Warnings from the Lord (4)
Thesis: To teach the hearer of the inevitable “divisions” brought about by the gospel, and to have the ability to understand the ramifications of unheeded “warnings,” and the importance of being reconciled unto God while the day of “salvation” is upon us.
Text: Luke 12:49-13:5
Introduction,
In this lesson we will be looking at the final section of the Lord’s teachings on “warnings;” He has thus far warned against incorrect spiritual states, about the lack of trust in God concerning physical “things,” and the dangers of not being faithful, always ready to meet our Maker.
With those things in view, He now reveals some of the harsh realities of being His disciples, how one should be able to recognize Him and His truths as of God, along with the eternal consequences of ignoring such.
In this day we see most Christian sects attempting to soften the Lord’s teachings, attempting to twist them into something that is more palatable to the average person who is in and of the world, to draw them to Christ through the promise of peace and physical blessings in this world (along with that which is to come).
Instead of laying out the truth before them, showing them the vast differences between them that truly follow Christ, and those that merely give Him lip service, whose hearts are far from Him; and warning them to first count the cost, and see, if they are willing to endure the realities of discipleship in a sin darkened world.
Where they are to be shining as lights therein, being rejected by most, and realizing that planet earth is not truly home, making our focus not upon that which is seen, the temporal ever perishing things, but rather looking to that which is unseen, by faith, eternal in the heavens.
And that all the spiritual blessings in those heavenly places are accessed but in one location, that place known as “in Christ,” in His kingdom, His church, His body, which is entered into through faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ (Jn 5:24; 1 Cor 15:1-4; 1 Pet 1:23).
With the gospel (system) in view we will take a closer look into some of the warnings the Lord gives concerning it and its workings, obvious truths that come about from it, and also its limits.
Therefore we will break today’s lesson down into 3 sections . . .
1) The “Results” of the gospel (v 49-53)
2) The “Realities” of the gospel (v 54-57)
3) The “Reconciliation” of the gospel (v 58-13:5)
I. THE “RESULTS” OF THE GOSPEL (Luke 12:49-53)
A. (v 49)
Luk 12:49 "I came to cast fire on the earth, and (what do I desire) would that it were already kindled!
There has been much speculation on just what is this “fire” that Christ speaks of. The word “fire” occurs 547 times in the bible, we may not be able to know specifically what it is, but I believe we can know generally what “fire” is being addressed.
1. We need to remember that the bible is contextual, and that God is not the author of confusion (1 Cor 14:33), and neither is His Son, and contextually the Lord just spoke of the Judgment and the matter of degrees of punishment, therefore this must have something to do with the Final Judgment.
a. This could be speaking of the flaming fire of destruction that will take place at His 2nd coming on the Last Day (2 Thess 1:7-9; 2 Pet 3:10), but that would defeat His purpose as the sinless sacrifice for the sins of mankind, the establishing of the church, and the spread of the gospel unto the ends of the earth, through which individuals can be saved, therefore that “fire” probably is not which is under contemplation.
b. We learn from Jeremiah (Jer 23:29), that God’s word is likened to a fire . . .
Jer 23:29 Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
c. But we should consider one more passage before coming to our conclusion (turn to Mal 3:2-3).
Mal 3:2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap.
Mal 3:3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.
2. This passage speaks of Christ coming to earth, God with us, Immanuel, through His word, God’s word, His teachings, and their sufferings because of adherence to it, He would purify the elect, who would stand before Him in Judgment at His 2nd coming (Ja 1:2-4; 1 Pet 1:6-7, 22-23) . . .
Jas 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
Jas 1:3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
Jas 1:4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
1Pe 1:6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,
1Pe 1:7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1Pe 1:22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,
1Pe 1:23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;
a. And those who heard and chose not to follow Christ, would also be made all the more obvious, as darkness in the world in comparison to those of the light, their hearts would be hardened all the more making their eternal destruction all the more just.
3. And understanding the “fire” in this context as the word of God, specifically the gospel, gives us the key to understanding why The Lord desired that it be “already kindled.”
a. It was already being preached, and therefore that refining process was already taking place, hearts were turning to the Lord and being purified, and others were hardened, tempered, they were the dross (the waste) of a metal refiner’s process, the quicker this spread and was accomplished the quicker His work bore its fruits, and separated the good hearts from the bad.
b. The same is still taking place to this day, the gospel of Christ is like a fire, it separates the good from the bad, it refines, it purifies the hearts of the believing through sufferings and the renewal (Rom 12:2; 2 Cor 4:16; Eph 4:22-24; Col 3:5-10; Tit 3:5).
c. And it will continue until That Day in which God sends His Son to bring His people home, when Christ comes in flaming fire, with His mighty angels (2 Thess 1:7).
d. And on That Day, the day of the Final Judgment, the fiery word of God will be that standard, which determines if one is cast into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, or has an inheritance in the new heavens and new earth, wherein dwells righteousness (John 12:49; Rom 2:16; Rev 20:12), there indeed is much “fire” involved in the things of God.
B. (v 50)
Luk 12:50 (But) I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!
The “baptism” that Jesus speaks of here is likely His “immersion” of suffering and ultimate death upon the cross, we need to keep in mind that when the Word became flesh (John 1:14), He emptied Himself and became as a man (Phili 2:7) in “all things” (Heb 2:17), in other words “in every aspect” and He suffered and struggled as any man would knowing that he would be nailed to one of the most cruel instruments devised by men to bring about one’s death, He knew He had to do it, but He certainly did not look forward to it.
1. We, in a figurative manner, also have to look at our own crucifixion (Rom 6:6; Gal 5:24; 6:14) . . .
Rom 6:6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so, we should no longer be in bondage to sin;
Gal 5:24 And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof.
Gal 6:14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
a. And we, being human also, neither look forward to putting to death the things we have been propagating and living for much of our lives, things that are attached to or promote sin, things that are seen, oftentimes felt and thought of as pleasing, and trading them in for a cross of suffering in this world, by faith, we likewise are in much distress until it be accomplished.
b. Yet it is likened unto a woman in a long drawn-out childbirth, after the child appears, much of what took place before hand is forgotten, and what is to come becomes the focus,
c. We in like manner cannot be looking back at our old lives outside of Christ as “the good ole days” but rather as the days in which we were blinded by Satan, the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4), until the light of the gospel made it easy to see that we indeed were in darkness and separated from the true and living God.
2. Therefore (Col 3:1-4) . . .
Col 3:1 If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth.
Col 3:3 For you died, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall you also with him be manifested in glory.
C. (v 51)
Luk 12:51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.
Jesus is referred to as “the Prince of peace” (Isa 9:6), He stated “My peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you” (John 14:27), His faithful followers posses “the peace of God which surpasses all understanding” (Phili 4:7).
1. But in a sinful world, those that have their feet “shod with the gospel of peace” will be looked upon with disdain by many, considering the righteous to be opposed to them, and at war with them, as did Cain towards his brother Able (1 John 3:11-13) . . .
1Jn 3:11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
1Jn 3:12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous.
1Jn 3:13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.
2. Yet we as Christians (Christ followers/imitators) are to love all, no matter what, even our enemies (Mt 5:44), thus their conception about us is incorrect, for we are to make a distinction between loving the people, and hating what God hates, theirs (and our) sins (Heb 1:9).
a. And so to tell them we love them enough to expose and reprove them of sin, and pointing them to Christ, some have a hard time understanding this deep kind of love, they think that if we hate what they do, we must also hate them.
b. But that is simply not the case, we who have been enlightened by the gospel see things they don’t, and do things they don’t do, for love’s sake, and for theirs, and for God’s, as Paul wrote (Gal 4:16).
Gal 4:16 Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?
c. Of course not, for it is by that Truth that one is set free (John 8:32).
Joh 8:32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
3. Therefore we need to remember that the gospel brings peace between God and individuals, which brings about peace of mind, and peace with one’s death with the Day of Judgment in view, but the peace the world gives, outward peace, for the most part, will not, be part of the faithful’s lot here upon the earth, if fact we are told just the opposite (Mk 10:29-30; 2 Tim 3:12; John 15:18-19) . . .
Mar 10:29 Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel,
Mar 10:30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.
2Ti 3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
Joh 15:18 "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
Joh 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
a. But the Christian’s hope, looking to the end of our earthly sojourn, to the things above, eternal in the heavens, the hope of heaven, sustains us through the hardships brought upon us in this Christ-hating (antichrist) world (John 16:33).
Joh 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."
b. In Christ, through Christ’s work, which is accessed by the means of His gospel, through faith we can overcome the obstacles that will keep many out of heaven (1 Jn 5:4),
1Jn 5:4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
c. Let us set our sights thereon (1 Pet 1:3-4) . . .
1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4 unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you,
D. (v 52-53)
Luk 12:52 For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three.
Luk 12:53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
Christ’s ultimate intention is not to bring about this kind of strife and division, nor are His followers to have a spirit of strife, but rather it is because of the Truth (Jn 17:17), that is resisted by most, that which the faithful are compelled by the Spirit within them to live and speak, which brings about these divisions.
1. This prophecy teaches us that the gospel will cut across family lines, the spirit of antichrist will be inherent in families from the world working on individual’s hearts, people are not converted as families (even though the religions of men tend to promote this), but rather as individuals, sadly Jesus’ prophecy here has been fulfilled in every community and in every family in which the truth of the gospel has been preached, and very few are exempt from this hardship brought on from the clutches of sin.
a. For the Truth as taught by Jesus is opposed to error, there can be no compromise of the Truth (Jn 17:17), Satan knows that “blood is thicker than water” and compromising with error takes one away from the Truth, thus the devil will attempt to use family members as tools in motivating Christians to compromise, soften, even change, the once and for all delivered faith (Jude 3),
b. This can be seen in families today who have members that are homosexuals or lesbians or have had or try to accept abortion and try to in various ways to make these seem acceptable to God in their sins.
c. But every soul converted to Christ must love Him more than one does any and all family members, for He stated (Mt 10:34-37) . . .
Mat 10:34 "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. (That would be the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; Eph 6:17)
Mat 10:35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
Mat 10:36 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household.
Mat 10:37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
2. Therefore the purifying, the suffering, and the dividing, are all “results” that are assured to come upon all those that partake in truth of the gospel of Christ
a. We are warned of this by Master Himself
b. So let us brace ourselves by being in earnest prayer in the Spirit unto God
c. By studying and applying of God’s living and active word to our lives
d. In order that we will be able through God working in us and through us (Phili 2:13), to withstand these tests, these onslaughts, unto eternal life.
II. THE “REALITIES” OF THE GOSPEL (Luke 12:54-57)
A. (v 54-55)
Luk 12:54 He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, 'A shower is coming.' And so it happens.
Luk 12:55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, 'There will be scorching heat,' and it happens.
The people of that day were able to properly interpret the information concerning the weather, as today.
1. When the clouds built up to the west over the Mediterranean, they knew it would soon be showering, when the wind began to come out of the south, blowing across the desert, they also were able to assume a heat wave would be soon approaching.
a. They were able to do this because they applied themselves to the study of it, in like manner today we who are born again ought to search and study the scriptures daily in order that we may spiritually discern the things that take place in our lives, for even in this day God is actively working (1 Cor 2:12-16).
1Co 2:12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
1Co 2:13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
1Co 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
1Co 2:15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.
1Co 2:16 "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
B. (v 56)
Luk 12:56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret (analyze) the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret (analyze) the present time?
1. God has given individuals varying degrees of common abilities, and He expects them and us to use these abilities (Isa 1:18), not only in things such as determining the weather, but also in things directly concerning the gospel of Christ.
a. Col 1:16 states that “all things were created by Him and For Him” and that includes us and our reasoning abilities.
2. The Jews were intrusted with the oracles of God (Rom 3:2), they should have known from study of the OT prophecies that the coming of the Messiah, and the kingdom of God, was at hand.
a. The weeks of Daniel were expiring (Dan 9; 70 sevens, 490 years from the decree of Cyrus)
b. The fullness of time (the days of those kings, the fourth in the succession of world powers, the Roman kings; Dan 2) was there.
c. That great preacher, John the Baptist, the Elijah that was to come, had come (Mal 4).
d. The scepter (national sovereignty and the right to exercise judicial power) had departed from Judah (Gen 49:10), thus Shiloh (the Messiah) should have been about to come.
3. And a host of other prophecies were fulfilled and in place for Christ’s coming, they should had a welcoming committee waiting for Him, but instead they rejected Him, which was also prophesied (Ps 22; Isa 53).
a. And the worse part of it is that I believe that many did know it was Him, yet they were hypocrites, they pretended to know not that He was the Christ of God, but rather they killed Him because of “envy” (Mt 27:18), not blasphemy as they claimed, this was in view of their religious system and their high standing therein which would be brought to an end in the New Covenant under Christ (Jer 31:31-34) where the lowest is the highest.
C. (v 57)
Luk 12:57 "And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?
Why did they not correctly discern (or pretend not to)? For the same reasons many do not today!
1. Because Jesus wasn’t what they were looking for, He wasn’t David and Solomon all wrapped up into one nice neat package, He didn’t come to free them physically from Roman oppression, but rather change their hearts in order that they could endure any and all oppressions faithfully.
a. He didn’t come to give them their land back, with a vineyard and a fig tree in every yard, but rather to give them the faith which would enable them to endure in the face of the fiercest persecutions, not homes, not lands, but eternal blessings in the heavenly places by faith, if they endured.
b. He doesn’t promise physical peace, but spiritual peace, that which transcends both earth and heaven itself
2. This didn’t sit well with most in that day, and it don’t sit well with most today.
a. Thus we see the multitudes of differing groups claiming to be followers of Christ, but promising and looking for nothing He promised nor gives, looking for earthly, carnal things, it is written concerning those that are Christians who mind earthly things ahead of the things above (Phili 3:18-20a) . . .
Phi 3:18 For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
Phi 3:19 whose end is perdition (destruction), whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.
Phi 3:20a For our citizenship is in heaven!
3. Today some promise miraculous gifts which confirm nothing, but merely are meant to heal the physically sick who would eventually get sick again and ultimately die, while Christ promised to eternally heal their souls.
a. They promise an earthly kingdom in which His followers would rule over others with Him, yet He states the lowest, the beaten down, are the highest.
b. They display pomp and ceremony that are designed to appeal to the physical senses in order to promote godliness, while He appeals to one’s spirit in simplicity, purity, being exclusively humbly set apart to God unto eternal life.
c. Some promise unlimited freedom to do whatever you fancy and you’ll still be saved, but He states to “strive” to inherit eternal life, to “do” the will of the Father, to “workout” one’s salvation with trembling and fear.
d. They say there are no chains of authority, all are on even ground in all aspects of one’s physical life, but He commands that children, women, husbands, and all, to submit humbly to those set in authority by God over them, looking for heavenly credit for such, and when severely wronged, knowing that we are called to this as imitators of Christ.
e. Some teach that if one will give physical gifts to others, you will be rich by earthly standards, with lear jets, mansions, and yachts, living among the rich and famous, but He states when we give our physical possessions to help others who are in need, we accrue “heavenly” rewards that will never perish, nor likely be seen in this life.
f. We could go on and on, but the point is this, one can see what the bible plainly teaches, it promotes God, Christ, others, faith, hope and love, it teaches that we must be humble and submissive, and expect to be persecuted from all sides, but to only attack back spiritually, with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, being earnest in prayer in the Spirit unto the Father through Jesus, learning to use that which comes against us inwardly and outwardly to grow closer to God.
g. And as we apply God’s will to our lives, we know that all that the bible states indeed is true, and can’t believe why others can’t see the same, it is because they don’t “judge (discern) what is right”, they are hypocritical and living in the doctrines of men, instead of living lives based upon the “realities of the gospel.”
III. THE “RECONCILIATION” OF THE GOSPEL (Luke 12:58-13:5)
A. (v 58)
Luk 12:58 As you go with your accuser (adversary) before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison.
Here Jesus concludes His teachings with a short parable, and a great one it is, in light of the numerous warnings, this last one is of the most importance.
1. The adversary, accuser or opponent here is the Holy Spirit, Who convicts us of our sins and puts a need to be forgiven of them in our hearts (Jn 16:8) . . .
Joh 16:8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
a. When we hear and believe the gospel message we receive the Holy Spirit (Gal 3:2; Eph 1:13) Who works on our hearts through that message, “Jesus died for our sins” (1 Cor 15:3), this teaches that we have sins, and prompts us to respond because of them.
2. Most looked for and wanted to follow the Christ, but not Him, they were His enemies, we in like manner have made ourselves the enemies of God by loving and mimicking the world (Ja 4:4; 1 Jn 2:15) . . .
Jas 4:4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
1Jn 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
a. For all accountable are guilty in his sight (Rom 3:23).
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
b. Therefore prior to our belief in the gospel of Christ we were indeed at odds, separated from a most holy God because of our sins (Isa 59:2; Rom 3:23).
Isa 59:2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
3. The “way” here is one’s life upon this earth, the Lord’s says the redeemed will be those that are enabled to navigate successfully the difficult way by the enabling power of the Spirit (Mt 7:13-14; Rom 8:7-9) . . .
Mat 7:13 "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
Mat 7:14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Rom 8:7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.
Rom 8:8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Rom 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
a. Note that the party is assumed to be guilty, again, the bible teaches that “all” the accountable are (Ps 130:3).
Psa 130:3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
b. And this guilty party is told to give diligence to (be quit), to settle, the matter out of court.
c. Because if they do go before the Judge (Who is Christ; John 5:27), they will surely be found guilty, and according to the due order of the law they will be cast into prison by the officer which is a reference to the Holy angels (Mt 13:49-50) . . .
Mat 13:49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous
Mat 13:50 and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
B. (v 59)
Luk 12:59 I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny (cent; mite)."
And when cast therein, one’s release will not come about until the debt is paid in full.
1. But the problem is the debt is to be paid with our lives, physical and spiritual (Ezek 18:20) . . .
Eze 18:20 The soul that sins, it shall die . . .
a. (Rom 6:23a) . . .
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death;
b. Physical death is the separation of body and spirit (Ja 2:26), spiritual death is separation of man and God (Isa 59:2).
Jas 2:26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
Isa 59:2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
c. And there are no 2nd chances (reincarnation; Heb 9:27) . . .
Heb 9:27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,
d. And there is no crossing over (Luke 16:26) . . .
Luk 16:26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm (gulf) has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.'
2. “Until you have paid the very last penny (mite)” does not seem to teach that the payment will be made, and then release will come, but rather it refers to “no mercy” being shown, the debt will be paid in full (Mt 25:46a; 13:49-50; Rev 20:15).
Mat 25:46 And these shall go away into eternal punishment . . .
Mat 13:49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous
Mat 13:50 and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
Rev 20:15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
C. (v 13:1)
Luk 13:1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
Evidently those who Jesus was preaching to, were not applying His teachings to themselves, but rather they attempted to apply it to others, who they supposed were perhaps more wicked than themselves, those who were slaughtered by the command of Pontius Pilate while they were attempting to sacrifice for their sins.
D. (v 13:2-5)
Luk 13:2 And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?
Luk 13:3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Luk 13:4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?
Luk 13:5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."
The truth is sin is sin, all are guilty before God, and sin separates one from a most holy God (Isa 59:2; 1 Pet 3:12b), there are degrees of punishment, but all unreconciled sinners perish, they are lost forever, separated from God and His blessings for eternity, committed to eternal punishment.
1. This word “perish” here is “appolumi” and is used of the “lost” sheep, the “lost” coin, and the “lost” prodigal son who was reconciled to his Father, it denotes “to perish, to be lost, ruined, destroyed” “metaphorically to devote or give over to eternal misery in hell” (Thayer’s Greek definitions).
a. Thus one should seriously consider to give the utmost diligence to appropriate the “reconciliation of the gospel” while they are “on the way” in other words, while they are “in this life,”
b. For today is the day of salvation, by the means of that one and only power of God which enables one to be reconciled to our heavenly Father, the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Rom 1:16), before they too, have to pay, “the very last cent.”
Conclusion,
First we looked at some of the “results of the gospel” (v 49-53), it is likened to a “fire” it purifies its adherents from sin, making them spotless before God, and it makes the dross, the impurities, those that follow the flesh more visible, and this division has, does, and will transcend and divide families and other relationships, because of sin, the ways of the world, not because of God.
Then we looked into the seemingly harsh “realities of the gospel” (v 54-57), the Jews of Jesus’ day heard the truth, they but they were hypocritical, they had different plans, different goals, a different religion; today, as then, there was and is but one Way (John 14:6), one Faith (Eph 4:5), one Truth (John 17:17), and all other ways lead to spiritual demise (Pro 14:12; Jer 10:23).
And lastly we looked at the “reconciliation of the gospel” (v 58-13:5), the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men (Tit 2:11; Jesus Christ and His sin forgiving, soul saving gospel),
All need it, both Jew and Gentile alike, none accountable are going to heaven without it, today is the day of salvation, while we are still on “the way,” in our lives, which we are told are but vapors upon this earth, and it’s the same for all, and has been for almost 2,000 years, according to once and for all time delivered faith (Jude 3) . . .
One is to . . .
Hear the Word of God (Acts 2:37; Rom 10:17) this how the Father plants the word, the seed of the kingdom (Lk 8:11), within the good ground, that good, honest and open heart.
One is to . . .
Believe that Jesus died for our sins, was raised from the dead, and ascended into Heaven, and that we have a living hope of following Him (1 Cor 15:1-4; 23; 1 Pet 1:3-4), belief (faith) is the crossover point (Jn 5:24) wherein one enters into the process of “being saved” (Lk 13:23; Acts 2:46; 1 Cor 1:18; 15:2; 2 Cor 2:15)
Joh 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
And one is not to stop there, but rather continue in the process of “being saved” (Lk 13:23; Acts 2:46; 1 Cor 1:18; 15:2; 2 Cor 2:15) . . .
One is to . . .
Repent of sins, (Acts 17:30; Luke 13:3, 5), Repentance is a change of mind that results in a changed life, a life
that is likened unto Christ’s, Whom we follow (Jn 14:6; 1 Cor 11:1)
One is to . . .
Confess Jesus as the Christ to others (Acts 8:37; Rom 10:9), if you are ashamed of Christ and His words, He will be ashamed of you on That Day (Luke 9:26), this is how God propagates His kingdom (Mt 28:19-20).
One is to . . .
Be baptized (immersed) into Christ (Gal 3:27) into the death of Christ (Rom 6:3) where His precious blood was shed (John 19:34) unto (for) the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16), it is the point where one is to be dead to the practice of sin and alive unto God (Rom 6:1-11).
And finally one is to . . . Live a holy life (1 Pet 1:15), and “knowing” what being “holy” is, “separated” “set-apart” “from” the ways of the world and “to” the Way of God (2 Cor 6:14-7:1), doing, practicing the will of the Father, being “doers” of the word (Ja 1:22) in order that you won’t have your name blotted out the book of life (Rev 3:5), that we may enter into the eternal phase of the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet 1:10-11)
2Pe 1:10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
2Pe 1:11 For in this Way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.