Jesus and God's Kingdom - Luke 13:10-35

Entrances

Westfield Doncaster

You can’t miss it. You can get into it in your car via the blue car park or the red car park. There’s big entrances off the street. Intersections with traffic lights to guide you in off the two main roads.

Patricia Coffee (CBD)

Laneway with a tiny door, a heap of bins and no signs.

If you don’t go in peak time (aka just before work) it’s easy to miss. You only find it if you’re looking for it.

Two entrances. Two different ways of doing business.

And as we look at what Jesus talks about in our reading today we see it’s more like Patrica than westfield when it comes to the kingdom and entering in.

The Kingdom Comes

Healing of Crippled Woman - Lk 13:10-17

Jesus heals a women on the Sabbath (v10-13). Having just taught on evil and suffering in Lk 13:1-9 we have Jesus bringing God’s kingdom to bear where sin and suffering is removed.

But how do the religious leaders respond?

Synagogue leader enraged!

Lk 13:14

Luke 13:14 NIV

14 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”

You hypocrites! (v15)

Lk 13:14-16

Luke 13:14–16 NIV

14 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.” 15 The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”

These people have got so caught up in religious rule keeping because they are actually using them as a mask for their failure to truly love God. They begrude the freedom a woman wins from Satan, but are happy to give water to their pets. Why? Because they are selfish. They want to be righteous without having to do what God says, without loving their neighbours!

The Kingdom comes and brings freedom to those bound by Satan, bound in pain, caught in sin. And to those who aren’t wrapped up in proving their own self-righteousness it is delightful!

Lk 13:17

Luke 13:17 NIV

17 When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.

The Kingdom Explained

Mustard Seed and Yeast - Lk 13:18-21

Having demonstarted what the kingdom of God brings, freedom. Jesus goes on to teach about it.

The Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed or like yeast. Appears small at the beginning but grows and has huge impact!

This is exactly the opposite of the common Jewish expectation at the time that the coming of the messianic kingdom would be sudden and decisive!

The story of the women in vv10-17 is a good example a singular small event, the healing of a woman, but the impact of that grows.

But these parables also point forward to what is to come next. Not only will the kingdom exanpd exponetionally, but all the birds will be perched in its branches (v19).

Jesus illuding to the OT again, just as we saw last week with his vineyard parable (v6-9).

Here Jesus picks up tree language from the OT.

Psalm 104:12 NIV

12 The birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among the branches.

Daniel 4:10–12 NIV

10 These are the visions I saw while lying in bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. 11 The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. 12 Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.

Ezekiel 17:22–24 NIV

22 “ ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23 On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches. 24 All the trees of the forest will know that I the Lord bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. “ ‘I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.’ ”

Well, In Ez 17:22-24 we know that the birds represent the people of the nations who will dwell in peace. The kingdom grows and those who come to it will find rest in its branches.

The kingdom of God is a place where we find refugre from the pain and brokenness of the world.

Don’t you want that?

These parables lead on to what comes next, how do we enter into that refuge?

The Kingdom Entered

Narrow Door - Lk 13:22-30

Will only a few people be saved? (v23)

Jesus says:

Luke 13:24 NIV

24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.

What does that mean?

It appears it means the answer to the question back in v23 (are only a few people going to be saved is yes).

Especially when you see what Jesus says in vv 25-28

Luke 13:25–28 NIV

25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’ 28 “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.

But of course then Jesus throws a bit of a curve ball.

Luke 13:29–30 NIV

29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”

Actually there’s going to be heaps of people at the feast of the kingdom of God.

The nations will find rest in the kingdom of God.

But they’re not going to be ethnic Israelites, in the kingdom by virture of their race. Nor are they going to be all the good blokes you and I know out there in our day to day lives.

Many people in our society today believe that if you live a good life then if their is a God he’ll accept you. Many people believe that it doesn’t really matter which religion you follow as long as you do your best and try to be a good person then in the end all roads lead to God.

But actually there is one narrow door into the kingdom of God and His name is Jesus. And who’s going to go through the narrow door?

Not religious hypocrites, or good aussie blokes, or well meaning hindus or muslims. No it will be those who have said no to the hypocricsy like that of the Jewish leaders that we’ve read about back in v14 or that Jesus condemed back in Ch 11. Who’ve said no to earning their own way to God. Who’ve said no to false Gods. And who have instead said yes to trust in Jesus above all else.

The Kingdom Rejected

Jerusalem - Lk 13:31-35

But there are many, who should know better, who have said no to trust in God above all else. And so that’s why Jesus rounds out this Chapter sad about Jerusalem.

Jesus will be the last in great line of prophet’s that the supposed people of God have failed to listened to and have killed.

In doing so they will exclude themselves from God’s kingdom.

But there is a way back!

Luke 13:35 NIV

35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

The way into the kingdom is the recognise who Jesus is. That he is sent from God.

To trust him. To follow him. To step through the narrow door into the comfort and security of his branches and to experience the kingdom in part now, but eventually in all it’s fullness when Jesus returns.