"Don’t Miss the Kingdom"
Luke 13:18-35
A sermon for 10/9/22
Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Pastor John Bright
Luke 13 22 And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ 26 then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ 27 But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. 29 They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. 30 And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”
Pause right there. Those words I just read; they were “Breathed by God”! God wants you to hear His Word right now! So, what is your response? Do you want to transformed by that Word or do you want to be informed about the words? You must choose.
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As we get to this point in Luke, Jesus is giving warning after warning that the time is coming when it will be too late to be a part of the Kingdom of God. What’s that? Well, first it is God’s – not ours. Secondly, it’s far larger than we can ever understand. Here’s a little teaching - “Broadly speaking, the kingdom of God is the rule of an eternal, sovereign God over all the universe. Several passages of Scripture show that God is the undeniable Monarch of all creation: “The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all” (Psalm 103:19). And, as King Nebuchadnezzar declared, “His kingdom is an eternal kingdom” (Daniel 4:3). Every authority that exists has been established by God (Romans 13:1). So, in one sense, the kingdom of God incorporates everything that is.”
“More narrowly, the kingdom of God is a spiritual rule over the hearts and lives of those who willingly submit to God’s authority. Those who defy God’s authority and refuse to submit to Him are not part of the kingdom of God; in contrast, those who acknowledge the lordship of Christ and gladly surrender to God’s rule in their hearts are part of the kingdom of God. In this sense, the kingdom of God is spiritual—Jesus said His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36), and He preached that repentance is necessary to be a part of the kingdom of God (Matthew 4:17). That the kingdom of God can be equated with the sphere of salvation is evident in John 3:5–7, where Jesus says the kingdom of God must be entered into by being born again. See also 1 Corinthians 6:9.” https://www.gotquestions.org/kingdom-of-God.html
The Parables, v.18-21
Luke 13 18 Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”
20 And again He said, “To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”
There is an old saying in the Church – “Do not despise the day of small beginnings.” It is based on the beginning of Zechariah 4:10. It’s a reminder that many things start off small and grow to be larger than you could imagine. Look at the apple seed. You can count the number of seeds in an apple but you have no idea how many apples are in that seed. The apple tree can live for well over 25 years producing apples season after season and it all comes from one seed.
Here, we see Jesus comparing the Kingdom of God with a “small beginning” – a mustard seed and some yeast. Both of these parables point to slow and steady growth that spreads and spreads. We find similar parables in Matthew 13 and Mark 4. Jesus describes yeast being added to about 50 pounds of flour. That’s a lot of flour! God is working to increase HIS KINGDOM from generation to generation.
What do we pray every week? The Lord’s Prayer includes this – “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Here’s what we have figure out as a local congregation – what is God trying to build and spread? Are we hindering that work or helping God in that work?
The Warning, v. 22-30
Luke 13 22 And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ 26 then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ 27 But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. 29 They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. 30 And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”
Here comes ANOTHER warning! This one comes after a question and is given in the form of a parable. The question is really – does everybody get in? That’s the pernicious L-I-E in the church of today. Today, many Believers have been dining at what we call the Spiritual Smorgasbord. They have taken a little of this religion and a little of that religion and mix it with a little tiny bit of the Bible. One teaching they push back against is found in John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” You see – that’s the narrow gate and the Universalism others in the church want to proclaim is a recipe for “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
For those Jews listening to Jesus, the warning was it will be too late when your leaders have me arrested and you yell “Crucify Him!” In this parable, Jesus is the one who will shut the door. Then it will be Gentiles that come from the four corners of the earth to be a part of the Kingdom of God. As I have mentioned before – this inclusion of others would have been hard for those Jews to grasp because they believed they were God’s Chosen People. They really were. God chose them to receive the Messiah – the Son of God in flesh and they will be ones that reject Him.
What about us? What about today? Each and every person who is alive today has the opportunity to turn to God and be saved through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross of Calvary. If you do not turn – that’s your choice. This offer of salvation has a couple of expiration dates. It’s too late (the door is shut) when you breath your last breath. I have no idea how many times I shared this scripture on a Sunday morning:
2 Corinthians 6 “1 We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For He says:
“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
Why is today the day of salvation? You have no idea if you have tomorrow to accept the free gift offered by God. Nobody is promised tomorrow. Have you heard that before? Repeat it after me - nobody is promised tomorrow. Am I promised tomorrow? NO! Are you promised tomorrow? NO!
What’s the other expiration date? We read about the return of Christ in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18. Then, Paul gives this word to the early church: 1 Thessalonians 5 “1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.”
That expiration date comes with no warning – just like the first one. That’s why we need to be assured of our salvation and keep working out our sanctification. That’s how we will be part of the Kingdom of God. Do you need to make any decision today?
The Lament of Jesus, v.31-35
Luke 13 31 On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.” 32 And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’ 33 Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.”
34 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one 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 brood under her wings, but you were not willing! 35 See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
There is no stopping the work that Jesus came to do. Herod can make threats against Him and it won’t make any difference in what Jesus is doing – “I cast out demons and perform cures.” I don’t want to sound like a broken record – BUT – if the ministry of Jesus was supernatural, why have we cast aside the supernatural in our day? The Believers that make up the Body of Christ today have the same Holy Spirit in them that was in Jesus. I shared John 14:6 already. A few verses later Jesus told His disciples this – “12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”
Unfortunately, the Prosperity Gospel folks have turned this Word around and made it all about getting the stuff I want from God. What I think it really points to is how we can be Christ to others and give them what they need – being set free and healed by the power of the Holy Spirit. We can offer this to folks today. We must offer this to folks today. Otherwise – we could be the Lions Club or the Ruritan Club.
The reading for today closes with Jesus’ lament for Jerusalem. He knows what is coming and what will happen there – Matthew 21 “8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
Hosanna in the highest!”
What would Jesus’ lament be for the Church today? When I think about this, I remember a quote from John Wesley – “I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out.”
Each one of us has this choice to make – do you want the form of religion (which I believe is NOT the Kingdom of God) or do you want the power of God manifest in our midst? Option two is the spreading of the Kingdom of God in the culture today. It is a move of God that creates a great tree that will be inviting to those who need shelter and it is a move of God that will leaven all we say and do. God can use each one of us to take His Spirit into the community and share His love for all humanity. What will that look like in this new season for our church? I don’t know, but I’m excited to see what God is going to do next! Amen!
TEACHING SHEET
"Don’t Miss the Kingdom"
Luke 13:18-35
10/9/22
This is a good article on the Kingdom of God:
https://www.gotquestions.org/kingdom-of-God.html
The Parables, v.18-21
There is an old saying in the Church – “Do not despise the day of small beginnings.” Zechariah 4:10. Here, we see Jesus comparing the Kingdom of God with a “small beginning” – a mustard seed and some yeast. Both of these parables point to slow and steady growth that spreads and spreads.
“Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
What is God trying to build and spread?
Are we hindering that work or helping God in that work?
The Warning, v. 22-30
Does everybody get in? That’s the pernicious L-I-E in the church of today. John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
For those Jews listening to Jesus, the warning was it will be too late when your leaders have me arrested and you yell “Crucify Him!” In this parable, Jesus is the one who will shut the door. Then it will be Gentiles that come from the four corners of the earth to be a part of the Kingdom of God.
What about us? What about today? Each and every person who is alive today has the opportunity to turn to God and be saved through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross of Calvary. If you do not turn – that’s your choice.
When will it be too late?
• When you breath your last breath. 2 Corinthians 6:1-2
• When Jesus returns (the Rapture) 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18
Then, Paul gives this word to the early church: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10 “2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. That expiration date comes with no warning – just like the first one. That’s why we need to be assured of our salvation and keep working out our sanctification. That’s how we will be part of the Kingdom of God.
Do you need to make any decision today?
The Lament of Jesus, v.31-35
If the ministry of Jesus was supernatural, why have we cast aside the supernatural in our day? The Believers that make up the Body of Christ today have the same Holy Spirit in them that was in Jesus. John 14:12-14
John Wesley – “I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out.”
God is creating a great tree that will be inviting to those who need shelter and God desires to leaven all we say and do. God can use each one of us to take His Spirit into the community and share His love for all humanity. What will that look like in this new season for our church? I don’t know, but I’m excited to see what God is going to do next! Amen!
