March 16, 2025
Pastor John Hering
Luke 13:31-35
Luke 13:31-35
31 In that very hour, some Pharisees came to him and said, “Leave, and go away from here, because Herod wants to kill you.”
32 He said to them, “Go tell that fox, ‘Look, I am going to drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal. 33 Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, because it cannot be that a prophet would be killed outside Jerusalem!’
34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I have wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you will say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
How much does the tremendous sacrifice Jesus made on the cross mean to you? If you say, “It means the world to me,” I might actually agree with you. Because if you’re like me, you spend comparably more time in the world than you do with Christ. Stop and think about it. How much time you spend standing stunned at Jesus’ marvelous sacrifice compared to the time you spend at your job, your family or your personal down time. Dear friends, Jesus has opened the door of heaven for us all and the Lord God is constantly working out all things to bring us to glory in heaven to us through faith in Jesus Christ. There is no getting around it, there is no other way to heaven. Based solely on the numbers of people that do not think it is worth their time and effort to make time to worship Jesus and to meditate on the glory of his cross, then I can’t help but think that the Word of God before us today is just perfect for sinners – for you and for me. I know this because I know it is a huge challenge to follow Jesus and have the entire world as our hated enemy! Yet – you can’t change that. But, Jesus can – and did! As we consider our life as followers of Jesus may the Holy Spirit inspire you to
Stay On The Path That Leads To Your Salvation
That makes us Fellow Sufferers with Christ
In our Old Testament reading today, do you suppose Jeremiah enjoyed having to proclaim God’s truth to people who were rebelling against God? I don’t think so. But, it didn’t stop him because he really loved God and loved God’s people. He didn’t want them to ruin their lives by ignoring God’s will and following the way of the world and end up in hell. The same is true today. We are guilty of pretending to be a Christians. But, when we examine our hearts and it becomes angry when confronted with God’s perfect will, this proves that we have a spiritual problem that needs fixing. It causes spiritual suffering to even think about it. But, you’re in the right place for that fix.
You see, as Jesus was carrying out his ministry the Pharisees kept him under close watch to derail his ministry. Yet, in our text for today we read something rather amazing.
“31 In that very hour, some Pharisees came to him and said, “Leave, and go away from here, because Herod wants to kill you.”
Aren’t you curious why some Pharisees would do this? Well, first, realize who this Herod is, for it is Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee. So, while this sounds like a friendly warning, it was more likely a plot to get Jesus to leave the area ruled by Herod and to move him into Judea. What’s in Judea? Jerusalem. That’s where the Jews’ High Council, the Sanhedrin, had more influence and control. Listen to what Mark adds to our information about Jesus’ early ministry in this area right after he had healed on the Sabbath Day:
“Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus” (Mark 3:6).
Having this information helps us understand Jesus’ reply: “He replied, “Go tell that fox, ….” Jesus knows their hearts. He knows that this was all part of their sly plotting to derail his ministry. Jesus knows that he was living among a world of hatred towards him and his work.
In spite of the evil plotting of the devil and God’s enemies, God’s work must go on. Jeremiah experienced it. Jesus proclaimed it to his enemies,
“32 He said to them, “Go tell that fox, ‘Look, I am going to drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.”
We don’t use the phrase “today and tomorrow” like they did in Jesus’ day. This was a phrase that meant “for a little while yet” and usually had the sense of urgency. Jesus Stayed On The Path That Leads To Our Salvation and it meant he would suffer. When Jesus was finished proclaiming that the Kingdom of God had come, when he had sufficiently trained his disciples, when he had fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies, then he would go to Jerusalem to suffer and die. Then Jesus would rise from the dead and they would know that his work of saving all people from the punishment they deserved for their sins would be completed.
So, while Jesus was not eager to be pushed to Jerusalem by these enemies of the gospel, yet he also realized that he ultimately had to go to Jerusalem to follow his Father’s will. Jesus said,
“33 Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, because it cannot be that a prophet would be killed outside Jerusalem!’”
Jesus knows that his ultimate sacrifice would have to take place in Jerusalem and could not happen prematurely anywhere else. Jerusalem was the center of their worship, their sacrifices and the focal point of their faith. Many times the Lord used Jerusalem to stand for his own people as in Jeremiah—
“Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem? Who will mourn for you? Who will stop to ask how you are” (Jer 15:5).
Jesus is God’s own Sacrifice for all sin, the fulfiller of the OT covenant and Jerusalem was God’s chosen place for Jesus to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! This shows us Jesus’ complete control of the situation, for many times he didn’t allow the hatred of the world to capture him or kill him prematurely because “his hour had not yet come.”
Then Jesus shows us his heart of compassion for the lost.
“34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I have wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”
You probably recognize this lament as the words Jesus repeated over Jerusalem on Palm Sunday when he approached Jerusalem for the last time. But, Jesus speaks these words right in front of the enemies who hated him. Think about it—these were supposed to be the people that were expecting and should have been supporting Jesus and his work. But the devil had so clouded their hearts with the temptation of political control they could not see Jesus as their Savior, nor did they care to support his ministry. Can you imagine the deep sadness in Jesus’ heart as he spoke these words? Jesus came as the Promised Savior but his own religious leaders did not receive him. How sad for them!
Application: How sad for those today who are not gathered together under Jesus’ wing. The winds of the world get in the way and there are too many people and too many times folks just don’t want to be gathered under Jesus’ wing in Word and sacrament. Let us learn from Israel’s history—for we know why Jerusalem rejected Jesus. It was because they had distorted God’s covenant of grace and turned it into a religion of works. They wanted God to do things their way and their stubborn human nature got in the way. They were “not willing,” Jesus said. Every time you place something or someone ahead of Jesus you are also guilty of being “not willing.” No one is forcing you to be connected to Word and Sacrament. But, when you are not motivated by Jesus’ love for you to be connected to Word and Sacrament, then listen carefully to Jesus’ warning for you can’t blame anybody but yourself:
“How often I have wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!“
We recognize the results of constant and willful rejection of Jesus’ love and forgiveness, Jesus spells it out, “Look, your house is left to you desolate. (eremos = like being left by your friends, sheep without a shepherd, wife without her husband).” A house deserted by the Lord God is a house of hell—real hell.
So, dear Christian friends, is suffering with Christ worth it? I don’t know – compared to what? Compared to hell! Stay On The Path That Leads To Salvation even if it means suffering with Christ! We understand the world will come knocking at our door to prioritize sports, family or materialism over Christ. But, today we are reminded that we will enjoy the peace and joy of heaven. There is only one “Way, Truth, and Life” (John 14:6).
Last week during my visit with someone in the hospital we talked how the Lord uses sickness in order to give us the opportunity to practice the fruit of perseverance. In the same way, the Lord lets us experience the hatred of the world as one indicator that we are true followers of Jesus. Have you ever thought that Staying on the Path of Christ that Leads to Your Salvation and the Suffering that comes along with it
Makes us Assured we have Fellowship with Christ
Do you recall when Jesus was in the middle of his High Priestly prayer – the prayer he prayed just before being taken captive? He said,
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you”
John 15:18-19
Jesus tells us why the world hates Christians. It is because of the great difference between God’s people and the devil’s people. When Christians are tempted to be of the world, then they live as the world lives. They cherish the things the world cherishes. And in return the world will love them and not hate or persecute them. But, you know that while we are in the world, we are not of the world. Have a different spirit from the non-Christian world. Serve Christ and have fellowship with him! Reject the evil ways of the world and prioritize your life different from the world. The world serves its master, the devil. You serve your Master, Jesus. Let Jesus’ love for you be the magnet that draws you away from that which the world considers important to Christ crucified and the eternal blessings from Jesus.
Be clear on this point! The Bible proclaims the following two truths. First, it is by the grace of God that you have faith in Jesus. It is all God’s doing for St. Paul said,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith– and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– 9 not by works, so that no one can boast”
Ephesians 2:8,9
Second, the Bible also states that you can lose your faith if you reject Jesus, or allow the cares and concerns of this world to choke it out, for St. Paul also said,
“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!”
1 Corinthians 10:12
No wonder Jesus spoke these words so that the Pharisees could hear it and think about their relationship with God. He is calling them to rethink their situation and their attitude toward Jesus. He wants them to see their willful rejection of Jesus as their Savior, repent and believe in him for forgiveness. Then they could join the crowds in proclaiming, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Jesus would leave them now, but he would meet them again when the hopes of so many people would look to Jesus to be the promised Son of David to reestablish David’s throne and restore Israel to glory. But, they would still reject him and fill their hearts with more hatred toward Jesus.
Application: What does it say to you when you hear that the religiously privileged of Jesus day were the very ones who rejected and opposed Jesus? Certainly it is a warning to us not to harden our hearts as “the church” or as “the faithful members” and expect God to do things “our way!” Our privilege to be God’s people is grossly abused when we use status before the Lord to emphasize how great we are instead of how great and gracious Jesus is.
Conclusion: So, expect the hatred of the world, because I believe you are Children of God. Stay on the Path created by Jesus That Leads To Your Salvation. Prioritize worship over the world, personal Bible time over personal free time and suffering for Jesus’ sake rather than suffering for the world’s sake. All these times of suffering assure us that while we might receive the hatred of the world, we are more importantly receiving the smile of Jesus. Be assured that even at the hand of the hated world, in the end we are part of Jesus eternal kingdom. Stay On The Path Created by Jesus That Leads To Your Salvation As you Suffer with Christ, Assured that You Have Fellowship With Christ. Amen.
