Straight Talking

Amen. I'm pleased to have a seat. Can everybody hear me okay? There I am. Excellent. Well,

my name is Graham, the pastor here at the church, and it's a real joy to welcome you

here, especially perhaps if this is your first time here, spoken to a few new folks. You're

so welcome. We just hope you have a really encouraging time with us this morning, and

particularly as we come to God's words now. So, can I invite you to turn back to Luke

Luke 13 · chapter mention

chapter 13 and those verses that Alice read for us earlier. So, we're going to camp out

this morning as we get back into Luke. But as we come to God's word now, why don't

we just pause and let's pray together. Father, we thank you so much for your goodness. Lord,

you are a good, good God. And we thank you so much for the privilege it is to gather, Lord,

as your people this morning and to sing your praises. Thank you for the truths that are included

in those songs that we are singing, that we've been reminding ourselves that you are a big

God. You are the creator of the ends of the earth, and you are worthy of all praise.

And so, as we turn to your words now, Father, we pray that you would speak deep into our lives,

that we would leave here this morning, Father, changed because we've encountered you.

So, Father, be with us now, we ask for your glory. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Amen. One of the TV shows that Alex, my wife, and I love to watch is called Dragon's Den. I don't know

if anyone else here loves a bit of Dragon's Den. But one of the stars of Dragon's Den, my favorite

guy on the show, is this man. He's called Peter Jones. I just look at this guy. He's not great.

Six foot seven. Highly intelligent. Sharp dresser. Self-made millionaire. Oh, he's a cracking guy.

Do you know why people love this man? They love Peter Jones because he's got a reputation for being

a straight talker. In fact, so loved is he for this, that when it was rumored this time last year

that he might run for prime minister, he was interviewed on this morning. I don't watch this

morning, but he was interviewed on this morning, Philip Schofield, because he was thinking about

becoming prime minister. Somebody tweeted in, I'd love Peter Jones to be prime minister.

He wouldn't mince his words. He'd tell us exactly how it is, and that's what we need. Hashtag this

morning. I don't know about you, but maybe it's just a Scott in me that I love a straight talker.

Love a straight talker. In our world of photoshopping, in our world of spin doctoring, I find it

so refreshing when somebody just tells me the truth of how things are. And what we're going

to see this morning as we get into Luke 13 is we're going to hear three truths from the

straight talking Jesus. Three truths from the straight talking Jesus. So if you've got Luke

13 there, let me just, before we dive into it, and particularly since we've taken a break

from Luke over the summer, it's worth getting our bearings as to where we are in Luke's story.

And so by way of quickly refreshing our memories, let me just draw your attention as we kind

of skim the first 13 chapters to two words. And they both begin with C, because I love

alliteration. Here's the first C. It has to do with the reason why Luke has written his

gospel in the first place, and it's the word certainty. Luke has written this account,

this gospel for Theophilus, this man who's commissioned him to go and do a bit of detective work.

So, Luke, if you go and research the facts, if you uncover every stone, if you speak to

the witnesses, if you hunt from top to bottom, and if you present that to me, then I can know

for myself the truth about this man Jesus Christ. And Luke, the good doctor that he is, he's done

just that, and he's put this material together in a way that is coherent and logical so that

Theophilus can have confidence that Jesus is who he says he is. Now, the second C has to

do with where we are in the story. That's the word cross. Verse 21 of chapter 9, maybe you

just want to skim there, back a few pages. Jesus is resolutely on his way to the city of Jerusalem,

Jerusalem, where he's going to go and he's going to offer up his life of his free will on the cross.

And so, on his way to Jerusalem, as he's been encountering people, he's been teaching both his

disciples and the watching world what it means to truly follow after him. So, that's the big question

of where we are in Luke's gospel at this point. What does it mean to follow this king? And straight

off the back, and I suggest that that is a wonderful question to ask yourself this morning.

What does it truly mean to follow after this king? So, it's into this backdrop that Jesus delivers his

three straight-talking truths. Now, if you want to follow along this morning, the first truth is found

at verses 1 to 9, and it's a truth for the people. So, we pick up the story, travel with me, verse 1,

with Jesus, who at this point in time is gaining both in popularity and he's raising eyebrows.

He's confronted by some people desperate to know his take on current events. Now, we don't know much

about the specifics of these events, but the people know, check it out, that Pilate, the Roman official,

has had some Galileans put to death. And Jesus knows of a similar tragedy and Siloam when a tower has collapsed,

killing 18 people. Real lives have been lost here, and real pain has been suffered here.

And as you can imagine, there's some real questions to be asked here.

And the people must have been asking Jesus, why did this happen? Why did this happen? It's a real question.

But we need to get to the mindset behind their question. I was trying to ask myself this week in preparation,

trying to put myself in the shoes of these people who are asking Jesus, what answer are they looking for?

What are they wanting Jesus to clarify? And even though the people don't say it,

Jesus hears this mindset in their voices, and he knows that it's lurking in their hearts.

Because they look on at current events, and they think that these people, these Galileans,

must have done something so horrible in the sight of God, for God to allow something so horrible

to happen to them. Let's flip it another way around, the equation.

It's that extraordinary tragedy equals extraordinary guilt.

So they look at these current events, and that is how they perceive what has happened.

That's how they understand what has happened.

And if you think about it, by implication then, that means because I'm alright,

because I'm not suffering like these people have suffered,

it must mean that I'm doing alright.

It must mean I'm doing okay.

I don't know if you...

I mean, really, it's just karma playing out, isn't it, in religious dress?

It's karma.

I don't know if you've reminded me this week of the old saying about the karma restaurant,

where you go and there's no menus, you just get served what you deserve.

This is karma.

This is how people view and understand these current events.

And so they ask Jesus, what do you make of this Jesus?

Tell us how we're supposed to understand this.

And this week of all weeks, I guess that is a very real and a very raw question, is it not?

As we look at our news, as we look at Hurricane Irma causing devastation in the Caribbean,

and as we look at the strongest earthquake in a decade hitting Mexico,

what was it, killing 60 people?

And if you look at the floods in Houston that happened only a couple of weeks ago,

and this question all of a sudden becomes really raw and really live, doesn't it?

And so I guess as a reader looking onto this,

I'm really interested to see how the one through whom all creation was made answers that question.

How is Jesus going to answer this question?

Is he going to be like a politician?

Is he going to duck the question and answer another one?

Is that the thing that's what I would have done?

Is he going to duck it? No.

Do you see how he emphatically answers that question?

No.

No.

And Jesus, the master teacher that he is,

he answers their question by telling them not only that they are asking the wrong question,

but he directs them towards asking the right question.

The question is not primarily,

why do these things happen in life?

Although that is a real question.

The question you need to be asking yourself is,

what does the fact that these things happen in life tell you about life?

You know, it was C.S. Lewis who said that pain is God's megaphone to rouse a deaf world.

Time is short.

This is what Jesus is saying.

Life is fragile.

And the world is not as it was created to be.

And the most urgent issue, says Jesus,

it's not other people's souls.

It's your soul.

If you don't get right with God, you too are going to,

what's the word he uses?

Perish.

If you don't get right with God,

the reality check here for these people is that judgment is coming for you.

One day you will stand before your creator.

And so will you listen to God on his megaphone?

Rico Tice, the author of The Christianity Explored,

tells this story about how he was swimming in Australia one time.

Really wanted to go swimming.

So off he gets with his top.

Down he heads to the water.

He's all about to jump in.

And his friend shouts over,

Rico, what are you doing?

And Rico says, I really want to go for a swim.

And his friend points to a sign that says,

Shark's Danger.

And Rico says, I really want to go for a swim.

And his friend says, well, listen, you do whatever you want, mate.

You do whatever you want.

But you've got to ask yourself at some point,

is that warning sign there to kill your joy?

Or is it there to save your life?

And that's exactly how Jesus' words come to these first hearers

and exactly how they come to us this morning.

Here is a loving warning from the King of Kings.

And what does he call on people to do?

Repent.

Greek word there, metanoia.

Present tense word, turn.

Turn from trusting in yourself and living for yourself.

Realize the road that you're on.

And turn and trust in and live for God.

For what is it we were singing earlier?

For he alone can rescue.

And as if to drive home this point,

he tells them this parable of verse 6

of a man who owns a vineyard.

In that vineyard there was a fig tree

and that fig tree is just not performing as it should.

The tree should have been full of fruit,

but year after year he comes back

and he looks on this tree

and he's just massively disappointed.

How long has this tree had in the passage?

Three years.

Quite rightly, the owner questions,

why should this unproductive tree

continue to take up space in my vineyard?

The vine dresser pleads the case of the fig tree,

convinces the owner to give it another year,

and we're not hopeful,

but the fig tree has one more year to produce fruit.

And like that unfruitful fig tree,

the invitation to the people

is to take advantage of the grace,

the space for grace before judgment comes.

First truth from the straight-talking Jesus,

time is short.

Time is short.

I don't want to dwell too long here this morning.

I want to allow Jesus' words to speak for themselves,

except to ask you to ponder in the quietness

of your own heart

whether you need to do business with God this morning.

And if you think about it,

the very fact that God in the flesh,

Jesus Christ,

has come down to find us,

has stepped into our mess

to tell us this,

is quite amazing.

the lengths that God has gone to

to get this message to us.

Why?

Because he loves us.

And the lengths went further still

as this man,

this man who presents this warning,

is on his way to the cross

to do what?

To lay down his life,

to die for people's sins

so that we could be reconciled

to the God who made us.

That is the first truth,

and that is a heavy truth this morning,

the first truth from the straight-talking Jesus.

is that time is running out.

It's a truth for the people.

Second truth, verses 10 to 17,

is a truth for the leaders.

Verse 10,

Jesus is teaching in the synagogue

one Sabbath day,

and who does he see there?

He sees a woman.

Now it's really interesting,

if you want to follow it with me,

look how Luke tells this story.

What does he know about this woman?

What are we told about this woman?

That she was disabled.

Verse 11,

she was bent over,

and she could not stand up.

Now how long has she been like that?

She's been like it 18 years.

Now that's a long time.

18 years.

Just picture that in your mind.

18 years.

Got some students here this morning,

that is four and a half degrees.

18 years.

This woman has been like this.

And we've got to say,

this woman as we meet her here,

doesn't have an awful lot going for her.

In fact, she epitomizes everything

that Luke has been telling us so far

about those who are lowly,

about those who are poor.

And notice that Jesus sees her.

And there's a wonderful truth there,

that this woman didn't come forward to Jesus

asking him to help her out.

The initiative here is all of Jesus.

It is all of Jesus.

And is that not a wonderful truth

to ponder this morning?

That he came down to find us.

The initiative is all his in this passage.

Jesus sees her,

and he has compassion on her.

He speaks to her.

He lays his hand on her,

as if to signify,

I'm getting involved in this woman's pain.

And he heals her.

Now it is a beautiful Christ

that we're presented with in these verses.

A wonderful Jesus.

Luke wants us to see that.

Jesus gets involved in this woman's pain.

He heals her.

Here is another miracle announcing

that the kingdom of God is here.

Why?

Because Jesus the King is here.

And what is the result?

She glorifies God.

Glorifies God.

Worship fills the synagogue.

And we're thinking,

yes, hallelujah.

But not everybody feels that worship.

Not everybody feels that sense of joy.

Verse 14.

We're introduced to this synagogue ruler.

And look how Luke describes him.

He's not just indifferent

to what Jesus has done.

He's indignant at what Jesus has done.

We get the image there.

His nostrils are flaring up.

He is angry at what Jesus has done.

Why?

Not because of what Jesus has done.

Because of when Jesus has done it.

When has he done it?

He's done it on the Sabbath.

And look how this guy interacts here

with the crowd.

Does he speak to Jesus?

No.

He piously addresses the crowd about Jesus.

Verse 14.

You get six days to do that stuff.

You get six other days to do that stuff.

And understandably,

the straight-talking Jesus

takes exception to this man.

What does he call him?

You hypocrite.

You hypocrites.

He's talking about the lot of them.

Because somehow it's become the norm

to not view caring for your ox

and your donkey in the Sabbath as work.

But it's become the norm

to view healing on the Sabbath as work.

But more to the point,

this man cares more for the health

of his donkey

than he does for the health

of this woman.

The very leaders of God's people

who are supposed to be

giving themselves for these people,

supposed to be leading these people

in obeying the word of the Lord,

leading them in worship.

And here they are,

because of their hard hearts,

neglecting God's people.

And how they are treating this,

what phrase does Jesus use,

this daughter of Abraham?

is case in point.

I remember when I was a student,

many moons ago,

when I first lived on my own,

my mom would phone me

and she would say more than this,

but she would often ask me,

Graham, have you cleaned the oven?

Have you cleaned the oven?

And I would reply to her,

Mom, I have nailed the oven.

I have nailed the oven.

And do you know what I meant by that?

That's it.

I've cleaned the outside.

That's what I meant.

I'd cleaned the outside.

Mom, I've nailed it.

So Mom would come up

and she'd visit.

And she wouldn't head straight

for the oven,

but I knew it was in her head.

And she would go to the oven

and she would see the pristine oven.

She would just open the door

and she would look in

and she would say,

Graham, you've got to be kidding me.

So what Jesus is doing here

with these hearts,

of these people,

he's just opening the oven door.

What he finds

is he opens this oven door,

something clean in the outside,

but something not pretty in the inside.

Second truth from the straight talk in Jesus

is that your hearts are bad.

Do you notice that Luke tells us

about these two groups?

Jesus' adversaries,

so those with hearts,

just like the synagogue ruler,

rejecting Christ

and the people.

And what are they doing?

They're rejoicing at what God has done.

And as Luke tells us this story,

Theophilus,

check out this guy's heart.

And as readers,

we're invited to ask ourselves

this morning

that if Jesus were to open

that oven door of our hearts,

what would he find inside?

What would he find inside?

Would he find somebody

just cleaning the outside,

but playing at it on the inside?

And we're invited to ask,

which group are we in?

One commentator writes,

Jesus is too great a figure

to be left to neutrality.

It's a great quote.

Where are you this morning

in relation to the Lord?

The second truth

from the straight talking Jesus

is a truth for the leaders.

And the third truth this morning

and finally is

verses 18 to 21.

And it's a truth for the disciples.

So Jesus addressing those listening

tells them a reality

about the kingdom of God.

And it's simile time.

I love similes.

Simile time.

What is the kingdom of God like?

Now you can imagine

you're in the crowd.

The rising anticipation levels

at this point

as to what this man is going to say.

What is he going to say next?

Oh, I can't wait to hear it.

Is the kingdom of God,

is it like the blazing sun?

Is it when it comes

and all its radiance,

is it going to blitz away

all the darkness?

Is it like,

is it like that scene in Aladdin

when Prince Ali comes to town

with the elephants in the parade?

Is this king going to come in

and just blitz the place?

Oh boy, I can't wait

to hear what he says.

What simile will Jesus choose?

Well, it's a rhetorical question.

Do you like rhetorical questions?

Just checking.

It's a test.

You're still awake.

Jesus answers this question for them.

What is the kingdom of God like?

What is it like?

It's like a mustard seed.

It's like a what?

It's like a mustard seed.

The smallest seed

that these people could imagine.

Barely visible to the eye.

And it's like that,

a small pinch of yeast

that you would add

to three measures of flour.

Three measures of flour,

50 pounds of dough.

That's the similes

that Jesus gives you

for the kingdom of God.

Like a tiny little mustard seed

and like a teensy little bit of leaven.

Now, what would your word associations be

if you were in the crowd

listening to this?

Unimpressive.

Insignificant.

This is the kingdom of God?

Imagine you were one of the people

listening in.

What would you have made

of Jesus' words here?

Because there are two truths

at the heart of what he says here.

Firstly,

and again,

alliteration,

forgive me,

the posture of the kingdom.

If the kingdom of God

is like a mustard seed,

then Jesus is the mustard seed king.

Now, we've seen that

all the way through

Luke's gospel so far.

Born to a peasant girl.

Born in a stable.

Hanging out with sinners.

A bunch of unimpressive

looking followers.

Rejected by his own.

This is this king.

And here he is

inviting people

to come and follow him.

To follow the guy

who is being persecuted.

To follow the man

with the target on his back.

To follow the guy

who has just gone public

with the fact

that he is journeying

by his own accord

to his death.

But following straight off

the back of the posture

of the kingdom

comes the promise

of the kingdom.

That even though

this may look insignificant

and even though

the lives of the people

if they decide

to follow Jesus

will look insignificant,

Jesus wants his disciples

to know

that no matter

how insignificant

and foolish looking

it looks,

that the kingdom of God

comes with heaven's guarantee

that God

will make it grow.

And he'll make it grow

and he'll transform it

from something menial

and he'll grow it

to something magnificent.

This is the promise.

The third truth

from the straight talking

Jesus

to those who would

follow after him

is the kingdom of God

might look unimpressive

but God is going

to make it grow.

And so as we work

towards a close this morning

let me just make

two points

by way of application.

So this mustard seed king

is here calling

his followers

to embrace

and adopt

mustard seed

lives.

So to follow

this king,

to follow Jesus

is to sign up

for a life

that is very

unimpressive.

Now let me ask you

when was the last time

in your life

that you felt

unimpressive

for following Jesus?

Alex and I

were at a wedding

down south

a few months ago

and one of those

strange weddings

where we knew

nobody apart

from the bride

and the groom

and being an extrovert

I loved that challenge

so I'm speaking

to people

giving away

my game secrets

here but my first

question

where are you from?

Second question

what do you do?

Going around

in a circle

speaking to people

one guy

owns the local

award winning restaurant

great chap

really good guy

next person

doctor

next person

working in

sustainable development

next person

working in the

charity sector

and I'm just

waiting for it

I know it's coming

Green what do you do?

I'm a pastor of a church

I'm a minister of a church

conversation dead

dead

never seen people

head for the canopy

so quick in my life

conversation dead

and I felt

unimpressive

for following this king

unimpressive

when did you last

feel unimpressive

for following this king

as we embrace

this lifestyle

think about it

tomorrow

you'll be asked

I'm sure

for those of you

who go to the office

who work

what did you do

yesterday

I went to church

and imagine for a lot

of us that is

conversation over

so what do we do

in those moments

well following the

mustard seed king

is tough

as we embrace

his lifestyle

what he's calling us

to do here

the posture

but let's be so

encouraged

by the mustard seed

king's promise

because we stand here

what a glorious

privilege it is to stand

where we do in history

we stand

in God's story

at this point

and I guess in particular

we stand

the other side

of the cross

we know

the mustard seed king

met a cross shaped

death

and if ever

there was a mustard seed

moment in this man's

life in history

surely it was Calvary

Jesus suspended

on the cross

surrounded by a handful

of followers

most of whom

have scattered from him

but the truth

that this king rose

and this king

has ascended

and this king

rules

and this king

reigns

and this king's

church by his spirit

it grew

and it grew

and it grew

now what odds

would you have got

back in 33

roughly AD

that 2000 odd years

later not only

would we be here

but our voices

would join in

with an estimated

2.2 billion people

around the world

who are following

this king

surely that would make

5000 to 1

unless the city

winning the league

a few years ago

looked like child's play

would it not

and yet here we stand

this morning

knowing the truth

of that

and the incredible news

is that this king's church

is still growing

and it's still growing

and it's still growing

you know I heard a statistic

recently

that it's estimated

I don't know how they

figure this stuff out

but it's estimated

that in China

19,000 people

come to faith in Jesus

a day

a day

and that's estimated

to go as high

as 48,000 in 2025

now so often

our problem is

that we take

how we see

things going out here

and we just project

it onto the world

this king's kingdom

is growing

and we might not

experience anything

like those numbers

in Scotland

but let me tell you

I've been so encouraged

this week

and over the past few weeks

to speak from church leaders

from across the country

and to hear about

so many churches

being planted

in our nation

Huntley

Haddington

Dundee

Livingston

Inverness

Aberdeen

why?

because this promise

is true

that the kingdom of God

is like a mustard seed

it looks unimpressive

it has small beginnings

but our great God

will grow it

into something spectacular

as he saves men

and women

boys and girls

from across this globe

who put their faith

in his son Jesus Christ

and in this all glorious

and all conquering king

he will grow it

and because I see

and because this is where

we should end this morning

because we see

the proof of that truth

it should encourage us

to build our lives

on every single word

that proceeds

from the mouth of the Lord

that's the confidence

we can take this morning

these straight talking truths

from the straight talking king

are hard

but we can build our lives

because we see the proof

of the truth

crown him

the Lord of heaven

enthroned

in worlds above

crown him

the king

to whom is given

the wondrous name of love

crown him

with many crowns

as thrones

before him fall

crown him

ye kings

with many crowns

for he is king

of all

three truths

from the straight talking

Jesus this morning

Luke chapter 13

Luke 13 · chapter mention

time is short

your hearts are bad

the kingdom will grow

just before we pray

why don't we just have

a moment of silence

just for a few moments

as we allow

just before we head

into a busy week

let's just allow

God's word

by his spirit

to fill our minds

and our hearts

just before we finish

and so maybe just in the quiet

I wonder if some of us

need to

crown him

the Lord of all

to take our crown

off our own heads

and to place it

on Christ

Father we thank you

so much this morning

that you are a good God

Father thank you so much

for the truth of your word

that we have it

in our own language

that we can read it

Father that we have

the freedom to meet

together

to worship you

and Father we ask

ask Lord

that you would help us

to heed the truth

of your word

this morning

and you would help us

to hold to the truth

of your word

this morning

Father may Jesus

be ever more glorious

in our eyes

as a result of us

being here this morning

and it's in his glorious name

we pray

Amen