Sermon #102 Luke Sermons

Title: “Ye Would Not”

Text: Luke 13:30-35

Subject: Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility

Date: Sunday Evening—August 3, 2001

Tape # X-72b

Readings: Merle Hart and James Jordan

Introduction:

Turn with me to Luke 13:30-35. I have a message for you tonight that I have been working on for weeks. I want to get right to it. Let’s read the text together, praying that God the Holy Spirit will be our Teacher and make his Word effectual to our hearts for Christ’s sake.

(Luke 13:30-35) "And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last. {31} The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee. {32} And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. {33} Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. {34} O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! {35} Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."

An Instructive Proverb

I. First, in verse 30, our Lord uses a proverb to describe the kingdom of God and the work of God.

(Luke 13:30) "And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last."

What an instructive proverb this is! Do not fail to notice the context in which this proverb is given. Our Master is urging us to strive to enter into the strait gate (v. 24). He tells us that we must do so now, for the hour is soon coming when he will shut the door, and none will be able to enter, though they long to do so. Then, he speaks of the day of judgment and eternity (vv. 25-29).

(Luke 13:25-29) "When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: {26} Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. {27} But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. {28} There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. {29} And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God."

It is in this context that our Lord gives us this parable.

(Luke 13:30) "And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last."

This proverb was literally fulfilled when the gospel was first preached, has been fulfilled throughout the ages, is being fulfilled now, and shall be fulfilled in eternity.—The Jews who were first became last; and the Gentiles who were last became first.

But there is more here than the simply declaration of God’s method of grace in dealing with the Jews and with his elect among the Gentiles. In this proverb our Lord is teaching us something about God’s method of grace and who they are who are the objects of his eternal mercy, love and grace, who they are whom he has chosen to save. Those who think they are and appear to be first in line for heaven, will be last in the day of judgment. And those who think themselves to be and appear to be last in line for the grace of God will be first in the day of judgment.

· The Jews and the Gentiles

· The Rich and the Poor (Spiritually and Materially)

· The Learned and the Unlearned

· The Morally Upright and the Morally Perverse

· Jephthah—David—The Apostles

· Bunyan—Newton

The fact is, God’s elect are seldom those we would choose (1 Cor. 1:26-31).

(1 Cor 1:26-31) "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: {27} But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; {28} And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: {29} That no flesh should glory in his presence. {30} But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: {31} That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."

Ah, Grace! Into unlikeliest hearts

It is Thy boast to come;

The glory of Thy light to find

In darkest spots a home.

Thy choice (O God of goodness!) then

I lovingly adore:

Oh, give me grace to keep Thy grace,

And grace to long for more.

A Blessed Fact

II. Second, in verses 31-32, our Savior sets before us a blessed fact that ought to constantly quieten and calm our hearts in the face of trouble.

No doubt, when the Pharisees heard what our Lord said about them being last in the day of judgment and of others going before them into the kingdom of God, they understood that he was talking about them. I rather suspect that he was looking them right in the eye when he said it. So they thought they could scare the Master into silence and get him to quite preaching. Read verse 31.

(Luke 13:31) "The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee."

Perhaps Herod, the ruler of Galilee, who had beheaded John the Baptist, had let it be known that he was determined to kill our Savior. But it may be that the Pharisees simply invented the report. (Never put anything past religious men who are determined to justify themselves.) Whether the report was true or false, it was obviously the intent of these Pharisees to intimidate the Master. Their scheme backfired. Read the next verse.

(Luke 13:32) "And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected."

Our Lord was not frightened by the Pharisees or by Herod, but there is more here than that.

In his reply to the Pharisees our Master simply stated, “My time to leave this world has not yet come. My work is not yet finished. Until that time comes, you can tell ‘that fox’ for me that he has no power to harm me. I fear him no more than I fear a yelping little fox that is scared of his own shadow.”

· “Today, and tomorrow, and the third day” are not prophetic terms, but are used simply as a declaration of the fact that our Savior was assured that the time of his life on earth, the time of his service to the glory of God and men, and the time of his death were appointed by his Father and ours, and could not be shortened by Herod, or anyone, or anything.

· Our Master, by using the word “perfected” to describe his death, was saying, “I shall finish what I came here to do. I will not leave this world until my purpose, the purpose appointed for me by my Father, is completed. Then, my life shall be complete.”

· It is no accident that this same word (perfected) is applied to our Savior twice in the Book of Hebrews and to his people, the people he came here to make perfect, three times (Heb. 2:10; 5:9; 10:10-14; 11:40; 12:23).—Our Lord’s perfection was and is wrapped up in the salvation (perfection) of those he came here to save!

(Heb 2:10) "For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings."

(Heb 5:9) "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;"

The law could never make anyone perfect (Heb. 10:1). But Christ did! And he is perfected because he has perfected his people by the work he finished as our Mediator, Surety, Representative, and Substitute.

(Heb 10:10-14) "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. {11} And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: {12} But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; {13} From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. {14} For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."

(Heb 11:40) "God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect."

(Heb 12:23) "To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,"

What our Lord here says of himself, my brother, my sister, is true of every one of us. The Lord God has put us on this earth for a specific time, to accomplish a specific purpose, and nothing shall prevent it. Nothing can add to or shorten our days. The lesson to be learned from this is clear.—Our times are entirely in the hands of our God.

Oh, may God give me grace to live in the frame of mind and heart my Lord exemplified here! We ought to possess a calm, unshaken confidence in our Father’s good purpose. If our hearts are fixed, trusting the Lord, we shall not be afraid of evil tidings. Our times are in our Father’s hands.

(Psa 112:4-10) "Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. {5} A good man showeth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion. {6} Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. {7} He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD. {8} His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies. {9} He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour. {10} The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish."

(Psa 31:13-20) "For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life. {14} But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God. {15} My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. {16} Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake. {17} Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave. {18} Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous. {19} Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! {20} Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues."

Let this be my attitude before every danger, every foe, every trouble, every slandering tongue, every deceitful spirit.—“I have and shall continue to have only that which is good for me. I shall live until my work is done, and not a moment longer. All the powers of earth and hell combined cannot harm me. All the powers of earth and hell combined cannot destroy my life, until the time my Father has ordained. And all the physicians on earth cannot preserve me for one second beyond that time.”

Nothing is beyond the reach of a man who has such an attitude regarding his life. And, if we believe God, that ought to be our attitude.

· The hairs of our heads are all numbered. Our steps are all ordered of the Lord.

· All things work together for our good.

· If some Shemei cusses me, the Lord will do me good by the wretch’s foul tongue.

· If afflictions befall me, they shall only assist me.

· All things are mine.—Life!—Death!—Things Present!—Things to Come!—All things are mine, for I am Christ’s and Christ is God’s!

Let me therefore live and serve my God with utter abandonment to care and fear. “Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” And, then, “I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever!”

(Psa 56:4) "In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me."

(Psa 118:6) "The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?"

(Heb 13:5-6) "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. {6} So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."

(Psa 92) "A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: {2} To show forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, {3} Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound. {4} For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. {5} O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. {6} A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this. {7} When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever: {8} But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore. {9} For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered. {10} But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil. {11} Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me. {12} The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. {13} Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. {14} They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; {15} To show that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him."

Now, look for just a moment at the last line of verse 33.—“For it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.” I have looked at that for weeks, asking myself, “What did the Lord mean by that statement?” Let me show you. The word translated here “it cannot be” is found nowhere else in the Word of God. It means, “it is impossible.” Yet, many prophets (John the Baptist, to name just one) died somewhere else. So what does our Lord’s statement mean? It means two things:

(1.) It would be an unusual thing, the exception, not the rule, for a prophet to die anywhere except at Jerusalem.—It .) It would be an unusual thing, the exception, not the rule, for a prophet to die by the hands of any, except at the hands of those who professed to be the servants and representatives of God.

(2.) And, second, our Lord here speaks prophetically of his own death. Remember, he is addressing the Pharisees. He is saying, “When I (that great Prophet of whom Moses spoke), when I die it will be at your hands, at Jerusalem; but I am not there yet; and my hour has not yet come.”—It is against that backdrop that we must hear his next word.

A Willing Savior

III. Third, in verse 34 we see how tender, compassionate, and willing our Lord Jesus Christ is to save sinners who have earned and fully deserve his everlasting fury.

(Luke 13:34) "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!"

Oh, what a willing Savior our Savior is! He is a God who “delighteth in mercy!” Aren’t you thankful? Many try to say this cannot be understood of our Lord Jesus in a strict sense, as God, that we must understand this as a display of our Master’s human emotions. The problem with that is this—I have not yet found one of those precise theologians who could tell me how to divide our Redeemer into two persons. This man is God; and this God is man; but he is one Person with two natures.

Let us never try to put God in our little box. He just won’t fit! Let us never try to be more theologically precise than the plan statement of Holy Scripture. If these blessed, blessed words that fell from the lips of him into whose lips all grace has been poured choke you, you need choking. If you cannot read them without having to explain them away, you need a course in remedial reading.

Salvation is entirely the work of God. All will be saved in the end who were chosen to salvation from the beginning, them and no one else. All will be with Christ in glory for whom Christ made atonement and satisfaction at Calvary, them and no one else. All will be crowned with the heavenly hosts who have been effectually called by the Holy Ghost, them and no one else. But eternal ruin, eternal damnation, everlasting woe is altogether the work of man.

Here what this Book teaches. Don’t miss a word of what I am about to say—If you are saved, go to heaven, enjoy eternal life and glory in the bliss of God’s presence, it will be God’s fault, because of God’s will, and God’s work alone. And if you are lost, perish under the wrath of God, and go to a dark, Christless, eternal hell it will be your fault, because of your will, and your work alone!

The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is as willing to save as he is mighty to save. Do you not hear his willingness in his words?

(Isa 45:22) "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else."

(Isa 55:1-3) "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. {2} Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. {3} Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David."

(Isa 55:6-7) "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: {7} Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

(Mat 11:28-30) "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. {29} Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. {30} For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

(John 7:37-38) "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. {38} He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."

(Mat 23:37) "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!"

If you are lost, perish under the wrath of God, and go to a dark, Christless, eternal hell it will be your fault, because of your will, and your work alone!

(Isa 59:1-2) "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: {2} But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear."

(John 5:40) "And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life."

· The Lord Jesus Christ came here to save lost sinners.—“I am come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

· The Son of God died in the room and stead of the ungodly.

· The Lamb of God is seated upon the throne of grace in heaven, waiting to be gracious, waiting to save sinners.

Read verse 34 one more time and hear the tender, compassionate and willing heart of Immanuel.

· He knew the wickedness of that city.

· He knew what crimes had been committed by them.

· He knew all the prophets they had hated and murdered.

· He knew what they wanted to do and soon would do to him.

· Yet, he pities them!

Divine Judgment

IV. Fourth, in verse 35 our Savior teaches us that in the last day, in that great day of judgment, he will be completely vindicated and honored, even by those who perish under his wrath.

(Luke 13:35) "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."

· “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate!”—This is what you have chosen. You shall forever eat the fruit of your own ways. The God you have despised and forsaken has despised and forsaken you forever!

· “Verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”—You shall see me no more until you see me glorified by all as the Christ of God—In my entry into Jerusalem, when all, even those who later cry “crucify him,” shall “Here is the Blessed One who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:37-38)—In my glorious second advent when you shall say, as the gaping pit of hell opens wide its mouth to swallow you up, “Here is the Blessed One who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Rev. 1:7; Phil. 2:9-11; Isa. 45:22-25).

(Rev 1:7) "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen."

(Isa 45:22-25) "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. {23} I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. {24} Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. {25} In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory."

(Phil 2:9-11) "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: {10} That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; {11} And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Ye sinners, seek His grace,

Whose wrath ye cannot bear;

Fly to the shelter of His cross,

And find salvation there.

So shall the curse remove,

By which the Savior bled;

And that last, awful day shall pour

His blessings on your head!

Illustration: Rowland Hill’s Dream