Luke 13 (7)

Pray Psalm 52.1, 2.
Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man?
The goodness of God endures continually.
Your tongue devises destruction,
Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

Sing Psalm 52.1, 2.
(Warrington: Give to Our God Immortal Praise)
Why do the mighty boast in sin? God’s love endures, it knows no end!
They with their tongues vain boasts repeat, and like a razor, work deceit.

Read Luke 13.1-35; meditate on verses 7, 27, 35.

Preparation
1. What is Jesus looking for from people?

2. What happens to those who do not respond this way?

Meditation
Luke 13 is a hard chapter, mainly because Jesus dished out some hard words to the people who came before Him. He called them to repent or perish (vv. 1-5), warned that they may be “cut down” if they bear no fruit (vv. 6, 7), railed against their hypocrisy (v. 15), put them to shame (v. 17), exploded their smug views about true religion (vv. 25-27), and warned that weeping, gnashing of teeth, and desolation will lie ahead for some (vv. 28, 35). That’s bitter, but necessary, medicine.

The Gospel is Good News, and Luke does not omit to remind us of this in chapter 13. Repentance can lead to life, patience to fruitfulness, faith to healing, small Kingdom seeds to mighty Kingdom impacts and people from around the world coming to “sit down in the Kingdom of God” (v. 29).

But no one can get to this Good News who persists in wrong thinking about religion. It’s not about works or traditions or being seen as “first” in anything. It’s about knowing Jesus. Seeing Him as the One sent from God for our redemption. Turning from our sins, laying hold on the ancient promises of God’s covenant, and seeking true communion with the Lord.

The hard words Jesus spoke in Luke 13 help us to see how utterly important the Gospel is. Without the Gospel, those hard words will devolve upon us when it’s time to give an accounting to God. We can’t just patch Jesus on to our sinful, hypocritical, works-oriented way of life. He will have none of that. We must forsake all that we have been and take hold of Jesus, never letting go; striving to know, love, and serve Him in all we are and do; and blessing Him as the One Who has come in the Name of the Lord. What makes this such a narrow gate and hard way is not the beauty or grace of the Gospel, but our own stubborn, self-centered ways and wants.

Our chapter begins with a call to repent and ends with a script for confessing Jesus. This is our daily need.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
When our friend Pat Hunter had to put her husband into a nursing home, she did that, as she did everything else, in the way that Jesus would have done it.

On the first day, and every day hence, when it was time for her to go home, she always let him walk away from her. She never left him, she always allowed him to depart from her.

Jesus’ separation from those who don’t follow Him will be done in the same way. He has promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13.5).

Those He must tell “Depart from Me” (Lk. 13.27) have already departed. They were never there in the first place. In all these situations of “cut it down”, “I do not know you”, and “your house is left to you desolate”, the people were never participating. So, their shame and desolation won’t be much of a surprise—to them or the Savior.

In Pat’s life, letting her husband depart from her was a wise and loving thing to do. Don’t we all promise as much in the wedding vows we have taken?

In Jesus’ life it is the same. He is warning people whom He has vowed to never leave nor forsake, of their sorrowful end if they do not repent and follow Him.

Their house did not need to be left to them desolate. It could have been a beautiful place; but they chose poorly. “Unless the LORDbuilds the house, they labor in vain who build it…” (Ps. 127.1).

Let Jesus love you. Let Him cover you with His wings of love and protection. Let Him lead and guide you in the way that you should go. He has said, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye” (Ps. 32.8). The psalmist instructs further: “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall surround him. Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” (Ps. 32.10, 11).

There is mercy and hope in Christ. Shame and desolation need not be our end if we do as John the Baptist proclaimed, “…bear fruits worthy of repentance…” (Lk. 3.8).

For reflection
1. Should our presentation of the Gospel include “hard words”? Which “hard words”?

2. How would you explain to a lost friend what it means to “take hold” of Jesus?

3. What does it mean for you to “Let Jesus loves you”? How do you expect His love to flow through you today?

The same Jesus that bids us repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand, bids us repent, for otherwise we shall perish. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Luke 13.1-5

Pray Psalm 52.3-9.
Pray for the lost, the self-absorbed, the hypocrites, and those who are blinded by the false worldviews of wrong belief. Pray for yourself, for repentance and a deeper commitment to Jesus day by day.

Sing Psalm 52.3-9.
(Warrington: Give to Our God Immortal Praise)
Men more than good in evil delight, and lies prefer to what is right.
They utter words, both harsh and strong, with their devouring, deceitful tongue.

God will forever break them down, uproot, and cast them to the ground!
He from their safety tears them away, no more to know the light of day.

The righteous see and laugh and fear, and say, “Behold, what have we here?
Such are all who at God conspire, and wealth and evil ways desire.”

But as for me may I be seen in God an olive ever green!
Ever in God, most kind and just, shall I with joy and gladness trust!

Thanks evermore to our Savior be raised! His faithfulness be ever praised!
Here with Your people, loving God, I wait upon Your Name, so good!

T. M. and Susie Moore 

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.