Good News Week 38. The Good News Of The Superiority of Christ

For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light. He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and by him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds as expressed in your evil actions. But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through his death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before him—if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become a servant of it.

Colossians 2:8–15 CSB

Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ. For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ, and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, when you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses. He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.

This is the Jesus we serve.

Fully God.

Fully man.

Creator and sustainer of everyone and everything.

The head of the church.

The one with all power and authority.

The peacemaker.

The sacrifice.

The one who disarmed rulers and powers.

The one who cancelled your sin-debt.

The one who was raised from the dead.

The one who made you alive.

This is the Jesus we serve.

This is the Good News of the Superiority of Jesus.

And it’s this Jesus we see in Luke 13 making sure we know he is superior to things in heaven and things on earth.

If you’ve got your Bible turn with me to Luke’s Gospel. Chapter 13. Verses 31-35.

Luke 13:31–35 CSB

At that time some Pharisees came and told him, “Go, get out of here. Herod wants to kill you.” He said to them, “Go tell that fox, ‘Look, I’m driving out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will complete my work.’ Yet it is necessary that I travel today, tomorrow, and the next day, because it is not possible for a prophet to perish outside of Jerusalem. “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 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 chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See, your house is abandoned to you. I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’!”

Go Tell That Fox

Jesus calls Herod a fox.

Pretty confidently, I might add.

Now, our common Western understand of fox as metaphor is one who is cunning or deceitful.

But Dr Randall Buth, whoreceived his doctorate in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures from the University of California, Los Angeles, says that there is a second Hebrew understanding of the fox as metaphor.

“important for our understanding of Jesus’ words in Luke chapter 13 is a second, very common use of “fox” in Hebrew. Lions and foxes can be contrasted with each other to represent the difference between great men and inferior men. The great men are called “lions,” and the lesser men are called “foxes.”

The epithet “fox” is sometimes applied to Torah scholars: “There are lions before you, and you ask foxes?”[4] In other words, “Why do you ask the opinion of foxes, that is, my opinion, when there are distinguished scholars present?”

A certain scholar, thought at first to be brilliant, was by all outward signs inept, and it was remarked about him, “The lion you mentioned turns out to be a [mere] fox.” (Babylonian Talmud, Bava Kamma 117a)

Sometimes the use of “fox” relates to pedigree: “He is a lion the son of a lion, but you are a lion the son of a fox.”[5] In other words, “He is a distinguished scholar and the son of a distinguished scholar; but, although you are a distinguished scholar, your father is a less-distinguished scholar than his.”

The word “fox” can also have moral connotations, as a saying from the Mishnah demonstrates: “Be a tail to lions rather than a head to foxes.”[6] This saying could be paraphrased, “It is better to be someone of low rank among those who are morally and spiritually your superiors than someone of high rank among scoundrels.”

Jesus called Herod a fox after some Pharisees reported that Herod wanted to kill Jesus. Jesus’ response challenged any such plans: “Tell Herod I’ve got work to do first.” Jesus was not implying that Herod was sly, rather he was commenting on Herod’s ineptitude, or inability, to carry out his threat. Jesus questioned the tetrarch’s pedigree, moral stature and leadership, and put the tetrarch “in his place.” This exactly fits the second rabbinic usage of “fox.”

When Jesus labeled Herod a fox, Jesus implied that Herod was not a lion. Herod considered himself a lion, but Jesus pointed out that Herod was the opposite of a lion. Jesus cut Herod down to size, and Jesus’ audience may have had an inward smile of appreciation at a telling riposte.”

Go tell that fox.

Jesus is saying that he is superior to Herod.

Jesus is Superior To Human Authority

Here that this morning.

Jesus is superior to human authority, reason, ability, strength, wisdom, dominion, law, culture, philosophy, knowledge.

Jesus is superior to kings and politicians, to presidents and politics.

Jesus is superior to nobles and the wealthy.

Jesus is superior.

Jesus has the last word.

Jesus government will have no end.

No human authority will be able to stand against the Christ.

No company will be able to silence the Christ.

No bank will be able to repossess His blessed Kingdom.

No terror organization will be able to stop the rule of Christ and His kings and preists.

No political party will be able to co-opt Jesus for their own power.

Jesus has the final authority.

When all is said and done, it’s Jesus.

Tell that fox, he things he’s a lion… tell that fox I am the LION.

I am the lion of the tribe of Judah, the lion of the tribe translated praise.

I am the conquerering lion of Revelation because I am the lamb slain.

Church, hear me this moring!!! Tell those authorities that would speak against the promises of God over your life, tell those authorities that raise up against the knowldge of Christ Jesus, tell those authorities that you know the real LION. Call them out.

Call those foxes out.

Tell them to get out of here.

You think you can stop what God has promised is mine in Jesus, you get out of here you fox.

You think you can take my kids, you get out of here you fox.

You think you can silence my testimony, you get out of here you fox.

You think you can take me out, you get out of here you fox.

You ain’t nothing but a powerless fox.

You ain’t nothing but a pretender.

You ain't nothing but a fox.

You tell that fox, I know the LION.

I know the ONE who has all dominion and authority.

I know the LION.

Jesus is his name.

Call that thing what it is, it ain’t nothing but a fox.

And Christ Jesus the LION CAN DEVOUR that fraud.

Call it out.

It’s powerless.

It’s a pretender.

It’s a fraud.

It’s a phony.

It ain’t nothing but a fox running around in the LION’s field.

And that fox’s time is running out.

Not only is Jesus Superior to the Human Fox’s, He Superior the Spiritual and the Natural.

Don’t Get Distracted By The Fox’s

Look at what Jesus says.

Luke 13:32 CSB

He said to them, “Go tell that fox, ‘Look, I’m driving out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will complete my work.’

Jesus doesn’t have time to deal with Fox because he’s busy bringing the KINGOM.

Listen, there will be people who want to distract you from your KINGDOM assignment.

There will be fox’s who want to pull you away from your KINGDOM Purpose.

You don’t have time to be distracted by the foxes Because there are things to accomplish.

Jesus says, listen, tell the fox I’m busy.

I’ve got to set captives free.

I’ve got the gospel to proclaim and demonstrate.

I’ve got demons to cast out.

I’ve got people with needs who need me to help and heal them.

Tell the fox I won’t stop.

Listen church, don’t get distracted by the foxes.

It’s the little foxes that spoil the vine.

Those lesser powers that spoil the harvest.

Don’t give the lesser powers greater authority.

I said, Don’t give the lesser powers greater authority.

Money, sex, power, comfort, pleasure - those are lesser powers, those are foxes.

Don’t give the foxes the time of day.

Take those foxes captive and get rid of them.

Do not give the foxes what that belongs to the LION.

There’s too much good to accomplish.

There’s too much holiness to bask in.

There’s too much Kingdom to recieve.

There’s too much glory to be revealed.

There’s too much blessing from the LION to live under the curse of the foxes.

Come on.

Do not give the lesser powers greater authority.

Do not give the fox what belongs to the LION.

Jesus Is Superior To The Spiritual And The Natural

Luke 13:32 CSB

He said to them, “Go tell that fox, ‘Look, I’m driving out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will complete my work.’

Jesus says I’m driving out demons and healing the sick.

Jesus is superior.

You need to walk in that superiority.

Not pride.

Not arrogance.

But confidence in the superiority of Jesus over the demonic and his ability to do what need to be done in your natural.

Hebrews 4:16 CSB

Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.

It’s a holy boldness.

It’s a mercy and grace.

It’s a confidence in the superiority of Jesus.

Jesus is going to handle those things.

Jesus is going to deal with the demonic.

Jesus is going to bring eternal healing and life.

Jesus is superior to hell and death.

Jesus is going to hanele it.

Walk in his superiority.

Rebuke the enemy.

And trust God for the healing that will come and the grace that will sustain you will you wait.

Jesus is Superior To Death

Luke 13:32 CSB

He said to them, “Go tell that fox, ‘Look, I’m driving out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will complete my work.’

The third day.

An obvious hint of what is to come.

Jesus gave many hints of his death.

Predictions, Reminders, and Proofs of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke

9:22“The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected … and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

9:44“The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.”

12:50“I have a baptism to be baptized with.”

13:32“I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course.”

13:33“for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.”

17:25“But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.”

18:32“he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon.”

18:33“after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.”

24:6–7“Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”

24:25–26“… slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”

24:46“Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.”

Jesus is saying, hear me, that the FOX can’t slow me down, that hell can’t slow me down.

Jesus is saying even if they think they’ve got me, even after they kill me, even after they nail me to the cross, even after the beat my body, even after the place me in the tomb, roll a stone over the entrance, seal it with wax, and place armed guards in fron of the stone, even if they think they’ve got me, they din’t get me.

They didn’t have authority.

They didn’t take me life except I let them.

They didn’t stop my work, they help me accomplish it.

Jesus is superior to death.

The grave could not stop his work, the grave was the entrance to the garden of His Kingdom.

The grave was the soil the body of Jesus was planted to bring a great resurrection harvest.

Jesus is superior to the grave.

Put your faith in Jesus.

He’s is superior.

Jesus Longs For Us To Resist The Foxes And Follow The Lion

Luke 13:34–35 CSB

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 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 chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See, your house is abandoned to you. I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’!”

This superior Jesus is coming again.

Jesus weeps for us to be ready.

He weeps for those who give the foxes power that belongs to the LION.

And he is ready and longing to gather you under his wings like a hen.

Follow Jesus.

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