Congregational Bible Experience Day #22: Luke 13-14

As we begin week 5 of the 'Congregational Bible Experience', Luke 13 opens with a question that all of us have asked of the Lord in one way or another:  is personal suffering - whether because of terrible atrocity (v1-2) or natural catastrophe (v4) - a direct result of personal sin? Or to turn it around, does God  directly intervene in some people's live to judge them now for excessive sinfulness?  Surely, somehow, they must have deserved what happened? That was the line that Job's friends took with him. It's a question to wrestle with some other time!  Even Jesus doesn't give a straight answer here (although you may wish to read John 9: 1-3, where Jesus assures us that God is always doing more in our lives, despite our sin, than we will ever be aware of).  However, what is of more concern to Jesus is that such unexpected tragedies expose our mortality. We must be ready now for what awaits us beyond death (v3,5), which for some will be of even greater tragedy. The reality is all of us are guilty of sin and so worthy of judgement; to compare each other's measure of sin, or to think that we are "better" than other more notable sinners, is to fail to acknowledge the depth of our own culpability before the holy God.  Our only hope is to repent now, to cast ourselves upon His offer of mercy now and to trust in the salvation Jesus won for us at Calvary - now.

Much of the rest of this section deals with Jesus' engagement with people against (1) the backdrop of growing animosity arising from religious leaders (13:14, 31; 14:1) due to Jesus' failure to keep God's Sabbath their way; (2) the danger that it is possible to be familiar with Jesus and Gospel truth and yet not to know and trust Jesus personally (13:22-35), since mere acquaintance with Christ is not enough;  the exposure of people's personal pride (14:7,11), hardheartedness (v18-20), and blindness towards Jesus despite the evidences of His divinity (14:4); and (4) Luke's reminder that all this is taking place as Jesus makes His way to Jerusalem and to the Cross (13:22).  The amazing thing therefore, is that He keeps going. Everyone is blind and deaf to His intention when he gets there, there's no-one cheering him on grateful for his forthcoming sacrifice, the Jewish leaders are making life intolerably difficult at every opportunity, and yet onwards and upwards He goes to Jerusalem, for their sake. And yours. And mine. 

All of which highlights the difficulties that may be expected for those who 'follow' Jesus as His disciples (14:25-34).  As we have seen before, He wants us to appreciate what real discipleship demands because we will not last otherwise (v27, 33-34). Jesus could easily have been put off His journey by endless distractions, irritations, misunderstandings, opposition, confrontations.  In fact, what awaited Him at journeys-end from the hands of those who objected to Him even as He travelled must have loomed heavy in His mind and in His heart.  But on He went.  So following Jesus demands similar resolve and determination:  every aspect of life must be yielded to the Lord, otherwise they will distract or become a snare (v26).

In the end, it's a matter of faith.  As I entrust myself to following Jesus - without really knowing what that will mean and what the future will hold for me and for those I love and care for - do I really trust Him to meet all my needs, to strengthen me in the tough times, to embolden me to take the difficult choices when those around me will not understand or will oppose my intentions?  Will I trust Jesus and keep on following then? Or do I begin my journey of discipleship believing I can always ease-up should life become more difficult?  Jesus wants us to know - that's not an option, that's not discipleship. That's not faith.