LAST CHANCE SALOON – LUKE 13:6-21

 

“So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ 8 ” ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’ “” (Luke 13:7-9)

 

When it comes to following Jesus are we producing abundant fruit, or just wasting space?

 

“ there are millions of people …who call themselves followers of Jesus but their lives look nothing like His, and they’re not obeying the things that He called them to do” (Francis Chan, Follow Jesus DVD)

 

 

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46)

 

TRUTH AND DARE…

 

THE BIG THEME: THE KINGDOM OF GOD

But what is the Kingdom of God?

 

“Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches.” (Luke 13:18)

 

i) The kingdom of God is a place of peace and shelter

 

 

 

ii) The Kingdom of God is here, but not fully here

Jesus death	NOW	Jesus Return
Seed Sown	– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ->	Tree Grown

 

iii) The Kingdom of God is about our whole life

“Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.”(Luke 13:20-21)

 

What area(s) of your life are you keeping God out of?

 

“On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all.

When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.

Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”

The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?” When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.” (Luke 13:10-11)

 

 

“the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work,” (Ex.20:10)

When Jesus gets in our face like this, we tend to make excuses…What excuse are you making…what respectable (or otherwise) reason do you offer for hindering the growth of God’s kingdom?

 

This week: Undertake one act of kindness where Jesus gets the credit.

 

Final thought: where is our joy?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I want to know more:

• To read: for men: The Code, by Carl Beech
• To read: Respectable Sins, by Jerry Bridges
• To read: The Radical Disciple: Some Neglected Aspects of Our Calling by John R.W. Stott
• To listen: Jesus heals a demonised woman, Mark Driscoll: