. If we're satisfied with what we know now, with what we do now, skip down to the next step, verse 25 in Luke chapter 13.

Luke 13:25-28 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

Jesus is coming. There is no greater glory than to know Him, and to serve Him. Not just thinking we know Him, or thinking we serve Him, but doing these things according to His standards, not our own standards. It all sounds like drudgery until you do it. You have to start with a step. You put your hands to the plow, and never look back.

To the Laodicean church, Jesus says "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth" (Revelation 3:15-16). Halfway, lukewarm faith will get us into the lake of fire. Are you ready to choose the better part, to start the second half of the pilgrimage today? Are you ready to bear fruit, move mountains, and stop the mouths of lions? Turn off the TV once in awhile, open up your Bible more often, join a Bible Study group, and things will start happening, things that will increase your faith and make you feel sorry for all the time you've wasted. Your best effort in the second half, that's what God wants.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.