THE JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM

Luke Chapter Thirteen

Sermon of the Week—February 3, 2006

It was the last six months of the ministry of Jesus before His crucifixion and resurrection; and Luke records in this thirteenth chapter some of the events that took place as the Lord went on His way through the cities and villages, teaching and journeying on to Jerusalem. That statement should be an apt description in the ministry of every man who preaches the Word of God, and I accept it as such in my own ministry.

Listen to it again as I personalize it. I began to preach the gospel on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1943, and ever since for two generations, like Jesus, I have gone on my way through the cities and villages of America and the world preaching; journeying on to the New Jerusalem. For our present purpose, we will confine the message we preach to the various events Luke mentions in this the thirteenth chapter of Luke.

REPENTANCE

According to Jesus, the message of repentance is a major doctrine He proclaimed as He journeyed on to Jerusalem. Luke tells, “There were some at that season who told Him of some Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.” Speculation is made as to what all this entailed, and while we do not know all the particulars of this event it appears the Galileans were guilty of a great sin. Jesus then added another event indicating something about the erection of a tower in Jerusalem that fell and killed eighteen people. In both cases whatever the sin was, Jesus said, “Don’t think these men were sinners above all sinners. I tell you Nay, except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish.”

Today when a national calamity occurs some are quick to say it was the judgment of God on their sins, whether it is the bombing of the Twin Towers or a hurricane that leaves many homeless. Actually if these things are the judgment of God, one wonders why God did not send a first-class tornado down the main street of Las Vegas and a good old-fashioned earthquake to wipe out Hollywood.

The message of Jesus is clear. Consider your own sins, “Except you repent you shall all likewise perish.” John the Baptist came preaching the message of repentance, “Repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” When John was imprisoned, Jesus took up the refrain, “Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Here in this event He said, “Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish”. Then to be sure we understood, He repeated it, “Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish.” In the second gospel sermon in the Book of Acts, Peter said, “Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out.” Peter said in his second epistle, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promises, but is long-suffering to you, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” When Jesus wrote to the seven churches in Revelation, He told five of seven churches they needed to repent. Repent, Repent, Repent, Repent, Repent.

And as far as the alien-sinner is concerned the message of salvation to all who believed was, “Repent ye and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Repentance is a message that you won’t hear in most churches. The churches have developed a cavalier attitude toward sin. We have heard several preachers mention in their sermons that we live at a different time. They tell of how it used to be and then mention that today on television and in movies we hear a lot of things that were unthinkable years ago. Somehow we get the impression that is the way it is, and we have become acclimated to it so relax and enjoy. Remember Jesus said, “Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish.” And Paul reminds us, “The ungodly shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven.”

Adolph Eichmann was the henchman of Hitler who was charged with killing six million Jews. At his trial he was sentenced to be hanged. I saw the story on the front page of the paper that carried the story of some reporters who interviewed him before he went to the gallows. His final words to the reporters when the interview was over were, “Gentlemen, I’ll be seeing you.” His message was clear. He knew he would stand in another judgment and the reporters would be there with him; “Think ye that Adolph Eichmann was a sinner above all sinners in that he slew six million Jews in the gas chambers? I tell you, Nay, for except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish.”

This is the message that must be preached as we journey on through the cities and villages journeying on toward the New Jerusalem.

THE BARREN FIG TREE

Another doctrine Jesus preached as He went on His way through the cities and villages, journeying on to Jerusalem, the lesson of the barren fig tree. Jesus said, “A certain man planted a fig tree in his vineyard and he came seeking fruit three years and found none. He said to the vinedresser cut it down. The vinedresser said, let us give it one more year and then if no fruit cut it down.”  There is a lesson here on spiritual horticulture.

This fig tree of God’s people was highly favored. It was planted in a vineyard. It could grow taller than the vines and soak up the sunshine. Yet with all its blessing there was no fruit. This is a perfect example of the church in America. We are highly favored with every advantage; the richest Christians in the world. America is the worst place in the world to go to hell from. I heard one missionary say that he would be afraid to live in America again because he would be in danger of losing his soul.

I read of one philosopher who said, “If Christianity ever dies, the death will start in the suburbs.” Actually the doctrines of the Bible concerning baptism, the eldership and the Lord’s Supper have already been vaporized to the point they are almost non-existent.

The long-suffering of God is evident in this parable of the fig tree, “Give it one more year, if it bear fruit well, if not cut it down.” In this particular case it was less than forty years and the Romans destroyed Jerusalem. How long does the Church in America have to bear fruit? Only God knows, but it could be anytime that the cry will be heard, “Cut it down, why doth it cumber the ground?”

This is the message that must be preached as we go through the cities and villages, journeying on to the New Jerusalem.

THE WOMAN WHO WAS BOWED TOGETHER

Then Jesus went into one of the synagogues on a Sabbath Day and was teaching. His message was interrupted when He saw a woman there who was bowed together and could not lift herself up. When Jesus saw her He stopped His message and called her and said to her, “Woman thou art loosed from thine infirmity and He laid His hands upon her and she was made straight and glorified God.” It says, “He saw her.” When Jesus was teaching, He stopped and spoke to the need of that person. In any church service today, if we see a person who needs help, forget the sermon and preach to the need of that person. That is why we always speak to the need of thousands in every sermon whether it is from Genesis to Revelation, telling them about the Biblical plan of salvation.

He laid His hands upon her. The touch of the hands of Jesus is emphasized in the life of Christ. On two occasions the touch of His hand raised the dead. It was by the touch of His hand that He cured a leper with a terminal disease. His friends brought again one blind man to Jesus and they said, “Touch him Lord” and his sight was restored. On another occasion He healed a man born blind by touching his eyes with clay. Jesus actually performed lazar surgery by putting His fingers in a man’s ears and restoring his hearing and speech. In this case the Great Physician was a Chiropractor; He laid his hands upon this woman and with one adjustment she was made straight after being bowed double for eighteen years.

The gospel song says it for us, “In the last sad hour when I stand alone and the powers of death combine--while the dark waves roll He will guide my soul--by the touch of His hand on mine.” Jesus touched her with His hand and she was made straight and glorified God.

Notice also that the name of this woman is not mentioned; she is anonymous. Think of how many anonymous persons there are in the Scriptures. Who was the boy who supplied the loaves and fishes for the feeding of the five thousand? What were the names of those guys who lowered Paul over the wall in a basket? It was the same basket that held the names of hundreds of churches, and one hundred chapters of the New Testament. What was the name of the widow whose son Jesus raised on the way to the graveyard? What was the name of the woman Jesus talked to at the well at Sychar? What was the name of the woman taken by the Pharisees in adultery when Jesus said, “Let him that is without sin cast the first stone”? What were the names of those men who broke up the roof and let a sick man down into the room for Jesus to heal and forgive?

Evidently it was not important who they were. The important thing was what Jesus did. It isn’t what we do. The important thing is what Jesus is doing with us. It isn’t who we are, but what we are. The most important thing about any Christian is the fact that you had the honor of being redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. I have lived long enough that I can say this with assurance. I am highly amused today when I mention the names of preachers whose names years ago were household words, and people tell me, “Never heard of him.”

Notice also she had the spirit of infirmity. She was handicapped and could not stand up straight. Many are handicapped today who are members of the body of Christ. The body of Christ is crippled as far as attendance is concerned. The members of the body are on the swing shift. For one Sunday the first shift comes in. The next week the second shift comes in and the first shift stays home. A skeleton crew is there each week to keep things going. The Church is almost paraplegic. If we could ever get both shifts working at the same time the body of Christ could do wonders.

About ten years ago I preached at the mid-winter conference on evangelism in southwest Germany. The wife of a missionary told me of a conversation she had with a German lady. The German lady asked, “How many members does your church have?” She told her, “About sixty.” The German lady said, “How many do you have in attendance?” She said, “About sixty.” The German lady said, “Our Pastor would be delighted to have that many in services.” The wife of the missionary asked, “How many members do you have?” The German lady said, “About four thousand.” The wife of the missionary asked, “How many do you have in attendance?” The reply was, “About six people.” Think of it, four thousand members and only six in attendance. The explanation for the low attendance was, “Attendance is not important. The important thing is to be a member of the Church, so that when you die you can be buried in the Church graveyard.” It seems if you are buried in the Church graveyard you are a shoo-in for Heaven.

There is not too much difference there than in America. I have known of many who have no time for the Lord and His Church, but want a religious service when they die. One such person who had not been present for years was dying and said to me, “That church down there on the corner is my Church.” That person found solace and peace in knowing that their name was on the roll-book of the Church even though no interest had been shown for several years.

The spirit of infirmity has also paralyzed the onward march of the Church and it cannot lift itself up. I have heard it many times and read this statement in different sources, “There is not too much difference in the lifestyle of the average Christian than most people in the world who don’t claim to be Christian.” This is the message that I must preach in the cities and villages as I journey on to the New Jerusalem.

THE NARROW GATE

And then there was one who asked, “Lord are there few that shall be saved? Jesus ignored the question but did say: Strive to enter in through the narrow door: for many shall seek to enter in and shall not be able.” It appears that some are trying to carry too much baggage through the narrow door and like at the airport, when some try to go through security check, the buzzer sounds and an examination of their baggage reveals they are trying to carry their unrepentant sins into Heaven with them. Many will argue, “We ate and drank in Thy presence, and Thou didst teach in our streets.” Is that not true with many today? We eat and drink the Lord’s Supper in His presence. We hear the teaching of Jesus and yet something is lacking and He shall say, “I know not whence ye are; depart from Me all ye workers of iniquity.” Evidently, something more is required for being a Christian than having a speaking acquaintance with the Holy Spirit and a familiarity with Jesus.

The easy roads are crowded and the level roads are jammed--The pleasant little rivers with the drifting folk are crammed--But off yonder where its rocky where you get the better view-You will find the ranks are thinning with the never wavering few--Where the goings smooth and pleasant you will always find the throng--For the many mores the pity seem to like to drift along-But the steeps that call for courage and the task that’s hard to do-In the end results in glory for the never wavering few. And this is the message that needs to be preached as we journey on to the New Jerusalem.

CONCLUSION

Now in conclusion, certain of the Pharisees tried to threaten Jesus telling Him that Herod would fain kill Him. Jesus was not deterred from His course, He cried, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem that killeth the prophets and stoneth them that are sent into her.” He was headed for Jerusalem to be crucified, and informed them, “Nevertheless I MUST go on My way, for it cannot be that a prophet perish outside of Jerusalem.”

He said, “I MUST”. The salvation of my soul depended on that “I MUST” of Jesus. He said, “The Son of man MUST be lifted up.” Peter would say later, “There is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we MUST be saved.” Jesus says of us, “Ye MUST be born again.” Jesus told the believing Saul of Tarsus, “Go into Demascus and there it will be told thee what thou MUST do.” He was told, “Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Paul tells us, “We all MUST appear before the Judgment seat of Christ.” None of us like to hear others tell us what we MUST do, but when the inspired Word of God informs us what we MUST do, we MUST do what we MUST DO!

There used to be a sermon years ago that I heard various preachers preach. It was something about blockades on the road to hell. The idea of the sermon was, some people are striving hard to be damned, considering all the blockades they find on the road to hell. To be eternally lost many have to climb over the Church; they have to climb over the Bible; they have to climb over every gospel sermon and Bible school lesson they ever heard. In many cases they have to climb over the top of this radio broadcast and they have to climb over every prayer ever prayed on behalf of their salvation. In many cases they have to climb over the top of loving concern of parents, and most certainly they have to climb over the top of the cross on Mount Calvary. Seven decades ago we began to preach this message, and still do preach it as we journey on toward the New Jerusalem.