O Jerusalem!

Luke 13:31-35[1] 

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, August 21^st, 2011

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 would not!

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!'"

I see two truths in this passage that we need to consider here today. The first is this:

No wicked man can frighten our Lord off of His course; neither Pharisees nor foxes.

Herod had already killed John the Baptist, and that didn't cause our Lord to change course.  Now he evidently intends to kill Jesus, or at least these leaders want Jesus to think that.
The Pharisees were well-educated, zealous, religious, self-confident, self-righteous people. They knew the Scriptures and they knew they knew the Scriptures; scorn for anyone who didn't agree with them reeks from the gospels. I think this interaction between a man born blind, whom Jesus had healed, and the Scribes and Pharisees in John 9:26-34 gives a great snapshot of these people. Here's the scene… They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?" And they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from." The man answered, "Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?" And they cast him out.

Not the friendliest men; not the most gracious of shepherds of Israel, and not at all considerate of Jesus; so their motives for the warning is questionable at best. But Jesus replied as if it were true. No changing of plans, no altering course; He was facing His death and going to it resolutely, for the church. No Herod wasn't going to frighten Him off course. It was God's plan and, regardless of how He suffered, He was going to obey it. As we see our Lord walking so resolutely, let us consider two things closely…

1.     No government is able to stop the church. Study history; read Foxe's book of Martyrs; read Voice of the Martyrs online. Persecution of the church has been here, it is here, and it will continue until the return of Christ. With terrorist attacks in our nation coming directly from radical Islamists, still our congress supports Islamic religious freedom and squelches the mention of Christ continually. President Obama recognized Ramadan this year but not Easter. This is unavoidable. Christ in us will give us grace; here He gives us an example. What God has called us to do, we must do. He didn't willingly stir Herod up, but He didn't let Herod's threats move Him off course. His life was laid down already in His mind. Church – is ours? Can we lay down smaller idols, much less our lives?

2.     What love Jesus has for His church! What great suffering He was resolved to steadfastly endure so He could bring to Heaven all who would repent of sin and believe in Him as the way to Heaven! He greatly desired for us to see His glory!

Now to the second truth that is in this text…

Jerusalem was a rebellious child and an adulterous bride: to their own detriment they resisted and rejected the love of God. In Ezekiel 23 a very harsh and adult (rated R, I would say) description of Israel's unfaithfulness to God is given in the story of two daughters, Oholah and Oholibah. Oholah represents the northern tribes of Israel, Oholibah the southern nation of Judah. Then in Ezekiel 24 the siege of Jerusalem is begun and the terrible end is predicted.

Jerusalem was first mentioned with Abraham's meeting of Melchizidek. It was destroyed by Babylon in 586 and 597 B.C., then again in A.D. 70 by Rome. Why would God allow, much less orchestrate the destruction of the city that bore His name – the "City of the Great King" (Ps 48:1)? The wrath of God is greater against those who hear the gospel and reject the gospel. When Prophets came, Jerusalem ignored them, or killed them. And they were the ones with the covenants!

Church, God certainly elects; He regenerates, calls, convicts of sin, and saves all who call upon Him. Salvation is not a joint effort between God and man; it is all of God. And yet – we are completely responsible for our sinfulness before Holy God. If we want to wrestle with this, we can stop at the Garden of Eden – there, we were all found guilty. We are all 'in Adam'. So of course Christ grieves when sinners reject Him, especially those to whom the Law and the Covenants have been given! Which brings me to this thought…

What about us?

What about when nominal Christians (name only) go to church enough to know the gospel, have a Bible or several of them, and still reject God. We who have full knowledge would experience full wrath.

Should that not cause us to fear? Should that alarm us?

Hear the love of God so poignantly from our Lord – He wept when he saw this beloved city in its hardness of heart!

Church, we have grace, and we have truth. Do not harden your hearts, and experience the wrath of God who loves so richly, so fully! Let us hold fast the good grace of God in Christ.

 

---

[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.