Luke 13

Thank you God, that in your infinite mercy and grace we can repent of our sins and be forgiven. Do we understand the greatness of the sacrifice that took away the sin of the world and offers freedom from sin to those who believe in Him? The ongoing process of sanctification produces the fruit of the Spirit, and the fruit produced should permeate the lives of those who call upon His holy name. Love, peace mercy, goodness, gentleness, joy should be used by us for the good of God's kingdom and to save others from the ravages that sin makes on a life. We may miss the miracles in our life that come with faith in His power if we let the law govern the depth of our belief. The way to salvation is in Jesus Christ and in Him alone can men be saved. He is the vine and we are the branches, without Him we can do nothing!

Luke 13

13 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."

6 He also spoke this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?' 8 But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9 3And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.' "

10 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity." 13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

14 But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day."

15 The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? 16 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?" 17 And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.

18 Then He said, "What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches."

 

20 And again He said, "To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."

22 And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 Then one said to Him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?"

And He said to them, 24 "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open for us,' and He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know you, where you are 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 you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.' 28 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, and yourselves thrust out. 29 They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. 30 And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last."

31 On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, "Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You."

32 And He said to them, "Go, tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.' 33 Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.

34 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! 35 See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' "

The NKJV Study Bible says this: The details of the incident referred to here, in which Jewish blood was shed at or near the temple during a time of sacrifices, are not known. Pilate was known for his insensitivity to the Jewish people early in his rule. The event probably occurred during the Feast of the Passover or Tabernacles, when Galileans most likely would have been at the temple. The idea that judgment and death are the results of sin led to the belief that tragic death was the result of extreme sin. While such a view was common in Judaism, it was not always a correct conclusion. The event referred to here was a natural tragedy as opposed to the violent human act. The manner in which a person dies is not a measure of righteousness; what is important is not to die outside of God's grace and care. The way to avoid such a fate is to repent, to come to God through the care of the physician Jesus. A fig tree was often given some time to bear good fruit since its root structure was complex and took time to develop. If the tree, symbolizing Israel, would yield some fruit it could escape judgment; a failure to be fruitful would result in judgment. When the ruler of the synagogue became indignant regarding Jesus' healing on the Sabbath, Jesus pointed out that basic compassion was shown to animals on the Sabbath, so how much more compassion should be shown to a suffering woman. Jesus pointed out that there was no better day on which to overcome Satan than the Sabbath. Jesus compared the growth of God's kingdom to a little seed that becomes a big tree where ,many birds can find shelter. A tree of the mustard family would grow to about 12 feet. The image of birds nesting in the trees is found frequently in the OT. The kingdom will start small, but will grow and eventually fill the earth. The emphasis is not so much on a process of growth as in the difference between the kingdom's beginning and its end. Those who seek to enter but are unable are those who seek entrance on their own terms. Many will miss the blessings of God because they think they can achieve salvation on their own merit or on the basis of their own piety, rather than because they came to know God through Jesus. Once a person's life has ended, the door of opportunity to respond to Jesus is closed and access into God's presence cannot be gained. The appeal here is by people who experienced Jesus' presence. The passage primarily involves those Jews who witnessed Jesus' ministry. They were trying to gain entry into God's presence based simply on the fact that they had observed Jesus. Jesus refused them, pointing out that it was not enough for them to have been close to Him. In order to have a relationship with God, one must embrace Jesus and come to know Him. Failure to seek salvation in Jesus means that sin remains in a person's life. There will be many surprises in God's kingdom. Those who are despised on earth—some Gentiles, for example—will be greatly honored in the kingdom. Conversely, those who are considered influential and powerful on earth—the Jewish religious leaders of Jesus' day, for example—will be excluded from the kingdom. As a prophet, Jesus spoke for God in the first person. He compared God's desire to gather the nation to a hen sheltering and protecting her young. Sadly, the nation was not willing to be gathered. God would abandon the nation until they responded to the Messiah. The people of Israel would not see the Messiah again until they were ready to receive Him and recognize that He was sent from God.