Sunday, August 30, 2015 Speaker: Doug Virgint A Problem of Perspective Luke 13:10-34 The 19th message in our 19-part series on the Gospel of Luke

Sunday, August 30, 2015Speaker: Doug Virgint

A Problem of PerspectiveLuke 13:10-34

The 19th message in our 19-part series on the Gospel of Luke.

Four perspectivesIntroduction

1.Meeting human needs (10-17)

2.Growing the Kingdom (18-21)

3.Entering the Kingdom (22-30)

4.Compassion for the lost (31-35)

Conclusion 2


1. Meeting human needs (10-17)

2. Growing the Kingdom (18-21)

3. Entering the Kingdom (22-30)

4. Compassion for the lost (31-35)

Conclusion 3

Introduction

Two men looked out from prison bars.

One saw mud…

One saw stars!

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Conclusion 5

1) Meeting human needs (10-17)

• Longest paragraph in the chapter• Last time Jesus teaches in a

synagogue• Woman enters while Jesus is teaching• She may have attended this

synagogue for 18 years without being helped

• Jesus heals her immediately• Ruler of the synagogue is most

unhappy

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• Jesus calls the ruler a hypocrite• His perception of the Sabbath was

hypocritical – e.g. spit, burdens, beasts• His lack of compassion was unlike his

God’s• This ruler was the praise leader• The crowd rejoiced – but he sulked and

criticized 7


The lesson here:

•Legalistic, religious observance can be cold and lead us to reject God’s true message.

•Religion can make us blind to others’ needs.

•Religion can make us believe we have earned a righteous standing before God, not lead us to trust Christ alone for God’s grace.

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A first difference in perspective

•The ruler of the synagogue saw good order and ritual and Sabbath keeping as essential.

•Jesus saw exercising compassion and helping a poor afflicted woman as far more important.

•He interrupted his sermon for her needs.

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Legalism"When a man is driven to acts of obedience by the dread of God's wrath revealed in the law, and not drawn to them by the belief of his love revealed in the gospel; when he fears God because of his power and justice, and not because of his goodness;

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Legalism“when he regards God more as an avenging Judge, than as a compassionate friend and Father; and when he contemplates God rather as terrible in majesty than as infinite in grace and mercy; he shows that he is under the dominion, or at least under the prevalence, of a legal spirit.” (John Colquoun) 11

LegalismTwo apparently opposite mistakes that we can fall into when we do not grasp the Gospel:Legalism: •More than a conscious belief that I can be saved by works, it is the thought that God’s love for us is conditioned to what we can do or be.•Leads to being ungenerous, harsh, insecure. Personal identity entwined with performance.

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LegalismAntinomianism: •More than a formal belief that I don’t have to obey God’s law.•The thought that because God loves me anyway, He does not mind how morally or immorally I live•Often ends up with us believing that the truly free person must jettison the idea of God

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LegalismIn Romans chapter 1 the pagan Gentiles are antinomianists – they reject God’s law altogether.In Romans chapter 2, the Jews are legalists – they rely on their law keeping rather than on God’s grace

Both are equally condemned!

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LegalismLegalism and Antinomianism are non-identical twins from the same womb!• Think about the fall in Genesis 3• God did not explain his command, “Do not eat the fruit of this tree.” • He did not tell them why.• God wanted to call them to trust Him for who He is in himself. 15

Legalism• Satan attacked God’s loving character• “God gave you this command to deprive you of something good.”• “God is restrictive, self absorbed and selfish.”• “If we obey God we will be miserable.”• “We cannot trust God - He does not have our greatest interest at heart.”• “Disobedience will be liberating.” 16

Legalism• Satan attacked both God’s integrity and his generosity• This lie is our default heart condition - it is deep in our human psyche• At the bottom of our souls, whether we follow God’s laws or not, we do not trust God’s good will towards us

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Legalism• The essence of legalism is rooted in this distorted view of God• God is a magnified policeman who gives us his laws because he wants to deprive us and destroy our joy

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Legalism• The essence of antinomianism is also rooted in this same distorted view of God• God is harsh, ungenerous and hard – His commands are not given to us for our benefit

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Legalism• Both these views see God’s laws, not

as an expression of his gracious love, but as a burden.

• God’s love is conditional and He is unwilling to give blessing.

• The only difference:

• the legalist bears this burden wearily

• The antinomian refuses it, casts it off

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Legalism“Legalism is, at its root, the manifestation of a restricted heart disposition towards God; viewing Him through a lens … that obscures his holy love. This is a fatal sickness…

The same view of God … lies at the root of antinomianism.”

(Sinclair Ferguson, “Whole Christ ”)

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Conclusion 22

2) Growing the Kingdom (18-21)

• Notice the word “therefore” (18)

• When we see a “therefore”, we must find out why “it’s there for”.• These two parables were spoken in

answer to the reaction of religious leaders / people• Jesus’ first message was “The

Kingdom of God is at hand”. (Mark 1:15)• This was also John the Baptist’s

message

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• These two parables had been spoken by Jesus in Matthew 13.• In Matthew, this was in the context of

the 7 “Parables of the Kingdom”• We must look at the Matthew passage

to understand the meaning.• Remember Jesus’ introductory words

“What is the Kingdom of God like? ”24

‖ 1) The 4 soils and the sower‖ SOWING‖ 2) The weeds

‖ 3) The mustard seed‖ GROWTH‖ 4) The leaven in the flour

‖ 5) The hidden treasure‖ VALUE‖ 6) The pearl of great value

‖ 7) The net HARVEST

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The main idea of these parables is therefore:

•The Kingdom may look small now…•but like a mustard tree that starts very small and becomes a 15 foot tree…•and like a small pile of wheat that puffs up because of the leaven…•my Kingdom will grow to become huge26


• Birds nesting in the branches of a tree is an Old Testament symbol for the Gentiles• In verse 6, the fig tree, a symbol of

Israel, will be cut down.• The word “sowed” in verse 19 would

be better translated “discarded”.• Israel “discarded” their Messiah and

the Gospel. God will turn to the Gentiles.

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• Notice that the birds did not just sit on the branches – they made their nests there• The growth of the Gospel was

stupendous.• By 70 A.D. Jerusalem, the temple and

the Jewish nation had been destroyed. • But by 300 A.D. despite terrible

persecution, the Gospel had been accepted by + 10% of the population of the entire Roman Empire.

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The parable of the leaven:• Three measures of flour = 50 pounds• The leaven permeates and makes it

grow• Once again, the idea is growth• But the leaven speaks of internal

growth (The “Kingdom within us”)• The mustard tree speaks of the

interior visible kingdom – God rules in our hearts

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Within the context:• Many are rejecting Christ• The spiritual “elite” is rejecting both

King and Kingdom”• Soon Christ will be crucified in

Jerusalem• But Christ reassures them – the

Kingdom will grow to ne the greatest Kingdom ever! 30


• As the woman “hid” the leaven, the Jewish leaders were hiding the “light” of Christ’s new Kingdom.• In a sense they were always hiding the

truth from the Gentiles• By hiding the truth they unwittingly

spread it abroad. God turned from the Jews to the Gentiles.

31


Another difference in perspective:

• The Jewish leaders did not understand the Kingdom in the way Christ did• And they thought that by crucifying

Christ they would put a stop to his Kingdom.• How wrong they were! 32






Conclusion 33

3) Entering the Kingdom (22-30)

• Jewish tradition was that all Jews would be saved• The question “will those who are

saved be few” was a reaction to our Lord’s condemnation of the unbelieving Jewish leaders and many Jewish persons.

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• These verses speak of the urgency of receiving Christ.

• If we put off receiving Christ, it may be too late when we get around to it.

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• These verses are directed especially to the Jewish rulers who were rejecting Christ’s words.

• It was not enough to have “drank in his presence” or to have “listened to his teaching”.

• A total commitment to Christ and his kingdom was necessary.

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• In the same way, for us it is not enough to attend church or even to listen to the preaching of God’s word.

• A total commitment to Christ and his kingdom is necessary for your salvation.

• And this commitment must take place before death and judgment.

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•Another difference in perspective:• The Jews were looking for an earthly

kingdom and a Messiah who would get rid of the Romans.• God’s Kingdom is first of all,

submission to His Son as King of our lives

What is your perspective?38






Conclusion 39

4) Compassion for lost (31-35)

• Christ was near Herod’s summer palace.

• He had always refused to meet with or speak to Herod, who had killed John.

• Herod was afraid that he was John’s ghost, and wanted to meet with him.

• Probably the Pharisees just wanted to get Jesus to Jerusalem where they controlled the crowds and could kill him.

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• Jesus knew that he must go to Jerusalem.• He knew that he would die there on a

cross.• But he was determined to go there

anyway.• And here we see the last of our four

different “perspectives”.• The Jewish religion lacked compassion.• Christ here demonstrates His

compassion.

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• First of all, Christ demonstrates God’s immense compassion by dying for our sins and for our salvation.• The infinite, eternal, all-powerful,

Creator God has become a simple man, has endured rejection and died a horrible death.• He underwent the penalty for our sins

so we could enter His Kingdom. 42


• Secondly, Christ weeps over the city of Jerusalem.• He knows her history of rejecting and

killing the prophets God had previously sent. And now this wicked city will reject and kill the Son of God – the greatest and final prophet.• Instead of hating her, he weeps in

compassion. 43






Conclusion 44

Conclusion• Is your perspective different from God’s

perspective?• What do you think God is really like?• Do you know him and love him as a God

of compassion?• Do you really believe that He loves you

absolutely and desires the greatest good for you?

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Conclusion• Are you discouraged in your service for

your King? Sometimes it is so hard!• God’s Kingdom is growing! • The day is coming soon when God’s

Kingdom will be the only Kingdom – and it will be eternal!

Don’t give in to discouragement. 46

Conclusion• Are you putting off entering God’s

Kingdom?

• Do not put it off until it is too late!

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Conclusion• Are you in a different time in your life?

• Your God is a God of infinite compassion.

• He loves you completely.

• He knows you perfectly and he loves you perfectly – anyway.

• His will for you is certainly the best for you in the long term. 48

A problem of perspectiveLuke 13: 10-34

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Sunday, August 30, 2015 Speaker: Doug Virgint A Problem of Perspective Luke 13:10-34 The 19th message in our 19-part series on the Gospel of Luke