Luke 13

Luke 13:1

After listening to Him talk about preparing for eternity, those listening to Jesus asked, “What about the tragedy we’re seeing presently?” “I want you to understand something about tragedy,” Jesus answered. “Those Galileans were not sinners above others. Nor were those who died in Siloam. And unless you repent, you will perish as well.” This concept is so important. Whether you observe tragedy in the lives of others, or experience it yourself, the question is not, “Why did it happen?” Rather, the question is why it doesn’t happen more often. Because of our sin and continual rebellion, we deserve to be wiped out totally. It’s only because of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed entirely (Lam_3:22). There’s far too much muttering about that which didn’t work out in our lives when there should be a whole lot more marveling about how good God has been to sinners like us.

Luke 13:6

The fig tree was a symbol representing the nation of Israel, so Jesus uses it in a parable to remind the Jews that they are no better than the Galileans or those living in Siloam. Even as Jesus ministered publicly for three years to a people who, by and large, would not respond or receive Him, so, too, regarding the fig tree in this parable, after finding no fruit upon it for three years, the owner says, “Cut it down. It’s doing nothing more than soaking up nutrients from the soil and taking up room in the garden.”

Luke 13:8

Within the year, the vinedresser would do two things: First, he would dig around the roots. The Father, our Vinedresser (Joh_15:1), does the same with us as He gets to the root issues in our lives by exposing sin. Second, he would “dung"or fertilizeit. After giving a list of his qualifications and accomplishments, Paul refers to them as dung, an appropriate name for the best the flesh is able to produce (Php_3:8).

Luke 13:9

After being cultivated for a year, did the fig tree go on to bear fruit? Jesus doesn’t say. Because the parable is open ended, because it must be applied personally, that question must be answered individually. What is fruit? Among other things, the Bible defines it as giving thanks to His name (Heb_13:15), giving monetary gifts (Php_4:17), loving people (Gal_5:22-23), winning souls (Rom_1:13), doing works of righteousness (Jas_3:18). We exist for one reason: That the Lord might be satiated and satisfied by the fruit in our lives (Col_1:16). Does the Lord find fruit on the tree of your lifeor does He walk away empty-handed each time He passes by? The way to bear fruit for the Lord’s pleasure is to allow Him to “dig and dung,” to expose sin and dispel self. How does this happen practically? By beginning each day and every project saying, “Lord, I need You. I can’t do this. My own ability, my own personality is dung. My heart is riddled with sin. Oh, I can produce leaves to impress peoplebut not fruit to satisfy You. It is only by Your mercy and grace that I will have anything of substance or pleasure to offer You.”

Luke 13:10

This is a mystery to me because Jesus’ referring to her as a daughter of Abraham (verse Luk_13:16) means this woman was a woman of faith. And yet for eighteen years, the work of the Enemy bound her physically. Nonetheless, here she was in the synagogue. She would have missed the moment of the miraculous had she stayed home the day Jesus “just happened” to walk in. I can recall specific times in my own pilgrimage when I didn’t want to go to a Bible study or a church service but went anywayto experience Jesus ministering to me in a way I’m convinced He wouldn’t have otherwise. Therefore, I have learned this secret: The more I don’t feel like meeting with the congregation, the more I need to be there. I am convinced that people walk around needlessly crippled because they’re not in the company of believers, not in the place where Jesus is (Heb_2:12).

Luke 13:12

Upon entering a situation, some have an eye to see what’s wrong. Others have an eye to see what’s right. Jesus has an eye to see who’s in need. I like that. When Jesus touches someone addicted to drugs, alcohol, sexual perversion, or any other sin, there comes a moment when he is made straight. Immediately. For some that might sound simplistic. I’ve seen it happen enough, however, to know that when Jesus touches people through the Word and through the body, they are made straight immediately. “But I’ve been coming to church for eighteen months, and I’m still caught up in this addiction or bowed down by that activity,” you say. Keep coming. Keep believing. Keep worshipingfor, because Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, there will come a time when, like the daughter of Abraham, you will hear in your heart, “Thou art loosed.” And, like her, you’ll be able to stand up straight.

Luke 13:14

The healing of a godly woman caused the ruler of the synagogue to become indignant. Amazing.

Luke 13:15

On the Sabbath, Jesus loosed the woman who had been bound physically. But because of their rules and regulations regarding the Sabbath, this religious leader would remain bound in false piety and hypocrisy.

Luke 13:17

We follow a radical Leader, gangOne who is liberating, One who is unique, One who is wonderful.

Luke 13:18

Because mustard seeds don’t grow into trees large enough to support birds, and because flocks of birds in Scripture are often symbols of evil (e.g., Gen_40:19; Mat_13:4), in this parable, through this analogy, Jesus is saying that the kingdom of God will grow in an unnatural way that will allow strange people to hide out therein. All you have to do is watch religious TV to see that this is so, for there are indeed some strange birds roosting in the name of the kingdom of God.

Luke 13:20

Leaven appears ninety-eight times in the Scripturesand in every instance it speaks of evil. So when people point accusingly to evil even within church history, I don’t have to rationalize or defend it because Jesus said this would happen.

Luke 13:22

As Jesus journeyed toward Jerusalem, a man asked Him, “Lord, are just a few going to be saved?“a controversial question even to this day. Many people question the exclusivity of God, wondering how He could exclude people from living eternally. Hearing this question, Jesus did what He so often didrather than answering it directly, He dealt with the one who asked it personally. Skirting the hypothetical, He got right to the practical because His concern was not theoretical; it was personal. We are told that the Lord elected us, chose us, predestined us before the foundation of the world (Eph_1:4). That is why Jesus told His disciples that it was He who chose themnot vice versa (Joh_15:16).

Luke 13:25

To those who don’t want to open their lives to Him now, Jesus will not open His kingdom then. I can’t help but think of Noah. For one hundred years, he told the people they had better turn around and change directions because a flood was coming. But they thought he was all wetuntil the rain began to fall. Then they wanted in. But because it was the Lord who shut the door, Noah couldn’t open it to let a few more people inside. And in this, the Lord shows us that there comes a day when the door is shut and one’s decision is sealed eternally.

Luke 13:26

“But, Lord,” people will protest, “we ate with You. We listened to You. We were at church regularly. We went to the singles’ potlucks every Friday.” And the Lord will say, “I don’t know you,” because the issue is not association. It’s regeneration. That is why Jesus says, “Strive to enter in,” (verse Luk_13:24). The Greek word translated “strive” is agonizomai, from which we get our word “agonize.” It is the word used to describe what Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He agonized about the Father’s will with such intensity that He actually sweat blood (Luk_22:44). Although Scripture tells us over and over again not to strive (Pro_3:30; 2Ti_2:14; 2Ti_2:24), there is one question over which we should indeed strive: Am I saved? Whether He comes for us tomorrow, or whether we live thirty more years, how can we know we’re going to spend eternity with the Lord? Three ways . . . The Scripture before us… These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.1Jn_5:13 The Greek word translated “believe” is pisteuo. Used in reference to the way one places his weight on a crutch, pisteuo doesn’t mean to merely agree with intellectually, but to lean on, or trust in. Yet even though we believe the Word, the fact remains that people can challenge us concerning it. So there is a second place wherein we find assurance of our salvation… The saints around us… We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.1Jn_3:14 You know you’re born again when you start loving Christianspeople you couldn’t stand before you got saved. You know you’re saved when you find yourself feeling comfortable with the Christian community. But lest we doubt our salvation when we don’t love the saints as consistently as we should, there is a third assurance… The Spirit within us… For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.Rom_8:14 The work of the Holy Ghost is to give you a witness in your heart in order that you might know that you know that you know you’re saved. Martin Luther and John Calvin called this passage the Testimonium Spiritus Internus Sanctiumor the Internal Testimony of the Spirit. If you haven’t received the witness of the Spirit in your heart, you must agonize until you know with absolute certainty that you truly are born again, that you can go to the Father freely and say, “Abba, I come to You not because of my spirituality, but because You have cleansed me by the blood of Calvary.”

Luke 13:31

The Pharisees said this not because they cared about Jesus, but to get Him to leave their region.

Luke 13:32

A three-day journey away from Jerusalem, Jesus said, “I’m going to continue dealing with the devil and healing people on My way to Jerusalem.” Once there, He would deal a deathblow to Satan and purchase eternal healing and salvation for mankind as He hung on the Cross of Calvary.

Luke 13:33

“I don’t have to worry about Herod’s threats,” said Jesus, “because I know I’ll make it to Jerusalem, for that’s where I must die.”

Luke 13:34

Knowing Socrates was innocent of the charge of corrupting the youth of Athens, it is said that his executioner wept as he handed him the hemlock. Here, however, the executioner doesn’t weep for the Condemned, the Condemned weeps for the executioners (Joh_11:35). Truly, the world has never seen such love. What a picture! Jesus cries not because Jerusalem would reject Him, but because they wouldn’t allow Him to protect them. How about you? Have you allowed the Lord to do what He desires to doto place His arm around you, to protect and comfort you? It is not our shortcomings or our failings that cause the Lord to weep. Rather, it is our failure to allow Him to love us that causes His tears to flow. Jesus called Herod a foxdevious, sly, destructive (Luk_13:32). Yet He likened Himself to a hencomforting, nurturing, protective. How about us? Has today been a day of devouring others, or has it been a day of defending others? I’m so deeply impressed with Jesus Christ because of His incredible mercy and largeness of heart. How I long to be less like a fox and more like a hen.

Luke 13:35

“You won’t see Me,” said Jesus, “until you are finally ready to acknowledge Me as Lord.” That’s what the Tribulation is all aboutto bring Israel to the point where she is awakened to the fact that Jesus is indeed Messiah (Zechariah 12, 14; Psalms 118).