Download Study Materials
Calling down fire… vs. 51-56
- The time had come… vs. 51
- Jesus left the area of Galilee – began traveling south to Judea – towards Jerusalem…
- There is a gap in the books of Matthew & Mark during this later period of Jesus ministry…
- About 6 months pass between the end of Mark 9~10 / Matthew 18~19
- The 2nd half of the book of Luke – chapters 10-18 – all takes place during this time frame
- This is the beginning of Jesus’ final trip to Jerusalem…
- The time had come for Jesus to be ‘received up’…
- Repeatedly Jesus had told His disciples – John 7:6 – “My time has not yet come…”
- Now finally the time had come – Jesus was ready to fulfill His purpose for coming…
- He had spent 2 ½ years teaching the multitudes – preparing His disciples…
- But now it was time for Him to go and pay the price for sin – open the way to heaven!
- Notice though – Jesus’ focus was not on the coming suffering – but on being ‘received up’!
- In the same way we know there are challenged that lie before us in life – hard times…
- If we insist on focusing on the challenges – we will quickly become discouraged…
- Instead let us follow the example Jesus gave to us – look up to the reward…
- * Hebrews 12:2 – “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
- The trials only last for a moment – the reward God has prepared for us is eternal!
- Jesus left the area of Galilee – began traveling south to Judea – towards Jerusalem…
- Missing the point… vs. 52-56
- Jesus sent messengers ahead of Him into Samaria…
- After the reign of King Solomon – Israel divided into two nations – Northern & Southern…
- The Northern Kingdom became know as Samaria – named after its capitol city…
- The Northern Kingdom was later conquered by Assyria in 722 B.C – II Kings 17:23
- The Assyrians took the Israelites and scatter them to other conquered countries…
- Then took captives from other countries and placed them in Israel…
- Assyria allowed some of the Israelites to return to teach the people about God…
- This mixed people/religion – became the ‘Samaritans’ of the New Testament…
- The Samaritans did not receive Jesus – because…
- Jesus was determined to go to Jerusalem – to celebrate the Jewish feast of Passover…
- In John 4 Jesus ran into a woman from Samaria – and asked her for a drink…
- * John 4:9 – “The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, ‘You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?’”
- Samaritans believed God had to be worshiped at Mt. Gerizim in Samaria – John 4:20
- The Jews taught (in accordance to the Law) – God was to be worshiped in Jerusalem…
- Because of their different religious beliefs – Jews and Samaritans hated each other…
- They thought God was concerned about geography – the little details…
- God is not concerned about ‘where’ we worship – but that we worship Him!
- * John 4:23 – “The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.”
- I am always amazed at the ‘little’ differences churches choose to divide over…
- What day to gather to worship / the name on the sign over the church…
- We may have different buildings we meet in – but we all worship the same Lord!
- God is not concerned about our differences – He just desires a relationship with us…
- Jesus was determined to go to Jerusalem – to celebrate the Jewish feast of Passover…
- Calling down fire like Elijah…
- Rejected – James and John asked – shall we call down fire like Elijah did…
- II Kings 1:1-15 – a wicked King in Northern Israel (Samaria) – Ahaziah was dying…
- He sent 50 men to get the prophet Elijah – demanding he come immediately to see him…
- They approached Elijah alone on a hill – ‘Man of God, the King says, ‘Come down!’…
- Elijah said – ‘If I’m a man of God let fire come down from heaven and consume you!’
- Immediately fire came down from heaven and burnt up all 50 men from Samaria…
- The king sent a 2nd group of 50 men – they met the same fate – fire from heaven…
- A 3rd group was sent – but the leader fell on his face before Elijah…
- ‘Please let my life – and the life of my 50 men – be precious to you’ – spare us…
- So Elijah went with the men – and pronounced judgment on the wicked king
- The sons of thunder…
- Thinking back to that story – they wanted to call down fire on these Samaritans!
- Jesus had given the fitting name ‘Son’s of Thunder’ – to James and John – Mark 3:17…
- They were full of ‘excitement’ for Jesus – but they did not understand why Jesus came
- Jesus had not come to destroy – He had come to save lives!
- When we focus on our little differences – even if we have Bible verses to back them up…
- We miss the far more important truth of sharing the Love of Jesus – John 13:35…
- Jesus sent messengers ahead of Him into Samaria…
The Cost of Discipleship… vs. 57-62 (3 examples)
Don’t take the risk – keep your eyes firmly fixed on / following after – Jesus!
1st – To be a discuple – follow Jesus today / this is not our home anyways… vs. 57-58
A man came and wanted to be a disciple of Jesus…
The man said – ‘I will [eventually] follow you…’ (Future/Active/Indicative)
‘Wherever you go [by the way – where are you going?]…’ (Present/Middle/Subjunctive)
Though he was zealous and excited to follow Jesus – but not right at that moment…
Because he also wanted to know first where Jesus was going – he was left behind…
The choice to follow Jesus is not one for tomorrow…
It is easy to say that we will live for Jesus tomorrow…
The problem is tomorrow never comes – we live our lives today…
We might say I’ll live for Jesus tomorrow –but when tomorrow comes -we say it again
The only way to really follow Jesus – is to choose to follow Him today!
The choice to follow Jesus is not based on where He takes us…
Following Jesus isn’t conditional – so long as it’s convenient…
If we make it conditional we will find we are no longer following – we are left behind
Not that God would send us somewhere we did not want to go…
Along with the call – if we are open – comes a change of heart!
God wouldn’t call you to the jungles of Africa – without giving you a heart for Africans
Jesus’ answer – foxes have holes and birds have nests…
But the Son of Man – used 26 times in the Book of Luke – 80 times in all in the Gospels…
The title that Jesus gave himself to describe His purpose…
He was a man – that He might give His life as a sacrifice for all…
And He was fully God – with all of the authority and power – Philippians 2:6-8
Yet God had no-where here to lay His head…
Jesus was saying this is not His home ~ He was just passing though…
To be a disciple of Jesus – we need to recognize this is not our home either…
* Hebrews 11:13-16 – “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”
If we think this is our home ~ that the 70+/- years we have it what matters…
We will miss the blessing of what God wants to do through/in our lives!
Joy comes when we realize this is not out home – that Heaven is our address
2nd – To be a discpiple – leave this world behind… vs. 59-60
Jesus came up to anther man – follow me…
Let me first go and bury my Father (Aorist/Active/Imperative)
In Middle Eastern culture it was the honor of the son to bury his father…
It does not mean that his father was dead – he wanted to wait till he died…
He was hesitant – caught up in the cares/expectations of this world – Matthew 6:19-24
We do not choose where are heart is – we do choose where we put our treasures…
Wherever we put the majority of our treasures – that is where we will also find our heart…
Where do we spend the majority of our money/time/thoughts/efforts…
Are our treasures stored up in heaven – or is our heart focused on the things of this world…
Let the Dead bury their own dead (Aorist/Active/Imperative)
Let those who are spiritually dead – bury those who die…
To be a disciple of Jesus means to not live for me – for the moment…
But to put my eyes on the eternal – to give my life – live my life – for Jesus!
3rd – To be a disciple – count the cost… vs. 61-62
Another man was willing to follow Jesus – but first he wanted to say goodbye to family…
Jesus taught – Luke 14:26 – you must hate your family in order to follow Jesus…
Not that God wants you to hate your family – it is a comparison…
Compared to your love for Jesus – the love you have for your family looks like hate…
The emphasis being that a disciple must put Jesus before family…
If we are not willing to put Jesus first – even before our family – we cannot follow Him…
If we try to serve and please our family – and serve and please the Lord…
We will be end up being conflicted/crushed by our contradicting loyalties…
In the end we will falter and have to choose one or the other!
So count the cost of discipleship…
A man who builds a house – first has to count the cost to see if he has enough to finish…
Otherwise after laying the foundation he might find he cannot continue…
There is a cost to following Jesus – if we want to follow we must ‘count the cost’…
Luke 14:33 – “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake [say goodbye] all that he has cannot be My disciple.”
Are we ready to follow Jesus TODAY – to anywhere He may take us…
Are we prepared to walk away from the cares of this world – dedicate ourselves to Jesus!
Putting Jesus before anything else in our lives – even before our family…
Finish what you start…
No man who put his hand to the plow – and looks back – is worthy of the Kingdom…
If we start to plow – decide it’s too hard and walk away – we accomplish nothing…
If we step out to follow Jesus – then decide it’s too hard and walk away…
We accomplish nothing – we are no longer useful in God’s Kingdom!
What causes us to walk away – looking back – longingly looking to the world…
Not that one look means we have ‘let go of the plow’ – but one look leads to anther…
We don’t just decide one day to love the world – walk away from the God…
If you stick a frog in hot water it will jump right back out…
But if you stick a frog in cold water – then slowly increase the heat…
You will boil him without him even knowing he was in danger…
Compromise is slow process that step-by-step leads us away from Jesus…
It is not worth the danger to look back longingly at this world….
It is far too easy to fall in love with this world – and miss Jesus!
Leave a Reply