A judge was interviewing a woman regarding her pending divorce, and asked, “What are the grounds for your divorce?” She replied, “About four acres and a nice little home in the middle of the property with a stream running by.”
“No,” he said, “I mean what is the foundation of this case?” “It is made of concrete, brick and mortar,” she responded confidently.

            “I mean,” he continued, “What are your relations like?” “I have an aunt and uncle living here in town, and so do my husband’s parents.”
He said, “Do you have a real grudge?” “No,” she replied, “We have a two-car carport and have never really needed one.”

            “Please,” he tried again, “is there any infidelity in your marriage?” “Yes, both my son and daughter have stereo sets. We don’t necessarily like the music, but the answer to your questions is yes.”
“Ma’am, does your husband ever beat you up?” “Yes,” she responded, “about twice a week he gets up earlier than I do.”
Finally, in frustration, the judge asked, “Lady, why do you want a divorce?” “Oh, I don’t want a divorce,” she replied. “I’ve never wanted a divorce. My husband does. He said he can’t communicate with me.”         

            Have you ever had the experience where you explained something to someone so that it was perfectly clear, and they still didn’t get it? Have you ever labored in language to paint such a vivid picture of an event or situation, and they gave you that deer in the headlights look as if they had no idea what you were talking about? (That image of a deer caught in the headlights look is an interesting one. You are barreling down the highway at 55mph and the deer jumps out and looks at you like you are the one who is doing something wrong.) But seriously, have you ever walked someone through a simple step by step process, and they responded to you with a shoulder shrug and the three-letter slang “Huh?”

            Well, if you have ever had any of these experiences, you know how it feels to be a preacher! No, I’m just kidding! Actually, I was trying to think of an example of this type of miscommunication from my own life, but I didn’t want to embarrass my wife in public! Wait a second, what I meant was that I didn’t want my wife to be embarrassed by me embarrassing myself in public!

            But when you stop and think about it, it is utterly amazing how someone can speak with absolute clarity, and the listener completely misunderstands the meaning of the message. This is exactly what is happening in this morning’s Scripture reading!

Spiritual Blindness (31-34)

As Jesus neared the end his journey to Jerusalem and came a few steps closer to his death, he continued to prepare his disciples for life and ministry without his physical presence on earth. Thus, he takes this occasion to pull his disciples away from the crowd and explain his coming death again. This is now the fourth time he has mentioned this to his disciples (Lk. 9:22, 44;17:25), but the disciples still didn’t understand what he was saying. And this time, he even added two new pieces of information to clarify the nature of his coming death.

First, Jesus explains that his death will be a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 contain the most detailed descriptions of the Messiah as a suffering servant. Hundreds of years earlier, the prophets predicted that the Messiah would be forsaken by God, mocked by his enemies, tormented by thirst, pierced through his hands and feet, despised and rejected by men, wounded for our transgressions, and crushed for our iniquities, until he was poured out unto death. These prophecies emphasize the fact that the events about to occur have been part of God’s divine plan all along and that they must take place.

The second piece of new information is that Jesus will be handed over to the Gentiles, who will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him. Jesus’ previous predictions alludes to the role of the Jewish leaders in his suffering, but now he mentions that it will also include the Gentiles. After all, we now know that the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate, found him innocent of all charges, but he caved in to political pressure and sentenced Jesus to be crucified.

Even though this is the fourth time that Jesus had predicted his death and make the details of it perfectly clear, Luke tells us that the disciples didn’t understand any of this. The problem was not with Jesus’ communication; he couldn’t have made this message any clearer. The problem was with the disciple’s eyes and ears.

The disciples were unable to see what God was doing because they were blinded by their own expectations. They could not discern his plan of salvation because it did not conform to their plan of liberation. They were so focused on Jesus being the king of glory that they could not comprehend a Messiah that was a suffering servant. The disciples’ physical sight was fine, but in many ways they were spiritually blind.

If the disciples were so slow to see what God was doing, I wonder how well we understand God’s plan for the world and for our lives. Like them, we often cannot see God’s plan because we are blinded by our own expectations. In our entitled desire for peace and prosperity in this life, we struggle to understand why God would use suffering or death to accomplish his plan on earth.

            Have you ever wondered why you suffer from physical or emotional pain? Have you ever wondered why God would allow someone who you love to suffer or die? Have you ever wondered why God allows the wicked to prosper and evil to persist?

            Well, just think about God’s plan for his own son: If God did not plan for the Jesus’ suffering and death, there would be no atonement for our sins. If God didn’t allow his son to face the nails, thorns, and spear, he could not have been resurrected to new life and we would not have any hope for eternal life. If these events didn’t happen just the way the prophets had predicted, then all humanity would one day be torched by the flames of hell. But thanks be to God for his wonderful plan of redemption where his perfect son would sacrifice his own life on the cross for sinners like us!

            The disciples didn’t understand or accept this plan for Jesus! How about you? Do you understand God’s plan of salvation? Do you see how God used suffering in his drama of redemption? Do you comprehend why Jesus had to die? Do you see how God uses tragedy to bring about a greater triumph? When you stop and think about God’s perfect plan for his son, don’t you think you can trust his plan for your life?

            I want you to think about God’s plan for your life right now. It is easy to get upset, anxious, or discouraged when our expectations are broken and things don’t work out the way we hoped, but maybe God’s plan is different than our plan. We often ask questions like why didn’t get into that college, why didn’t I get that job, is my marriage so difficult, why did I receive that diagnosis, why did my loved one die? These are all expectation questions. If you are struggling with any of these types of questions, I challenge you to step back and look for the big picture of God’s plan in your life. How good are your spiritual eyes?

Spiritual Sight (35-43)

Luke goes on to tell us that as Jesus approached Jericho, there was a blind man begging by the roadside. Back in these days, there was no assistance or social services for the blind, and they were usually forced to beg for food, money, and the most basic provisions for life. The blind were truly at the mercy of others.

When the beggar heard Jesus’ posse passing by, he asked someone what the commotion was all about. Someone told him that Jesus of Nazareth was coming. Now this man had surely heard of Jesus’ mercy and his ministry of miraculous healings. And somehow, this blind man knew something about Jesus’ true identity, for in his plea for mercy, he acknowledges Jesus as the Son of David. This title recognizes the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy that the Messiah would descend from the royal line of David. This distinguishes Jesus as the Messiah—the Savior whom God had always promised to send. Other people, perhaps even the disciples, saw Jesus as a preacher and miracle worker, but the blind beggar saw him as the Savior. He believed that Jesus could not only restore his eyesight, but he could also save his soul.

Therefore, the blind beggar used his only resource—his voice—to shamelessly shouted above the crowd and beg Jesus to show him mercy. But some in the crowd, most likely the spiritually impaired disciples, were embarrassed by this spectacle and rebuked him and told him to be quiet. It appears that they hadn’t learned anything from the incident when they rebuked the parents for bringing their babies to Jesus. They were still blind to the fact that Jesus loves the weak and has compassion for the outcast.

Jesus put a stop to all of this and ordered the man to be brought to him and he asked the simple question, “What do you want me to do for you?” But notice how the beggar replies, “Lord, I want to see.” He addressed Jesus as Lord! What incredible faith!

Jesus heard his plea for mercy and immediately restored the man’s sight, and he credited the man’s faith as the source of his healing. The former beggar became a follower of Jesus and the while crowd joined him as he praised God!

What an incredible story of deliverance and redemption? Did you catch the divine irony: the disciples had physical sight but were spiritually blind; but this beggar was physically blind but had spiritual sight!

            I wonder how many of us are in this same position? I know that most of you have pretty good eyesight, but how is your spiritual sight? Do you know that he is the Messiah who can heal your body, restore your mind, save your soul? Have you confessed him as Lord of your life and begged him for mercy? Have you made a decision to follow him or are you still wandering around in the darkness of sin? Have you really put your faith in Jesus? Will you continue to live the life of faith and keep your eyes fixed on Jesus? Can you see? Can you see? Can you see?

            Someone once asked Helen Keller, “Isn’t it terrible to be blind?” Now what kind of insensitive imbecile would ask a blind woman a question like that? If you ever catch yourself at the brink of asking a stupid question like this, just stop and walk away! But do you know what she said? “Better to be a blind person and see with your heart, than to have two good eyes and see nothing!

            This is exactly what Jesus wants us to see!

            The name Karl Barth might not mean much to most of you, but he is widely regarded as the greatest theologian of the 20^th century. Pope Pius XII called him the most important Christian theologian since St. Thomas Aquinas, 800 years earlier. But his influence expanded well beyond the academic realm to mainstream culture, leading him to be featured on the cover of Time Magazine on April 20, 1962. During World War II, he was an outspoken critic of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime and he mobilized Christian churches throughout Europe to stand against their heinous values.

            After pastoring a country church in Switzerland for ten years, he spent the rest of his life studying God and teaching others about him all over the world. Throughout his career, he wrote many books on theological topics, including his 13 volume magnum opus Church Dogmatics, which is one of the longest works of systematic theology ever written. It runs to over six million words and 8,000 pages (in English; over 9,000 in German).

            A famous story is told of the time Barth was fielding questions from the audience after a lecture in Rockefeller Chapel on the campus of the University Chicago in 1962. A student stood and asked him if he could summarize his life’s work in theology in one sentence. A gasp went up from the audience–responding to the student’s perceived audaciousness. But Barth didn’t skip a beat. He said, “Yes. In the words of a song I learned at my mother’s knee: ‘Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so’.”

            The fact that some of the deepest theological knowledge ever written can be summarized by a single line from a simple children’s song highlights the revolutionary values of the kingdom of God that Jesus was trying to teach his disciples during his final journey to Jerusalem. He wanted them to see how different God’s kingdom is from this world. Whereas citizens of the worldly kingdom value power, wealth, and self-confidence, his kingdom values humility, generosity, and meekness. Therefore, to push Jesus’ discipleship agenda, Luke places two stories back to back to contrast these kingdom value systems. The first story is about babies; the second is about bank accounts. They both force us to evaluate our own values in light of the Kingdom of God.

Children and the Kingdom of God (15-17)

In verse 15, Luke tells us that people “were bringing their babies to Jesus to have him touch them.” This isn’t exactly a surprise, in the ancient world, children were sometimes brought to religious leaders to receive a blessing. Since Jesus had gained a reputation as a powerful preacher and miracle worker, parents certainly wanted to bring their infants and toddlers to Jesus so that his tender hands might touch them and his loving words would bless them.

When Jesus’ disciples saw this, they rebuked them, saying, “Get these kids out of here! This isn’t Sesame Street or Romper Room! Who do you think Jesus is anyway? He’s not King Friday or Daniel Tiger! He is the King of Kings and the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and he has more important things to do than bounce these babies on his knee! You parents should be ashamed of yourselves!”

But Jesus immediately intervened on behalf of the children saying, “No! You disciples ought to be ashamed of yourselves! How dare you hinder them from coming to me!” And he smiled at the little ones and invited them to come to him, because they were important people too. Even though children had no status and were at the bottom of the pecking order of society, they were precious in Jesus’ sight. He knew that they had inherent value because they were created in the image of God.

Before we look at the disciple’s reaction to this, allow me to point out the fact that at least these parents brought their little babies to Jesus. Many people today either have no interest in this or they are too busy with their own lives to do so. Or they say, “I don’t want to expose my child to Jesus too much. I want them to be able to choose their religion for themselves.” But the reality is that they have already chosen for their child. I am reminded of Proverbs 22:6, which says, “Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.” If parents don’t bring their children to Jesus, who else is going to do it. Here in America we have had a whole generation of children grow up and no one ever brought them to Jesus. 

Will you bring your children and grandchildren to Jesus? How about the other children in your life—nieces, nephews, and neighbors?

As the newborns cooed in Jesus’ arms and the terrible two-year-old’s climbed onto his lap, he took this opportunity to teach his disciples about the values in the Kingdom of God. He said “the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” and that “anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Jesus points to the simple trust that is exhibited in a child’s heart as the means by which all people must enter the kingdom. If anything is characteristic of children—especially babies like the ones here—it is their total dependence on other people for what they need. Children come into the world utterly helpless. Parents have to feed, dress, change, hold, and help their children. And the children simply accept the care they are given.

This is exactly how we must come to God, if we would come into his kingdom. That is why the key word here is “receive.” We cannot force or earn our way into the kingdom; all we can do is receive the free gift of salvation through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Philip Ryken puts it this way: “We must make a declaration of dependence, offering God nothing except our need and hungrily receiving the grace he gives to helpless sinners.” (Ryken 273)

            Have you been doing good deeds to earn your way to heaven? Have you been trying to be a little bit better than the next person, hoping that God will accept you when the time comes? Stop it! God wants us to simply open our arms to him with the same kind of affection and trust that a baby gives a parent. For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these!

The Wealthy and the Kingdom of God (18-34)

At first glance, it doesn’t appear that the story of Jesus welcoming the children has anything to do with the story of the rich ruler. They actually represent the opposite sides of society—a child has nothing and this rich ruler has everything. But Luke intentionally places this story immediately after the children to continue his point about the values in the kingdom of God. As children grow into adulthood they become so reliant on themselves and critical of others that it is hard for them to receive anything from anyone. This is exactly what we find in verses 18-34.

Jesus introduces this man as a “ruler.” He doesn’t share his specific title or position, but he must have been some kind of community leader who had power, authority, and money. Verse 23 tells us explicitly that he also possessed great wealth. And just as wealthy and powerful people usually do, this man tries to get what he wants through money or might, and in this case he wants eternal life. This is why he frames his question to Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” His question implies that eternal life depended on himself, as if eternal salvation could be purchased at a department store or achieved through some back door political deal or jumping through some religious holy hoops—he even asserts his ethical credibility by mentioning that he has kept the 10 Commandments since he was a boy.

This is why Jesus’ response to the ruler’s question is absolutely brilliant. Rather than telling him to do something, he tells him to get rid of something. By telling him that he must sell all of his possessions and give them to the poor, Jesus was stripping away all of the man’s self-reliance. No wonder he was sad! Jesus just told him that everything he built his life on was nothing but a pile of worthless dung. If he kept trying to rely on himself, he would never enter the kingdom of God.

This is precisely why Jesus offers the graphic image of a camel, the largest animal in Palestine at the time, passing through the eye of a needle. Why is it so difficult for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God? Because it is so hard for wealthy people not to rely on their bank accounts.

The people who were standing around listening to this conversation understood exactly what Jesus was saying, that it was humanly impossible for a wealthy person to enter the kingdom of God, but they were perplexed as to why he said this. Their question, “Who then can be saved?” exposes the assumption that people had in those days that wealthy people were the ones who had God’s blessing. They believed in a type of prosperity gospel: the richer you were, the more likely you were to get to heaven. But Jesus turns all of this upside down by affirming that it is actually harder for rich people to get to heaven.

But Jesus responds with some good news: What is impossible with men, is possible with God. This isn’t just true of rich people; it is true of everyone—if someone truly repents from their sins and is willing to leave everything to follow Jesus, then their souls can be saved and they can enter the kingdom of God.

This is why Peter makes the statement in verse 28, “We have left all to follow you!” And Jesus affirmed the disciple’s willingness to leave everything and affirmed that their reward would most certainly be eternal life.

Please don’t misunderstand what Jesus is saying here. He is not saying that rich people can’t go to heaven. If they are willing to trust Jesus for their salvation rather than themselves, then they too can inherit eternal life. It is just harder for wealthy people because they have more to give up and are usually more self-sufficient. Likewise, he is not asking every person to give all of their money to the poor. But he is asking everyone to give up their hearts, which sometimes requires giving up our money, possessions, our families, or even our own lives. 

This whole episode forces us to take a deep look into our own souls and ask, “Who am I trusting in for salvation? Is it really Jesus or is it myself? I know I have preached this a thousand times before, but this text obliges me to do it again: If you think you are going to heaven because you are a good person, you are wrong! If you think you are going to heaven because you have obeyed the 10 Commandments and you live a moral life, you are wrong! If you think you are going to heaven because you have been successful in this life, you are wrong!

            They only way you can get to heaven is by truly giving your heart to Jesus and following him throughout this life! The only way to enter the kingdom is to put your trust in Jesus as a child does a parent!

Friends, it is so easy to become reliant upon our money, our strength, our wisdom, our and our talent! But Jesus isn’t interested in any of these things! He wants us to rely on him! Are you willing to give up your bank account and become like a little baby?

            Before we read this morning’s Bible passage, let’s begin with a word of prayer:

O Sovereign Lord, I thankest thee that I am not like other pastors in your vast world, who are often absent-minded, careless, lazy, socially awkward, emotionally insecure, and spiritually out of touch; who preach boring sermons, pray confusing prayers, exhibit lackluster leadership, are never around when you need them, and who usually don’t know what the hell they are doing. I am so happy for how Thou hast made me a man after thine own heart and a great shepherd of my flock. I have maintained purity of thought, integrity in word, and cleanliness of deed so that I hitherto may be a model for my own church members and an inspiration to the whole community. I pray that this parish would fully appreciate the level of pastoral excellence they have received and that other pastors would take a page out of my book so that they may be a blessing rather than a burden to their own congregations.

            Great Father in heaven, I am so thankful that you have called me to be the pastor of this church so that I may be an example of true godliness to these wayward people who habitually do the things that thou hast forbidden and hast forsaken thy commandments. I am indeed grateful for how thy hand hast given me patience to endure their spiritual stubbornness, monetary tightfistedness, and their perpetual stupidity. Even though they often act like sheep who go astray and turn to their own way, I am so glad that thou hast sent me to be their pastor and taskmaster to hereby whip their souls into shape so they will be prepared for the great judgment at thy second coming.

            Whew! I feel so much better now! I have been wanting to get that prayer off my chest for a long time! Now let’s read the scripture from Luke 18:9-17.

Two Sinners at Prayer

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he paused to address some arrogant attitudes in his midst. Now we don’t know if he was reprimanding the Pharisees, his disciples, or perhaps both, but Luke does tell us that there were some in his company “who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and treated other people with contempt.” Therefore, to nip this self-righteous egotism in the bud, he tells a parable about a Pharisee and a publican (or tax collector). It is a parable about two men, two prayers, and two destinies.

The first man is a high brow Pharisee, and it is certainly no surprise to see him praying in the temple. Pharisees were devoutly religious folk and they maintained the highest standards of moral conduct. They knew the Bible better than most people and they obeyed the Word of God down to the last detail. They quite literally lived according to the book. Even though these guys walked down the street with a stick sticking out of “you know what,” they were the good guys, and after all, good guys pray!

The second man is a low brow publican (not “Republican”, but a tax collector), and it is an utter shock to see him praying in the temple. A praying publican is a contradiction in terms—an oxymoron. In ancient Jewish, the were considered the scumbags of the earth. They sold out their own people by working for the oppressive Roman government. They were greedy and dishonest, and relied on extortion for their profit margin. My fiend Kent Hughs comments, “In today’s culture, the closest equivalent would be drug pushers and pimps, those who prey on society, who make their money off others’ bodies and make a living of stealing from others. Guys like this just weren’t no good and they certainly didn’t attend prayer meetings! (Ryken 256)

Even though Pharisees and publicans were uncommon company and the most unlikely of prayer partners, they happened to find themselves standing together in the temple, both looking to receive something from God—one seeking admiration, one seeking mercy.

And as we would expect, the Pharisee broke the silence first. He lifted his egotistical eyes to the Lord and prayed one of the most pompous prayer’s ever prayed: “God I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.” Now don’t misunderstand the content of the Pharisee’s prayer. Everything he said was accurate. Indeed, he was not like other men; he certainly was not like the tax collector. He lived a clean life, did his daily devotions, and faithfully gave ten percent of his income to God. The problem with his prayer was his pride. He forgot that he was a sinner!

Can you imagine how the publican felt after overhearing the Pharisee’s prayer? He already felt out of place in the temple and was uncomfortable with prayer, and then he gets singled out because of his sin. Well, as you can imagine, the publican stood off at a distance with his had hung low. His eyes carried so much guilt and his soul harbored so much shame that he couldn’t even look up. Instead, he beat his breast, and stuttered, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Contrary to the Pharisee, this tax collector knew that he was a sinner!

How about you? Do you know that you are a sinner or are you too busy thinking congratulatory thoughts about how good you are? Many people in our world today fall into the pharisaical pit of self-righteousness. Have you ever met someone who quotes their qualities and lists their accolades to the point that they forget that you are even part of the conversation? They are so self-centered and obnoxious that you don’t even want to be around them. Do you know anyone like that? Are you like that? As with the example of the Pharisee, have you ever stopped to count how many times you used the pronoun “I” in casual conversation, let alone your prayers?

This type of vanity and comparison is perfectly illustrated in Flanery O’Conner’s brilliant short-story Revelation. She exposes the heart of pride in America with her protagonist Ruby Turpin, a very self-absorbed, proud middle-class, Southern woman, who is always going around thanking Jesus that he has made her who she is, “a neat clean respectable white woman, and although she a bit overweight she has a good complexion and disposition.” Mrs. Turpin believes in social hierarchy and that she places herself, because she is white and a landowner, above other people, particularly black people and those she considers white trash. She prides herself on being a good Christian woman, but in reality she is nothing but a judgmental racist.

            The story takes place in a waiting room at the doctor’s office, where Mrs. Turpin exalts her own qualities and denigrates everyone else in town, including others sitting right there in the room. This goes on until Mary Grace, a young college girl, is exasperated by the mannered hypocrisy which has surrounded her, throws a textbook at Mrs. Turpin, striking her in the head. She then rushes across the room and begins to choke Mrs. Turpin. Finally, subdued and sedated, she replies to Mrs. Turpin, “What have you got to say to me?” She says, “Go back to hell where you came from, you old wart hog.” This response strikes Mrs. Turpin with the force of another physical blow.

            Towards the end of the story, Mrs. Turpin has a vision (or revelation) where can see ‘whole communities of white-trash, clean for the first time in their lives, and bands of black Negro’s in white robes, and battalions of freaks and lunatics shouting and clapping and leaping like frogs,’ on their way to heaven. Behind them Mrs. Turpin sees ‘a tribe of people whom she recognized at once as those who, like herself and her husband, had always had a little of everything and the God-given wit to use it right.’ The order of the people in the procession is important because for the first time Mrs. Turpin can see that her own hierarchical belief has been wrong.

            Do you ever play the comparison game with other people? Do you ever look down on other people and think that you are better than them? I know that you would never say it, but do you ever think to yourself, “I sure am glad that I am not like those people—living in and out of jail, addicted to pills, leeching off the government, neglecting their children, and taking advantage of other people?

            The truth is that we are all sinners! We have all fallen desperately short of God’s glory! We have all done devilish deeds, whispered wicked words, and entertained evil thoughts in our minds. And even if our outward actions are better than others, our hearts are just as corrupt. None of us has lived a perfect life! And none of us has the right to think that we are better than anyone else!

Humbled and Exalted (14)

Notice Jesus’ haunting conclusion to the parable: “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.” He endorses the tax collector’s humility. The one justified before God, the one whose prayer is heard, is not that of the religious man with all of his works. The prayer God hears is the cry for mercy.

Jesus clinches this lesson with a provocative proverb: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Confidence and outward appearance mean nothing. Resume and social status mean nothing. Self-reliance is a highway to hell! What counts is a heart humbled before God. And in seeking God’s forgiveness, the tax collector found it!

In considering this proverb, we would do well to remember the words of the church father St. Basil the Great, who said, “Humility often saves a sinner who has committed terrible transgressions.”

            Our approach to God in this life has eternal consequences. The person who puts their trust in themselves—their character, credentials, reputation, intellect, abilities, money, or their accomplishments—will not be justified before God. None of these things can atone for sin. So many people still believe that when they die they will go to heaven because they were a good person. They still believe that good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell, but this is dead wrong! We can only go to heaven by recognizing how sinful we are and receiving God’s mercy through Jesus’ death on the cross!

            So, when you come before God, what are you asking for? Do you know how bad you are, and how much mercy you need? The tax collector knew that he was a sinner who deserved nothing except God’s judgment, and this compelled him to seek for a salvation that only God could give, and only by his grace. Our sin should never cause us to despair, for when we know the depth of our own depravity that we are ready to see the atonement that God offers for our sin. After all, Jesus was journeying to the cross to die for sinners like us! (Ryken 261)

Allow me to conclude with Isaac Watt’s powerful hymn about this parable. It is called “Behold How Sinners Disagree.”

Behold how sinners disagree,
The publican and Pharisee!
One doth his righteousness proclaim,
The other owns his guilt and shame.

 This man at humble distance stands,
And cries for grace with lifted hands;
That boldly rises near the throne,
And talks of duties he has done.

 The Lord their different language knows,
And different answers He bestows;
The humble soul with grace He crowns,
Whilst on the proud His anger frowns.

 Dear Father! let me never be
Joined with the boasting Pharisee;
I have no merits of my own,
But plead the sufferings of Thy Son.

Back in the summer of 1994, I worked as a park supervisor through the Indiana County Youth Employment Program. It was the cushiest job in the world. I got paid to play basketball, kickball, softball, and pitch horseshoes with kids all day. My only real responsibilities were to make sure that the equipment was put away and to break up an occasion fight. The one downside to the job was that it required going to school one day a week. I got paid to go, but it was still school. It was a “career preparation” class that met every Monday and we learned how to fill out job applications, write resumes, and develop interview skills.

            During that class, our instructor Mr. Iandorio, gave us a piece of advice that has helped me get a lot of jobs over the years. He told us, “When it comes to getting the job you want, persistence pays off!”

            A few years later when I got to college, I wanted to get a job at the Solhiem Center because I loved sports and knew that this was where all of the Chicago Bulls’ opponents practiced before each game. I figured that I could most likely score some free Bulls tickets if I worked there.

            So, I marched right into the gym and asked for an application. The girl at the desk told me that they weren’t hiring right now. I was undaunted by this and asked to see the manager. The girl rolled her eyes as she phoned the office in the back. A few minutes later, the manger came out and greeted me. I introduced myself and described my athletic background and asked him for a job directly. He said, “Jason, you seem like a fine young man, but we already have a full staff. We’ll keep your application on file and if something comes available, we’ll give you a call.” Politely but boldly, I said, “Sir, I desperately need a job and I really want to work here!” He sighed and said, “I am really sorry, but we just don’t have any jobs right now. You’ll find a good job somewhere else.”

            At that moment, I thought about walking away, but the words of my career instructor entered my mind. So, I tried again saying, “Mr. Demoss, with all due respect, you don’t understand…I don’t want to work anywhere else. I want to work for you right here. Please give me a shot. I’ll do anything; I won’t let you down!” At that moment, he cracked a smile and began shaking his head and said, “Can you start on Monday?” That was the day I learned: persistence pays off!

This is precisely the point that Jesus was making to his disciples about prayer! He had just finished telling them about the consummation of the kingdom of God that would take place at his second coming. But this begged the question of what his disciples should be doing between Jesus’ first coming and his second coming. He wanted them to keep the faith by being persistent in prayer. He wanted them to know that persistence in prayer pays off! So he tells them a parable about an unjust judge and a persistent widow!

The Unjust Judge (2)

First, Jesus introduces the unjust judge. He lists his judicial credentials as neither fearing God nor respecting people, two qualities that are absolutely essential for the proper administration of justice. This guy was corrupt to the core! He had less integrity than Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump combined, and that is really saying something. This judge ignored the plight of the oppressed and turned a blind eye toward those who had been treated unfairly. He was an absolute disgrace to the justice system!

The Persistent Widow (3)

Second, Jesus introduces the persistent widow. We don’t know how old she was or how long she had been a widow, but we do know that as a widow, she was at a serious societal disadvantage. In the ancient world, widows had an extremely low social standing and often did not have means to take care of even their basic necessities. They were often the victims of injustice, which is exactly the case with this particular widow. Again, we don’t know the precise nature of the injustice she experienced, but we do know that she had some adversary who was taking advantage of her. The issue probably centered around money or property. But what this woman lacked in position and prestige, she more than made up for with her persistence. Somewhere along the line, she learned the principle persistence pays off.

The Power of Persistence (4-5)

The persistent widow took her plea before the unjust judge day after day. She relentlessly pursued the judge and repeated the phrase, “Grant me justice against my adversary!” For some time, the judge tried to ignore her; then he tried to overlook her; then he tried to disregard her; then he tried to snub her! But nothing worked! She was complexly undaunted by the judge’s rejections! Eventually, even the judge realized that this widow was never going to give up until she received justice.

The unjust judge was a pragmatic man and he finally reckoned that it would be better for him if he just gave the widow what she wanted. This would actually take less time and energy than withholding justice from her. He figured to himself, “I’ll give her what she wants to get her off my back.” A more precise translation of this Greek phase is “so she doesn’t give me a black eye.” He was literally afraid of being hand-bagged by a wounded widow! (I certainly don’t blame him. I have met some pretty feisty widows with big hand bags in my day too!) Anyway, both the judge and the widow learned the power of persistence—that persistence pays off!

Have you learned that lesson yet? If we keep asking for something long enough, sometimes we can get what we want, even if people do not really want to give it to us. Eventually they realize that it will cost them less to give in than it will to put up with our persistent pleading. Children master this strategy at an early age, because often their stubbornness is the only resource they have.

            Or consider the strange case of the rancher from Powder Bluff, Colorado, who was asked if he wanted to resubscribe to National Geographic. The computer handling the magazine’s mailing list malfunctioned and generated 9,734 separate renewal notices! The rancher couldn’t resist: he traveled ten miles to the nearest post office and sent in a check to renew his subscription, along with a note that read, “I give up! Send me your magazine!” (Ryken 247)

Persistence in Prayer Pays Off (6-8)

Once Jesus finishes his parable and makes the point that persistence pays off, he immediately applies this principle to prayer. He tells his disciples to listen to what the unjust judge says. If an unjust judge grants justice through persistent pleas, how much more will a just and benevolent God bring about justice for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night? Will he continue to put them off? No, God will indeed grant them justice. But the question remains, when Jesus returns his all of his glory, will he find such faith on earth? Will he find such persistence in prayer?

            I suspect that every single one of us sitting here today has experienced feelings of frustration about prayer. We have either felt like God has not heard our prayer or that he doesn’t have our best interest in mind because he did not answer a prayer the way we wanted him to or expected him to. Some of us have been praying for the same thing for a long time, perhaps even many years. Some of us have been praying for a loved one to put their faith in Jesus, to overcome an addiction, to get out of a bad situation, to get the right job, to be healed from a disease, to be delivered from chronic pain, and nothing seems to have changed!

            But whatever you do, don’t ever give up! Keep on praying! Keep on crying out to God day and night! Be like the persistent widow! Keep going back to God day after day after day. Don’t become daunted or disillusioned! Hang in there! Endure! Be persistent in prayer because persistence in prayer pays off!

            Allow me to share a story with you about how persistence in prayer pays off. It is one of my favorite stories from church history. St. Monica was a great woman of God. Though her husband was a pagan, Monica prayed that her family might eventually all come to Christ. She attempted to bring her children up in the ways of the Lord, and it pained her to see them stray from the truth she had taught them. Her most promising son was given an excellent education, and Monica hoped this might be a means of his more fully reaching God.

            But he ignored his mother’s warnings against youthful lusts and pursued a life of self-gratification and immorality while continuing his education. He lived with a woman not his wife and fathered a child out of wedlock. Monica didn’t have the words to convince her son of the truth of Christianity, but she determined never to stop praying that he would turn to God.

            As her son grew older it seemed like he ran further and further away from God.  He became very successful in his career, experimented with a number of religions, and continued living a life of wild immorality by sleeping with numerous women.  At one point to mock Christianity, he even prayed, “God grant me chastity, but not yet!”  He flat out rejected Christianity!  But God was not confounded by his rejection!

            Just when his mother thought that her son had sunk to the very depths of debauchery, he joined a religious cult and fell even further away from his Christian heritage. Although Monica often found herself on the edge of despair when she thought about her wayward son, she prayed for his soul every single day, typically with tears streaming down her face. She beseeched the Lord to bring her prodigal to his senses and deliver him from the mud and mire.

            During this anguished period of prayer for her son, Monica consulted her pastor, who had himself had lived a life of decadence before he became a Christian. He declined to intervene because he observed that the young man was not open to hearing the truth. She persisted tearfully, but he refused to intervene. Nevertheless, the wise pastor consoled Monica that “the child of those tears shall never perish”, which she took as a sign from God and she constantly prayed for her son over the next nine years.

            Sometime later, Monica’s son moved to a new town where he met the pastor at the local church.  He was impressed by the pastor’s wisdom and compassion and the two of them started meeting together.  And at age 32 the young man finally became a Christian and later one of the world’s most influential pastors and theologians of all time. The boy’s name is Augustine. We know him today as St. Augustine of Hippo who lived 1500 years ago.

            In this case it took nine long years, but persistence in prayer pays off.

            In a large gathering of persons concerned about certain unfair and oppressive conditions in our society, an elderly black minister read this parable and gave a one-sentence interpretation: “Until you have stood for years knocking at a locked door, your knuckles bleeding, you don’t really know what prayer is.”

            Do you know what prayer is?

During the past 2000 years there has been a considerable captivation with the coming of the end of the world, and throughout the centuries, many people have obsessed their souls on predicting when it will come. Here are a few of my favorite false predictions:

• In the year AD 44, a man by the name of Theudas declared himself the Messiah, taking 400 people with him into the desert to greet the end of the world. I guess the world did end in a way, they were all beheaded by Roman soldiers.
• A Roman priest and theologian in the second and third centuries, predicted Christ would return in A.D. 500, based on the dimensions of Noah’s ark. I guess his measurements were off!
• The year 1000 goes down as one of the most pronounced states of excitement over the end of the world. All members of society seemed affected by the prediction that Jesus was coming back on Jan 1, 1000 AD. During December 999, everyone was on their best behavior; worldly goods were sold and given to the poor, swarms of pilgrims headed east to meet the Lord at Jerusalem, buildings went unrepaired, crops were left unplanted, and criminals were set free from jails. But, of course, nothing happened! (And for those of you who are wondering—no—Prince didn’t sing “We’re gonna party like it 999!)
• In 1526, Muntzer, a leader of German peasants, announced that the end of the world was near. After he and his men destroyed the high and mighty, the Lord would return. This belief led to an uneven battle with government troops where he was strategically out-numbered. Muntzer claimed to have a vision from God where the Lord promised that He would catch the cannon balls of the enemy in the sleeves of his cloak. The vision turned out to be false when Muntzer and his followers were mowed down by cannon fire.
• In 1809, Mary Bateman, who specialized in fortune telling, had a magic chicken that laid eggs with end time messages on them. One message said that Christ was coming. The uproar she created ended when she was caught forcing an egg into the hen’s oviduct by an unannounced visitor. Mary later was hanged for poisoning a wealthy client.
• The leaders of Jehovah’s Witnesses have falsely predicted the end of the world in 1914, 1918, 1920, 1925, 1941, 1975, and 1994. At this rate, one of these years they are bound to get it right.
• My all-time favorite false prediction is Edgar Whisenant’s bestselling book 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Could Be in 1988 (over 3 million copies were sold.) The following year he came out with another book called 89 Reasons Why the Rapture Could Be in 1989. He didn’t sell nearly as many of these!
• And don’t forget about the Left Behind hysteria of the late 1990’s, the Y2K frenzy in 2000, the Harold Camping debacle in 2011, and the Mayan Calendar malaise back in 2012!

            You are probably wondering what will be next? Well, I have to tell you, just last evening I was sitting on my back porch watching the rain and listening to Neil Young’s “After the Goldrush” when all of the sudden the wind split the clouds in front of me and a red shooting star darted across the sky and spelled “November 19, 2016” in cursive. (I sure am glad that they still taught cursive when I was in school or I would have missed God’s message.) Now God either gave me this apocalyptic vision to announce the exact day of the end of the world or to tell me that this will be the day when I shoot a 12-point buck in Vermont! The only thing I can say for sure is: “Get ready folks, this is going to be a big November!”

            But seriously, have you ever wondered about the end of the world? I suspect that we have all spent some time contemplating the coming of God’s kingdom! And the people of Jesus’ day we no different!

As Jesus continued his journey toward Jerusalem, the Pharisees asked him when the kingdom of God would come. Jesus responded to their question and then went on to explain one of the great spiritual paradoxes of all time: The kingdom of God has already come and it has not yet come!

Thy Kingdom Has Already Come (20-21)

Jesus answers the Pharisees question with the shocking statement that the kingdom of God is already in their midst. But how can this be? If the kingdom of God was had already come, why was Israel still occupied and oppressed by the Romans? If the kingdom of God was already at hand, why was there still evil and suffering in the world? If the kingdom of God was already in their midst, then why didn’t it seem like it? Maybe you have asked some of these same questions!

The problem was not with the kingdom of God; rather, the problem was with the Pharisees’ expectations about the kingdom of God. Jesus explains that the kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom that cannot be seen by the human eye. The Pharisees were anticipating a physical kingdom with political, social, and military initiatives. They wanted God to send them a messiah who would liberate Israel from roman occupation and oppression and establish a new Jewish kingdom. But Jesus is not a political messiah and he did not come to establish a political kingdom. He is a spiritual messiah who came to deliver the human race from sin and its consequences. He came to suffer and die for society’s sins and offer us eternal life! But contrary to popular belief, eternal life doesn’t begin when we die; it begins now!

Since Jesus is the king of kings and God in human flesh, the initial manifestation of the kingdom has come with his ministry. His point is that kingdom hope is present with his presence!

Do you see it? The kingdom of God is not just the future hope of heaven, but it is a present hope for all who put their faith in Jesus. It is a better life on earth right now! Many of the benefits and blessings of the kingdom are available to us right now. When we submit ourselves to the king, we can enjoy forgiveness from all of our sins, freedom from the guilt and shame of our pasts, and a great measure of joy, peace, and hope despite our present circumstances. We have the presence of the Holy Spirit to lead our lives, guide our decisions, and comfort our souls through times of difficulty.

            Now notice what I am not saying: I am not saying that you will never face physical frustrations or bear financial burdens or experience emotional anguish. As long as we live in this world, we are subject to the effects of the fall. But when we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we receive a down payment of the benefits of the kingdom right now! And the degree to which we participate in the life of the kingdom determines the level of benefit we receive!

            Therefore, friends, if you have not yet realized that Jesus is the King of Kings and he is sovereign over the whole earth, do it right now! The kingdom of God already in your midst—it is within your grasp! Come, follow Jesus, and enjoy the benefits of the kingdom right now!

Thy Kingdom Has Not Yet Come (21-37)

Well, after Jesus told the Pharisees that the kingdom of God was already among them, he turned to his disciples and announced that the fullness of the kingdom of God has not yet arrived. Although Jesus inaugurated his kingdom at his first coming, it won’t be consummated until his second coming. After he suffers, is rejected, dies, is resurrected, and goes back to heaven, he will appear a second time. And when he returns, it will be universally obvious that we will not need anyone to tell us where he is. It will strike like a bolt of lightning that flashes across the sky: sudden in appearance, obvious in it brightness, and powerful in its display of the glory of God. (Ryken 235).

But it will also come at an unexpected time, just like in the days of Noah and Lot. Do you remember these stories from the Old Testament? In the days of Noah, people were doing every day activities such as eating, drinking, and marrying, and then the flood came and destroyed them all because they were not prepared.

Likewise, in the days of Lot, people were going through all of the ordinary motions of life: eating, drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. It was business as usual until fire and sulfur fell from heaven and destroyed them all. They were consumed because their souls were not prepared for the judgment of God. They just went about their lives, never stopping to think that judgment was coming.

            The same thing happened on September 11, 2001, when Muslim terrorists destroyed the World Trade Center in New York City. It was just an ordinary September morning, with people doing all of the things that people usually do: dropping off their children at school, riding the subway to work, checking their e-mail, getting a cup of coffee, and heading into a meeting. No one knew what terror was about to strike, or that many of them would lose their lives.

Jesus said that the exact same thing will happen at the second coming. People will be doing business as usual. They will be sitting down for dinner, walking the dog, mowing the lawn, watching television, and putting the children in bed. They will be loving, fighting, serving, and sinning, and doing all of the things that people do? (Ryken 238)

            Have you ever wondered what you will be doing when Jesus returns? Are you prepared for Jesus’ Second Coming? Are you spiritually ready for his return? Most people are so preoccupied with what is happening today that they hardly ever think about the kingdom to come! I hope that we won’t be among them!

So, what does one need to do to make sure he or she is prepared for Christ’s return? Jesus answers that question in verses 30-36. In essence, he is saying that we should follow him with reckless abandon. We should follow him and never look back for anything! He even uses Lot’s wife as an example of this. Do you remember what happened to Lot’s wife when she looked back at Sodom and Gomorrah? She turned into a pillar of salt! She was looking back toward her old ways! She hadn’t fully let go of her former life! And she suffered the consequences!

Jesus reiterates another great kingdom paradox in verse 33 when he says: “Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it.” If we try to save our lives—in other words, if we hold onto our position in the world, with all of the possessions it has to offer—we will end up losing life itself, as well as everything we have worked so hard to gain. On the other hand, if we give ourselves away—if we commit our whole lives to Jesus Christ, we will keep them forever. If we let go of what earth has to offer, we gain only what heaven has to give!

Have you been holding onto the things of this world? Are you obsessed with getting ahead in this life? Are you trying to preserve your present existence? If so, stop it! Give yourself completely to Jesus before it is too late! A day is coming when two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left! A night is coming when two people will be lying in a bed; one will be taken and the other left. Vultures will gather around the bodies of those who do not survive the final judgment! Don’t be one of them!

               So, when will the world come to an end? Will it be November 2016? I have no idea! But I do know that the kingdom of God has already come and its benefits are available to us right now! And I also know that the kingdom is coming in the future, and some will enter it and some won’t! Where will you be?

When Jennifer and I were college sweethearts in Chicago, we would periodically pack a picnic basket and drive north along the shore of Lake Michigan until we got to the town of Evanston, IL, the home of Northwestern University. The large boulders along the shore provided a romantic setting for us to watch the sun set and listen to the waves crash against the rocks below us. It was a beautiful spot.

            Little did we know at the time, but this was the exact location of a famous shipwreck 140 years earlier. Around 2 A.M. on September 8, 1860, the steamship Lady Elgin collided with the schooner Augusta, and hundreds of people drowned. But there was a young Northwestern ministerial student by the name of Edward Spencer, who waded into the water to rescue passengers from mortal peril. Despite suffering numerous injuries from the floating wreckage, he repeatedly dashed into the raging surf. Seeing his deteriorating condition, others tried to stop him, but on he went. By the time the ships had gone completely under, he had saved 17 people.

            Edward Spencer never sought praise or recognition for his heroism; he believed that he was just doing his duty. But he was so badly injured that he spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair, he never finished his studies, and worst of all, none of 17 people he rescued ever returned to thank him.

            This tragic story is remarkably similar to the one that we just read for us from Luke’s gospel. Both stories exhibit what I like to call the “Two Hands of Gratitude.” On one hand, we should never expect gratitude! On the other hand, we should always express gratitude!

Never Expect Gratitude (7-10)

As Jesus continued to teach his disciples about the kingdom of God and their service to it, he employed an agricultural parable about a slave doing his duty. He poses a hypothetical situation where a slave is either plowing a field or tending sheep, he would not tell the slave to sit down and eat until he first fixed supper for his master. The slave would eat only after his all of his work was completed. The question in verse 9 highlights the point of the parable, “Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do?” The anticipated answer to this question is “No!” The servant should not expect reward, praise, or even gratitude for just doing what he was expected to do!

Then in verse 10, Jesus applies this parable directly to his disciples. He tells them that when they serve in the kingdom of God, they should consider themselves unworthy servants and should not expect to receive gratitude. After all, they have just done their duty!

            This is precisely the attitude that Jesus wants his followers to exhibit today. He wants us to be unworthy servants who labor for our master and do the work that he has called us to do regardless of whether or not we receive gratitude. He wants us to be like Edward Spencer who was so focused on fulfilling his duty that he never thought about what he would get in return. 

Now, in theory, sounds reasonable and doable. That is, until you actually serve or sacrifice for someone and they never thank you. This is a challenge that penetrates the very core of our souls. Over the years, I have heard people say things like, “I’m never going to do anything for that ungrateful SOB again; he never even said thank you when I helped him.” Or “can you believe the nerve of that woman? After everything I did for her, she never even sent a ‘Thank You’ card!”

            Whether it’s in your home, in your workplace, or even in the church, it’s hard to consistently serve with no expectation of gratitude. It takes tremendous humility, but it can be done! Therefore, based on Jesus’ teaching here, I say to you: Stop whining! Serve faithfully! And never expect gratitude!

Always Express Gratitude (11-19)

Well, sometime later when Jesus was heading south toward Jerusalem, he stumbled upon an opportunity to teach the other side of gratitude. While he was walking along the border between Galilee and Samaria, he came upon a colony of lepers standing outside a village. Leprosy was a chronic and highly contagious skin disease which had no cure in the ancient world. Lepers were forced to leave their homes and families and were sentenced to live in leper colonies that were often located in caves. They were forbidden to enter villages or come into contact with healthy people, so they were reduced to positioning themselves along roadways in order to beg for food and charity. Even worse than the physical pain and itching was the social ostracism and religious stigma associated with the disease; leprosy was generally considered a punishment for sin or a curse from God.

When the ten lepers saw Jesus approaching, they maintained their distance but shouted at the top of their lungs, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”  They had obviously heard about Jesus; they knew his name, something of his divine nature, and his reputation for incredible compassion and miraculous healing. Their cry for mercy is really a plea to be healed from the dreadful disease. It was request for restoration!

Well, Jesus certainly lived up to his reputation! He didn’t prescribe any skin creams, herbal ointments, or essential oils; he simply told them to go and show themselves to the priests. (According to the Law of Moses, priests were the public health inspectors who decided whether someone clean or unclean, and they determined if someone was fit to return to the community.)

So, when Jesus told them to go to the priests, he was announcing that they would be clean.

All ten lepers took Jesus at his word and immediately obeyed his command. As they walked toward the village, their chaffed skin became clear and moist, their contorted fingernails became straight, and their deformed faces became recognizable again. As their sorrow turned into celebration, their walk turned into an all out sprint to the synagogue. And who could blame them? Their hearts were filled with joy at the thought of the priest pronouncing them clean. Then they could return to their loved ones.

As they ran to the priest, verses 15-16 tells us “one of the them, when he saw he was healed, turned back, praising God in a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks.” Wow, what an audacious display of gratitude! What a dramatic demonstration of thanksgiving! This Samaritan knew that he would have plenty of time to go to the priest, but he didn’t know if he would have another chance to thank Jesus for restoring his life. He had a true heart of thanksgiving!

As the man worshipped at Jesus’ holy feet, Jesus makes a ridiculously obvious observation: “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Ooh, what a penetrating remark! What a powerful rebuke. The nine lepers were religious enough to ask Jesus for what they wanted! They had enough piety to find the priest when they were cleansed! But they didn’t have enough time to turn around and thank Jesus for their gift of new life. They took Jesus for granted, treating him like a Cosmic Santa Claus instead of the Suffering Messiah.

Every time I read this story I get the same awkward and embarrassed feeling I get at a birthday party when my child opens a gift from someone and says, “Ooo, I didn’t want that!” And all of the other parents look at you. They don’t say anything, but you know what they are thinking, “Hmm, I wonder where his kid gets his ingratitude.” This is a parent’s worst nightmare. What can you even say in that situation? I suppose it is just best to look them in the eye, come clean, and say, “I’m really sorry, he must have picked that up from his mother.”

            Seriously though, this story ought to make us feel a little bit embarrassed. I just want to grab those nine by the collar and say, “You naughty little lepers! Where is your gratitude? Jesus just gave you a new life and you can’t even return to say ‘Thank You!’” I am infuriated by these lepers until I think about all the things people have done for me and I have forgotten to thank them. I am indignant toward these nine until I stop to think about everything Jesus has done for me and the times that I have failed to thank him. The truth is that to some extent, we are all guilty of ingratitude.

            Some people may ask, “Why should I thank Jesus—what has he ever done for me? Why hasn’t he healed my disease? Why did he let my loved one die?” Questions like this are selfish to the core—they all assume that God owes us something. God doesn’t owe us anything! What we should say is: Father, thank you for your grace! Thank you for so many years of good health! Thank you for the time with my loved one! And most of all, Jesus, thank you for loving me so much that you willingly sacrificed your life on the cross so that my sins can be forgiven!

            But the truest test of our gratitude is not giving thanks in times of peace and plenty, but it is in times of anxiety and uncertainty. Can you give thanks when the economy is struggling and you lose your job? Can you give thanks when milk prices are low and you can’t pay your bills? Can you give thanks when there is conflict in your marriage or family? Can you give thanks when you’re diagnosed with cancer or facing some daunting disease?

            Theologian Lewis Smedes once said, “I have never met a grateful person who wasn’t a happy person.” I think that is true!

Columnist Erma Bombeck was a breast cancer survivor. Back in 1992 she wrote: An estimated 1.5 million woman are living today after bouts with breast cancer. Every time I forget to feel grateful to be among them, I hear the voice of an eight-year-old girl named Christina, who had cancer of the nervous system. When asked what she wanted for her birthday, she thought long and hard and finally said, “I don’t know. I have two sticker books and a Cabbage Patch doll. I have everything!” 

            Little Christina had the same heart of thanksgiving as the leper who returned to Jesus! How about the rest of us?

            As we go forth to take the light of Jesus Christ into a dark and broken world, may we go as unworthy servants! Let us fulfill our duty by doing the work God has called us to do. And never expect gratitude, but always give gratitude!

            Allow me to read a poignant poem about the allure of monetary wealth. This was written by the Scottish-Australian poet Angus Young:

Tailored suits, chauffered cars
Fine hotels and big cigars
Up for grabs, up for a price
Where the red hot girls keep on dancing through the night
The claims on you
The sights are on me
So what do you do
That’s guaranteed
Hey little girl, you want it all
The furs, the diamonds, the painting on the wall.

A French maid, foreign chef
A big house with king size bed
You’ve had enough, you ship them out
The dollar’s up-down, you’d better buy the pound
The claim is on you
The sights are on me
So what do you do
That’s guaranteed
Hey little girl, you broke the laws
You hustle, you deal, you steal from us all

Come on come on, love me for the money
Come on, come on, listen to the money talk

            Indeed, money talks! If you don’t believe me, just ask former NBA Basketball star Latrell Sprewell who demanded a bigger contract from the Minnesota Timberwolves back in 2004. He told the media that he was disgusted with his one-year, $14.6 million contract. When a reporter asked him why he didn’t try to help his team win an NBA championship first and then worry about getting a better contract, Mr. Sprewell said, “Why would I want to help them win a title? They’re not doing anything for me. I’m at risk. I have a lot of risk here. I got my family to feed.” Sprewell, who was 34 years old at the time, described the team’s latest offer, reported to be worth between $27 million and $30 million over three years, as ”insulting.” (Ryken 168)

            Whatever you do, please don’t judge Mr. Sprewell for snubbing his nose toward a measly $14.6 million contract! After all, he was at the top of his game and he just wanted to keep food on his family table. He just wanted to assure his family’s financial security and you certainly can’t blame a man for that!

            I wonder just how much it costs to feed a family these days? Furthermore, I wonder how much money a person needs to feel financially secure? Do you ever think about financial security? Most Americans do! As a matter of fact, many people obsess over it!

            Money is a topic that is at the heart of discipleship! And Jesus made his final journey toward Jerusalem, where he would eventually meet his fate on the cross, he took his disciples aside and gave them a little talk about money: a money-talk! In Luke 15, Jesus dealt with wrong attitudes toward people; chapter 16 is about wrong attitudes toward money and material possessions.

A Shrewd Manager (1-8)

Jesus begins his teaching on monetary stewardship b telling a parable about a shrewd manager. This parable is probably the most misunderstood of all of Jesus’ parables. It is difficult to interpret. At first glance it seems like Jesus is advocating selfishness and unethical business practices, but upon closer examination I believe that we will discover what Jesus really meant.

The story starts with a rich man who hired a manager to run his businesses. After a period of time, the manager faced accusations of mismanaging the business. We don’t know if he was guilty of misappropriation of funds, embezzlement, or mishandling the employees, but we do know that somehow he was “wasting” his master’s possessions.

When the master brought the manager into his office and confronted him about the accusations, the manager admitted his guilt. He didn’t even try to deny wrongdoing; he openly confessed to cooking the books. The master glared across his desk and, in Donald Trump style, declared, “Your fired!”

Needless to say, someone who was out of a job in those days wasn’t about to get any absurd severance package or even collect unemployment benefits. There certainly wasn’t going to be any Wall Street “golden parachute” for this immoral executive, and this posed a serious problem for him. He was caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place because he was a white collar guy now trying to live in a blue collar world. He wasn’t strong enough to dig and he was too proud to beg. So, what did he do? He came up with an idea for how he could land on his financial feet.

One by one, he went to all of his master’s debtors and unilaterally reduced their debts. (Four-hundred gallons of olive oil and two-hundred bushels of wheat represented more than a year’s wages for the average earner.) He was hoping to win their gratitude so that they would provide room and board for him when he needed it. His scheme was definitely dishonest, but it sure was shrewd.

The manager’s deception makes the master’s response all the more surprising: “The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness” (Luke 16:8). We would expect the master to be furious, and he probably was, but he admired how resourceful the manager had been in planning for his unemployment. Though he could hardly commend the man for his lack of integrity, when it came to shrewdness, he had to give the man his due. (Ryken 171)

Jesus used this unorthodox parable to teach three principles of monetary stewardship: first, use your temporal/material wealth for eternal/spiritual purposes, second, be faithful with little so you can receive something better, and third, do not let your money be your master.

Eternal Relationships (8b-9)

Jesus concludes the parable with the lesson: “For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” He recognizes the fact that Christians tend to be less shrewd when it comes to worldly matters; but he wants them to be shrewd with worldly resources for spiritual gain. Specifically, Jesus wants his disciples to use their money to build relationships with people that will last through eternity. This is what we might call “money-for ministry” or “gospel-centered giving!

So, what does this look like in practical terms? The possibilities are endless! A Christian’s faithful financial giving of their local church is a good place to start. The weekly “tithes and offerings” is what supports the gospel ministry in a particular community. Also, faithful giving to other local missions and foreign missionaries builds relationships with non-believers and extends the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life. Other possibilities include giving our money toward disaster relief, feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, and helping the poor. It can also be as simple as using our money to buy lunch for a friend who is going through difficult time. As I said, the possibilities are endless!

            Are you using your worldly resources in such a manner that there will be persons in eternity who will be glad to receive you when we get there? Or will you meet people in heaven who you could have helped on earth but didn’t? Are you using your money to establish eternal relationships?

Faithful with Little (10-12)

Sometimes Christians say they would give more to the poor and spread the gospel if they only had more to give. “I don’t have that much right now,” people say, “but if I had a million dollars, I would give so much to the church and to my favorite ministry.” Such talk can be cheap, but there is an easy way to find out if it is true. The way to see what you would do if you had more money is to look at what you do with what you already have!

In verse 10, Jesus says, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” This is where we find the second principle of monetary stewardship: be faithful with what you have so that you can receive something better.

This principle applies to all of our resources: time, talent, and treasure! If we are not faithful with what God has already given us, why would he trust us with more. Or if we are not faithful with worldly resources, why would God trust us with spiritual resources.

I am always amazed by the people who are constantly asking God for more. They are often the same people who have squandered what God has already given them. Likewise, I am amazed by the person who feels entitled to a raise or a promotion when they are notoriously late and lazy at work. On the flip side, faithfulness in the little things leads toward greater responsibility and rewards.

            I remember learning this principle back in high school and college. My football coach, Mr. Dettorre always preached the proverb: If you do the little things well, the big things will take care of themselves!” He was right! When a team practices well, they play much better in the game!

            I employed this principle in my college job at the Solhiem Center, the athletic facility where all of the visiting NBA teams practiced before they played the Chicago Bulls. I was blessed to get that job and I worked my tail off. Even when my regular work was finished, I tried to find little things to do to improve the facility. My boss noticed this, and promoted me to a head supervisor during my freshmen year. Some upper classmen were angry that I got promoted over them and I remember my boss telling them, “If I can’t trust you in the little things, how can I trust you in a leadership role!

            How about you? Are you faithful in the little things? Are you faithful with the resources God has given you? Are you being faithful with your time, talent, and treasure?

Mastering Money (13)

Well, Jesus builds his third monetary principle to a crescendo with the dramatic declaration: “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” By this, Jesus means that people either master their money or their money masters them. It is impossible to serve God and be a follower of Jesus Christ and still worship money and material possessions.

Do you know anyone who has spent their life chasing the so-called “almighty dollar?” Do you know people who have allowed money to dominate their hearts and material possessions to enslave their souls? The pursuit of wealth has caused many people to ignore God, undervalue family, walk over people, act unethically, and engage in a host of other destructive behaviors! This is why Jesus says a person must know who he or she will serve, for when a choice has to be made, a person cannot serve both. Everything here calls on us to choose God! (Bock 421) Who do you worship? God or money?

The essence of Jesus’ money-talk is this: If you don’t master your money, it will master you! If we don’t master our money by using it for the glory of God, then it will master us, and we will end up bankrupt for eternity! (Ryken 169)

            Yes, it’s true, money talks! What is your money saying?

Back when I was in high school, I spent my summer evenings pitching and playing first-base on a men’s beer league softball team. Our club was young, inexperienced, and flat-out terrible! We lost most of our games, but we sure had a lot of fun. I remember one steaming hot Saturday afternoon when we lost our first two games of a double elimination tournament. Our shirts and ball caps were drenched with sweat and my teammate Jeff said, “Let’s head to my farm and go swimming in the pond.” We immediately took off!

            I jumped out of the car and sprinted through the pasture toward the pond, stripping off my shirt, socks, and shoes as I ran. I flew off the dock and cannonballed into the cool water. The rest of the guys followed right behind me. As I came up out of the water and turned my head, I watched my friend Doc jump in without taking his glasses off. I tried to stop him, but it was too late. And sure enough, when his body came to the surface, his glasses were gone. He was so eager to dive in that he completely forgot about his glasses. He didn’t even realize he did this until I told him.

            He immediately panicked because it was his only pair and he was as blind as a bat without them. To make matters worse, he had recently been kicked out of his parent’s house and he didn’t have any money to replace them. I remember thinking to myself, “There is no way we will ever find his glasses! We’d have a better chance finding a needle in a haystack!” The pond was at least 14 feet deep and it was as black as cup of coffee. Even if we had been courageous enough to open our eyes in that water, we couldn’t see anything. So, we repeatedly dove down to bottom and fished our hands through the mud and manure and hopelessly searched. But to my great amazement, about an hour later, my friend Cory came up holding Doc’s glasses.

            I don’t know if I have ever seen anyone so overjoyed. Doc got out of the water, put his glasses back on, and shouted, screamed, and danced a jig. The rest of us laughed hysterically as we watched his spontaneous spectacle of jubilation. For the next 15 minutes, he was the happiest man on earth.

            Have you ever experienced the joy of finding something that you had lost? Your wallet? Your keys? Your passport? Or perhaps, something even more precious? There is indeed a great sense of relief and joy when we find something that was lost.

In today’s Bible text, Jesus speaks about this joyful phenomenon of finding something that was lost, but he applies it directly to human souls! You see, the scribes and Pharisees were getting on Jesus’ case for welcoming tax collectors and “sinners,” a term that describe a multitude of morally degenerate people on earth. As usual, they were more concerned with maintaining their own purity and pious reputation than they were with helping people.

And it is certainly true that Jesus hung out with sinners; he was not afraid to spend time with people who were monetarily dishonest, ethically corrupt, or sexually promiscuous. How could he share God’s love with sinners or call them to repentance if he wasn’t willing to spend time with them? So, Jesus tells three “lost and found” parables to teach the religious leaders about God’s great love for sinners. We will look at the first two parables today, and save the third one for another day.

A Lost Sheep (3-7)

Jesus begins with the parable of the lost sheep. He paints a hypothetical picture of a shepherd counting his hundred sheep and one comes up one short. Sheep are notoriously dumb animals—they don’t listen well, they frighten easily, and they get lost all the time. (It’s no wonder that the Bible often compares human beings to sheep.) The wellbeing of the sheep is dependent upon the shepherd’s care. If a sheep went missing, a good shepherd would leave the rest of the flock in pasture with a responsible family member or neighbors and go looking for the lost sheep himself, and that is precisely what this shepherd does.

In this case, the shepherd’s search for the lost sheep is successful. He is elated to discover that the sheep had not fallen off a cliff or had been torn to shreds by a wild animal. Then, as shepherds often did with injured or missing sheep, he hoisted it on his shoulders and carried it all the way home. When he returned, his joy compelled him to throw a party in celebration of his recovered sheep, saying to his neighbors and friends, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.”

As he concluded the simple story, he looked directly into the Pharisees eyes and delivered a scathing application, saying, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” This sarcasm-laced line cut right to the heart of the Pharisees problem: they looked down on sinners and put their hope in their own self-righteousness. Jesus wanted them to know that everyone needs to repent, sinners and saints alike. And all of heaven rejoices when a sinner repents and comes into the fold of God.

            This ancient parable speaks to our modern lives in a variety of ways. First, it reminds us that we are all sinners and that we all need to repent. Let us not be like the Pharisees who tried to get to heaven by living a moral life and maintaining a high level of purity. Many people today do not even see the need to repent. They either dismiss sin altogether or they think that their good deeds outweigh their bad deeds and they will go to heaven because they were relatively good people. This is so wrong! We cannot do it on our own, no matter how hard we try! We are all lost sheep and we need Jesus, the Good Shepherd, to get us home! Have you really repented from your sins? Have you given your heart to the Good Shepherd?

            Second, this parable shows us that God pursues us when we wander away. What a comfort it is to know that Jesus loves us and cares about us so much that he actually comes after us when we go astray. He doesn’t just leave us to fall off the cliff of disastrous decisions or to be devoured by the wolves of the worldly desires. Have you wandered away from the fold of God? Have you been busy doing your own thing? Stop running away! Allow yourself to be rescued by the Redeemer!

Third, this parable serves as our ministry model for relating to the lost. Far too many Christians prefer to hide in their little bubbles of righteousness and purity than to risk getting their own hands or souls dirty by spending time with tax collectors and sinners. Too many Christian are concerned about becoming polluted by the world or influenced by non-believers that they don’t even have any friends who aren’t Christians. Sadly, I know some Christians who don’t even know any non-Christians! How will you bear witness to the good news of salvation if you don’t know any sinners? Jesus wants us to be good shepherds and go looking for lost sheep!    

A Lost Coin (8-10)

Well, that is probably enough for a whole sermon right there, but Jesus went on and told a second parable about a lost coin. This time he pictures a woman who has ten silver coins and loses one. He asks the rhetorical question, “Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it.” This may not seem like a big deal at first glance. Why would she go to such an effort to find a simple lost coin?

Well, this was not a simple quarter under a couch cushion or a dime under your car floor mat; the silver coin pictured here was a “drachma” which was the equivalent of a full day’s wages. This would be more like misplacing a $100 bill; you would spend some time looking for it! Just as the shepherd called his friends to rejoice with him over finding his lost sheep, so the woman calls her friends and neighbors to inform them about the recovered coin and to share in her joy.

Can’t you hear just this conversation? She immediately got on the switchboard and shouted, “Ethel, you’ll never believe it! I found my lost coin! Woohoo! Call all the girls and tell them that we’re going to The Abbey for dinner tonight! We’ll even break out a bottle of wine!”

In the same way, Jesus applies this domestic tale to real life. God seeks the lost sinner with the same passion as the woman searches for her lost coin. And when a lost sinner is found and repents, there is great rejoicing in the presence of angels in heaven.

            Friends, this is the way Jesus looks for lost sinners. The reason Jesus came to earth in the first place was to seek and to save what was lost. This is why he became a man, why he performed miracles, why he preached the kingdom of God, and why he died and rose again. Jesus was looking to find.

            Even now he is still conducting his search, looking in every corner of the world for sinners he died to save. Jesus has sent his gospel out into the world—the gospel that says that everyone who trusts in his cross and believes in his empty tomb will be saved. He has sent his church into the world to befriend sinners, to eat with sinners, to share life with sinners, to love sinners, and to share the good news with sinners. Jesus will keep searching and he wants us to keep searching for every last one of the precious coins that belongs in his pocket. If you are lost and waiting to be found, Jesus is looking for you. He is searching and seeking to save you.

            Are you able to sing with the great hymn writer?

                        Amazing grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.

                        I once was lost and now am found, was blind but now I see.

If you haven’t been found yet, I pray that you would before you leave church this morning. And if you have already been found, I pray that your search will now begin!

Ding Cuimei, a peaceful and devout Christian woman, was killed April 14, 2016 (just three weeks ago) when she and her husband Li Jiangong stood in front of a bulldozer poised to destroy their home, where they had been hosting a house church in central China’s Henan Province. A government-backed company had sent the demolition crew to the church after a local developer wished to take the property. One member of the crew allegedly said “Bury them alive for me…I will be responsible for their lives.” The bulldozer pushed them into a ditch and covered their bodies with dirt and debris. Li was able to dig his way out, but Ding was not.

            Local Christians said that the government departments in charge of the area were not present to oversee the demolition. Li said that police took an unusually long time to arrive after the murder was reported. And so, the persecution of Chinese Christians continues into the 21^st century.

            This is just one of the many modern martyr stories from around the world. Rather than standing by and allowing an oppressive government illegally bulldoze her beloved church, Ding Cuimei was willing to sacrifice everything, even her own life, to protest religious persecution and prove her faithfulness to her Lord Jesus Christ.

            When we hear stories like this, it compels us to contemplate what we would do if we were ever placed in a similar situation. It makes us to look in the mirror and ask ourselves, “What am I willing to give up to be a faithful follower of Jesus?” This is the question that Jesus forced his followers to face as he continued his journey toward Jerusalem. Before anyone makes a decision to follow him, they must count the cost of discipleship.

The Allure of Popularity (25)

Luke sets the context for Jesus’ piercing sermon by telling us that “now great crowds accompanied him.” By this time in his ministry, Jesus had become quite popular—I guess this is what happens when you heal people and perform miracles. But Jesus knew that this popularity would be short lived. He knew that many of the same people who followed him today would turn their backs on him tomorrow or as soon as life became difficult. He understood the allure of popularity, but he was not impressed by it.

            How about you? Have you been apprehended by the appeal of popularity? Some people desire popularity so badly that they will do anything to get it. Some teenagers, college students, and even adults become so obsessed with being popular that they are willing to sacrifice their moral character or ethical principles to gain it or keep it. But Jesus never did this! He never sacrificed his integrity for the sake of gaining a large following. He never sugar-coated his speech or compromised his message to build a bigger church. He never caved into the pressures of political correctness to keep the crowds coming.

            Jesus always spoke the truth, even the difficult truths that people did not want to hear. He delivered some difficult words, even when he knew that they might turn the masses away. Such is the case with Jesus’ hard sayings in this passage where he lays out the cost of discipleship!

The Cost of Family (26)

Jesus addresses the crowd with the utterly shocking words, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate their father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.” Our immediate reaction to these words is “Woe, wait, what! Did Jesus really say that? How can this be? This contradicts everything Jesus has taught us about loving our neighbor.” This sentence just doesn’t seem to make any sense!

Well, before you get too confused or upset, we must realize that Jesus is employing a classic case of hyperbole. Do you remember what hyperbole is? It’s an extreme exaggeration to make a point. It’s like when people say, “I’m so hungry I can eat a cow!” or my personal favorite “Pastors only work one day a week!” These are obviously ridiculous exaggerations.

The idea is not that we should hate our family, but in comparison to Jesus, if we are forced to choose, the winner of that choice must always be Jesus. It is a matter of prominence and priority. To be a true disciple of Jesus, one must love him more than anyone else!

            In this verse, Jesus is asking us, who we love most? Do you love Jesus more than your parents—your spouse—your kids? If not, then you are not a true Christian yet! Jesus demands complete loyalty, even over one’s family. If you were forced to choose Jesus or your family, who would you choose? This is part of the cost of discipleship!

The Cost of Life (27)

Likewise, Jesus continued his hard teaching when he said, “And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” Everyone in the ancient world knew that crucifixion was the Roman’s most common form of execution. Carrying your cross does not mean wearing a pretty gold cross pendant around your neck; it is an ancient metaphor for suffering and death.

Jesus makes it plain that anyone who is not willing to follow him into suffering and death is not a true Christian. People who love their own lives more than Jesus are not real disciples, since trusting in him may require martyrdom. Becoming a disciple requires a willingness to give up your own life

            Now thank God that most Christians throughout the ages have not had to sacrifice their lives for Christ, but we must remember the countless Christians who were slaughtered in the Roman arenas, burned at the stake, beheaded by ISIS, and Ding Cuimei who was buried alive in China. God will most likely not require most of us to die a martyr’s death, but we must be willing if he calls!

As I preached this message at the Franklin Carriage House this past Tuesday afternoon, one of the sweet old ladies looked up and said sincerely, “I think I am a Christian, but I’m not sure if I could give up my life like that. I told her that none of us can ever be totally certain of what we would do in a moment like that, but today is the day to make this decision in our hearts and souls!” Then she said, “Yeah, that’s right! I have some soul-searching to do.”

            Are you really willing to give up your life for Christ? Do you love him enough to make the ultimate sacrifice for him as he made the ultimate sacrifice for you? Are you willing to carry your cross and follow all the way? Have you counted the cost of being his disciple?

Counting the Cost (28-33)

To intensify his point, Jesus uses two hypothetical examples. One is of a man who builds a watchtower over his land or city. Such an undertaking is expensive, and he must be sure he can afford such a project. Thus, it is best to estimate the cost before starting to build. How embarrassing to start construction and then not have enough money to finish it. All of us probably know about building projects that started but never finished because of a lack of funds. Jesus applies this point to discipleship: Don’t follow him until you have counted the cost! Make sure you can follow through before you begin!

Likewise, he pictures a king assessing the strength of his army. It would be disastrous for an army of 10,000 to battle against an army of 20,000 soldiers. The king would be wise to negotiate peace instead of marching to sure defeat. Likewise, people would be wise to consider the cost of following Jesus before they make a hasty decision to follow him.

            This is really the point that Jesus is driving home to us. Being a true Christian is not easy. We don’t just recite a sinner’s prayer and ask Jesus into our hearts when we are 8 years old and then coast through life with some half-hearted commitment. True discipleship is hard! It means counting the cost and following Jesus in every aspect of our lives! It means doing what is right even when everyone around us is doing what is wrong! It means being willing to be ostracized by your family and friends because of your faith. It means being willing to take a bullet or be bulldozed for Jesus, if he calls us to it!

            Have you counted the cost of following Jesus? Are you really willing to sacrifice everything for his sake? Perhaps some of us here today have some serious thinking to do!

Jesus concludes his teaching on discipleship with an analogy about salt. He says, “But if salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again. It is neither fit for the soil nor the manure pile; it is thrown out.” So, a disciple who is not a true disciple is in danger of judgment!

            Let me conclude by telling you one of the most compelling stories I have ever heard about true discipleship:

Perpetua and Felicity were part of a group of five Christians apprehended in Carthage in 203 A.D. for the practice of the faith.  Perpetua was a well-educated twenty-two-year-old married mother with a nursing infant, and Felicity was her servant, herself seven months pregnant.  Together they and their companions were imprisoned and roughly treated by the soldiers as they awaited their martyrdom.

            The group was baptized in those early days of their arrest, but for Perpetua, the joy of the sacrament was clouded by anxiety over her family.  She did not have the support of her father, who visited her often and pleaded with her to denounce her faith for his sake and for her infant son. 

            Perpetua by this time was in great pain from not having nursed her baby for several days, and she was greatly distressed over her son’s lack of nourishment.  She endured these trials until it was arranged that the baby be allowed to stay with her in the prison.  And there, Perpetua writes, “the dungeon became to me as it were a palace, so that I preferred being there to being elsewhere.”

Her father, who was not a Christian, came to her in prison and saw an easy way for her to save herself. He entreated her simply to deny she was a Christian. She said, “Father, do you see this vase here? Could it be called by any other name than what it is?” “No,” he replied. “Well, neither can I be called anything other than what I am, a Christian.”

            He threw himself down before her and kissed her hands. “Do not abandon me to be the reproach of men. Think of your brothers; think of your mother and your aunt; think of your child, who will not be able to live once you are gone? Give up your pride!”

            Perpetua was touched but remained unshaken. She tried to comfort her father—”It will all happen in the prisoner’s dock as God wills, for you may be sure that we are not left to ourselves but are all in his power”—but he walked out of the prison dejected.

            Perpetua and Felicity were dressed in belted tunics. When they entered the stadium, wild beasts and gladiators roamed the arena floor, and in the stands, crowds roared to see blood. They didn’t have to wait long. Immediately a wild bull charged them. Perpetua was tossed into the air and onto her back. She sat up, adjusted her ripped tunic, and walked over to help Felicity. Then a leopard was let loose, and it wasn’t long before the tunics of the Christians were stained with blood. But this was too slow for the impatient crowd, which began calling for death for the Christians. So in the year A.D. 202, Perpetua, Felicity, and friends were lined up, and one by one, were slain by the sword.

            Perpetua and Felicity counted the cost of discipleship! They loved Jesus more than their parents, spouses, and even their nursing babies! They loved Jesus more than their own lives! And they were willing to carry their crosses all the way to the end!

            Have you counted the cost? Will you become a true disciple of Jesus Christ?

The Pharisees never watched Francis Ford Coppola’s film The Godfather Part 2, but they must have been familiar with an early form of Michael Corleone’s famous words “My father taught me to keep my friends close, but my enemies closer” because that is exactly what they did with their archenemy Jesus Christ. Even though they were skeptical of his miracles, perturbed by his teachings, and infuriated by his ever increasing popularity, they kept him close by inviting him into their homes for dinner parties. By engaging him in direct discussion, they hoped to discover some character flaw in him that they might exploit to their advantage. To his face, they acted like friends, but behind his back they were plotted his demise.

This is the third time Luke has depicted Jesus as an invited guest at a Pharisee’s home (7:36-50; 11:37-54), and on each occasion Jesus turned the tables on them and exposed the character flaws of his esteemed hosts. Needless to say, these scenes made for some extremely uncomfortable table talk. Let’s sit down at the table and watch how Jesus teaches the Pharisees about love and humility!

Love over Legalism (1-6)

Again, we find Jesus having dinner with the Pharisees on the Sabbath. This was probably the afternoon meal before they went to the local synagogue to worship God. As they were eating, a man suffering from dropsy is there, a painful condition where the body swells from the retention of fluids. In ancient Israel, this condition was often considered a form of God’s judgment. The Pharisees probably brought this man to dinner as a trap to see if Jesus would heal on the Sabbath, but he saw right through their sanctimonious scheme. Jesus cleverly took the initiative and asked the Pharisees if it was lawful to heal such a person on the Sabbath.

Now we must remember that the Pharisees were legalists—that is, they took the original commandment to ‘Keep the Sabbath day holy’ and heaped a bunch of their own laws on top of it. According to their narrow construal, Jews weren’t supposed to anything that could be considered work on the Sabbath. So, when Jesus posed this question about healing, they remained silent.

As the Pharisees balked, Jesus tenderly took the man’s hand, healed him from his debilitating condition, and sent him on his merry way. Rather than rejoicing when they saw the man’s swelling disappear, the Pharisees huffed and puffed like a child who just got sent to the time out chair. Then Jesus made the obvious point that if one of their children or oxen fell into a well on the Sabbath that they would do whatever they would immediately pull it out. Jesus is once again insisting on the priority of love over legalism!

No reasonable human being would say to their kid, “Hey, Cindy Lou, how did you get down there in that well? Hold your breath for a while and we’ll come back and get you after church!” No one in their right mind would say to a trapped ox, “Sorry Big Boy, we’ll have to wait and pull you out after the sun goes down.” In our neck of the woods in northern Vermont, if your cows get out on a Sunday morning, please round them up instead of coming to church. We’ll give you a day off!”

Now instead of applying this principle of love over legalism to our daily lives again (this is the third time we have seen Jesus heal someone on the Sabbath in the presence of the Pharisees), I want to ask you all why you think Luke continues to tell essentially the same story and apply the same principle? Any guess? Luke is trying to show that, even after all of these miraculous demonstrations, the Pharisees still refuse to believe Jesus’ message. Sin is blinding, and a hard heart is tough to break. Despite numerous opportunities, the Pharisee’s fail to see what God is doing. (Bock 392)

            Isn’t it amazing how the Pharisees repeatedly saw Jesus’ miracles and heard his teachings, and yet they refused to believe in him? But unfortunately, the same phenomenon happens today. There are many people who attend church week after week, sing hymn after hymn, and hear sermon after sermon, and still do not make a commitment to Jesus Christ. They go through all of the outward religious motions, but they resist receiving Jesus’ love and grace into their hearts. Why do people do this?

            First, many people don’t think their sin is a very big deal. They say, “O sure, I’ve committed a few little sins, but surely God would not punish me for that!” Second, people are like the Pharisees and have been deceived that doing good deeds or being a religious person will protect their souls from hell. They say, “Well, as long as my good deeds outnumber my bad deeds, I will be OK.” Third, people resist the grace of Jesus Christ because they simply do not want to submit their lives to anyone other than themselves. They want to call all of their own shots, be the master of their own universe, and the determiner of their own destiny. In short, they don’ want anyone telling them how to live their lives or that they have to repent from their sin.

            How about you? Many of you have been in church for a while! Has the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ penetrated your soul yet? Have you relinquished control of your life? Have you truly repented from your sin and committed your heart to Jesus Christ? Or are you just going through the motions?  

Humility over Arrogance (7-14)

As Jesus engaged in this awkward dinner discussion with the Pharisees, he noticed how the other guests kept jockeying for the best seats at the table. This juvenile display was indicative of their selfish and arrogant hearts. In the ancient world, a dinner table was usually in a horseshoe shape, and the master of the house would sit in the center and the guests would customarily be seated in order of social importance from the center out to the ends. As Jesus often did, he took an imminent occasion and used it as an object lesson. In this case, he used this misguided game of musical chairs to teach the Pharisees and guests about true humility.

In Jesus’ parable, he pictures a table at a wedding feast where many prominent people have gathered. He tells them not to take the place of honor because a more important person might have been invited. This would lead to the awkward and embarrassing situation where the master asks you to give your seat to a more distinguished guest and you will have to take the lowest place at the end of the table. On the other hand, if you willingly take the lowest seat, the host will notice you and move you to a better seat and you will be honored in the presence of all the guests.

In verse 11, Jesus clinches his pertinent parable with the provocative proverb: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

A truly humble person is hard to find, yet God delights to honor such selfless people. Booker T. Washington, the renowned black educator, was an outstanding example of this truth. Shortly after he took over the presidency of the prestigious Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, he was walking in an exclusive section of town when he was stopped by a wealthy white woman.

            Not knowing the famous Mr. Washington by sight, she asked if he would like to earn a few dollars by chopping wood for her. Because he had no pressing business at the moment, Professor Washington smiled, rolled up his sleeves, and proceeded to do the humble chore she had requested. When he was finished, he carried the logs into the house and stacked them by the fireplace. A little girl recognized him and later revealed his identity to the lady. 

            The next morning the embarrassed woman went to see Mr. Washington in his office at the Institute and apologized profusely. “It’s perfectly all right, Madam,” he replied. “Occasionally, I enjoy a little manual labor. Besides, it’s always a delight to do something for a friend.”

            She shook his hand warmly and assured him that his meek and gracious attitude had endeared him and his work to her heart. Not long afterward she showed her admiration by persuading some wealthy acquaintances to join her in donating thousands of dollars to the Tuskegee Institute.

            This type of humility is so rare these days. We live in a time when people demand their rights, feel entitled to everything, and are offended by anything. We live in a day where bragging, boasting, and self-promoting are the norm. It is a sad day when self-confidence is a chief virtue and self-sacrifice is considered an abnormality. Our politicians, athletes, and celebrities model this type of behavior for us, but Jesus shows us a better way.     If there was ever a man who had the right to brag or self-promote, it was Jesus. But he humbled himself by leaving the splendors of heaven and coming to a sinful earth and sacrificing himself on a wooden cross for sinners like you and me.

            So, how does your humility compare to your arrogance? Do you have a high opinion of yourself? Do you ever feel like you deserve a better seat at the table? Do you ever expect preferential treatment? Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but she who humbles herself will be exalted!

            This proverb doesn’t just apply to practical life situations, but it also refers to the final judgment. This is what Jesus was really trying to impress upon the dinner guests. For people who exalt themselves—who think they are good enough to stand before God on their own merits—the final judgment will be utterly humiliating. People like the Pharisees, who believe that they deserve heaven because of their heritage or good works, will not get what they think they deserve; they will get what God thinks they deserve.

            If we want to be exalted in heaven, we must humble ourselves on earth—we must humble ourselves by repenting from our sins and surrendering our lives to Jesus Christ! Have you humbled yourself yet?

            As Jesus brought this portion of his table talk to a conclusion, he looked at the host and said:

When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” (12-14)

Now, by this, Jesus is not prohibiting us from having friends or family members over for dinner, but he is calling us to serve those who cannot repay our kindness—the poor, the disabled, and the disenfranchised! If we only serve people who will repay our hospitality or give us what we want, there is no real sacrifice, which means there is no love or humility. But if we are gracious and generous to people who can never return the favor, then we exhibit true love and humility!

            Even though the Pharisees set this table as a trap for Jesus, he turned the table on the them and used this dinner discussion to confront them with the two chief virtues of his kingdom: love and humility! The Pharisees had nothing to say! What do you say? What will you talk about when you sit down at your table today?