Well, what an exciting moment in the history of Trinity Bible Church of Dallas. I want to be the first one to officially welcome Andrew Curry as pastor and elder at Trinity Bible Church of Dallas. I'm speaking on behalf of the other elders Matt, Kent, Tim, and myself that we are so excited that this day has come. Many of us probably will have bruises because we pinched ourselves this morning that this day actually came. Many of you know Andrew, Sarah, the family. We're so excited that they’re here. Andrew has been, for the previous 10 years, since 2015, the pastor at Emanuel Baptist Church in Lisbon, Northern Ireland, which is outside of Belfast. He is a wonderful friend, a wonderful man. When you look at his resume, he has multiple degrees from the Master's Seminary. Master of Divinity, Master of Theology, Doctorate of Ministry, all from the Master's Seminary. He is so well thought of that he’s actually been very involved with the Doctorate of Ministry program over these last years. All that to say, the most excited that I am that Andrew is here is that he is a pastor. And as a pastor, which is what we've obviously been praying for, as a pastor, he is an under shepherd to the Lord Jesus Christ. When I say this, I also include his wife, Sarah, in these remarks. They have the ability to care for others even when others really don't want to be cared for. They're compassionate. They’re selfless servants of the Lord. And they really have availed themselves to be used of by the Lord.
And as you get to know Andrew, as some of us have got to know Andrew, I think that you’ll see that. And that's why I'm really so excited. There's two things before Andrew comes up that I want to say. We've known Andrew for a long time. He first preached here over seven years ago in July of 2018. He actually even remembered the passage that he taught on, out of Philippians 2. So, we've known Andrew, a long time. The two thoughts that I want to leave you with before Andrew comes up here is number one, this is answered prayer. There's been a lot of prayer. And so, please do not forget to go to the Lord and to thank Him that He's answered the prayer. But I also want you to continue the prayer because it's quite a transition when you have a family moving from Northern Ireland to Dallas, Texas. There's been a lot of people in the congregation that have come alongside to help. But when you have three children, schools, house, cars, all the things that have to be done to move, just to figure out where to get groceries. Please continue to pray for the Curry family, that the Lord would continue the transition and knit them into our church. The second thing is, about six weeks ago, there was a farewell service at Emmanuel Baptist Church.
It was a wonderful service. Some of us have seen the film of it. Andrew's father prayed, Andrew's brother preached, the family stood up, Andrew stood up, and he reflected on the 10 years that he had been at Emmanuel Baptist. And he said this, he talked about how young he was, how he thought he knew a lot, that he learned a lot, that the Lord taught him a lot. But I thought this quote from Andrew was very telling. He said, whenever I had been praying about the type of church that I wanted to minister in, the only condition that I had was that I wanted a church where they would listen to the word, God's word, and have dealings with it. And I know that Emmanuel Baptist was that church for the past 10 years. I believe that that’s our church, but I hope that at the end of the next 10 years, Andrew can say the same for us, to listen to God's word and to have dealings with it. Andrew, would you come forward and read the scriptures for us?
Emotions are funny, aren't they? They're never one thing. I want you to know I am so delighted to be here. Genuinely thankful. Even the songs that we sang there, I didn't know what we were going to sing, but I know the musicians there deliberately pick songs that mean a lot to our family, and I'm really grateful for that. You've been so kind. Many of you have shown us so much love and affection, and so there is a delight, a sincere delight in being here. And yet, there's so many other emotions at exactly the same time.
We loved Emmanuel Baptist Church, and we are so thankful for the time that we had there and the way God grew people there. We have, dear family back in Ireland. The three biggest things that probably have shaped me as a pastor. My father, who is a pastor, you’ll have the joy of getting to hear him preach on the 7th of September, and I'm really grateful for that. And I'm really thankful that he’ll have the opportunity, and mom will have the opportunity of meeting you. The second thing that has probably shaped my pastoral ministry more than anything else is Emmanuel Baptist Church. You just learn so much in the process of being in the Word and trying to work with God’s people. And I am so grateful for their patience with me, and the way they prayed for me, and the opportunity that they gave me for 10 years to serve them. Then the third thing is Pastor John, who has just gone to be with the Lord. I am so thankful that God gave me time at Grace Community Church, but even more that he gave me time to know John MacArthur. He was so gracious. In fact, this morning I deliberately picked this Bible to bring with me because it was the last one. He's given me a few over the years, but this was the last one that he gave to me. And he inscribed in it a little message, and then he pointed at the end, 2 Corinthians 4, verses 5 and 6. And when I was standing at the side there, I was reading over those verses, and I think it just sums up the heart that I hope will be behind the ministry here at Trinity.
This is what God's Word says, 2 Corinthians 4, verse 5.
“For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus. For God who said, light shall shine out of darkness, is the one who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Christ.”
Mark was right earlier when he said that I was able to remember the first sermon I preached here. The reason I remember it is I thought it would be the last. The last point in that sermon was, “It's Not About You Stupid.” And that's why I thought you would never have me back. And that's it. It's not about me. I really hope and pray that this ministry will be about Jesus Christ. And as we open His word and come together, we'll get to know him better and love him more and worship him with our whole heart.
If you have your Bibles, can I ask you to open, not yet to look. I know, I know, are we ever gonna finish? You gotta understand, I haven’t preached in four weeks. In 15 years, I've never gone this long without a sermon. Like, never gone this long without this. I think it's been a week and a half, 10 days is the longest I have gone before this. So, buckle your seatbelts. There's a lot to say.
Can I ask you to open your Bibles, please, to Psalm 118, first of all. Psalm 118. And hopefully, by the end of this sermon, you'll see why. Here is a song, a song of love and devotion of the true worshiper towards God. This is what Psalm 118 says, reading from verse one.
“Give thanks to Yahweh, for He is good; His lovingkindness endures forever. Oh, let Israel say, “His lovingkindness endures forever.” Oh, let the house of Aaron say, “His lovingkindness endures forever.” Oh, let those who fear Yahweh say, “His lovingkindness endures forever.” From my distress I called upon Yah; Yah answered me and set me in a large place. Yahweh is for me; I will not fear; what can man do to me? Yahweh is for me among those who help me; therefore, I will look in triumph on those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in Yahweh than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in Yahweh than to trust in nobles. All nations surrounded me; in the name of Yahweh, I will surely cut them off. They surrounded me; indeed, they surrounded me; in the name of Yahweh, I will surely cut them off. They surrounded me like bees; they were extinguished as a fire of thorns; in the name of Yahweh, I will surely cut them off. You pushed me down violently to make me fall, but Yahweh helped me. Yah is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation. The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; the right hand of Yahweh does valiantly. The right hand of Yahweh is exalted; the right hand of Yahweh does valiantly. I will not die; indeed, I will live, and recount the works of Yah. Yah has disciplined me severely, but He has not given me over to death. Open to me the gates of righteousness; I shall enter through them; I shall give thanks to Yah. This is the gate of Yahweh; the righteous will enter through it. I shall give thanks to You, for You have answered me, and You have become my salvation. The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone. This is from Yahweh; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which Yahweh has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. O Yahweh, save! O Yahweh, succeed! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of Yahweh; we have blessed you from the house of Yahweh. Yahweh is God, and He has given us light; bind the festival sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I give thanks to You; You are my God, I exalt You. Give thanks to Yahweh, for He is good; His lovingkindness endures forever.”
And then can I ask you to turn to Luke chapter 13. Luke chapter 13 and verse 31. And can I ask if you are able to stand for the reading of our text this morning. Luke chapter 13 and verse 31.
“Just at that time, some Pharisees approached, saying to him, ‘Leave and go from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’ And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox. Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish.” Nevertheless, I must journey on today and tomorrow and the next day, for it is not possible that a prophet would perish outside of Jerusalem. Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you did not want it. Behold, your house is left to you desolate. And I say to you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”
Let's pray.
[Prayer] Heavenly Father, we ask that You would allow us the grace to know our Savior better through the study of this text. We come as a people in need, praying that your Holy Spirit would be busy amongst us. Give us eyes to see, hearts to understand, and may we be doers of the Word. For it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.” [End]
Have a seat. Here in the text, here in Luke 13, Jesus is pressing on towards Jerusalem. As a theme all the way through Luke's gospel there is this eager longing to get to Jerusalem. Luke will mention the title Jerusalem 90 times in his gospel, as compared to 49 other times that you find it in the rest of the New Testament. So, there is an obsession with this place, an obsession with this location, because it is part of the plan and purpose of God. This is the place. This is the city where that work of atonement would take place. And so, look with eagerness along with all humanity watches as Jesus steps towards the city that will ultimately be the city of his crucifixion.
In the text that we just read, the first thing I want you to notice in the text is “Christ's Confidence During His Earthly Mission.” Christ’s confidence during his earthly mission. And we see that in verses 31 to 33. Look at verse 31 first of all. The text reads, “just at that time some Pharisees approached saying to him, leave and go from here for Herod wants to kill you.”
Here is a human threat that is presented in the text, a human threat against Jesus. This man, Herod. In particular, we're talking about Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great, the son of that man who caused that great massacre in Bethlehem. And this particular man, he ruled a jurisdiction. He ruled over Galilee and Perea. The implication from the phrase that the Pharisees pronounced, go from here, implies that at this moment, Jesus is inside that jurisdiction. He's either in Galilee or he's in Perea.
The last time this particular Herod was mentioned was back in Luke 9. If you want to look back there to get a feel of who this man is, Luke 9, and verse 7. Luke chapter 9 and verse 7. This is what we read.
“Now Herod the Tetrarch heard of all that was happening and he was greatly perplexed because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead and by some that Elijah had appeared and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen again. And Herod said, “I myself had John beheaded, but who is this man about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see him.”
The idea behind the words of these Pharisees is, here is the guy who killed John the Baptist, and now he wants to see you, Jesus. We know from Luke's account, he really did want to see Jesus. We just read it there in Luke 9 verse 9, but it's repeated again in chapter 23 verse 8. Herod had a deep desire to see Jesus. And the idea that these Pharisees bring is, look, you are in the territory of this wicked man, and he's after you, so you better get going.
Now, the commentators often debate around this point, who are these Pharisees? Are they, you know, good Pharisees trying to help Jesus, or are they the Pharisees as we know them who are causing trouble? And I err on the side of the latter. Because every other time, 26 times, Luke will refer to the Pharisees always in a negative light. In fact, the last time we read about the Pharisees was in Luke 11, verse 53. This is what God's Word says:
“And when Jesus left there, the scribes and Pharisees began to be very hostile and to question him closely on many subjects, plotting to catch him in something He might say.”
These are not good guys. These are guys who are out to get him. And so, what is happening here is you have two groups. You've got the civil authority, Herod, and you've got the religious authority, so to speak, the Pharisees, and both are out to get Jesus. Both want him out of their turf. They want him to move on. But notice how our Lord responds. Look at verse 32.
“And He said to them, Go and tell that fox. Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish.”
And Jesus shrugs it off. There may be a real human threat here, but it is in no way going to stop Jesus. It's in no way going to deter Him from his earthly mission. In fact, Jesus' first words there, they dismiss the big bad Herod in a very simple statement, “go and tell that fox.”
And we're so often used to thinking of fox as simply implying that he is sly or he is cunning. That's the way we often use it. And sometimes in Scripture, you get that idea too. But most often in Scripture, the idea of the fox, and certainly in the ancient Near East at large, the idea of the fox was the wannabe lion. You know, it bares its teeth, but, you know, a good kick and it's dealt with. It's not really that threatening to you. It might hurt your sheep, but you’ll be okay. It was a nickname that would have been used to describe someone who looks tough, who speaks threats, but there's not really very much to it. We might say, he's all smoke and no fire, or he's all bark and no bite. There's a posturing going on with this type of character, but he's not really anything to worry about. And then Jesus adds, not only is this guy a pretend lion, but He says, “behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day, I finish.”
In essence, what He's saying is, I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing. I'm just going to keep doing this work. Today, tomorrow, and the third day, again, that’s another Jewish expression to signify a definite but short amount of time. We might say, oh, it'll happen in a few days. It'll happen in a couple of days. That's the way we might speak to say the same thing. And so, what Jesus is saying is, though I won't go on forever, though we're coming to an end, he’s not stopping me. I'm going to keep going until I get to the end. I'm going to keep doing what I’m meant to be doing till the work is done, till the purpose is finished. In other words, Jesus is saying that Herod's threats and the Pharisees' warnings are not going to have any effect on me and my mission. Until the job is done, I'll keep going.
He's saying, look, they may shout and holler, but please know it's business as usual for me. That's how He speaks. That’s how he's talking here. I'll cast out the demons, I’ll continue to perform cures, and it doesn't matter what human enemy objects. It doesn't matter how powerful they think they are. But there's more here at the end of verse 32, and I think it's unfolded even more in the next verse. For though these human threats will have no effect upon Jesus and his decision-making, and what He does with His time, and where he goes, there is one who does shape all of those things. The verb at the end of verse 32, translate it depending on your Bible version, “finish” or “complete” or “perfect it.” It simply means that this work is to be fulfilled. It's to come to its intended purpose. But the verb itself is a passive verb. What that means is Jesus is not the one bringing about this action. The verb is indicating that there is another who is bringing this action about, who is declaring the work to be complete. Most commentators here refer to this as a divine passive. Because contextually, what is taking place here is a work that God is carrying out. He is the one that is bringing Jesus' work to completion. He is the one behind every step. You see the same idea in the next verse. Look at verse 33.
“Nevertheless, I must journey on today and tomorrow and the next day. For it is not possible that a prophet would perish outside of Jerusalem.”
You see that word “must,” that phrase, it is not possible. Herod and the Pharisees will have no influence upon Jesus, but there is one true king who does. There is one on high who providentially is directing every step of the God-Man. Even the location of Jesus' death is declared out loud by Christ the prophet. For the second time in the gospel, the first time was in chapter 9, verse 31, even the place, the location of His death is planned, is purposed. is mapped out by His Father in heaven. You see how that whole picture comes together, verses 31 to 33. Herod is a laughable fox. He thinks he can say something. He thinks he can bare his teeth. He thinks he can be a threat. But Jesus doesn't give a second thought to what he wants. For in reality, the only one He cares about is the King of kings and the Lord of lords who is directing His path, His Father in heaven. These human threats are empty words because Jesus, in His mission, trusted in the divine providence of His Father. How unflappable that single-minded trust in the divine plan of His Father made our Lord. Can we not learn from this example? Can we not learn from the pattern presented in our Savior?
How often do we face threats from foxes? Those in the world that would bare their teeth at us and at one level threaten us. They'll not talk to us if we hold to what is true. They'll not work with us if we don’t mess with the numbers in the books. They'll cut us off if we refuse to endorse their lifestyle. Or for some brothers and sisters in our world, they genuinely face, like Christ, threats, real threats of violence and even death. And yet, those threateners are merely foxes. Oh, they may bite, but they’re not the lion who ultimately sits on the throne, who calls us to follow, who directs our path. Spurgeon said, “the providence of God is the great protector of our life and usefulness. And under divine care, we are perfectly safe from danger.” They're all foxes. Because ultimately, God's will, will be done, and he's the one we follow. That was Christ’s confidence during his earthly ministry.
Second thing I want you to notice in the text is “Christ’s Compassion Towards Rebellious Sinners.” Christ's compassion towards rebellious sinners. Look at verse 34.
“Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem. The city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you did not want it.”
You really break this verse down into three parts. There's a statement of Israel’s guilt. There's a statement about how Jesus feels towards these guilty people. And then there's a statement of why they continue to remain in rebellion. So, look, first of all, at the beginning of the verse, that statement of Israel’s guilt.
It begins with that lament, the double mention of Jerusalem, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, like the capital of the nation. So often in Luke, the idea of Jerusalem is taken, it's at the heart of the nation. The capital is the heart of the nation, and it reflects, in an exaggerated way, the attitudes of the whole nation, the attitudes of the whole area. You could think of Dallas as reflecting North Texas. What happens here is an exaggerated version of the attitudes and ways of thinking that you see in the larger North Texas. Well, that's the same idea here. It's used by Luke so often to be a small but real summary of the nation at large. And the double mention is in particular lament. It's akin to the cry of King David whenever his rebellious son dies. In 2 Samuel 18 verse 33, David said,
"'O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom, would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son.'"
This is a lament. This is deep emotion. It's akin to the love that we saw back in chapter 10, verse 41. Do you remember Jesus? Oh, Martha, Martha. There may be tears in His eyes, but there is love in His heart at the same time. There are tears in His eyes here. For these people, this nation, this capital that He speaks of, we're told that are they who kill the prophets and stone those sent to her. Those who brought to the nation the word of God, who have been sent by God to warn them. Jesus says, you know what you did with them? You killed them. You stone them.
Stoning was a punishment described in the Old Testament, in Leviticus and other places, a punishment in particular for idolatry or apostasy. And here, these people use the very means by which the idolater would be punished. To punish the very one who is bringing to them the Word of God. Israel's history was littered with such crimes. And if you were to look back, 2 Chronicles chapter 24, verse 17, this is what we read. 2 Chronicles chapter 24, verse 17.
“But after the death of Jehoiada the officials of Judah came and bowed down to the king, and the king listened to them. And they forsook the house of Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols; so, wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their guilt. Yet He sent prophets to them to bring them back to Yahweh; though they testified against them, they did not give ear. Now the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people and said to them, “Thus says God, ‘Why do you trespass against the commandments of Yahweh and do not succeed? Because you have forsaken Yahweh, He has also forsaken you.’” So, they conspired against him and at the command of the king they stoned him to death in the court of the house of Yahweh. Thus, Joash the king did not remember the lovingkindness which his father Jehoiada had shown him, but he killed his son. And as he died, he said, “May Yahweh see and avenge!”
Israel throughout their history was guilty of great crimes. Crimes in particular against the message carriers of God. And yet rather than repent, rather than even just mellow, this nation was about to commit the greatest atrocity in history. They were about to go after the very Son of God. And how does Jesus respond to such wicked people? Look at what the verse continues to say. See this statement of how Jesus feels about them. It says,
“How often I want it to gather your children together. Just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings.”
In contrast to these stone-throwing rebels, Jesus' heart burst with sincere compassion. God is often depicted in the Old Testament as a mother bird, Deuteronomy 32:11, “like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft.” Or Psalm 57, verse 1, “I take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster is past.” Or the one I like most, Ruth chapter 2, verse 12, “May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
Jesus takes this familiar Old Testament picture and He goes even further because He doesn’t pick a generic bird. He picks in particular the mother hen, the mother hen that is brooding, that cares for her young. So naturally this week I've spent a lot of time on poultry websites learning what I can about the chicken. This is what I learned.
A mother hen demonstrates behavioral habits that are different from a normal hen. Her priority shifts from her personal survival to protecting and ensuring the survival of her young. She puts her heart and soul into her chicks, educating them and protecting them from any and all predators. A broody, may pluck their breast feathers and stomach area to make a bare patch in order to keep the eggs warm all the bit more. The hen does all the work of turning and adjusting the eggs and they'll always be fussing with them. The hen’s body will keep the eggs at the right temperature and at the right moisture level. For the first 10 to 12 days after hatching, the chicks stay close to their mothers. The hen will be very protective of the chicks and peck and pinch and growl and kick anyone who comes near her chicks. She keeps chicks safe from predators and teaches them life skills. A broody hen will teach her chicks how to eat, how to drink, how to scratch for food. She will call them under her wings when danger is apparent and provide them warmth at night with her body heat. Mother hens and chicks use verbal commands to communicate. The hen knows the sound of her chicks and will not mistake them for any other hen's chicks. She almost constantly is giving a low cluck to reassure her chicks that she is there. When she scratches in the dirt and finds food, she'll give a special higher pitched cluck in order that they will know that the food is there. If she feels threatened or thinks that the chicks are in danger or that they're getting too far away, the pitch and the speed of the cluck speed up. All of this is in that picture that Jesus chooses to liken his heart towards not true Israel, but rebellious Israel, the protective mother hen.
There's an often-told sermon illustration, I'm sure many of you have heard it in many different contexts before, about the mother hen. It came out of a National Geographic magazine, I think originally, and it was an article that was told about a fire that swept through Yellowstone. And there, after the fire, the firefighters came through to make sure everything was okay, everything was safe, everything had been dealt with. And the place was decimated. There was a tree that had been scorched, and at the bottom of this tree, there was a hen carcass that sat there all burnt and shriveled up. And the firefighter, upon seeing that, he was nauseated, he was disgusted, and he kicked at the carcass just to get rid of it. And as the carcass rolled aside from beneath where it had sat, three alive chicks came out and began to scratch. The mother, as the blaze drew close, went to the tree, dug a hole, put the chicks in beneath and sat on top. And as the heat came closer, the hen, the mother hen, did not leave, did not run, did not try and get away, but allowed the feathers to singe, the flesh to crisp, and ultimately to be consumed in the fire out of a commitment to her chicks.
And Jesus takes this picture. And uses it to describe the nature of the compassion He felt in His heart towards these lost, rebellious, blatant, flagrant sinners, the very ones who would kill him in a very short space of time. How far above us and how unlike us our Savior is. Here is a statement of Israel’s guilt. They are guilty, and yet look at this clear statement of how Christ felt towards them. And also notice the reason they remain in rebellion.
Now, naturally, we want to know, why is He so compassionate? These are lost rebels. Why would they remain lost if Jesus has such a heart towards them? Why, in the very next verse, this judgment is going to be pronounced. Why does that come if there's such a tenderness in our Lord's heart towards these very same individuals? Well, the answer is given in verse 34. In the last six words, why do they remain rebellious? It says, “and you did not want it.”
As a whole, verse 34 makes clear how Jesus felt towards these rebels, and the sadness He felt about the ultimate destiny, their rejection was taking them. But the point is, it is their rejection that is taking them there. It says, “and you did not want it.” Or the ESV says, “you were not willing.” The issue isn't a lack of divine care in the heart of our Savior. It's not a lack of willingness to save all who would come. The issue is, first and foremost, one of human rebellion.
Sometimes in reform circles, in Calvinistic circles, people get trapped over this idea of, what if God didn't choose me? Friends, this text is making clear, God is willing to save to the uttermost all who will come. And if you lack faith this morning, the issue is not something lacking in the heart of God. It's the hardness of your heart. It's the rebellion of your heart that needs to be repented off. You're not an unbeliever this morning because God doesn't have compassion on you. It's because you do not want it. It's your rebellious heart that is the problem. God's heart is big, it's welcoming to all, even the broken, the most broken, welcoming to all who would come. Christ often has wanted you, to gather you as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you did not want it. And that's the issue. That’s what’s stopping you, that hard heart that is you. Christ's confidence during His earthly mission, Christ's compassion towards rebellious sinners.
And lastly, I want you to see “Christ's Conducting of Singing Hearts”. Christ's conducting of singing hearts. Look at verse 35.
“Behold, your house is left you desolate. And I say to you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."
This verse speaks of two things. It starts by speaking of imminent judgment that is about to fall, and then it finishes with this long-term hope. You see the imminent judgment. It begins with that prophetic call. Behold, something is about to be pronounced. Judgment is about to be declared. And then Jesus points not simply to the capital, to Jerusalem, but He goes even further and He points right to the heart of the religious hope of those Pharisees that, remember, He is talking to. And he speaks of your house. Not their material houses that they resided in. They most likely, because of where they've come from, are in Galilee or Perea. But the house, your house, speaks of the temple. The temple. The place that Jesus, when He was younger, in Luke chapter 2, verse 49, do you remember how He described it? This is His Father's house. His Father's house. But now that same space is desolate or will be desolate. It will be empty. In other words, there will be no Father there. There will be no God dwelling there anymore.
And the English, I think, can lose a little bit of the punch here because, again, we've got another one of those divine passive verbs and that idea left to you. The idea is that the desolation of the temple, the emptiness of the temple is not something that the Romans bring about or an ungodly leader like Herod brings about. Rather, this is something that God brings about. That this is part of the action of God. He is leaving this people. The temple isn't emptied just because you turned up on the wrong day. It's been deliberately abandoned to destruction and to desolation by God himself. God had warned in Jeremiah 22 verse 5, “but if you will not obey these words, I swear by myself, declares Yahweh, that this house will become a waste place.” And that's exactly what is about to come to pass.
This generation of Jews at large had forsaken Christ, had turned against the Messiah, and though they had heard Him, though they had seen Him cast out demons and seen those many cures, they refused to understand the significance of the one who stood before them. So, caution all by itself, isn't it?
If you're in church, if you have a pattern of coming and being in this place, you have heard time and time again about the significance of our Savior. How about the greatness of Christ? How about your need for forgiveness? And yet as verse 34 says, ultimately, you did not want it. The Lord is compassionate to save all who come, but He is also just. And verse 35 reminds us that a rebellious heart will ultimately be punished. He insists on crushing the rebel who ultimately refuses to bow the knee to Him. And yet it's Jesus. And so as loud as He pronounces true judgment on that generation, He immediately holds out the hope of what will one day take place. Look again at verse 35.
“Behold, your house is left to you desolate, and I say to you, you will not see me until,” that’s a special word, isn't it? “Until the time comes when you say, ‘blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
Jesus speaks of a future time, a time that will come long ahead. A time when once again He will stand on earth, when He will be back. But most interestingly, in that time, Israel will not be like it once was, scorning and rejecting and pronouncing judgment and rebellion. Rather, this verse speaks of a time when descendants of this people will be found saying, or maybe even better, found singing the words of Psalm 118, verse 26,
“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”
And this present generation had no time in that first coming. But our work will be done in the future so that Israel will with full voice sing about the wonder of Jesus' coming and grace shone towards them.
Now, the Pharisees, again, remember who Jesus is speaking to, they knew the Psalter. They knew every song. These were familiar to them. You know, if I quote a particular lyric, I'm not gonna do it, because it'll expose too much about me and my musical taste this morning, but if I quote particular lyrics, all of a sudden, certain people in the congregation smile and others look puzzled. Because one lyric, and you know the whole song, well, it's like that with the Pharisees. One lyric, and they knew the whole song. They knew all that Psalm 118 speaks of. And we read it earlier, didn’t we? It speaks of salvation, the salvation of God that He will bring. It speaks of the stone that the builders rejected, ultimately being the source of that salvation. And it speaks of the full steadiness and redemption. This is another Romans 11 promise that one day the Jewish people at large will come en masse to praise the Messiah they had once rejected. Here is hope of stony hearts ultimately being transformed by God in such a way that old songs that they had once maybe sung with just their lips, the Pharisees sang these songs. Time is coming when they will be able to sing it from the heart because God will perform that work.
Interestingly, Luke does record these very same words in a few chapters. Do you know where it is? Do they sound familiar? Luke 19, verse 38. Palm Sunday, the triumphal entry as Jesus comes into Jerusalem and they wave those palm branches, the people proclaim this particular song, these particular words. But sadly, a few days later, those same lips will declare, crucify Him, crucify Him. And the desolation God would bring would quickly fall. You see the irony? Even in the gospel of Luke, we will have record of people singing the words of the song with just their lips. And what ultimately needed was a regenerative work of God upon the heart that in the future He will bring to this nation so that they can worship God, not just with their lips, but from the heart, with sincerity, from hearts renewed.
We've sung some wonderful songs this morning. Thank you to the musicians again for leading us in that. But how did you sing them? How did you sing them? Are they just words? Oh Lord, my rock and my Redeemer. Are they just words that you sang because they were written up there and that's what we do? Or do you know Him as your Lord, your Rock, and your Redeemer? It may come out of here. But if it doesn't come out of here, it's empty. And what you need is a regenerative work of God upon the heart. Come to the Christ who promises to transform and save all who draw humbly near Him, seeking forgiveness, let's pray.
[Prayer] Lord, we pray for a sincerity in our hearts. We realize we are wicked. Our hearts are deceitful. And yet, Lord, we pray for the work of the Holy Spirit that by Your grace we may be able to say, oh Lord, my Rock, my Redeemer. Thank You for Your divine providence that has brought us to this place. We thank You for the clear declaration in the text of the wideness of God’s mercy, the compassion of our Savior. And we ask, Lord, for the transformative grace to worship You, not simply with our lips, but from our hearts to your praise and to Your glory, for we come in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. You're dismissed. [End]
