Exploring God’s Word with Brad Thurston

Who is Jesus addressing?

1. What is the context of their grumbling -  last chapter about hospitality into hostile surveillance and rejection, so the parable addressed their rejection - they do not remember their God given calling and purpose. Their interests are very self centered
2. Jesus bringing honor to sinners by hosting and eating with them
3. How does Jesus respond to their grumbling? Telling a parable about joy!
4. Focusing on his accusers and wanting them to be drawn into the Kingdom and the purposes of God

The cultural aspects and the understanding of the day

1. 100 sheep would be a rich man. In this instance probably a community or relatives with designated shepherds, not hirelings. Question about the rest left in the wilderness
2. The risks and burden of the shepherd
3. A story all would identify with

The theological aspects of the parable

1. A sheep goes astray and the shepherd leaves all to find it. Isa 53:6
2. Responsibility of the shepherd – Ezekiel 34:11, 14-16
3. Joy at finding it
4. Willingness to carry the burden, a picture of the cross which would later be understood
5. Return home to all who rejoice with him. Joy in community
6. Repentance equals Jesus finding us. Which is great grace

Conclusion

How do we respond when confronted with our being lost? Especially if we think we are fine?  

Understand that repentance is not a means of bringing the Kingdom into our lives. Rather repentance is a response to being found by the King.   

One basic premise with three parables:

The Cost of being a disciple: forsake all, pick up a cross and follow Jesus

1. Why?  Are we not supposed to honor Father and Mother?
2. Jesus knows the priority: if we want to be able to love others, or even ourselves, we have to first love God
3. In loving God above all else, we do not fall into the temptation of making idols out of others
4. See ancestor worship, 
5. Kings and rulers as gods
6. For fathers whose legends are greater than they were

The value of the Kingdom of God must be weighed to the cost:

1. Eternal life
2. Eternal virtues
3. Eternal relationships beyond what we know here

Jesus tells three parables about the value of the Kingdom, and what we get in exchange for paying the “cost”

1. The parable of the tower: count the cost first
2. Relate relativizing relationships and possessions from banquet 
3. Vs 26 with verse 20 and 33 with verses 18-19
4. The parable of the warriors: who are you fighting against?
5. Willingness to bear ones own cross – or be defeated
6. The parable of the salt:  who are we?
7. You cannot mix the contents of discipleship, that is possessions and the call of Jesus on your life

Conclusion

Both the parable of the banquet and these parables show us the demands of discipleship. The entanglement with persons and things can in effect be a refusal of the invitation.

We are to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.  It only comes with a commitment to Jesus to love him first and above all, whatever the cost in this life.  It will be worth it!

Introduction

Mealtime is the best time for sharing, and for building each other up. It is also a time when families can share with each other building strong bonds. It ought to be a place of honesty, commitment, love and understanding. We guarded our mealtimes with our children as they grew up.  

Dr. Luke Johnson points out, in his commentary on Luke, another purpose for meals within both Hellenistic and Jewish society in the times of Jesus:  such gatherings were called a symposium, or a gathering of academics, leaders, philosophers to discuss important ideas. Again, we see the Pharisees inviting Jesus to such a gathering around a meal on the sabbath – and each time this has happened, Jesus heals someone to the dismay of the hosts. From Luke chapter 6, we see the Pharisees and lawyers plotting to discredit Jesus, indeed,: “they themselves were filled with rage, and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.”  Luke 6:11

The question arises in my mind: does doing good merit evil responses? What does that mean for us as Christians when we share Jesus with this world?

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Obviously Jesus knows the intentions of the Pharisees when the chief Pharisee invites him, so why does he go?  He obviously is not afraid of their power, authority, anger or threats.  He is confident and sure of himself. Is he looking for confrontation or to win a fight and thereby gain even more followers?  No, but his objective is to fulfill his purpose as in Luke 4:18: ““THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,” This is his great Love for all people, not just to bring deliverance to those who are literally blind, but also to those who are so caught up in themselves that they are deceived about who God is and His purposes in life. It is for love that Jesus goes onto these events to expose sin and God’s forgiveness and deliverance for all who will repent. As Luke’s mentor, Paul stated in 2 Timothy 2:24-26 “The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.”

Occasion is the sabbath, a time of deliverance. Sabbath is to be a time of rest and in the 7th year a time of liberation and deliverance as well! But the rabbinic testimony claims nothing resembling healing to be done on the sabbath!  So the silence of the leaders is interesting, possibly leading to increased anger against him not abiding by their rules and showing them up as hypocrites.  

This healing is a test for Jesus who heals the swelling anyway, and sends the man away with a rebuke to the lawyers who need to know God’s love as much as the Pharisees do. The result is he is left with the leaders and he addresses them with parables. 

1. Parable about shame and honor is part of their culture. 
2. Need for humility – concern for the healed man
3. Also concern honor for Jesus
4. Jesus addresses the leader about caring for outcasts, exposing his pride and position
5. This is their slavery to sin Jesus wants to liberate them from
6. He also points to the eternal rewards
7. Response by Pharisee about Jews being the select ones to enter God’s Kingdom
8. Jesus’ reply is now aimed at their hidden sins that could actually keep them from the Kingdom unless they repent and come to a knowledge of the truth. The parable of the banquet and those who choose not to come. 
9. Three calls to come to react to the three excuses.
10. Excuses are for personal possessions – greed -  and personal relationships over a relationship to Jesus and his Father, rejecting the call to repent from sin
11. First is to the righteous
12. Second to the outcasts of Israel
13. The third is to the ends of the earth – cf 13:28-30
14. Parable of rejection told to leaders and intended for leaders who came to disgrace Jesus only to have their sins exposed

What does that mean for us today?

1. Examine ourselves to see if our primary focus is Jesus and his Kingdom
2. Repent of our own greed and self centered ness
3. Recommit ourselves to trusting God for all things in our lives, with gratitude
4. See opportunities to be the church to outcasts as well as righteous and even open to those beyond our cultural and linguistic barriers to bring others to the cross of Christ for their deliverance and freedom
5. To face such challenges with the confidence and love of Jesus, even in the face of opposition
6. Give our fears and our insecurities to Jesus and be set free to serve others in love

1. Do we really need a savior?

The modern situation is that we need to be self reliant. Sin is overrated. Sin is old fashioned. 

“But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.””

Matthew 1:20-21 NASB1995

“They forgot God their Savior, Who had done great things in Egypt,”

Psalms 106:21 NASB1995

“But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.””

Acts 5:29-32 NASB1995

1. What are we saved from?
2. What are we saved to?

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 6:23 NASB1995

“For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,”

Titus 3:3-6 NASB1995

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor those habitually drunk, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NASB2020

“But sexual immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness or foolish talk, or vulgar joking, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, which amounts to an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”

Ephesians 5:3-5 NASB2020

“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  Galatians 5:19-21 NASB

“Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them.”

Ephesians 5:11 CSB

Saved to:

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.”

Titus 2:11-14 NASB1995

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

Jude 1:24-25 NASB1995

1. How are we saved? Is it a one off? Continuous? Is it progressive?

“that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

Romans 10:9-10 NASB1995

“for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.””

Romans 10:13 NASB1995

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”

James 5:16 NASB1995

“but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

Hebrews 7:24-25 NASB1995

“So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;”

Philippians 2:12 NASB1995

I wonder why the shepherds were afraid when they saw the angel.  What were they expecting, anticipating at that moment?  How would I react if an angel just showed up?

Different reactions from Scripture:

Abraham and Lot – invited them to eat and stay

Gideon – had a discussion of his doubts

Zechariah was troubled and then fear fell on him

Mary was troubled but curious

The shepherds are filled with great fear!

So why are the first words the angel speaks in the NT:  Fear Not?  Some have said it occurs in the NT 365 times, but not in this form. Perhaps if you add all the different words like terrified etc. then ca 300 occurrences – but only once is necessary for it to be valid all time.  In the NASB in this form:  Fear not, do not fear, do not be afraid 127 times. Jesus even says in Matthew 10: 28,31:  Do not fear. In John 14:27:  Let not your heart be fearful; Luke 12:7 do not fear you are more valuable than sparrows; Luke 5:10: do not fear, from now on you will be fishers of men; so many accounts of do not fear!

Fear is a slave driver and master.  In Romans 8 where fear is discussed, it states:  “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!””

Romans 8:15 NASB2020 - song: no longer slaves to fear we are children of God!

The importance of fear in your life?  What are you afraid of?  How does fear rule you? There are all kinds of fears that we face on a day to day basis that can overpower us.  Health, death, relationships, children, finances, Covid 19, politics, future in the church, the needs at home, comfort, peace. Things we prefer to keep and we know them out of the scope of fear. We retreat in what we know because we are afraid of what we do not know.

The answer to fear is our ability to trust God.  Our faith is the difference!

We have no reason to fear when we are in the hands of Jesus!  

Why no rear?  Because He promises to be with us all the time!  He will not fail us, he will help us, he will give us the kingdom, he will heal us, he cares for you, delivers us from evil, fills us with his Spirit, fills us with words when we need them.  He loves us more than we can imagine!

I John 4:11, 18: “By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, we also are in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us.”

1 John 4:17-19 NASB2020

The opposite of fear is faith.  That is how we conquer our fears.  Knowing that God loves us and has called us to be his children is the security we need to move forward, through this life into the next.  The way to do that is to repent of our fears as we encounter them.  Ask God to fill you with his love and Spirit in each instance, and leave the worry to him.  The echo throughout the centuries comes from the Angel to us:  Do not Fear!

In this passage there is a direct confrontation between two very different world views.  In the first one, you can see that the leaders mentioned control people through different means of coercion.

1. Pilate is mentioned here for the first time, as the direct confrontation lies in the direct future of this band of travelers on their way to Jerusalem.  Rome had a policy of ruling with direct power and punishment.  They infiltrated other religious groups and cultures with a desire to intermingle and destroy the mindset of the conquered people groups.  They did that with direct force.
2. The second group is represented by the synagogue leader who wants to keep his understanding of religious control. (As opposed to Rome?) He appears to be compromising by allowing healing, but please keep our religion and culture intact.
3. Both groups seek to use their abilities to control the freedoms of people and subject them to a particular mindset.

Jesus, in his declaration of the purpose of his ministry has come to set the captives free! (Luke 4:18: ““THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,”)

1. His approach is very different and is clearly expressed in these verses:
2. Repentance, not hiding in shame or fear (those who died)
3. Grace and patience rather than punishment (the fig tree)
4. Matters of love and caring above rules and regulations (woman who was healed)
5. His approach leaves us in a position of decision making.
6. Pilate will be confronted soon.
7. The synagogue leader either repents or is brought to shame
   The people rejoice at the freedom from bondage and the offer of hope for all
   See bondage, sin, sickness, family relationships, position of women in society
8. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free Gal. 5:1
9. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3:17
10. No longer slaves to fear (Rom. 8:15)
11. Walking in love Ep.5:2 and 2 John 1:6
12. He compares the two types of Kingdoms very clearly here: Kindness and love start small but infiltrate through the whole of society beginning at home and growing through personal relationships.  Overcoming prejudice and rejoicing with those who have been freed, not coerced