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Reference: Luke 14 v 7-14

We pick up the text just after Jesus has been exposing the Pharisees’ double standards regarding the Sabbath. Jesus is at the house of a prominent Pharisee and he uses the occasion to point out the false nature of their religious practices. He has just exposed their double standards regarding the Sabbath and He now moves onto to cover the area of humility – or in their case, the lack of it!

A few initial points about humility

1. It is not weakness

The world despises humility. It is seen as weakness and foolishness. Yet as we will see, genuine humility requires a strength of character and will makes thoughts of weakness irrelevant.

2. It is not a fruit of the Holy Spirit

Humility is not something that God automatically produces in us as we spend time with Him – though of course humility is a logical response to the presence of God. Rather it is something we choose:

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (Ephesians 4:2)

“All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another” (I Peter 5:5)

3. It is the expected lifestyle of every Christian

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Philippians 2: 3-4)

4. It is modelled by Jesus

Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross! (Philippians 2: 6-8)

With these preliminary points in mind, let’s look at the passage before us today.

1. A Word to the Guests

Jesus notices how everyone is pushing themselves forward. They want to be noticed, exalted and to be in the pictured. Jesus points out that the lifestyle of the kingdom is exactly the opposite.
The fact is that when we know that we are accepted by God and loved by Him and that our service is only for Him, then whatever position we occupy becomes immaterial. Humility is about putting ourselves in the lowest position. It is a choice of the will that we place ourselves below others to serve them, allowing God to elevate us in his own way and time.

2. A Word to the Host

Note that hospitality is a given here – and it is to be a part of every Christians life.
It is not simply the guests who need a lesson in the value of the Kingdom. The host has invited his friends, the rich the influential and the popular – people who can give him something. People who it is good to be seen around, and people who can do something for us. How often we can be like this, giving ourselves to those from whom we get something. But to give ourselves to those from whom we will get nothing, those who can not repay us, contribute to our lives or make us better connected or more popular – that is the lifestyle the Kingdom.

3. A Word to the Wise

The message of this passage is surely that the values of the Kingdom of God are not about being seen with the right people, they are about humbly taking the lowest position for the sake of others and allowing God to exalt us in his own time. And that is exactly what will happen!

John MacDiarmid
May 2013

Reference: 1 Peter 1  v 1-2

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Reference: Luke 13 v 31-35

Disney have a film called the “Fox and the Hound” which used to be watched in our home when our boys were small. Images of animal create a connection with us, and Jesus uses this when he compares Herod to a fox and himself to a hen. As we consider this passage these two images will come to the fore.
We have three characters to consider:

1. Herod

This was Herod Antipas who at this stage had recently beheaded John the Baptist, and would have a part to play in the execution of Jesus. We know that Herod was an able, ambitious and successful man. As a strong man of Palestine, he took who he wanted – including his brother’s wife – ruled over Galilee and had huge wealth and a palace. But appearances can be deceptive. On the surface this was one of the great men of the day. But the fact was that the man was a moral and spiritual wreck, at the mercy of his manipulative wife and his own lusts. It is God who gives the verdict on our life – not the tabloid press.
Jesus knew what Herod was all about – he called him a “fox”. He was someone who may appear to be OK on the surface, but the reality was that underneath he was scheming, manipulative, cunning, predatory and, like a fox, a carrier of disease that could infect everything he touched..
God knows what we are really like. For those of us who have found this out it is wonderful to have a saviour who has paid the price for our uncleanness. For those of us who have not, all the bravado and success in the world will not stand up against an all-seeing God.

2. Jerusalem

…not really a character, but a place that represents God’s people. It seems that once Jesus thoughts turn to where he was headed, he is overcome by a lament for the city (see below). But in the meantime, we consider the fact that Jerusalem had been the centre of God’s purposes for his people and therefore for the whole world. And yet, far from being the model of righteousness which God intended to bring salvation to the world, it was a place with a history of rejecting God’s servants. God’s fiercest opponents normally come in religious garb.
So we have two forms of opposition to God and to His Messiah – one overtly hostile and worldly and one which has a religious face. We are in no different a position today. How do we respond to it? We have the opportunity at seeing how Jesus himself responded to it.

3. Jesus

The responses of Jesus serve as a model to us.

a. Anger. It was clear that Jesus had a judgement of Herod that he was happy for everyone to know. Jesus always calls a spade a spade, and so must we.

b. Steely determination. The “three day” comment is not a reference to the resurrection (except possibly obliquely) but is in fact a Jewish figure of speech to indicate that he will finish his course. What Jesus is saying is that nothing will hinder Him for doing the job that His Father has given Him to do. It is true of Jesus and it is true for us too. If we desire to follow God with all our hearts, there is no opposition that can stop us. The gates of hell will not be able to stand against the church.

c. Compassion. We now see Jesus at His most tender and compassionate. Jesus compares himself to the Mother hen that rushes to protect its flock. Jesus says how longs to do that. Clearly Jesus has in mind the city of the day and their response to Him. It is also reasonable to assume that he refers to the nation of Israel over time. But we can also apply the sentiments to the heart that Jesus has for those who he died for and who are holding out against His love. Jesus longs to pour out his love on men and women…but a response is needed

d. Judgement. Jesus acknowledges the response of the city of Jerusalem and indicates that it will always have its consequences. Rejecting the love of God has devastating consequences for the nation of Israel, for each sinner and for the world, as there is nothing left to protect them against the wrath of God. “Look, your house is left to you desolate” refers to the horrific consequences of rejecting Jesus love. The consequences for the Jews of his generation – who would – with their own eyes see Jerusalem fall – for the Jewish people down the ages, who would experience the consequences of the rejection of God’s Messiah, and on each individual who will have to accept the consequence of their rejection of God.

The words of Isaiah are appropriate:

Why should you be beaten anymore?
Why do you persist in rebellion?
Your whole head is injured,
your whole heart afflicted.
From the sole of your foot to the top of your head
there is no soundness—
only wounds and welts
and open sores,
not cleansed or bandaged
or soothed with olive oil.
Your country is desolate,
your cities burned with fire;
your fields are being stripped by foreigners
right before you,
laid waste as when overthrown by strangers.
Daughter Zion is left
like a shelter in a vineyard,
like a hut in a cucumber field,
like a city under siege. (Isaiah 1)

Is there any hope for those who have rebelled against God?

The good news is that there is. Jesus says “You will not see me until you say ”Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”. This is in fact a very positive message. When anyone actively welcomes Jesus, he will meet them where they are, be their refuge and they can have all the benefits of being part of his family. As He has always wanted to, He spreads his wings over them and tends them. As he says in Revelation 3, he will come and eat with them. The gracious invitation of Jesus for them to be a part of his family is still there. Would it not be extremely foolish to turn down such a gracious offer?

John MacDiarmid
April 2013

Part 2 (21st April 2013) – listen to this sermon (or download – right-click here and ‘Save as’):

Reference: Luke 13 v 22-30

Reading the Easter story on Easter Saturday I came to the part where Joseph of Arimathea goes to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus. And this is the passage that stood out to me: “Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock”.

This was Joseph’s own tomb, a plot of land that he had paid for himself out the wealth that God had given him. He was prepared to take something that was for his own personal use and put it at the disposal of the master – sacrificing his own right to use it.

Today, we are still called to take the things that matter to us, our time, our gifts, our possessions, our families, and to put them at the disposal of Jesus for him to use as he sees fit. Is there anything that Jesus needs today that we can put at his disposal? It will cost us…in the short term…but not in eternity.

There’s a little postscript to this thought: two days later the tomb was empty. Jesus didn’t need it any more. Maybe Joseph got to use it himself after all!

John MacDiarmid
Poole
30 March 2013

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References: Luke 13 v 10-20 and 14 v 1-5

These verses are about the Kingdom of God, and the message from them is simple:

“It’s time to embrace the Kingdom of God”

By the “Kingdom of God”, we mean the rule, the government, the reign of God. The Kingdom of god exists wherever God’s will is done.

The Kingdom of God existed in eternity in the past, where only God’s will was done, and there was nothing but the will of God. We know that at some point in the past Satan led a rebellion against the rule of God, that this rebellion transferred to earth and that now, as John tells us “the whole world has come under the control of the evil one”.
But in the coming of Jesus, the empire struck back! Jesus announced his coming with the words “the Kingdom of heaven is near” and we read that He taught the good news of the Kingdom of God. The great news is that the government of God, the rule of the great, wonderful, awesome, almighty God is available to all who would take hold of it.

The question for each of us is: will we embrace it?

So now to this passage:

1. The Power of the Kingdom of God

In a world that has been without God, the kingdom of God comes with power. What would we expect when the rule of God comes into a situation? We would expect to see, freedom, deliverance, joy, release and truth.

(We have to comment in passing about the references to the evil spirit that is here. Jesus says that this woman has been under the power of Satan for 18 years. Much like someone who says they were bombed by Hitler, it does not mean that Hitler was personally involved in each bomb – it means that he was the power behind it. Likewise, Jesus is not claiming that the woman was possessed by Satan himself, but that Satan was the power behind what happened. In this case though it does appear that a spirit was responsible for what happened, and it is necessary for that spirit to release the victim)

Jesus has come to set the captives free, freedom from sickness, freedom from sin, freedom from judgement, freedom from death…it’s all a part of the package. We know that the kingdom has not come in its totality yet, which is why our freedom in this life is only partial, but it has come…and it is coming.

Jesus brings freedom…are we prepared for it. And are we prepared for the change that it brings into our lives.

2. The Parables of the Kingdom

In these two parables Jesus is showing that the kingdom of God

1. Starts small
2. Grows large
3. Brings shelter, provision and comfort
4. Works internally
5. Is pervasive

3. A Problem for the Kingdom

The synagogue ruler’s reaction is quite incredible! As is the Pharisee’s reaction to the second incident. In fact there is a strong suggestion that the whole thing was a set up to catch Jesus out. But amazing as it is, these people prefer their own rules to the power of God.

There is a Pharisee in all of us. We have to constantly watch out for manifestation of the yeast of the Pharisee in our own lives. And the trouble is that just as yeast spreads throughout the dough, so does the yeast of the Pharisees.

4. The Purpose of the Kingdom

The purpose of the kingdom is for God’s will to be done. That is a response we have to make now. Do we want the Kingdom to come? Do we want God’s will, whatever it may cost? Do we want God’s government to come in the deepest recesses of our lives?

John MacDiarmid
March 2013

Reference: Acts 6-7