Tenth Sunday after Trinity: Luke 19:41⁠–⁠48

Our Old Man sees exactly what Herod saw - a threat. My controlled constructed world is over

Herod (and I) sought to kill Jesus, at the cost of thousands of children, to make sure he stayed in rule.

Joseph and Mary were warned in a dream to flee into Egypt for Herod would try to kill Jesus. Jesus isn't safe in the company of some people, until something dies.

There is a Herod in me that seeks to kill the Word of God.

Mark 6:1-5 (KJV) And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. [2] And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? [3] Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. [4] But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. [5] And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.

Jesus is going to be rejected, again, by the people closest to him. They are offended in his priestly, prophetic, kingly ministry. Jesus marveled at their unbelief. Jesus is despised and rejected by the theologian of glory because Jesus smells like death.

Luke 4:18 (KJV) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

What do you have the Spirit of the Lord for?

Is this not just ___________?

Jesus applies the Word to our lives.

John 9:39-41 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. [40] And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? [41] Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

Luke 19:10 (KJV) For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Save / Judge - we're always between paradoxes.

What is it they think they see? Jesus

Matthew 16:13-15(KJV) When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? [14] And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. [15] He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

There are three sources of answers to Jesus' question: Some say, the world says Jesus is like "those weird Christians" over there, and who I say he is.

Sin - to be turned inward on yourself and your trip. How will _____________ affect me? How ill this Word affect me?

Matthew 16:16-18 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. [17] And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. [18] And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

What is the "rock" upon which Jesus will build his church? It is the Father's revelation to Peter that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Who have you been saying Jesus is? Be a little careful of how you answer. Is your life saying every day that he is the Christ?

Don't worry - He's got a plan for you.

He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things and be killed.

Matthew 16:21-23 (KJV) From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. [22] Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. [23] But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

If you lose your life you will find it. What will it profit a man if he gain the whole world but lose his soul?

What you would have said Jesus was on the day you got saved? Your helper, one who would fulfill all your dreams and helps you get all you want? Peter - did he follow Jesus, or himself and his wish dream, like all of us?

We thought he was a bread king - a provider of all things good - a good God.

My Messiah should be able to leap tall buildings, take care of all political powers, etc. Certainly, he would not suffer. The Messiah is useful to me.

2 Cor. 5:16 (KJV) Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

The church isn't a good place to get your needs met.

Nagel - it's not cool to have a losing God.

Luke 22:54 (KJV) Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off.

Peter had hope in his Jesus. My Jesus - one day he will let me down and all my plans for him will come to nothing.

You never were following Jesus. You never did choose Jesus; he chose you.

How many ways are there to say, "I don't know Jesus?" He might show up in a form you didn't expect. For Herod, he showed up in the form of a baby and Herod sought to kill him. For the shepherds he showed up in the form of a baby, and they glorified God. Inasmuch as you have done it to the least of the brethren, you have done it unto Jesus.

Luke 10:25-37 The Parable of the Good Samaritan

Beware of lawyers with questions. Wishing to justify himself he asked the wrong man, the wrong question.

There is a whole world of people who have fallen and religion gave them a kick on the way down. There is the law - you will reap what you sow in this life. The Samaritan did help him.

Where would you locate Jesus in the story? Jesus became sin. The wages of our sins nailed him to the cross, and I now who put him there.

Can you see Jesus in an irreligious Samaritan? He would like to be in the Levites, the priests, and the older brothers, but there is no room in their hearts.

Matthew 26:69-75 Peter's denials are based on his convictions - God is required to be good, according to our expectations. He would not fail us. Good is whatever helps fulfill my lust - my concupiscence.

Luke 24:13-27

Luke 24:21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

Luke 24:16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

Why did they not recognize him? Because they knew him. They say Jesus after the flesh and when he died their hopes of what they would use him for died with him, and now they're in ultimate despair.

He comes to steal the last thing in the world we'd want to let go of - our captivity - our bondage.

Hebrews 2:15 (KJV) And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

We fight him because we want to keep our bondage. We love our offences.

Some people whine about things in their lives - things in their past - and their whine is to wear out the saints of God. Get a violin!

Or as we say in Pittsburg - things are tough all over.

He comes in a prison house. Freedom is in the one who never leaves the cell and never gives up on you, Peter. He takes our place in the cell. He exchanges places with us.

The Grand Inquisitor - We're better than you. You try to give them freedom and we give them bread and circuses and they love us. This is why we have to kill you.

He gives gifts to men. The Truth, Jesus, sets you free. The truth is against my lie, my reason, and my logic.

2 Cor. 5:21 (KJV) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Wherever you find sin there will Jesus - even in yourself. Where you find the Righteousness of God, there will you find the new creation? He became sin that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

"We don't need another sinner. We need a leader, a social economist, a bread king, a strong man, a new savior, someone who is anti-Christ and anti-cross.

Luke 19:28-35 (KJV) And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem. [29] And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, [30] Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither. [31] And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him. [32] And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them. [33] And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? [34] And they said, The Lord hath need of him. [35] And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.

Jesus has need of the colt.

Luke 19:36-38 (KJV) And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. [37] And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; [38] Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.

"Blessed be the king." The truth gets him in trouble.

Luke 19:39-41 (KJV) And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. [40] And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. [41] And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

Luther said you could be ridden by two different riders: The devil, the beast, the natural man, or by Jesus.

St. Francis of Assisi called someone "Brother Ass".

No man ever sat on the colt. No man's agenda will ever ride you again.

Slavery - if you like it, this world's culture, the lust of the flesh, will ride you.

In Christ you are a new creation, in your hearing. No one has ever ridden you.

The new creation is free of all men.

You don't want to be ridden - driven - by this world's system.

Luke 19:41 (KJV) And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

Jesus wept over Jerusalem. Jerusalem from above is Sarah. Jerusalem from below is legalistic Hagar.

Isaac, born of the Spirit, cannot sin. Ishmael can only sin.

We were all conceived in iniquity.

He says it to us: Luke 19:42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

You couldn't know, because you knew. He came to make us blind.

Luke 19:43-44 (KJV) For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, [44] And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

Some have described this as swirling wind around a man's brain - torment - captivity

Luke 19:44 (KJV) And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

Luke 19:10 (KJV) For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Luke 15 - Lost sheep, coin and son. The younger son came back and the older brother is having a problem. The younger sin confessed:

Luke 15:21 (KJV) And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

He confessed that he was unworthy to receive the gift.

Where sin is, there is Christ. Where the Righteousness of God is, there are you.

My son was dead and is now alive, he was lost and is now found - while far away.

The older brother doesn't like the way God acts. He's been working for God "all these years." He thinks that with the younger son gone, he'll inherit everything and is now worried that he will not inherit everything. "

Luke 15:28-30 (KJV) And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. [29] And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: [30] But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

Luke 15:31-32 (KJV) And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. [32] It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

Christ is the Truth. You wouldn't want to be ashamed of Him or deny Him, would you? This is not a bad place to be, on this earth in the last days, the day of trouble.

Ye are dead, but now you are raised with Christ and hidden with him. You have paid double for your sins.

Loving your neighbor is not the Gospel. It is the fruit of the Gospel. God brings the fruit.

Thesis 28 (On Being a Theologian of the Cross, Page 113)

This is the love of the cross, born of the cross, which turns in the direction where it does not find good that it may enjoy, but where it may confer good upon the bad and needy person. "It is more blessed to give than to receive" [Acts 20:35], says the Apostle.12

Here we have reached the other side, God is not, as in the theology of glory, one who waits to approve those who have improved themselves, made themselves acceptable, or merited approval, but one who bestows good on the bad and needy. The great reversal is complete. Indeed, the final sentences of the proof touch in interesting fashion on a reversal in the very question of being itself:

He's looking for the dead.

Luther: The first part [of the thesis] is clear because the love of God that lives in man loves sinners, evil persons, fools, and weaklings in order to make them righteous, good, wise, and strong. Rather than seeking its own good, the love of God flows forth and bestows good. Therefore sinners are attractive because they are loved; they are not loved because they are attractive. For this reason the love of man avoids sinners and evil persons. Thus Christ says: “For I came not to call the righteous but sinners” [Matt. 9:13].

What does this do for the projects you would enlist someone in?

Jesus is persecuted because he shows up in a form that said something - told the truth.

John 5:25 (KJV) Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

Can you hear the voice? Have you been brought to death, to see the folly and pointlessness?

The time is coming, and now is, when those who have been brought to death, to baptism daily, will hear the voice of God. The voice of God is in the whole world. The law too is the voice of God.

They will live, and perhaps we will too.

AMEN