Luke 13:22-35 "Kingdom Participation"

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

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We are back in Luke chapter 13 this morning, although what a great break it was last week

Luke 13 · chapter mention

for our Express Grace conference. If you missed the sermon last Sunday about how remembering the

gospel drives us to mission both here and everywhere, or the great panel discussion that

we had with some of our global mission partners, those are both online. You can go hear those. I

encourage you to check those out there. But we've been in a series walking through Luke,

listening right now to Jesus teaching us about his kingdom as he journeys toward the cross.

In the passage we just finished, Jesus taught us about kingdom significance, what matters,

what's important. And this morning, it's about kingdom participation. Who gets to be a part

of his kingdom? As I read, listen to Jesus' passion, his emotional intensity. There's stern warnings,

deep angst and grief at the end. We're going to read it Luke 13 beginning at verse 22. This is God's

holy word. It's the only thing you'll hold this week that is absolutely reliable. The only thing you'll

read that is unfailingly for your good. Luke 13 verse 22. Jesus went on his way through towns and

Luke 13:22

villages teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, Lord, will those who are

saved be few? And he said to them, strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will

seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door and

you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door saying, Lord, open to us, then he will answer you,

I do not know where you come from. And then you will begin to say, we ate and drank in your presence

and you taught in our streets. But he will say, I tell you, I do not know where you come from.

Depart from me, all you workers of evil. In that place, 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, but you yourselves

cast out. And people will come from east and west and from north and south and recline at table in

the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first. And some are first who will be last.

At that very hour, some Pharisees came and said to him, get away from here for Herod wants to kill you.

And he said to them, go and tell that fox, behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and

tomorrow. And the third day I finished my course. Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and

tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.

Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it.

How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings?

And you would not. Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say,

blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Let's pray together.

Father, we're grateful for your word,

especially because it tells us about Jesus,

your son, our only hope,

our great joy.

Would you show us him clearly

and brilliantly

this morning.

Teach us through your word, Holy Spirit, come

and speak to our hearts, we ask in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Someone was telling me earlier this morning

that there is a football game tonight,

which was really confusing to me

since like some of you,

I was certain that football season ended in early January.

I think that's how it should be.

But apparently,

the Patriots and the Eagles

are playing a game

in Minneapolis tonight

and probably in front of a

close to sellout crowd

in a pretty full stadium.

But imagine

that you actually

flew up there

after this service

in time

to be there

for the game

because the Patriots

are your team.

And so you

fly up there

and you meet all your friends

there

outside the stadium.

You've got your number 12

Tom Brady jersey on.

You put some eye black

underneath your eyes.

You are fired up

for this game, man.

You are,

you're marching toward the stadium

chanting and ready to go

and you get up there

to the gate

and there's this lady

with a scanner

and your friends

are pulling out

these like strange

little rectangular pieces

of paper

and handing them to her

and walking in.

And so you're just

kind of walking along

with all your friends

headed into the game

and she says,

I'm sorry sir,

you don't have a ticket.

Now imagine

that when she says that

you respond this way,

ma'am,

I grew up

a Patriots fan.

I've got a picture

of me coming home

from the hospital

in a Patriots onesie.

All my life

I'm the biggest fan

I have been to

every single game

this year,

home and away.

I haven't missed one.

You don't understand

what a huge

Patriots fan I am.

I'm sorry sir.

You can't come in.

And you start to get

a bit worked up

at this point, right?

Like this is not okay.

But all my friends

are in there

and we hang out

and watch these games

together

and talk football

all the time.

I'm sorry sir.

And perhaps

she would add

if she had heard

this sermon

which would seem unlikely,

association

does not equal

participation.

In other words,

apparently

you didn't consider

thoughtfully

what qualified someone

to be a part

of the Super Bowl.

And that would be

really sad for you,

wouldn't it?

To have made that trip

all the way up

to Minnesota

and be left out

in a frigid winter

listening to the game

in a cold parking lot

on a radio.

But Jesus is cautioning us

in this passage

about an even more subtle

and even more significant

situation

to consider.

And that's not

considering thoughtfully

what qualifies someone

to be a part

of the kingdom of God.

And that would be

so much more tragic

for you to have made

the trip to church

so many times

and end up

missing out

on the glory

of the kingdom.

I think that's partially

why you hear

Jesus' emotions

come out so strongly

in this passage.

He wants you to understand

and experience

what it takes

truly to participate

in the kingdom.

To be a child of God

rather than of Satan.

To be on the side of good

rather than of evil.

To be welcomed into heaven

rather than left out

in hell.

How would you

determine that?

How would you know

if you were in

a right relationship

with God?

Jesus wants us to know.

Let's look at how

he teaches us

in this passage.

At first

he highlights

the importance

of true participation.

Verse 22.

He went on his way

through towns

and villages

teaching and journeying

toward Jerusalem.

He's been headed there

for several chapters now.

He's going there to die.

Right?

He's not been unclear

about that.

And someone said to him,

Lord, will those who are saved

be few?

And Jesus' response,

strive to enter

through the narrow door

for many, I tell you,

will seek to enter

and will not be able.

Hmm.

Not really a

straightforward answer

to the question.

Right?

He answers

this question

from the crowd

with a command

not to consider

how many will be saved.

Seems like that would have

been an easy thing.

Just give us a number.

But rather to consider

whether you

will be.

Now let me remind you

what these crowds

of Jews

following Jesus

would have believed

at this point in time.

Most of the influential

Jewish teaching

during Jesus' day

was teaching

that more or less

all

or at least

most

of the Jews

would be in the kingdom.

They would be saved

a part of the kingdom

of God.

Perhaps a few

of the worst

would get left out

depending on

who you read.

But most or all

would be in.

On the other hand,

most or all

Gentiles

were left out.

Yes,

for most of them

there was the occasional

Gentile

who got grafted

into the family of God,

got through all

the right ceremonies,

could become a part

of that

and be a part

of the kingdom.

But most

of the Gentiles

were left out.

And Jesus

will actually say

in this passage,

in answer to the question

how many will be saved,

fewer Jews

than you expect.

Fewer

of those

who think

they're in

and

more.

More Gentiles

than you expect.

And here goes Jesus

again

turning our expectations

upside down,

right?

Insiders out

and outsiders in.

The religious

missing out

on the kingdom

and the irreligious

walking right in.

Sounds like a warning

for people sitting

in a place like this,

doesn't it?

Jesus says,

strive to enter

through the narrow

door

for many

will seek

to enter

and not be able.

Now he doesn't

mean that very few

people will be saved.

He's actually

just told us

in the previous passage

about the great growth

of the kingdom

and how many

get to be a part of it.

He's going to

say that again

in just a moment.

But he does start

by focusing

on those

who are not

saved.

What does he mean

by a narrow

door with these

many

who are not

able

to get in?

It can be

confusing.

So first,

one thing he doesn't

mean

is this passage

contradicting

the one

where it says,

ask and it will

be given to you.

Seek and you will

find.

Knock and the door

will be opened

to you.

Is this a

contradiction?

No,

it's not.

Jesus is not

painting a picture

here as we

continue to read

through the passage

where these people

are left out

standing,

banging on the

door saying,

God,

we need your

help.

We trust Jesus.

We want a

relationship with

you.

Only to find

God coldly

locking the door

and walking

away,

refusing

them entrance.

That's not

the biblical

picture of

God at all.

These many

instead,

as we keep

reading,

we find out

they're Jews

who are

religious.

They're the

insiders.

They're the ones

who've been around

the things of

God and they

are seeking to

enter the kingdom

of God on

their own

terms.

That's what we

find out as we

keep reading.

They presume,

like the

Super Bowl fan,

that their

association

with Team

Jesus

is enough.

Well,

if that's not

true participation,

then what is it?

What does the

narrow door

mean?

Well,

Jesus has been

teaching about that

every time he's

opened his mouth

in these chapters,

hasn't he?

In chapter 12,

over and over,

he said,

it's your

connection to

Jesus that

saves you.

You have to

trust the king

to be a part

of the kingdom.

Eternity hinges

on your active

embrace of

Jesus.

And in chapter

13, he starts

to show us a

little bit more

what that means.

What does that

look like?

He says,

repent,

or you too

will perish.

And he says

that repeatedly.

Repent.

Turn from your

sin and

yourself and

trust Jesus.

Give up hope

of deserving

salvation,

of earning your

way into the

kingdom,

and trust

the Savior

King.

See, the narrow

door is not

to say how

few are

saved,

but rather

that there is

one way in.

Jesus.

Not knowing

a lot about

him,

not hanging

around his

people,

not talking

like him.

No,

it's easier

than that

and harder

than that

at the same

time.

It's repent

and believe

the good

news.

You must

actually see

your own

emptiness,

which is really

hard,

and embrace

Jesus desperately

and fully

with your heart

and all your

life.

That's true

participation

in God's

kingdom.

But see,

there's a

subtle fraud

out there

that still

lives today,

and Jesus

tells a brief

story to

highlight it,

to highlight

the deception

of mere

association.

Verse 25,

the people

who want in

knock,

and the

master says,

I don't know

where you

come from.

Verse 26,

then you

will begin

to say,

we ate

and drank

in your

presence,

and you

taught in

our streets.

Jesus,

Jesus,

we hung

out.

You were

here,

you were

around with

us.

Remember,

we ate

dinner that

time.

We heard

lots of

things that

you said.

You're

clearly just

confused.

Do you

see the

deception

and the

warning that

Jesus gives

to those

who've been

around him

a lot?

Jesus,

we heard

what you

taught.

We grew

up around

the Bible

all the

time.

We

memorized

a lot

of it.

I mean,

honestly,

Jesus,

what do you

think we

are?

Muslim?

Hindu?

Atheist?

No way!

We must

be Christians.

You don't

remember us?

Check the

Southwood

attendance

register.

We signed

in.

We were

there.

All of

our friends

were there

with us.

You know,

our family,

they're in

there too.

I'm sure

there's just

been a

mistake,

an oversight.

Do you

see how

deceptive

mere

association

can be?

How being

around the

things of

God and

the people

of God

can give

you a

temptation

to believe

there's

something

genuine

happening

when it's

not?

It's a

struggle that

some don't

have.

I don't

know any

atheists in

Huntsville

who are

planning on

explaining to

God how

to get

into

heaven.

That's

not their

intention.

But I

know lots

of professing

Christians

whose answers

sound a

lot like the

people knocking

and hearing

Jesus say,

I don't know

where you

come from.

You never

trusted me.

You never

shaped your

life around

my kingdom.

You just

enjoyed your

coffee,

talked to

some friends,

watched from

a distance,

and were

content in

your own

associations.

It made

you happy.

And so

you plead

your association

with religious

people and

religious

organizations,

and Jesus

says,

verse 27,

I tell you,

I do not

know where

you come

from.

Depart from

me, all you

workers of

evil.

In that place

where you're

going, there

will be

weeping and

gnashing of

teeth.

You're going

to see

Abraham,

Isaac,

Jacob,

and the

prophets

in, but

you yourselves

cast out.

And that's

the devastation

of mere

association.

This is no

football game

that you're

missing out on

to sit in a

cold parking

lot.

It's a lot

more serious

than that.

You can't

just be a

decent guy

in the

middle,

just didn't

get everything

you wanted.

Now, Jesus

says to those

who are not

in the

kingdom,

workers of

evil.

workers of

evil cast

out into a

place with

weeping and

gnashing of

teeth.

That's the

warning.

He wants you

to know the

truth about

the eternal

difference between

mere association

and true

participation,

lest you

suffer eternal

torment.

If you know

you're here

this morning

just playing

a game,

please hear

this warning.

Please consider

your own

heart.

It's a

serious

warning.

So who

gets in?

Boy, we

really need to

know now,

don't we?

Who gets

in?

Verse 28

gives us a

window into

the kingdom

feast.

Who's in

there?

What's the

identity of

the true

participants?

Some of the

ones in the

kingdom are

the ones you'd

expect, the

usual suspects.

Abraham,

Isaac,

Jacob,

all the

prophets.

Hmm.

So,

so religious

association

doesn't

disqualify you.

Those are

pretty religious

people.

Maybe you

have to be a

really holy

Jew.

Maybe it's

all about

one's

performance.

Except that

Abraham said

his wife was

his sister to

protect himself

and violate

her.

And he had a

son by his

maidservant.

And Jacob was

a serial liar

and deceiver.

So,

no.

But,

Abraham

believed

God.

And it was

counted to him

as righteousness.

He was called

a friend of

God.

That's what the

prophets were

famous for,

wasn't it?

Calling God's

people to

repent and

to trust

him again.

So,

being a

Jew is

not enough,

Jesus says.

But even

Jews who

fail can

be saved

by repentance

and faith.

So,

I look in

the stadium,

so to speak,

and sure

enough,

some of my

church friends

are in

there.

But there's

even bigger

news.

There's

unusual

suspects.

I don't

know if

that's a

thing.

But verse

29,

people coming

from east

and west,

north and

south,

and reclining

at table

in the kingdom

of God.

Some who

are last

who will be

first,

and some

are first

who will be

last.

Right there,

as you look in

at the head

of the table

in the kingdom

feast,

Gentiles,

those who

seem the least

likely to be

included,

the unclean,

the ones with

no association

with God's

people at all.

Jesus,

this is not

okay.

They're not

supposed to

be there.

It's not how

we do things.

I thought you

said something

about a narrow

door,

and now there

just seems to

be doors

everywhere.

North,

south,

east,

and west,

come on

in,

everybody.

Can we

go back

to the

narrow one

where only

we get

in?

Come on,

Jesus.

They're letting

anyone in

these days.

People not

even wearing

team colors.

They're Vikings

fans up here

in Minneapolis.

They don't

even root

for the

Patriots.

They have

no connections

at all.

Look what

I'm wearing.

I got the

jersey and the

eye black.

I'm in,

right?

I used to

drive by that

guy mowing his

grass on my

way to church

on Sundays.

She got

pregnant in

high school,

didn't even

keep the

baby.

He's never

been to

Bible study.

How can

someone like

that be in

the kingdom

while a

decent,

church-going

person like

me is

left out?

How are

all these

half-hearted

Patriots and

Eagles and

couldn't-care-less

fans in that

stadium while

I'm out here

in my jersey

and I

black?

Well,

everyone in

the stadium

has one

thing in

common,

a ticket.

They entered

through the

ticket gate,

door,

which is

Jesus,

a door that

requires not

purchasing

qualification in

this case,

but rather

putting down

your own

qualifications

and trusting

his.

It's grace.

That's what

makes you a

participant in

this kingdom.

Kids,

I want to

talk especially

to you for

just a minute.

I know it

can be really

hard to listen

to me for a

long time.

I get that.

I've been

there.

But I want

you to

concentrate for

a minute because

this is God's

word, so it's

really important.

Jesus wants

you to know

what it really

means to be

a Christian.

Because it's

confusing sometimes

to us,

isn't it?

To really be a

Christian, it

doesn't mean

going to church

with your

family, or

even going to

Sunday school

every week, or

even praying a

lot, like when

you eat and when

you go to bed and

other times.

Although those are

good things, and

those are things

that Christians do,

but that's not

what makes you a

Christian.

Christian.

What makes you a

Christian is not

anything good that

you do.

It's something

perfect that Jesus

does.

Does that difference

make sense?

You can't do enough

good things.

Jesus has done

something perfect for

you.

Jesus lived a

perfect life, right?

And then he died on

the cross to forgive

your sins.

And he rose from the

dead so that you can

live like him.

And that's what it

means to be a

Christian.

Not to do a lot of

good things, but to

trust the one who is

really good and

really perfect.

That you trust him,

that you believe in

him.

Rather than saying to

yourself, I'm really

good, you say, God,

I want to be in your

family, and I know

that the only one good

enough to be in your

family is Jesus.

So I trust him.

If you've never

trusted Jesus, you

don't have to wait.

You can do that today,

right now, and then

come talk with your

parents or with me

after the service about

that, or come to the

communicants class if you

want.

But listen, one last

thing.

Well, you can keep

listening, but for now.

If you think you're a

good kid, you really

need to trust Jesus and

not you.

And if you think you're

a bad kid, and you're

not really good enough,

you can trust Jesus

too.

And he loves you, and he

forgives you, and you

can all be a part of his

family.

That's the good news of

Jesus.

That's what Jesus wants.

Jesus wants to have us in

his family.

This is not a passage about

how Jesus wants to keep

people out.

Look at the end of it,

and this beautiful look

we get at the heart of

Jesus.

Verse 31, at the very

hour, some Pharisees came

and said to him, get away

from here, for Herod wants

to kill you.

And he said to them, go

and tell that fox, behold,

I cast out demons and

perform cures today and

tomorrow, and the third

day I finish my course.

Nevertheless, I must go on

my way today and tomorrow

and the day following, for

it cannot be that a prophet

should perish away from

Jerusalem.

Tell Herod, I'm not afraid

of his threats because I'm

already on my way to my

death.

I'm headed to Jerusalem to

die, right?

And that prompts a thought

for Jesus.

Jerusalem.

The city at the center of

God's people, Israel.

Verse 34, oh, Jerusalem.

Jerusalem, the city that

kills the prophets and

stones the ones who were

sent to it.

How often would I have

gathered your children

together as a hen gathers

her brood under her wings

and you would not.

Behold, your house is

forsaken.

And I tell you, you will

not see me until you say,

blessed is he who comes

in the name of the Lord.

There will come a time

later when the Jews

embrace the Messiah.

But as Jesus heads to the

cross, he grieves for the

people of God as he

considers how many of them

are actually rejecting

God.

His heart is for associates

and participants in God's

kingdom, right?

Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem,

how often I would have

gathered you as a hen

gathers her chicks.

You've been hanging

around me, but I long

to gather you into myself

because it breaks my heart

to see you left out.

It's the heart of Jesus

for those not actively

trusting him.

It breaks his heart.

In Matthew's gospel,

when he says these words,

we're told Jesus is weeping

over Jerusalem.

By the way, is that your

heart?

For those of you who know

Jesus but know others who

don't, is that your heart

for them?

Do you weep more than you

scold?

Do you grieve out of love

for them more than you

lecture out of pride over

them?

Are you truly heartbroken

for them or are you

truly angry at them?

Whether they are Hindus

in India, atheists in

Ireland, nominal Presbyterians

in Huntsville, do you

truly long for them to be

gathered to Jesus?

Jesus does.

He wants them and me

and you gathered to the

one place of salvation.

It's a picture of safety

and refuge and rest,

isn't it?

Get that picture in your

head?

It's the one Jesus gives

us.

It's one used warmly for

God's loving protection

throughout the Bible.

But I've got to be honest

with you, it's not such a

cute, warm and fuzzy

picture in this passage.

The context here is one

of eternal danger.

And Jesus' death, that's

what he's talking about

that he's going to

Jerusalem for.

So when Jesus talks about

gathering us under his

wings like a hen, we've

got to realize that the

picture is a gruesome

reality for the hen.

Hens gather their chicks

under their wings when

there's danger nearby.

It could be a fox like

Herod.

Possibly freezing cold

weather.

Maybe a fire in the barn.

And the hen rushes to

gather her chicks.

While the hen could easily

fly away from danger

herself, she will stay and

endure the pain.

Even at times sacrificing

her own life.

To save the chicks who

stay safe, protected beneath

her wings.

That's the painful picture.

But beautiful picture of our

Savior who endures the pain

of sin's curse on the cross.

That we might be safe.

Protected under his wings.

So of course he grieves

when some of God's people

are unwilling to be

gathered to safety.

Are you willing to be

gathered under Jesus'

protection?

I didn't ask, are you

willing to play church to

make your spouse happy?

Or would you rather be

associated with Christians

than any other religion?

Christian?

My heart for all of you,

I think most of you know

I love you a lot.

And for all of you who are

here and spend any time

with us, my heart, I want

you to be in with me.

Now and in this life, but

especially forever.

That we would together know

that kind of refuge of safety

and joy, resting with Jesus

and serving and enjoying

him forever.

And there's only one way in.

To experience the grace of God.

To despair of your own

qualifications and actively

embrace Jesus.

To run under the loving

wings of Jesus for refuge

and rest.

That's why I'm always talking

to you about Jesus.

Jesus.

Because he's the only one.

The only way that we find

a true relationship with God.

True participation in his

kingdom.

Listen, if you're just here

to make someone else happy.

Just to get your kids

some good morals.

Just to hang out with

some nice friends.

As Derek said earlier,

I'm really glad you're here.

I'm not trying to run you

off at all.

But I want to love you

enough to offer you

the only hope

that any of us has.

To plead with you

to receive the forgiveness

and freedom

and joy

of Jesus.

He wants to gather you in

under his wings.

How tragic it would be

to have spent so much time

around the things of God

and the people of God

and then to spend eternity

apart from him.

I want so much more

than that for you.

Don't be deceived

by good feelings

of association.

Don't assume the door

remains open forever.

Don't conclude

that it is no big deal

where you stand.

Jesus longs to gather

all people in.

Come to him.

Trust him.

Today.

Let's pray.

Jesus, we hear that

in your voice

even as it was sung

over us earlier.

How often I've longed

to gather you

beneath my gentle wings.

Jesus, you longed

to do that so much

that you gave your life

for us.

that you covered us

even as the blows

of the cross

and the nails

pierced you.

You stayed

because you love us.

And so you call us

into that relationship

and Jesus,

as you call young people

and older people

and people who've never

been to church

and people who've never

missed a Sunday

to yourself.

Would we hear your voice

and come and find

rest and refuge?

Do your work,

Holy Spirit,

in our hearts

for the glory of Jesus

and for our eternal good.

We ask in Jesus' name.

Amen.

For more information,

visit us online

at southwood.org.

Good morning,

клад,

sigue ourzla.

Good morning,

good morning,

Vicente,

and again.

Thank you,

as well.

Good morning,

all right.

Good morning,

good morning,

and later.

Good morning,

bye baby.

Good morning,

good morning,

good morning,

heard about

the Jean,

lossy guys

and challenges,

takish,

you can see

good morning,

and I hope

all for you

for youriliary

Um,

thank you,

and I hope

have the How

the club

and assessment

for you.