Jesus And Opposition
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Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Theme: The Life of Christ
Hope: To draw closer to Jesus, our Savior, through a careful study of his life here on earth, in the flesh.
In the chapters of Luke 19-20 we find Jesus leaving Jericho and entering into Jerusalem.
This is the beginning of the week that will end with our Lord and Savior crucified on a tree.
Jesus’ enemies had already determined that they wanted him dead and would succeed this week.
However, from these two chapters we find how Christ dealt with those that opposed him and his message.
We are given an insight into how “we” can handle opposition to righteousness today.
Will Christians face persecution today?
You better believe it, as individuals and collectively, we will suffer persecution if we are striving to follow Christ.
The New Testament is clear that we should “expect” such.
Luke 6:26 (ESV)
26 Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.
2 Timothy 3:12 (ESV)
12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted
So the question isn’t “if we will be persecuted” the question is how do we handle the criticizing, opposition, and persecution when it comes our way?
In our text this morning we find four ways Jesus dealt with this, with people that opposed his cause.
In Luke 19:11-27 we find how Jesus dealt with his critics and opposition.
He did so by first pointing out that…
Everyone Is Accountable To God.
Everyone Is Accountable To God.
The Parable Of The Minas.
The Parable Of The Minas.
This parable is very similar to that of the parable of the talents.
We find in this parable several key things.
First, the nobleman went into a far country to “receive a kingdom before returning.”
Before leaving he left each servant with a mina, which was about three months pay.
Second, we find the very people that were the nobleman’s citizens hated him.
Later they would be slaughtered at the nobleman’s command.
Third, when the nobleman returned he asked for the three men he gave minas to.
The first had doubled the 10 to 20.
The second had made 5 more thus offering back 15.
The third hid his in a handkerchief and simply returned what he was given, the 10 minas.
There is a clear lesson here in this parable which is…
We All Will Give An Account.
We All Will Give An Account.
First, the parable makes clear that the kingdom of God was “not” to appear immediately.
11 As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.
Hence the nobleman went into a far country to receive his kingdom.
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
Secondly, the parable makes clear that everyone will be judged by what they do with what they have been given.
We see the nobleman not only held his servants accountable but his enemies as well.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Summary
Summary
How does that help us, God’s children, deal with persecution?
We learn here from Jesus that no matter what people think of us or do to us when we do the “right thing” we must not stop or refrain from telling them the truth.
There will be people that don’t like that we put God first no matter what.
They might get upset with us that we put God first in attendance.
They might get upset with us that we put God first in our family.
They might get upset with us that we put God first in our job.
We cannot coward back and not let someone know the truth just to keep those that oppose us happy.
We also find from this parable that…
Enemies Must Be Faced Openly
Enemies Must Be Faced Openly
The Triumphal Entry.
The Triumphal Entry.
In Luke 19:28-40 we read of what is commonly called the “triumphal entry.”
Jesus knew his enemies had concentrated in Jerusalem, knowing that he would soon be condemned and crucified.
Knowing this Jesus did not hesitate to ride into the city with tears of concern for even his enemies.
37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!
Jesus openly moved forward into the city that wanted him dead.
Summary
Summary
I think the most important thing we can learn from this is that we cannot let our enemies keep us from introducing Christ in places where he is not really known.
It is scary to talk with people that “think they know the Messiah” but in reality do not because it is easy to mentally see them rejecting truth.
However, Jesus wants us to proclaim him “everywhere!”
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
We then find in the final few verse of Luke 19 that Jesus…
Preached Powerfully
Preached Powerfully
He Made God’s House Clean.
He Made God’s House Clean.
In Luke 19:45-48 we read…
45 And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.”
47 And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, 48 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.
After driving out the evil from the house of God, Jesus began teaching and preaching in that very place.
Though the Jewish leadership sought to kill him the other people listening were “hanging on his every word.”
Though we are not to “physically throw” someone out of the church who revels in sin we are to spiritually remove them when they refuse to repent.
We must keep God’s house pure.
4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
Summary
Summary
No one likes to execute church discipline on their brother or sister, it made Jesus weep.
However, that isn’t an excuse to not do it because the leaven of sin will on grow if it is not removed.
Like Jesus, church leadership is to “call out sin” and when it arises to “keep God’s house clean.”
This is done through preaching and teaching on the sin and personal counseling with those infected with the sin.
Lastly, we find Jesus…
Answered Their Questions
Answered Their Questions
No Fire From Heaven Was Called.
No Fire From Heaven Was Called.
In Luke 20 we find several examples of the Jewish leadership asking Jesus questions with the hope of “tripping him up” or “finding him guilt” of something.
Remember earlier we read they could “find no fault” with him.
You might think that Jesus would be angry with their questions but instead of anger Jesus simply answered their questions biblically.
Jesus always made himself available to his enemies and he never refused to discuss their differences
Jesus openly answered their questions about authority (Luke 19:1-19).
Jesus openly answered their questions about paying taxes (Luke 20:20-26).
Jesus answered their questions about the resurrection and about life and death (Luke 20:27-40).
Jesus openly discussed the issue of his nature from the scriptures (Luke 20:41-47).
Studying this about Jesus reminds us…
To Be Prepared To Answer.
To Be Prepared To Answer.
Even if the one asking the question has alternative motives than wanting to know the actual truth, our answer could have an effect on the other people listening.
However, if we cannot effectively answer the question we could lose out on a very important opportunity.
1 Peter 3:15 (ESV)
15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect
3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
Summary
Summary
Studying God’s word faithfully and thus “knowing God’s word on our heart” is the answer to so many things.
And it will help those that are lost that see our light shining find the truth.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The best way to deal with our critics and those that persecute us due to living a righteous and godly life is to…
Defend the truth in love by taking a stance on doctrinal matters and not backing down to pressure.
And when we are evolved in these matters we need to remember Christ is with us.
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.