Words of Jesus Part 36

• Luke 13:1 Now there were some present at that very season who told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
• 2 And he answered and said unto them, Think ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they have suffered these things?
• 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all in like manner perish.
• 4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and killed them, think ye that they were offenders above all the men that dwell in Jerusalem?
• 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

The importance of repentance is stressed many times by both John the Baptist and Jesus. It is sometimes ignored in today's preaching of the gospel but Jesus thought it very important to salvation.

Repent means to feel pain, sorrow or regret for something done or spoken; as, to repent that we have lost much time in idleness or sensual pleasure; to repent that we have injured or wounded the feelings of a friend. A person repents only of what he himself has done or said. Repent also means to change the mind in consequence of the inconvenience or injury done by past conduct.

In simple terms true repentance taught in the New Testament means to be sorry for sins to the point of asking the Lord to forgive them and be willing to forsake the previous sins when receiving Jesus as savior. Proof that we have done the requirements for salvation is in the fruit we bear after we are forgiven of sins and receive Jesus Christ. We can't forsake sins by our own will power; it takes the spirit of God first to draw us and then to give us power to overcome the desire to sin. We still have the free will to sin but the power to overcome sin will be within us.

Some of us may not change entirely overnight but as we yield to God's spirit, we will change if we have truly been born again by the spirit of God.

• Luke 13:6 And he spake this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit thereon, and found none.
• 7 And he said unto the vinedresser, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why doth it also cumber the ground?
• 8 And he answering saith unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
• 9 and if it bear fruit thenceforth, well; but if not, thou shalt cut it down.

This refers mainly to the Jewish people who was given the gospel and commanded to repent. If they bring forth fruits of repentance, they would be saved, if not they would be removed. Many rejected Jesus and were removed temporarily. In the latter days and it is happening now, the Jews will accept the Messiah they once rejected and be saved.

Even though this particular passage refers mainly to the Jews that rejected the gospel given when Christ walked the earth, it can apply to all who either refuse the gospel or receive the gospel but later stop bearing fruit and allow sin back into their lives.

• Luke 13:10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath day.
• 11 And behold, a woman that had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years; and she was bowed together, and could in no wise lift herself up.
• 12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her, and said to her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
• 13 And he laid his hands upon her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
• 14 And the ruler of the synagogue, being moved with indignation because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, answered and said to the multitude, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the day of the Sabbath.
• 15 But the Lord answered him, and said, Ye hypocrites, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
• 16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound, lo, these eighteen years, to have been loosed from this bond on the day of the Sabbath?
• 17 And as 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.

We see from this that the Pharisees who found fault with a woman being healed on the Sabbath day did not possess the fruits of the spirit which was love and compassion. Had they possessed the love of God within them, they would have rejoiced that a woman that was bound by Satan so many years would be set free and healed. Pharisees knew the law and were supposed to do things by love and compassion, not fault finding and cruelty. As ministers, teachers and believers in Jesus Christ, we too must strive never to become Pharisees and hypocrites that have lost their compassion for the lost, poor and the suffering. We are to spread the gospel first and along the way, help the poor when possible. We are to have compassion and never start to persecute, hurt or kill those that reject our message. This is the mistake some Christian religions of the past have made. Stressing the letter of the law rather than the spirit of the law is a mistake made by many false religious systems. 

Verses are skipped because they have been covered in Matthew notes.

• Luke 13:22 And he went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and journeying on unto Jerusalem.
• 23 And one said unto him, Lord, are they few that are saved? And he said unto them,
• 24 Strive to enter in by the narrow door: for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
• 25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, open to us; and he shall answer and say to you, I know you not whence ye are;
• 26 then shall ye begin to say, We did eat and drink in thy presence, and thou didst teach in our streets;
• 27 and he shall say, I tell you, I know not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
• 28 There shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and yourselves cast forth without.
• 29 And they shall come from the east and west, and from the north and south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.

This is mostly the sad story of the many that rejected Jesus at His first coming. Instead of expecting to repent of sins and receive a savior, they were expecting the kingdom of God to appear and overcome the enemies of the Roman Empire. Their eyes were blinded to the fact that Jesus had to come first to remove sin and then He could set up the kingdom. Right now those who repent and receive Him as savior have the kingdom of God within them. His earthy kingdom will come literally at His second coming.

That is why the way is narrow and few there be that find it. The way is Jesus and only Jesus. But we have to remember to really receive Jesus is to live by His word. We can't say we receive Jesus and ignore all His sayings and teachings like so many do. We must not add to His teachings with commandments of men like the worship of Mary, confessing to a priest, circumcision, outward ceremonies and rituals. We must not teach those things as salvation. Also we must not take away and water down the teachings of Jesus.

There is only one way to salvation and that is through Jesus Christ and faith in Him. All traditions that people add to the salvation message or take away from should be ignored. Go by what Jesus says and those the truly represent Him who preach by the Holy Spirit's leading. We are not saved by what a priest says or does in a ceremony. We are not saved by what our pastor says and does. Even water baptism cannot save by itself. We are saved by faith in Jesus Christ and repenting of sins when we receive Jesus Christ. Nothing else on the face of the earth can save individual souls from sin and make them "born again" by the spirit of God. Jesus said:

• John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God!

Some believe the water is water baptism, When one is born the first time, the baby is surrounded by water. When one is born again by the Spirit of God, it is the second or new birth. We are washed by the word of God, made new and old things are passed away.  His blood He shed on the cross covers all our sins when we are born again.

• Luke 13:30 And behold, there are last who shall be first, and there are first who shall be last.
• 31 In that very hour there came certain Pharisees, saying to him, Get thee out, and go hence: for Herod would fain kill thee.
• 32 And he said unto them, Go and say to that fox, Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I am perfected.
• 33 Nevertheless I must go on my way to-day and to-morrow and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

Jesus knew now wasn't the time that He was to die for sins but that was to come later. He still had so much to do and preach until the time of His sacrifice was to come. Herod would not be able to stop the work of Christ even though the Pharisees threatened Him with the warning that Herod would seek to kill Him. Herod had no power to kill Jesus until the time when He Himself willingly laid down His life as a sacrifice for all our sins. Amen.

Words of Jesus Part 37

Words of Jesus Index