Parables #7: What is lawful is deadly

Parables 7: What is lawful is deadly

Sermon: Priority to God, through Jesus, saves forever.

Preaching the Kingdom of God

Luke 13. 22-30

With Jesus, he is there.

One of the things that Jesus foretold the most was that the kingdom of God is here.

Final inauguration

Yet its final inauguration will not be completed until the restoration of all things after Christ’s glorious return.

Between these 2 events

Between these 2 events, God, through Christ, redeems a people of which each of his disciples is already part of the kingdom.

Building a house

I’ll take an image:

When we build a house, before we can enter it, we must acquire land, then do the construction work; following this we can finally settle down and party for this new installation.

Same with the kingdom of God.

It is a parallel that we can draw with the kingdom of God.

First coming, start 

Jesus inaugurated the beginning of the building site of the kingdom of God, during his first coming which is told to us in the gospels.

Construction in progress

Since that moment, with the righteousness of the Old testament, all the constituent elements of this magnificent construction site have been part of the kingdom.

They are

in the property,

in the construction site of the kingdom of God

“Bricks cannot be removed”.

This is a picture to all believers – from the time of Jesus, down to us who have joined God through Christ:

“We are unique and desired elements in this marvellous construction site. »

Ephesians 2

19 So then, you are no longer strangers or temporary residents; you are, on the contrary, fellow citizens of the saints, members of the family of God.

20 You have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the cornerstone.

21 It is in him that the whole building, well coordinated, rises to be a holy temple in the Lord.

22 In him you also are built up with them to form a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

2nd coming, the rack

When all those who have taken their place in this magnificent construction site,

when all the called people have returned to the kingdom of God, then will come the final feast of the restoration of all things.

2 Peter 3

9The Lord is not slow in fulfilling the promise, as some think;

Instead, he is patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.

However, at some point, there will be more work,

no more way to enter the kingdom!

Luke chapter 13

22 Jesus passed through towns and villages and taught on his way to Jerusalem.

 23 Someone said to him:

“Lord, are only a few saved?”

He answered them:

 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. Indeed, I tell you, many will seek to enter and will not be able.

25 When the master of the house has risen and closed the door, you who are outside will begin to knock at the door, saying:

‘Lord, [Lord,] open to us!’ He will answer you:

‘I don’t know where you are from.’

26 Then you will begin to say:

“We ate and drank in front of you, and you taught in our streets.’

27 He will answer:

‘I tell you, I don’t know where you are from; depart from me, all you who do wrongdoing.’

28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth,

when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God

and that you will be thrown out.

29 People will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and they will sit down at a table in the kingdom of God.

30 Some of the last will be first, and some of the first will be last.”

It doesn’t seem so easy to enter the kingdom, at least not lightly.

“Will” and “know” are not enough

This is why it is called a “narrow door”:

the will is not enough;

to have rubbed shoulders with the kingdom of God is not enough.

Outcome

At the end,

those who have not returned will no longer be able to;

On the other hand, people from the 4 cardinal corners will be there with the patriarchs and the prophets.

Reversed values

They create surprise because they do not correspond to the standards usually expected; but they did not commit iniquity, injustice.

Noticed

“Weeping and gnashing of teeth” describes being eternally outside the kingdom of God: perhaps seeing those who are there eternally and not being able to enter it…

We have such clues also with the story of Lazarus and the rich man:

Luke 16. 19-31

(Which is an element to tell us that there is no purgatory or 2nd chance )

Iniquity, injustice?

It was a question of iniquity, of injustice, in the text of Luke 13.28 , but what is it?

Answer

This is what the text of today’s sermon will show us, in Luke chapter 14. 15-24 .

In answer to this question, we will see that

what is legitimate is mortal, what is priority saves eternally.

Subjects between the 2 parables

The rest of the text of chapter 13 that we saw previously speaks to us of a sovereign busy in the usual things for someone who governs and religious busy in the usual things so that the creed is respected.

These activities are

legitimate,

usual,

But are they any good?

Do they have a positive impact on the eternity of God?

Is it wise to prioritize these aspects?

If all it seems is

legitimate, important,

It is not on these priorities that God bases himself.

Text

Let’s read together

Luke 14. 15 – 24

Context

It’s good, you have the text:

15 After hearing these words,

STOP!

When you read “After” in the Bible,

we don’t go any further,

we look at what is before,

otherwise we will lose a good part of what God wants to communicate to us!

Previous time spent

You understand why we stopped, a few moments ago, on the previous passages which told us:

1) It doesn’t seem so easy to enter the kingdom, at least not lightly.

Luke 13. 22-30

2) This is why it is a question of “narrow door”:

the will is not enough;

to have rubbed shoulders with people from the kingdom of God is not enough.

3) Those who enter create surprise because they do not correspond to the standards usually expected of our societies, but they have not committed the iniquity.

Understanding Iniquity

And there, in this text today, we will understand what iniquity is:

It is giving priority to what is legitimate and not to God!

Luke Chapter 14. 15 – 24

15 After hearing these words, one of those who were at the table said to Jesus:

“Blessed is he who eats in the kingdom of God!”

16 Jesus answered him,

“A man threw a great feast and invited many people.

17 At the time of the feast, he sent his servant to say to the guests:

‘Come, because everything is already ready.’

18 But, all without exception began to apologize.

The first said to him:

‘I bought a field and I have to go see it, excuse me, please.’

19 Another says:

‘I bought five pairs of oxen and I’m going to try them, excuse me, please.’

20 Another says:

‘I just got married, that’s why I can’t come.’

21 When he returned, the servant reported these words to his master.

Then the master of the house, in anger, said to his servant:

‘Go quickly through the squares and streets of the city and bring here the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

22 The servant said:

‘Master, what you ordered has been done and there is still room.’

23 The master then said to the servant:

‘Go along the paths and along the hedges, and those whom you find, compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.

24 For I tell you, none of these men who were invited will taste my feast.’”

You are starting to get used to it, to understand a parable, you need:

1) Background

Putting it in context, something we did…

We could add that the background of the parable is simple, that of a feast (a moment of communion and rejoicing, just like us), a feast by invitation, just like for a wedding, for example. The difference is that at the time to confirm that everything was ready – there was no WhatsApp – we sent a servant to warn the guests, this is what is described at the beginning of the parable.

2) Determine the comparisons

If Jesus speaks in parables, it is because He wishes to underline a spiritual truth by picturing it with a fictitious story.

 Determine comparisons between

what happens in the story and

the spiritual truths that Jesus wants to emphasize,

to determine the overall comparison.

A man who throws a feast

is compared

at the final opening of the kingdom of God, organized by God Himself.

Those who declined the invitation, busy with legitimate things in life

are compared

to those who will not taste the kingdom of God.

And there, “ding-ding”, the previous verses come back to us:

Luke chapter 13. 26-28

26 Then you will begin to say:

“We ate and drank in front of you, and you taught in our streets.’

27 He will answer:

‘ I tell you, I don’t know where you are from; depart from me, all you who do wrongdoing.’

28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth,

when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God

and that you will be thrown out.

The poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame (banished from the society of the time), everywhere (not the exclusive and nationalistic side of the habits of the time)

are compared

to those everywhere who will taste the kingdom of God.

And there, “ding-ding”, the previous verses come back to us:

Luke chapter 13. 29-30

29 People will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and they will sit down at a table in the kingdom of God.

30 Some of the last will be first, and some of the first will be last.

Luke chapter 14. 11

11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,#Resist Pride# and ##he who humbles himself will be exalted##.

Against all expectations, it was the rejects of society who prioritized the invitation to the feast, while the others prioritized the legitimate things of life.

are compared

to those who enter through the narrow door without committing the iniquity of putting the lawful things of life before God.

The invite itself

Is compared

to Jesus Himself and, later, to the work of Christ.

3) Truth

Two versions:

Tail side of the coin:

“The iniquity that forever bars eternity with God,

it is giving priority to what is legitimate and not to Jesus Christ. »

Front side of the same piece:

“To enter the Eternity of God is to make Him pass as a priority for all things, even the most legitimate.

It is possible through Jesus Christ . ”

4) Application / reflection

We have come to understand what could prevent or lead us into the Kingdom of God. But rather than remaining purely theoretical, let us note the precisions that Jesus gives in chapters 13 and 14 of Luke.

Solemn decision

Irremediable

Our choices in life have consequences.

definitive

and irremediable

for the rest of Eternity.

It gives great value to our life, but at the same time it is up to us to set the right priorities.

Verses that corroborate this important data:

Luke 13. 25-28

25 When the master of the house gets up and shuts the door ,

you who are outside ,

you will start knocking on the door saying:

‘Lord, [Lord,] open to us!’ He will answer you:

‘I don’t know where you are from.’

26 Then you will begin to say:

‘We ate and drank in front of you, and you taught in our streets.’

27 He will answer:

‘ I tell you, I don’t know where you are from ; depart from me , all you who do unrighteousness.’

28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth,

when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God

and that you will be thrown out.

Luke 14. 24

24 For I tell you,none of these men who were invited will taste my feast. »

#Rubbing shoulders is not enough# Know God truely

Knowing, rubbing shoulders with the values ​​of God, that is not enough;

tasting the blessings of God is not enough;

##to claim to be of Christianity, to be baptized Catholic or Protestant, to have attended an evangelical church, to have heard the call of the Gospel, just as the guests had received an invitation, that is not enough##

Verses that corroborate this important data:

Luke 13. 25 c-26

‘I don’t know where you are from.’

26 Then you will begin to say:

‘ We ate and drank in front of you, and you taught in our streets.’

Luke 14. 16

A man threw a big feast and invited many people

The kingdom of God is for those who decide to put God first.

We do not enter it by “infusion”: since the time that I frequent the evangelical assembly, I should be part of the kingdom of God…

The right priorities

This sermon is titled

“Legitimate is deadly.

Priority to God, through Jesus, saves forever . »

The usual values ​​of life, which could be said to be legitimate, are not essential for Eternity.

In the texts of the day, we have examples of eternal dead ends.

His couple

Luke 14. 20

Another says:

‘I just got married, that’s why I can’t come.’

The couple is super important, and God, more than anyone, attaches great importance to it, but it is not eternally a priority…

Being an exemplary husband does not save!

His family

Luke 14:26 (context after)

“If anyone comes to me without preferring me to his father, mother, wife, children, brothers and sisters, and even to his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

The family is super important, and God, more than anyone, attaches great importance to it, but it is not eternally a priority…

Example of Noah

Elsewhere in the gospels, Jesus echoes that these things saved no one at the time of the first judgment of mankind in the days of Noah.

Luke 17. 26-30

26 What happened in the days of Noah will also happen in the days of the Son of man. 27 Men were eating, drinking, marrying and marrying off their children, until the day Noah entered the ark, and then the flood came and slew them all.

28 It will be as in the days of Lot: men ate, drank, bought, sold, planted, built, 29 but on the day that Lot left Sodom, a rain of fire and brimstone fell from heaven and destroyed them. all cause death. 30 It will be the same on the day when the Son of Man appears.

Professional activities

Luke 14. 18-19

18 But all without exception began to apologize Don’t wait to apologise,#Seek him NOW#.

##The first said to him:

‘I bought a field and I have to go see it, excuse me, please.’

19 Another says:

‘I bought five pairs of oxen and I’m going to try them, excuse me, please##.’

Nothing more logical to look at the possible yield of its lands

or go and try out his tractors…

But the professional activity,

even if it makes us live here below,

even if God shows that He is attentive on this subject,

is not decisive with regard to Eternity.

Other legitimate topics

I think there is no need to do more inventory…

Values ​​:

family,

of our media,

of our employers,

of our political sensitivities,

of our ideological sensitivities,

of our philosophical sensitivities,

our ethnic, societal, federal, cantonal, municipal sensitivities…

are certainly legitimate but absolutely not a priority with regard to Eternity with God.

Shining in any of these areas will contribute nothing for the rest of Eternity with God. It is up to us to examine ourselves to see if we have set the right priority.