Imagine going into a class of students soon to be high school graduates with a 4.0 average. These people haven't made less than 100% on any test or assignment they have taken. They know they are the best of the best. Yale, Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and every other college is calling them to come to their university. They have been told, they are the Einsteins and Hawkings of our generation. When you step into the room, they know the average IQ in the place takes a dive.
Now imagine telling them that they are no smarter than the football player whose coach bribed the teachers to give him a C- just so he could play even though he couldn't even read. Tell them they are about as smart as any student in grade school, no, kindergarten. Tell them that the test they have taken for years have been rigged and on the intellectual scale they are (do you dare say it?) AVERAGE.
This isn't going to be received well. Actually, maybe you should run.
Yet, Jesus in Luke 13 shatters the definitions of bad people (sinful). They thought if something bad happened to you, you deserved it. It was their version of Karma. Yet, Jesus says that everyone is just as bad (sinful) and deserves no better than the worst of the worst. Jesus makes it clear everyone has to repent. There are no good people.
Elsewhere in the Bible, it says, "There
is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God"(Romans 3:22b-23) yet there is hope "For the wages of sin is
death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans
6:23).
Here is the Hope: "If you confess with
your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from
the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in
righteousness, and with the mouth, he confesses, resulting in salvation. For
the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” For
there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of
all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE
NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”"(Romans
10:9-13)
Luk 13:1-35
(1) There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
(2) And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
(3) I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
(4) Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
(5) I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
(6) He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
(7) Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
(8) And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
(9) And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
(10) And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
(11) And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
(12) And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
(13) And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
(14) And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
(15) The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
(16) And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
(17) And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
(18) Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?
(19) It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.
(20) And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?
(21) It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
(22) And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.
(23) Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
(24) Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
(25) When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
(26) Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
(27) But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
(28) There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
(29) And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
(30) And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.
(31) The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.
(32) And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.
(33) Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.
(34) O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
(35) Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
No comments:
Post a Comment