Praise the Lord!
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
who greatly delights in his commandments!
2 His offspring will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered forever.
7 He is not afraid of bad news;
his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
9 He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn is exalted in honor.
10 The wicked man sees it and is angry;
he gnashes his teeth and melts away;
the desire of the wicked will perish!
Luke 13:18-35
18 He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”
20 And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”
22 He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 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.’ 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 where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ 28 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. 29 And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”
31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” 32 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. 33 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.’ 34 O 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 were not willing! 35 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!’”
Children's message.
Jesus called Herod a fox. He could do so because he was perfect and knows a person truly. Foxes are bloodthirsty and sneaky.
Sermon notes based much off the Luke passage
This is a different herod than the one who killed the babies at Jesus' birth. This is a son.
Jesus says go and tell that fox..
I will do what I need to do. Today and tomorrow.
But I won't die before I am supposed to.
My work must be finished first.
Jesus has a holy boldness in speaking to the officials.
He has set our time as well.
So while we are about the Lord's work we are invincible.
We never need fear we will die before our time.
Ps 112:6-8 the righteous will not be moved. The victory is assured.
We aren't fatalists like those who follow the Islamic faith. Everything is within God's providence. We can be thankful to all that God has given us. So many resources he has placed in our hands to help us and bless us along the way.
Sickness is to be sanctified. Made useful,by our response to them.
Samuel Rutherford. "Duties are ours, events are God's "
We do our jobs, our duties, of testifying to God's goodness.
So Jesus could say to Herod, plan all you want, I have my work to do and it won't be done until the time is right. In the meantime I will keep moving toward Jerusalem.
V 34 God's anguish for those who have turned away from him. How God would to gather them all in like a broody chicken with her young. Sheltering them and talking with them.
Jerusalem represents all about the life of the Israelites. Their faith, their practices, their lives. Yet she kills the spokespeople of God.
God wants to shelter his people like a hen protects her chicks from a hawk. She is defenseless but still she protects her young. Jesus loved us with the same kind of sacrificial love.
But Jerusalem is not like this. She simply will not. She chooses not.
If a child turns out wrong who then blames their self sacrificing parent we get angry.
Yet when people blame God for their actions. We often fail to do that. We should call it for what it is...blasphemy.
God is always more willing to save us then we are to come to him.
We are kept secure in God's love if we love and trust God.
For the non-believer think about how you have been shown God's patience, he's love and concern for you, for how others have talked of him to you.
We need to pray for the lost as Christ does. Intensely and determinedly. Praying for them to see God's mercy.