Keep Saying Yes
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There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’ ”
Theme. The need to Repent.
Introduction
Introduction
I think we can all agree that it has been yet another difficult week in British politics and an absolute tragic week in NZ.
Even a new low?
Our hearts go out to the country and the families.
Maybe now the only way is up?
You can hardly engage in a conversion with a spouse, a family member, a neighbour, a friend or a complete stranger without some reference to these current affairs.
It would seem such things overshadow all else.
The UK Paper are full of headlines , “Chaos Reigns” “Mayhem” and “House of Fools”. Those are the nicer ones.
“Chaos Reigns” “Mayhem” “House of Fools”
The NZ PM spoke yesterday of the darkest day in living memory for her country and a loss of its innocence.
Pause
Just imagine if Jesus was asked about such things and then said,
“Do you think those victims in NZ were worse sinners than you because of what happened to them or because they were muslim, I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
That would stop the conversation!
With respect, that is exactly how Jesus responds to a contemporary first century atrocity and disaster in Jerusalem, recorded in our scripture for today.
Atrocities and Disasters
Atrocities and Disasters
Let us go through again.
It starts
There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
(Slide)
Luke 13:1-
There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
Atrocities and Disasters
Atrocities and Disasters
Jesus was a Galilean
Jesus was a Galilean
Remember Jesus spent most of his childhood around Galilee.
It was where His ministry started.
It was where he went back to, time and time again.
It was home for Jesus.
Jesus was a Galilean.
So were some of his first disciples
So it is not a surprise that such news should reach Him.
The Atrocity
The Atrocity
Jesus was told about an atrocity where Pilate, through those under his command, had violated the temple and mingled the blood of worshippers (Galileans) with their sacrifices.
Could there be a worse violation of the Temple?
It was a sacred place
Just as a Mosque is for a Muslim.
A place of worship.
A place of prayer.
A place of sacrifice.
A place to meet God.
What had happened was headline news.
Jerusalem was buzzing with what had happened.
Jesus Response
Jesus Response
Then Jesus says,
(Slide)
And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.
I am sure most of you know that in first century Israel the predominant thinking about tragic events was that they were a product of sin, that is your own sin.
The classic example for this thinking is shown in the counsel given by Job’s friends.
Basically they said, you must have done something wrong to bring this on yourself and family.
We are given in the book of Job a look behind the scenes into the Great Controversy between God and Satan.
Jesus is certainly using this atrocity to challenge that thinking.
I agree but I think there is more.
But there is more here.
You have to wonder if the Galileans would be viewed as martyrs?
The people were probably trying to reconcile these two things. Tragedy because of my sin and being Martyrs.
And also gain Jesus opinion and hopefully condemnation of the Romans and their violation of the sacred Temple.
Jesus response is clear and cuts through all this, “unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
Jesus response it not politically correct, but get to the heart of the matter.
Jesus focus is on Me
Jesus focus is on Me
Jesus response it not politically correct.
But it gets to the heart of the problem
The bible makes it clear, We are all sinners before God.
The problem here is sin, and that problem affects all of us.
Jesus response puts the focus back on me
Not on them
But on me and my relationship with God.
Away from them! To me.
Jesus does this time and time action in his interactions with people!
Remember what he said to Peter after reinstating him
Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”
He knows us so well.
We always want to talk about others and other things.
Jesus wants to talk about us and our relationship with Him.
The Disaster
The Disaster
Then Jesus continues and makes the same point again!
(Slide)
“Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”
Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
Luke 9:4-
Luke 13:4
This time it is not an atrocity, but a disaster, a “natural” disaster.
We heard this week of the grounding of the Boeing 737 Max fleet of planes after the tragic and fatal Ethiopian crash. The second one for this type of aircraft.
Jesus responds to a contemporary disaster in the south of Jerusalem, near the pool of Siloam.
Atrocities
Man made Disaster
A tower had collapsed and 18 people had been killed.
Unless you repent something worse will happen to you.
Again, It must have been a headline news and Jerusalem must have been buzzing about it.
Jesus response is “unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
The second time he has said such a think within a couple of verses.
Pause
The Greatest Tragedy of All
The Greatest Tragedy of All
Jesus is not indifferent to tragedies or to atrocities in this world.
Jesus tells us to weep with those who weep.
Just as He did.
But Jesus is emphasising fundamental truths,
The Fragility of our Lives. Today may be out last day. We never know.
The problem and universality of sin. We all have the sin problem.
That God loves us and sent God the Son, Jesus, who took those sins on himself.
So that all who believe will not perish, but are made right with God.
And have a growing and eternal relationship and life with God
That is Priority one.
Jesus sees with his prophetic eye the greatest tragedy of all, coming soon to so many.
Jesus is emphasising the
Illustration of waking up and the Holy Spirit speaking to the same thing.
An eternal tragedy of separation from Him.
For all who refuse to come to Jesus, just as I am.
But God says to us,
That is truly perishing.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Perish, It is the same greek word, as we read in , “unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
The Fragility of Life
The criticality of a right and growing relationship with Him.
Jesus is not indifferent to tragedies in this world.
Rather Jesus sees with his prophetic eye the greatest tragedy of all.
Jesus has come so that people can be saved from such an eternal tragedy.
Keep Saying Yes to the Lord
Keep Saying Yes to the Lord
An Illustration
An Illustration
Morning devotional.
Mark, I need to talk to you about this.
The Fig Tree
The Fig Tree
Jesus makes the point a third time in with a Parable.
(Slide)
He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’ ”
Certainly
Luke 13
(Slide)
Keep Saying Yes
Keep Saying Yes
Daily Devotional
Daily Devotional
Let me ask you, how is your daily devotional time with the Lord?
It is so important , for abiding and growing.
To hear from the Lord and pour out our hearts to the Lord.
Maybe you read a devotional, or some of the bible, and then spend time in Pray.
ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication).
An Illustration
An Illustration
But there comes this knocking on our heart, “I need to talk to you about something”.
Then the next day comes and again this knocking comes on our heart, “I need to talk to you about something”.
But there comes this knocking on our heart, “I need to talk to you about something”.
Then the next day comes and again this knocking comes on our heart, “I need to talk to you about something”.
But there comes this knocking on our heart, “I need to talk to you about something”.
Keep saying Yes
Keep saying Yes
We only grow
Repentance and Growth
Repentance and Growth
Repentance is listening and saying Yes to the Lord.
Repentance is keeping on saying Yes to the Lord.
Illustration of waking up and the Holy Spirit speaking to the same thing.
We only grow as we say Yes to the Lord.
Billy Graham
Billy Graham
Billy Graham. spoke at the Memorial Service in Washington held shortly after 911.
There was only one plane in the air that day over the whole USA.
It was carrying Billy Graham to Washington to speak as the Pastor of America.
At his death, Billy’s children said this about their Father and his relationship with the Lord.
He was available
He was humble
He was teachable.
He kept saying Yes to the Lord.
The Clock is Ticking
The Clock is Ticking
Jesus spoke this parable
With this parable, Jesus tells both the individuals listening and the nation as a whole that the clock is ticking.
Jesus looks with prophetic eyes and sees that for Jerusalem that clock will reach full time in some 40 years.
In AD70, it was destroyed.
We find right at the end of this very chapter, Jesus speaking these words,
Slide
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
The atrocity of the Galileans those blood Pilate mixed with the daily sacrifice, will soon get much worse with the utter destruction of the temple and Jerusalem and the death of so many.
It will be left desolate.
God is watching over his vineyard. If his plant does not bear fruit, he can find other ways to get fruit.
God is watching over his vineyard. If his plant does not bear fruit, he can find other ways to get fruit.
God is watching over his church today. If his church does not bear fruit, he can find other ways to get fruit.
The Exhortation
The Exhortation
Let me ask you, Where is God asking you to say Yes to Him?
To be available,
Unless you are perfect, I know he is knocking about something.
To be humble
And to be teachable.
The clock is ticking.
Your salvation may not be the issue, but what about usefulness and fruitfulness.
There is an eternal tragedy awaiting every person outside of Christ.
We must weigh all our todays and all our priorities in the light of that truth.
Jesus did.
So let us keep on saying Yes to the Lord!