Emory Baptist Church

Wednesday's Plan for Murder

If you have your Bibles this morning, please take them and find Luke 22:1.  I want to share a message with you entitled, “Wednesday’s Plan for Murder.”

 

While I am so thankful for my mom and my daughters’ mother, I don’t have special Mother’s Day Sermon for you ladies.  Instead, we are continuing our study of Luke’s Gospel.

 

We have now moved to Wednesday of Passion Week.  Jesus entered Jerusalem on Sunday.  He cleared the temple on Monday.  He taught in the temple on Tuesday, and we now move to Wednesday.

 

 

1. Exposition: 22:1-2

1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover. 2 And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.

 

In verse 1, Luke gives us a time marker and some history.  He speaks of two events or celebrations that had morphed into one.

 

The Passover would start on Thursday night at sundown and go to Friday at sundown.  Some estimate that over two million Jews would have been in Jerusalem for this annual pilgrimage feast. 

 

The Feast of Unleavened Bread would happen the very next day.  Because they happened immediately one after the other, by this time, they were seen and referenced as one. 

 

The Feast of the Passover was celebrated by the Jews in Jerusalem remembering when the Lord passed over the houses of the nation of Israel protecting them from the death angel in Exodus 12.  The Feast of Unleavened Bread celebrated Israel’s exodus from Egypt in the same chapter.

 

For us, this might be like celebrating Independence Day on July 4 and then Thanksgiving on July 5.  They celebrated freedom with Passover, and thanked the Lord for it during Feast of Unleavened Bread.

 

Verse 2 says the chief priests and scribes sought to kill Jesus.  Why?

 

He had challenged them, and asserted His authority over theirs.  He had exposed their hypocrisy and deceit. 

 

However, they knew of His growing popularity with the multitudes.  Therefore, it seems as if they had resigned themselves to waiting multiple days until after Jerusalem cleared out.

 

There plans might be different if they had an insider.  If they had someone who knew where Jesus stayed, maybe their plans could be carried out sooner.

 

 

2. Exposition: 22:3

3 Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.

 

Verse 3 says that Satan or the Devil entered Judas.  Iscariot most like was a geographical reference to Judas’ home.

 

The end of verse 3 is terrifying.  How could the Devil possess one of Jesus’ twelve disciples?

 

I would suggest to you that Judas is not an example of a disciple falling away.  I believe he is an example of a person being constantly exposed to the gospel but never being saved. 

 

Judas betrayed Jesus and the Twelve.  Judas never embraced Jesus the Savior. 

 

He was being led by the devil and ultimately was led to death.  We know that Judas took his own life, and because Satan lived in his heart, he died and is spending an eternity in hell separated from Christ. 

 

I’m not saying he went to hell because he committed suicide. I am saying he went to hell because he rejected Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

 

 

3. Exposition: 22:4-6

4 So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. 5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6 So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.

 

The chief priests and scribes needed an insider to move more quickly, and Judas was their man.  Verses 4 and 5 seem to indicate that Judas initiated his desire to be their man. 

 

Verse 4 says he conferred with them.  Verse 5 says they agreed to his plan.

 

What would it cost them?  Judas sold his soul for 30 pieces of silver according to Matthew’s Gospel.

 

Judas knew where Jesus often took the other disciples.  Therefore, Judas promised to lead the chief priests and scribes and captains to Him. 

 

 

 

Applications

First, the Perfect Lamb of God in the New Testament was foreshadowed in the Passover lamb of God in the Old. 

 

Jesus Christ is the perfect lamb of God who died on the cross in our place.  If you put your faith and trust in Him as Savior, you will be saved.

 

The Passover foreshadowed this reality in Exodus 12.  When the blood of a Passover lamb was applied to the doorpost of the Israelite’s home, the death angel knew to  pass over that home and that family and move to the next as he took the life of every first-born Egyptian.

 

Second, being numbered with the disciples on earth doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be numbered with the disciples in heaven.

 

Judas walked with Jesus, and he talked with Jesus.  He ate with Jesus, and he drank with Jesus. He slept with Jesus, and he traveled with Jesus. He ministered with Jesus, and he saw the supernatural done by Jesus.

 

However, he never received Jesus into his heart as Lord and Savior, and therefore, was never saved.  I am thankful if you are numbered with the disciples on earth, but what about in heaven?

 

Finally, if we allow him, the devil will always tempt us deceive and destroy, especially using money.  Money is not evil  Money is neutral.

 

However, money won’t satisfy ultimately.  Judas was paid up for a day.  Judas is in hell for eternity. 

 

Money won’t fix your marriage ultimately.  Money won’t make your kids better ultimately.  Money won’t buy your happiness ultimately. 

 

But Jesus can, and Jesus will if you let Him.

The End is Coming!

If you have your Bibles this morning, please take them and find Luke 21:5.  I want to share a message with you entitled, “The End is Coming!”

 

Generally speaking, people are very interested in the future.  We want to know to know the future for our lives personally.  We want to know the future of EBC.  We want to know the future of our country and economy and favorite teams.    

 

We also want to know the future as it relates to the Bible, and that often means specific details.  In Luke 21, Jesus talks about the end of time, and the fact that it is coming. 

 

However, if you are looking for a detailed timeline, you will probably be disappointed in what I have to say because our text is full of apocalyptic language that is highly symbolic and by nature can have multiple meanings.  Some preachers would spend weeks and maybe even months in Luke 21, but because it is hard to be definitive in explaining what Jesus said, I would just be speculating. 

 

The story of Luke 21 is also found in Mark 13 Matthew 24.  It is often called the “Olivet Discourse” because Jesus spoke to His disciples from and around the Mount of Olives. 

 

It is still Tuesday of Passion of Week.  Jesus has spent most the day in the temple teaching the crowds and teaching His disciples.

 

 

1. Expectations of the Future, Luke 21:5-28

5 Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, 6 “These things which you see—the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.”

7 So they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?” 8 And He said: “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them. 9 But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately.” 10 Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. 13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. 14 Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. 18 But not a hair of your head shall be lost. 19 By your patience possess your souls. 20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. 22 For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. 24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

 

In verse 5, Jesus and His disciples were admiring the temple because of the beautiful stones and donations or gold sculptures.  It seems that Jesus responded to one of them with verse 6. 

 

5 Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, 6 “These things which you see—the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.”

 

The temple was not finished at this time.  Its construction began in 20 BC by Herod the Great.  It wasn’t finished until about 64 AD.  This conversation between Jesus and His disciples took place around 30 AD.  Therefore, even though it wasn’t finished, construction had been going on for 50 years.

 

Jesus’ response was prophetic in nature.  He predicted that the temple where they were currently standing would be destroyed. 

 

5 Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, 6 “These things which you see—the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.”

 

Did that happen? Certainly, it happened approximately 40 years later as the Romans burned the temple and destroyed Jerusalem in AD 70.  However, this first prophecy would simply be a foreshadowing of the temple destroyed again during the great tribulation.

 

This temple’s destruction is just one of seven signs of the times or expectation for the future.  Again, the first that Jesus mentioned is the destruction of the temple, but He wasn’t necessarily speaking in chronological order.

 

In verse 7, Jesus was asked to explain more about these signs, and so He did. 

 

7 So they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?”

 

Remember, He has already named one…the destruction of the temple that would happen in the Great Tribulation. 

 

1. Temple’s Destruction (21:6)
2. False Messiahs (21:8) - Many will come in Jesus’ name claiming to be the Savior, and they will convince many to follow them instead of Jesus.
3. National Warfare (21:9-10) - There will be wars and commotions. Jesus said these things must happen, but the end won’t be immediate. 
4. Natural Disasters (21:11) - There will be natural disasters including earthquakes and famines and pestilences.
5. Christian Persecution (21:12-15) - There will be physical persecution for being a known follower of Christ, and your persecution will be a witness to those who are persecuting you. Be encouraged that when you stand for Christ, the HS will never leave you or forsake you and give you the words to say in that very moment.  Also, in order for this to happen, the issue of Jesus being your Lord and Savior must be a settled issue in your heart and mind. 
6. Family Division (21:16-19) - There will be divisions and strife within families over following Christ, and even family putting family members to death over Jesus should not surprise us.

 

Verses 18-19 give us some good news in otherwise words of despair. No hair of our head shall be lost.

 

18 But not a hair of your head shall be lost. 19 By your patience possess your souls.

 

We are promised what certainly is spiritual security because of our relationship with Christ.  However, if these signs are happening during the Great Tribulation, Jesus could be speaking about physical security as there will some Christians in the Tribulation period who are alive when Jesus returns.

 

Beginning in verse 20, Jesus comes back to events in Jerusalem and destruction. Jesus warned the Christ-followers to run and hide.  This time will be the worst time ever for Christians.

 

20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.

 

Luke calls this the times of the Gentiles in verse 24, and it is unique with him.  It seems to refer to the time that Gentiles will dominate Israel and Jerusalem.

 

24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

 

In verse 25, Jesus began describing the 7^th sign.  It is the Second Coming of Christ.

 

25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

 

There will be signs in the heavens.  There will signs on earth.  There will be signs in the oceans, and it will be extraordinary. 

 

In verse 27-28, then those alive will see Jesus returning on clouds.  When those who are alive see this, salvation has come.

 

27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

 

 

End of the Age Timeline

Now, I want to back track just a little and give you what I believe will be the big events of the end of the age.  Not all of these are mentioned here, but I believe all of these are biblical.

 

First, since coming of the Holy Spirit, we have been living in the church age.  This has been true for 2,000 years. 

 

I believe the next big event will be the rapture of the church.  It will be sudden and without warning and could happen today.  That is the taking of all born-again Christians to be immediately with the Lord and for eternity. 

 

The next big event is the tribulation period.  I believe the book of Daniel describes it as two 3.5 year periods.  The second 3.5 years is the Great Tribulation. 

 

At the end of the two 3.5 year periods, I believe Jesus will return as described in 21:27.  His second coming will kick off His 1,000 earthly reign.  After it, eternity will begin. 

 

 

2. The Illustration from the Fig Tree, Luke 21:29-33

29 Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. 31 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

 

Part of Jesus’ explanation about the end coming is a parable about the fig tree.  Even though many have tried to make this more complicated than necessary, this is actually a very easy parable to read, understand, and apply. 

 

Remember that a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning, and fig trees were very common in the first century.  Jesus’ audience would have been familiar with fig trees and their growth patterns. 

 

When the branches put forth leaves, summer was near.  That is easy.  Fig trees bloomed at the end of spring and the beginning of summer.  Their bloom was the sign that summer was near.

 

According to verse 31, these things will be the signs that the Second Coming Christ is near. 

31 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.

 

What were “these things?”  The things that Jesus was speaking of began back in verse 6. 

 

All of these things are scripted by the hand of God and recorded in the Scriptures.  It will follow a predetermined script, and in verse 33, Jesus said, you can count on this script or prediction or prophecy coming true. 

 

33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

 

Before we finish today’s text, let’s look at verse 32 for a moment.  What generation is Jesus speaking about here?  He said that this generation would not pass away until all these things take place. 

 

32 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.

 

I think this generation can have two meanings.  Remember that this entire conversation started about the temple.  I believe that Jesus was saying that this first generation would not pass until they saw the destruction of the temple.  That happened just 40 years, and Jesus was right.

 

At the same time, I think that Jesus is also talking about the last generation, the generation that sees the beginning of the tribulation period.  Jesus is saying they will also see His second coming. 

 

 

3. A Summation for the Followers of Christ, Luke 21:34-38

34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” 37 And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet. 38 Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.

 

So what do we do?  Be careful. Watch, and pray.

 

First, in verses 34-35, be careful that you aren’t caught off guard.  Don’t be guilty of living like the world and getting surprised. 

 

Second, we are to watch in verse 36.  Watch for the signs.  He didn’t say worry about the signs, but watch.

 

Third, pray.  Pray that you are honoring Christ with all of your life, and pray for the Lord Jesus to come quickly, and pray for those who are lost to recognize their lostness and Jesus as their only hope.

 

In verses 37-38, it seems the end of Tuesday has come.  Next time, we’ll move to Wednesday.

 

37 And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet. 38 Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.

An Audience of One

If you have your Bibles, please take them and find Luke 20:45.  I want to share with you a message entitled, “An Audience of One.”  I’ll come back to this idea in just a moment.

 

We are still in Passion Week.  It is Tuesday, and Thursday’s Passover is coming.  Therefore, remember that Jerusalem is full of first-century Jews.

 

Jesus has spent a lot of time in the temple on Tuesday.  He was answering questions, and He was asking questions. Today, we will see Him teaching His disciples.

 

Here are the two instructions. Forsake the hypocrisy of the scribes.  Follow the humility of the widow.

 

Thinking about an audience of one, why do you do what you do?  Why do you do what you do as a husband, as a wife, as a child, as an employee, as a student?

 

Why do you do what you do?  Is it for the applause of men or is it for an audience of One?  Is it for the approval of God, you heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, His Son?

 

 

 

1. Forsake the Hypocrisy of the Scribes, Luke 20:45-47.

 

 

45 Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, 46 “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 47 who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

 

In verses 45-47, Jesus warned and condemned the scribes’ hypocritical behavior.  He listed five hypocritical acts.

 

First, they liked to walk around in long robes.  These were white robes designating a devout and noted scholar.

 

Second, they liked prestigious greetings in the market places.  These included Rabbi and Father.

 

Third, they liked the best seats in the synagogues.  These were situated at the front of the temple, and facing the congregation.

 

They liked places of honor at banquets.  These spots were located next to the host so as to receive preferential treatment.

                                                             

Fourth, verse 47 speaks to their most atrocious behavior.  The scribes received no monetary pay for their temple services.  However, they were often designated estate planners by the husbands of these widows and embezzled their wealth.

 

Fifth, and as it relates to number four, for show, they pray long prayers over these women that encouraged them to serve God by supporting the temple or the scribe’s holy work.  The longer they prayed, the more they would get paid! 

 

Notice the end of verse 47.  Jesus pronounced greater condemnation for their hypocrisy!

 

BTW…Is all sin really the same?  It is in the sense that all sin and every sin violates the holiness of God and demonstrates our need for a Savior.

 

However, a white lie is not the same as sexual abuse,  And here, Jesus said some sin will receive greater condemnation.  That implies that all sins are NOT equal.

 

2. Follow the Humility of the Widow, Luke 21:1-4.

1 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, 2 and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. 3 So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; 4 for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”

 

In verse 21:1, we see that Jesus was still in the temple.  The treasury was located in the court of women.  It was the furthest point in the temple that women could go. 

 

It was here that there were 13 trumpet-shaped collection receptacles for individuals to give their offerings.  Almost half of them were labeled “free-will offerings,” which is where this money was most like being deposited. 

 

It seems as if Jesus was people watching.  He watched probably thousands of individuals drop their money into these collection pieces during this Passover season. 

 

Verse 1 simply says that as He was watching people that He saw the rich putting their gits into the treasury.  This isn’t a positive or a negative.  It simply a fact. 

 

However, in verse 42, He also saw a particular poor widow.  She put in two mites. 

 

She came to give at the treasury without any flare or any pomp or any grandeur.  I believe she may even have had her head down as she dropped in her two small copper coins.

 

A mite was a small copper coin.  In our terms, it was equivalent to an 1/8 of a cent so she gave ¼ of a penny.   

 

Notice how Jesus described what the widow gave in verse 3.  He said she put in “more than” all. 

 

In verse 4, He went further with His explanation.  Commenting on the wealthy or the rich, they put in out of their abundance.  However, this poor widow put in all the livelihood she had. 

 

Let that sink in.  She put in the last penny to her name.  In other words, she wouldn’t be able to buy any more food until she earned more money.

 

Jesus’ explanation is this: when it comes to money or financial giving, the quality of the giving or your attitude in giving is worth more than the quantity in giving or your action of giving.  The Lord sees your heart and your hand, and don’t forget that He can do a lot with your little. 

 

 

Applications

So here is the first takeaway from today’s text.  Are you living for the approval of men or an audience of One? 

 

For our teenagers, what’s most important?  Do you long for likes and clicks or is well done sufficient?

 

Second, Jesus doesn’t want your leftovers.  He wants your livelihood.  This is true with your money, your energy, and your time. 

 

If you wait until all bills are paid before you write the tithe check, you’ll never have enough.  Is Sunday morning church a Saturday night decision for you?

 

Third, for those who have never answered the call to salvation, this story foreshadows Jesus giving His all for you in the same way this widow gave her all.  Jesus died on the cross in your place and for your sins.  Today, will you answer His call to put your faith and trust in Him as Lord and Savior?

Who Is Jesus?

I want you to take your Bibles and find Luke 20:41.  I want to share a message with you entitled, “Who Is Jesus?”

 

In short, Jesus is fully man and fully God.  However, this truth is separates Christianity from other faith traditions.

 

It is still Tuesday.  It is still Passion Week, and Jesus is still dialoging in the temple with those who are opposed to Him.

 

He answered a question about authority form the chief priest, scribes, and elders.  He answered another question from the chief priests and scribes about paying taxes.  Last week, we see Jesus answer a question from the Sadducees about marriage, but it was really about life after death.

 

From the beginning of the New Testament and even today, many struggle to properly identify who Jesus was and is.  At one point, some Pharisees said that Jesus was the ruler of the demons.  See Matthew 12:24.

 

In Matthew 12:24, 24 Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”

 

As I said a moment ago, what you believe about Jesus determines your place inside Christianity or outside Christianity.  Traditionally, cults and other religions separate themselves from Christianity because of what they believe about Jesus.

 

For example, Mormons believe that Jesus is not an eternal being but a created being, and the older brother of Lucifer.  Consequently, they are not Trinitarian and are not Christian. 

 

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus is not God.  Before He lived on earth, He was Michael the Archangel. Consequently, they are not Trinitarian and are not Christian.

 

For Muslim, Jesus was not God, but another prophet like Mohummed.  For Buddhists, Jesus was an enlightened teacher. For Jews, Jesus was a crazy man.

 

As a matter of fact, I will never forget a college mission trip with my church group to the University of Wisconsen. We met some Jewish students who told us they thought Jesus was a crazy man.  That was their words.

 

Like Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses, these major world religions are not Christian.  So again, who is Jesus?

 

He is fully man and fully God.  Today’s text will demonstrate.

 

 

1. Jesus Asked a Question, Matthew 22:41-42a.

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” 

 

Luke doesn’t include the first part of today’s story.  Therefore, turn over to Matthew 22:41.

 

In our own study of Luke’s Gospel, we have seen Jesus spending a lot of Tuesday in the temple answer questions.  Now in Matthew 22:41, Jesus decided to ask His own.

 

Verse 42 states the questions.  He asked of the Pharisees who were gathered around, “What do you think of the Christ?  Whose Son is He?”

 

This sounds odd, but Jesus wasn’t asking about Himself.  The word “Christ” in verse 42 means “anointed one” or “Messiah.”  He was asking what they thought about the Messiah.   Specifically, whose son was the Messiah?

 

 

2. The Pharisees Answered Correctly, Matthew 22:42b.

42 They said to Him, “The Son of David.”

 

They said that the Messiah came through the lineage of David.  They answered correctly that the Messiah would biologically be from David’s line.

 

We also know that to be true from other texts.  See Ruth 4:18-22 and Matthew 1:5-6 and Matthew 1:16.

 

Ruth 4:18-22, 18 Now this is the genealogy of Perez: Perez begot Hezron; 19 Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab; 20 Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon; 21 Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed; 22 Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.

 

Matthew 1:5-6, 5 Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, 6 and Jesse begot David the king.

 

Matthew 1:16, 16 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.

 

Again, the Pharisees answered correctly.  Jesus was David’s son.  Consequently, that means He was and is fully man. 

 

 

3. However, Their Assessment was Not Complete, Luke 20:41-44.

41 And He said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David? 42 Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms: ‘The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit at My right hand, 43 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’  44 Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?” 

 

Even though the Pharisees answered Jesus’ question correctly, they did not answer Jesus’ question completely.  Now, let’s give our attention to Luke 20.

 

In verse 41, Jesus asked another question wanting to know how they could say the Messiah was David’s son in light of Psalm 110:1.  What did Psalm 110 say?

 

Look at verse 42.  God told the Messiah to sit at my right hand until He makes His enemies His footstool.  Then David called the Messiah Lord.

 

What God was saying was the He would make the Promised Messiah the King.  He would make Him equal with God in rank and authority, and His victories would be many. 

 

Remember what we said previously. The Messiah would be from biological line of David.  However, why would David call his Son Lord?  That makes no sense. 

 

David is king.  A king would never call his son Lord.  What is going on here? 

 

The Messiah came from David’s line so He would be David’s son.  The Messiah would also be David’s Lord since He was God’s son too.

 

Jesus came from David.  However, Jesus was also David’s Lord.

 

Jesus is fully man and fully God.  Jesus is the Messiah!

 

 

Conclusion

I want you to see two more texts, and we’ll be done.  See John 3:36 and Romans 10:13.

 

36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

 

If you have never trusted in Christ as Lord and Savior, call on Him to save you.

 

13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

 

Paul was quoting from Joel 2:32.  Therefore, salvation has always been through the Messiah, Jesus the Christ!

 

Who is Jesus?  He is fully man and fully God, and the only Savior of the world.

Will I Know My Spouse in Heaven?

If you have your Bibles, please take them and find Luke 20:27.  I want to share a message with you this morning entitled, “Will I Know My Spouse in Heaven?”

 

That is a question that I have been asked often by those who are close to dying or thinking about heaven or have just experienced the death of a spouse. 

 

In short, yes, you will know your spouse or spouses in heaven if he/she/they were followers of Christ.  However, you won’t be married to them.  Follow along as I explain.

 

We are continuing our study in Luke’s Gospel, and we looking at the last week of Jesus’ life on earth before His crucifixion.  This is called Passion Week or Holy Week. 

 

On Sunday, He rode into Jerusalem on donkey colt. On Monday, He came back into Jerusalem and cleansed the temple. 

 

On Tuesday, He came back into Jerusalem and spent a lot of the day teaching in the temple and answering certain questions.  That includes all of Luke 20 and Luke 21.

 

In Luke 20:1-2, He answered a question about authority.  This was from the chief priests and scribes and elders.

 

1 Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him 2 and spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?”

 

In Luke 20:19-22, He answered a question about paying taxes.  This question was also from the chief priest and scribes. 

 

19 And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people—for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.  20 So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor.  21 Then they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth: 22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

 

Today, Jesus will answer another question.  This time, it comes from the Sadducees.

 

 

1. The Liberal Aristocrats, Luke 20:27

27 Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him…

 

An aristocrat is a person considered to be superior through education, ability, or wealth.  The Sadducees were considered to be aristocrats.  One commentator I read this week called them the urban, wealthy, and sophisticated class of Jerusalem. 

 

They wielded great political and religious influence as part of the Jewish religious leadership of the day.  However, they had their own unique attributes. 

 

They were conservative in that they didn’t believe in the oral law or traditions of the Pharisees.  They only held to the Torah or the first five books of the Old Testament.

 

However, they were liberal in that they didn’t believe in the supernatural which included a resurrection or angels or spirits.  We know that from verse 27 and also from Acts 23:8.

 

Acts 23:8, 8 For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.

 

Because of their beliefs, and because they were pro-Rome, they were at odds with the Pharisees again and again.  However, remember that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. 

 

Therefore, like the Pharisees in this instance, they attempted to trap Jesus with His words and discredit His ministry.  They attempted such with a hypothetical scenario in verses 28-33.

 

BTW…Did Jesus believe in a life after physical death?  Did Jesus believe in a resurrection?  See Luke 9:22, 14:14, 18:33.

 

22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”

 

14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

 

33 They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”

 

 

2. A Ludicrous Argument, Luke 20:28-33

28 saying: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and died without children. 30 And the second took her as wife, and he died childless. 31 Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died. 32 Last of all the woman died also. 33 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had her as wife.”

Beginning in verse 28, the Sadducees posed the proverbial straw man scenario to Jesus in an effort to prove their belief or argument against resurrection.  There example is based loosely on Deuteronomy 25, which is why they attributed it Moses.

 

The story included a married couple who didn’t have children for whatever reason.  Then, tragedy strikes, and the husband dies leaving the wife alone and without anyone to care for her.

 

The custom of the day and part of the Old Testament Law was what was known as levirate marriage.  This term comes from the Latin word “levirate” which means husband’s brother, and the Sadducees correctly referenced Moses commendation of it from Deuteronomy 25:5-6.

 

Deuteronomy 25:5-6, 5 “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside the family; her husband’s brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 6 And it shall be that the firstborn son which she bears will succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.

 

We see this practice in the book of Ruth, and its purpose was to provide for this family’s future, and protect the widow.  The Sadducees could have asked their question of Jesus using just two husbands in an example.  However, in attempt to show their disdain for the resurrection and its absurdity, they used seven husbands. 

 

This was a ludicrous argument, and in their minds, Jesus only had two options in answering.  If He answered that the wife belonged to all of them, He would be condoning adultery.  If He answered otherwise, in their minds, He would be teaching that there was no such thing as the resurrection. 

 

 

3. Life Afterward, Luke 20:34-40

34 Jesus answered and said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37 But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.”  39 Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” 40 But after that they dared not question Him anymore.

 

As He did with others, He challenged the Sadducees’ understanding of Scripture.  They should have known better, but they didn’t.

 

Beginning in verse 34, Jesus pointed out two of their errors in thinking.  First, Jesus said there would be no marriage(s) in heaven. 

 

Why?  One of the main purposes of marriage is reproduction.  However, in heaven, there is no need for reproduction because life in heaven is eternal life.  Therefore, you will know you spouse and children and others in heaven, but the only marriage in heaven will be between Christ and His Bride, the Church.

 

In verse 36, Jesus said that in heaven, we will be EQUAL to angels.  Notice He didn’t say we will be angels.  He said we will be EQUAL to angels.  How so? 

 

Like angels, we will have glorified bodies.  Like angels, we will not reproduce.  Like angels, we will live eternally, and like angels, we will be fully and completely dedicated to our relationship with God. 

 

In verse 37, Jesus specifically addressed the resurrection of the dead.  Again, Jesus challenged their knowledge of Scripture with a verse from Exodus 3:6.  The Sadducees should have known this since they only believed and were supposed to be experts in the Torah or first five books of the OT.

 

Exodus 3:6, 6 I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

 

In verse 38, Jesus added that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.  What was so special about what He said? 

 

Exodus 3 is about 500 years after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob died.  Yet, God said, “I AM the God of…”  He used present tense and not past tense to say that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were still alive in heaven because of the resurrection of the dead. 

 

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.  Therefore, once these OT Patriarchs died or any believer dies, he or she is immediately transferred to heaven and in God’s presence.

 

Conclusions/Applications (5)

So what does all this mean? 

 

First, like the Sadducees, we will make mistakes and errors in judgement when we don’t know the Scriptures.  If you don’t know what the Bible says about marriage, you will make unnecessary mistakes in yours. If you don’t know what the Bible says about parenting, you will make unnecessary mistakes with your children.  If you don’t know what the Bible says about money.  You will make unnecessary mistakes managing yours.  Read your Bible.  Be in Sunday School and Church.  Don’t neglect the opportunities the Lord gives you so readily. 

 

Second, there everyone will have eternity either in heaven or in hell.  Your destination depends on whether you answer God’s call to salvation in Christ.

 

Everybody is born once and dies once.  Some are born twice and die once.  Those are followers of Christ.

 

They are born physically and born again spiritually.  Then, they only die physically.

 

However, if you don’t call on Jesus to save you, you will be born once and die twice.  You are born physically, but you will die physically and spiritually.  However, you will die for ever in hell.

 

I beg you and plead with you today to be saved.  Put your faith and trust in Christ.  Call on Jesus to save you!

A Full Day of Life Change

Agan, Happy Easter to you and your family.  Thank you for worshipping with us today at Emory Baptist Church.

 

If you have your Bibles or your smart device this morning, I invite you to turn to Luke 24.  All four gospels give an account of Jesus’ bodily resurrection, and while I wouldn’t say one is better than the other, we are giving our attention this morning to Dr. Luke’s account.

 

I want to share a message with you this morning entitled, “A Full Day of Life Change.”  In this last chapter of Luke’s gospel, its focus is Resurrection Day, and can be easily divided into three scenes that are noted by three different times during that day: the morning, the afternoon, and the evening. 

 

 

1. Life Change in the Morning because of a Miracle, Luke 24:1-12

 

Verse 1 clarifies that we are talking about Sunday morning.  Jesus was crucified on Friday and laid in Joseph’s tomb that same day.  He was there in the grave Friday night, Saturday, and until early Sunday morning.

 

1 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.

 

Verse 1 continues with a group of women who made their way to the tomb early on Sunday morning to anoint His body with spices to combat the odor that they expected to find because they thought He was still dead. 

 

According to verse 10, these women included Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary, the mother of James.  This would have been Jesus’ aunt.

 

10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.

 

Verse 10 also says they were accompanied by other women.  However, they are left unnamed. 

 

Back in verse 2, when they arrived, the stone had been rolled away.   

 

2 But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.

 

Matthew’s gospel tells us that there had been a localized earthquake that had dislodged the stone, and an angel rolled it away.  However, keep in mind that Jesus was already resurrected meaning that the stone was not rolled away to let Jesus out but to allow the witness to come inside and see. 

 

Verse 3 tells us what they found.  Jesus was not there even though they were fully expecting to find Him there. 

 

3 Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

 

Verse 4 introduces two angels as men.  Of course they were majestic in appearance, and the women responded accordingly in verse 5 by bowing their faces to the ground.

 

4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?

At the end of verse 5, the angels then asked the women why they were looking for the living among the dead, and in verse 6, they also reminded them of what Jesus had prophesied, and they made this historical declaration, “He is not here, but is risen!”

 

6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’” 

 

Jesus had told them this was going to happen.  However, they couldn’t wrap their minds around what they had a hard time believing. 

 

In verse 11 and following, the women then left the tomb and returned to tell the men what they found.  As you know, they didn’t believe them, and Peter had to see for himself as described in verse 12. 

 

11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.

 

In our first twelve verses, we see life change that took place in the morning of Resurrection Day because of a miracle.  What was the miracle? 

 

The miracle was that the dead had come back to life.  Jesus was killed on Friday, but was alive on Sunday.

 

How do we know this miracle actually happened, and isn’t some myth or legend?  First, we an empty tomb that was protected by Roman guards.  Second, we have the day of worship changed from Saturday to Sunday in the book of Acts.  Third, we have fulfilled prophecy told in the Old and fulfilled in the New.  Fourth, we have the unique role of female testimony that would not have normally been well-received in the first century.  Fifth, we have changed lives. 

 

This Peter, who had denied Christ on Thursday night and Friday morning, preached in Acts, and thousands were saved by repenting and believing in Jesus.  Lives were changed on Resurrection Day because of the miracle in the morning.

 

 

2. Life Change in the Afternoon because of Appearances, Luke 24:13-31

 

Beginning in verse 13, we see what is often called the road to Emmaus and the first of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances on Sunday afternoon. 

 

13 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem.

 

Verses 13-18 speak of these two eye-witnesses, and one of them was named Cleopas.  Perhaps it was he and his wife. 

 

18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”

 

However, initially, they didn’t recognize Jesus because God didn’t allow it.  Listen to verses 14-16. 

 

14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

 

In verse 17, Jesus asked them why they were sad.  Obviously, they were still under the impression that Jesus was dead.  They had heard the report of the women and even saw the empty tomb, but they hadn’t seen Jesus alive. 

 

17 And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” 

 

In verse 18, while still not recognizing them, Cleopas asked how Jesus had not heard of this awful death.  Evidently, it was common knowledge in Jerusalem since Friday.

 

18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”

 

Verse 21 tells us that these earliest disciples were hoping Jesus would empower an immediate and earthly kingdom.  Even after Jesus explained how the Old Testament had prophesied all that had happened, they still didn’t recognize Him.

 

21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.

 

After Jesus reminded them that the OT had prophesied all that was supposed to happen, they wanted to hear more and kept Jesus from moving on.  Look at verses 25-27.

 

25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. 

 

Verse 29 says that Jesus stayed with them for a while.  He even ate with them in verse 30.

 

29 But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.  30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.

 

It was here, in verse 31, that this appearance changed their lives forever.

 

31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

 

The afternoon appearances of the resurrected Christ changed lives. 

 

3. Live Change in the Evening because of Evidences, Luke 24:32-43

44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.  46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”  50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.

 

As our scenes transition from afternoon to evening, and after Jesus sat down with this group of disciples and shared a meal with them, it seems this triggered memories of Thursday night or even of Him feeding the thousands.  Verse 31 said they knew Him, but He then vanished. 

 

31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

 

In a mysterious way, Jesus’ resurrected body could be seen and heard, and He could eat.  However, He could also defy time and space limitations and move at will. 

 

Because of what they had seen and heard, they had to tell others.  Therefore, they went back to Jerusalem from Emmaus and told the other disciples that they had witnessed the resurrected Christ.  Look at verses 33-35.

 

33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread. 

 

In verse 36 and following, Jesus then joined them in Jerusalem.  In order to calm them and prove that it was really Him, because they were scared, Jesus offered for them to touch Him and feel Him.  He then asked them for some food, and He ate fish in their presence. 

 

36 Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” 37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. 38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”  40 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41 But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” 42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43 And He took it and ate in their presence.

 

What evidences did these disciples experience in the evening?  They saw His nailed pierced hands and feet.  They touched His nailed pierced hands and feet.  He ate in their presence.

 

This was no spirit or ghost.  This was the resurrected Christ!

 

How were their lives changed? 

First, in verse 45, He helped them understand the Scriptures.  Second, in verse 48, He would empower them to take the gospel to the nations.  The Church is Plan A to evangelize the world. 

 

44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. 46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

 

Third, their countenance and demeanor changed from sorrow to joy.  Look at verses 52-53.

 

50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.

 

 

Conclusion

In Luke 24, these folks had their lives changed forever because Jesus was alive.  You too can have your life changed forever because Jesus is alive.

 

How you ask?  If you aren’t saved today, Jesus is ready to save you today. 

 

That means a personal and saving relationship with God.    That means forgiveness of all sins.  That means an eternal home in home.

 

If you are saved, it means remembering that you have the Holy Spirit.  He is THE power you need to share gospel with anyone that God puts in your path.

 

Will you let God change your life today like He did for these folks approximately 2,000 years ago?

He IS More Than a Carpenter!

Submit is Not a Dirty Word!

If you have your Bibles, I want to find Luke 20:20.  I want to share a message with you entitled, “When Worlds Collide…”

 

If you are a guest with us this morning, we are in a long-term study of Luke’s Gospel.  As a matter of fact, when we finish this summer, it will have been 30 months or so…two and a half years since we started in January 2024.

 

Here in Luke 20, it is Passion Week.  That is the last week of Jesus’ earthly life before His death.

 

On Sunday, He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey colt.  On Monday, He cleared the temple.  Every day, He was teaching in the temple and preaching the gospel.

 

Some commentators believe that we have now moved to Wednesday of Passion Week.  However, we are still in Jerusalem, and Jesus is still dialoging with the Jewish Religious Leaders, and today’s text is about one of their conversations.

 

 

1. A Demonstration of Treachery, Luke 20:20-22

20 So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor.  21 Then they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth: 22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 

 

In this first scene, let’s talk about the players if you will.  It seems they are the Jewish Religious Leaders noted in Luke 20:1 and 20:19.

 

1 Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him.

 

19 And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people—for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.

 

So let’s put all this together to get the fullest picture.  The Chief Priests were in charge of the temple and the temple services.

 

The scribes were experts in the Old Testament.  The elders were senior family members in the city, and all three groups made up the Sanhedrin. Again, these were Jewish Religious Leaders.

 

Let’s not only think about the players, let’s also consider their plot.  In 20:1, they confronted Jesus.  In 20:19, they wanted to beat Jesus up, but didn’t.  In 20:20, they concocted a plan to trick Jesus.

 

It involved spies.  It involved deception.  They were trying to trap Jesus like an animal or catch Him like a fish on a hook.

 

They wanted to know if the Jews should pay taxes to Caesar.  This was a head-tax on any one and every one living under the Roman Empire. 

 

If Jesus said yes, the crowd would be in an uproar.  There would be chaos.  A yes answer would affirm Roman domination of the Jews.

 

However, if Jesus said no, He and His followers would be accused of being insurrectionists.  He would then be quickly arrested by the Romans for defying their authority.

 

 

1. An Illustration of Insincerity, Luke 20:23-24

23 But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test Me? 24 Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?”  They answered and said, “Caesar’s.”

 

Jesus smelled a rat.  Verse 23 says He perceived their craftiness and their desire to test Him. 

 

In verse 21, they had called Him Teacher, but they didn’t follow His teaching.  They were flattering Him. 

 

In verse 24, He asked to see a denarius which was a single coin that represented a day’s wages.  This was a Roman Coin that was comparable in size to our dime.

 

Ironically, they had one on them.  I wonder why since according to Exodus 20:4, they shouldn’t have been close to one.  Their insincerity was on full display.

 

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

 

Jesus took the coin and asked whose image was on it.  It was that of Tiberius Caesar.  One side was inscribed with “Son of the Divine Augustus.”  The other side said “Chief Priest.”

 

What would come next?  What would Jesus’ answer be?

 

 

• The Application of Authority, Luke 20:25-26

25 And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”  26 But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people. And they marveled at His answer and kept silent.

 

In verse 25, Jesus told them to give to Caesar what was due Caesar.  That would include the head-tax that was previously mentioned.

 

However, don’t miss this.  He also said to give to God that which was due God.

 

Their attempts were foiled.  Jesus had amazed the crowds again with is answer.

 

 

Conclusions

So, here is the main idea of today’s text and my message.  Followers of Christ are to be submissive.  That includes how relationship to the government and to God.

 

Submissive means recognize authority.  It doesn’t mean weak or inferior, and being submissive to both, generally speaking, is not mutually exclusive.

 

We are to give to the government what is due them.  We should submit from traffic laws to paying taxes.

 

Please hear me this morning.  We are meeting like we are today because we should…not because we have to.

 

Of course, the exception would be anytime our government requires us to violate Scripture or conscience that was determined by Scripture.

 

Romans 13:1-7, 1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

 

AND, we are to be submissive to God.  As the coin had Caesar’s image, and Jesus told the Jewish Religious Leaders to pay that which was due Caesar, our soul has God’s image on it. 

 

We are made in the image of God.  See Genesis 1:27.

 

Genesis 1:27, 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

 

Therefore, we are to submit our lives to God, and His way is best.  His plan for marriage is best.  His plan for parenting is best.  His plan for money is best.  His plan for relationships is best.  His plan for life is best.    

 

Invitation

• Submit to God for salvation
• Submit to government for sanctification

When God Looks at You

If you have your Bibles, please take them and find Luke 20:1.  I want to share a message with you entitled, “When God Looks At You.” 

 

We return to Luke’s Gospel this morning, and it is Passion Week, the final week of Jesus’ life on earth before His death.

 

On Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a donkey’s colt.  On Monday, Jesus cleansed the temple.  In today’s text, it is Tuesday, and Jesus is still in Jerusalem.

 

Remember that Jesus and His disciples came to Jerusalem for the Passover.  However, also remember that Jesus came to Jerusalem to die.

 

 

1. Some Inquiring Minds, Luke 20:1-2

1 Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him 2 and spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?” 

 

Jesus was teaching in the temple daily.  See Luke 19:47.  This is one of those days.

 

47 And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him.

 

What was He teaching and preaching?  Verse 1 says the gospel.

 

What is the gospel?  God created us to be in relationship with Him, but we sinned.  Because we sinned, we needed a Savior.  That is Jesus.  We know it was Jesus because of His resurrection.  Now, He invites anyone and everyone to believe in Him and be saved.

 

This time, He was met by the chief priests and scribes and elders. Notice this group “ confronted Him,” which ought to give us a clue about their intentions. 

 

Collectively, this group was known as the Sanhedrin, and they were in charge of Jewish Religious Life, and that included the temple.  Furthermore, the chief priests would be similar to our executive branch.  The scribes would be similar to our legislative branch, experts in the Law, and the elders would be similar to our judicial branch. 

 

They then asked Jesus two questions.  The first was “By what authority are You doing these things?”  “These things” surely referred to cleansing the temple on Monday.  After all, the Sanhedrin saw themselves as the highest authority in matters regarding the temple. 

 

The second question was similar to the first.  It was “Who gave You this authority to do these things?” 

 

Jesus had done something different from anyone else. He acted without asking the Sanhedrin for their permission.  He didn’t consult them.  He didn’t clear it with them. 

 

They wanted to know by whose authority was He acting or in other words, they wanted to know Jesus’ credentials.  Jesus hadn’t any formal training.  He didn’t sit under a rabbi, and after all, He was from Galilee.  

 

 

1. An Implied Message, Luke 19:3-4

3 But He answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me: 4 The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?”

 

Instead of answering their questions with a statement, Jesus asked a question of His own.  He answered their two questions with one question.  His answer to them was dependent on their answer to Him.

 

Verses 3-4 contains His one question.  He asked about John’s baptism, and this also included his ministry and authority.  Was it from heaven, meaning divine origin or God, or from men, meaning of human origin.  Notice how direct He was with “Answer Me.”

 

Now, what was His implied message?  The implied message was that wherever John’s baptism was from was the same place that He received His authority, and that was from God. 

 

John the Baptist was God’s Messenger, and Jesus was and is God’s Son.  Another way to put it is that Jesus was saying that He and John were on the same team.  They were working for the same boss and working for the same goal.

 

 

 

• Some Ignorant Men, Luke 20:5-8

5 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know where it was from.  8 And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

 

Now, the ball was in the Sanhedrin’s court.  They had to answer Jesus’ question, and the answer to Jesus’ question would be the answer to their questions so they began to talk through their options.

 

Their first option was to say that John’s baptism was from heaven and God.  However, if they said that, then Jesus would ask them why they didn’t believe him and follow him because in effect, they were not following God. 

 

If they said heaven, they would stand condemned for rejecting God’s messenger. They would also be saying that Jesus’ authority came from heaven and God and therefore acknowledging Him as the Messiah. 

 

Their other option was to say that John was simply human, and therefore had no divine authority what so ever.  However, if they said that, they were afraid of how the people would respond because John was considered to be a true prophet, a prophet of God. 

 

As with the first option, to say that John was from human origin was to say that Jesus was from human origin.  Needless to say, they were in a quandary.

 

By the way, here is a great illustration of the truth that peer pressure is a real issue for adults as well teenagers.  Don’t be fooled into thinking it just happens in junior high or high school.  These adults feared their reputation over telling the truth, and it is always right to do the right thing even if it costs your reputation.

 

There answer recorded in verse 7 simply says, “We do not know.”  They pled ignorance.  As a result, Jesus then refused to answer the questions.

 

 

The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers

 

Then in verse 9, Jesus told them a parable.  A parable was an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.

 

Jesus taught in parables to reveal mysteries about God’s kingdom to those who wanted to understand.  He spoke in parables to conceal realities to those who already decided to not believe him, and He used parables to fulfill prophecies.

 

9 Then He began to tell the people this parable: “A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time.

 

It was not uncommon for wealthy landlords to own large land estates which they leased to tenant farmers or vinedressers.  The tenant farmers would agree to cultivate the land and care for the crops while the landlord was away. 

 

In return for their care, the landlord would give a portion of the crop to the tenant farmers while keeping a portion for themselves.  When harvest time came, the landlord would send their servants on their behalf to collect their portions. 

 

In telling this parable, these chief priests and scribes and elders certainly thought of Isaiah 5:1-7.

 

1 Now let me sing to my Well-beloved

A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard:

My Well-beloved has a vineyard

On a very fruitful hill.

2 He dug it up and cleared out its stones,

And planted it with the choicest vine.

He built a tower in its midst,

And also made a winepress in it;

So He expected it to bring forth good grapes,

But it brought forth wild grapes.

3 “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,

Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard.

4 What more could have been done to My vineyard

That I have not done in it?

Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes,

Did it bring forth wild grapes?

5 And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard:

I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned;

And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.

6 I will lay it waste;

It shall not be pruned or dug,

But there shall come up briers and thorns.

I will also command the clouds

That they rain no rain on it.”

7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel,

And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant.

He looked for justice, but behold, oppression;

For righteousness, but behold, a cry for help.

 

Back in Luke 20:9, the certain man was God, and His vineyard was His kingdom.  The vinedressers were the Jewish Religious Leaders or the chief priests, scribes, and elders.

 

10 Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out.

 

In verse 10, it was harvest time, and so the owner sent one of his servants as his agent to get his portion of the vineyard’s produce.  However, the vinedressers took the slave and beat him and sent him home with nothing. 

 

In verse 11, the owner sent another slave, and the outcome was the same.  He sent another, and the outcome was the same.

 

These servants represent the prophets and messengers of God that God sent throughout history as His ambassadors to the nation of Israel.  Who comes to your mind? 

 

In the Old Testament, even before Israel, I think of Noah whose message fell on deaf ears.  I think of Elijah who was driven into the wilderness by Ahab and Jezebel and ready to commit suicide.  I think of Zechariah was stoned to death near the temple.

 

In the New Testament, I think of John the Baptist who was beheaded.  In Acts 7, Stephan who was stoned to death.

 

God has sent countless messengers to His people, and they have rejected them.  Our landlord had a final option.

 

 

13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him.’ 14 But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15 So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

 

In verse 13, he decided not to send any more slaves or servants.  He decided to send his son, his beloved son.  He thought the vinedressers  would respect his son and send back his portion of the vineyard crops. 

 

However, they saw the son coming, and took their opportunity to remove the heir of the property.  They took him, and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

 

We see in these verses that God did not send another prophet.  He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, and what was true of the landlord’s son turned out to be true with Jesus.  They took God’s Son and crucified Him. 

 

At the end of verse 15, Jesus asked a rhetorical question, “What will the owner of the vineyard do to them?”  He went on to answer it for them.  He will come and destroy the vine-dressers and give the vineyard to others.

 

Again, the owner is God.  The vineyard is His kingdom.  The vinedressers were the chief priests, scribes, and elders. 

 

Who are the others?  The others are the Gentiles.  Because Israel rejected Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah, God temporarily set them aside and has turned His attention to the Gentile world. 

 

That doesn’t mean that He is done with Israel.  It does mean that He will wait to resume that relationship with Israel until all the Gentiles who are going to be saved are saved.

 

Jesus further indicted the leaders of Israel by quoting Psalm 118:22-23.  The stone is Christ.  The builders are Israel and her leaders.  They rejected Christ, but Christ became the chief corner stone or the foundation stone of His kingdom.

 

How do we know this?  See Acts 4:8-12 and 1 Peter 2:4-8.

 

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

 

4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,

 

“Behold, I lay in Zion

A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,

And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

 

7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,

 

“The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone,”

 

8 and

 

“A stone of stumbling

And a rock of offense.”

 

They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

 

As verse 19 says, obviously the Jewish Religious Leaders understood fully what the spiritual meaning was for this earthly story.  The parable spoke against them and further fueled their fire against Jesus.

 

 

Conclusions

From this parable, we learn at least three truths about God and His character.

 

First, He is patient.  In this parable, the landowner didn’t just send one servant to collect the harvest.  He sent one and another and another. 

 

God didn’t just send one prophet to Israel.  He sent one and two and three and many others.  God hasn’t tried just once to get your attention.  He has tried once and twice and three times and many others because God is patient. 

 

Second, not only is God patient, God is also love.  The landowner didn’t just send his servants and multiple ones at that.  He sent his one and only beloved Son. 

 

John 3:16, 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

 

Finally, not only is God patient, and not only is God love, but God is also just.  Eventually in the parable, Jesus said of the vinedressers that the landowner would come and destroy the vinedressers.

 

Yes, he was patient, and yes, he was love, but in the end, he was just, and he held the vinedressers responsible for their actions.

 

Here me this morning.  Yes, God is patient, and yes, God is love, but you need to also know that God will hold you responsible and accountable for your actions, specifically how you respond to His Son, Jesus Christ. 

 

Is Jesus your Savior this morning?  Remember, God is patient, and He is love.  However, don’t presume too long on His patience and disregard His Son.

 

If you receive His Son, you will receive an eternity in heaven with God.  However, if you reject His Son, you will be eternally destroyed in hell without God.

Gideons International Presentation