Luke 13:31-35 "Play The Role You've Been Given"
After dinner at the Hart house, we like to get together in the living room and watch a TV series. As far as I’m concerned, this is the golden age of Television. I’d rather watch a good series than a movie. There’s time to dive into the characters, let the plot unfold—it’s more like a great book.
But unlike a book, we can watch together. And at the Hart house that’s an interactive experience. We like to guess what’s going to happen. Yell at the characters. People don’t always like watching things with us. They either try to shush us or they don’t understand the rules: 1. No talking when the characters are talking. 2. You can’t say anything you might know about the show that hasn’t happened yet—only guesses. 3. You can’t talk about anything else while the show’s on. There are probably other rules—I understand if you think it’s not for you. This is the Hart way—most people prefer the easy way. Ha
This is why I don’t want anyone to tell me anything about a show before I watch it. Nothing. I won’t even watch previews. You can say, “Hey, have you seen “such and such show” the one with “so and so” in it? You should watch it, it’s pretty good.”
But that’s it. I don’t want to know what it’s about. I don’t want to know anything else. You might think you can tell me something that won’t ruin anything but you’d be wrong. Any information at all will keep me from enjoying it the Hart way.
Whenever we’re watching a show with several seasons—even Netflix or whatever it’s on—tries to ruin it for me. How do they expect me to be on the edge of my seat about a life and death situation for a main character if I see they’re on the cover of season six? I know they’re not dying in the scene I’m watching in season four.
What if your life was like a TV series? How worried would you be if you knew the story ended up great for your character? That no matter what happens, you know it’s going somewhere good. How brave and strong and persistent would you be if you knew you were only in the middle of the show?
In a good story, something absolutely terrible has to happen in every chapter. The worse the better. There has to be something to overcome or it’s not interesting. Awesome things need to happen, too. Beautiful things. But definitely terrible things. That’s the joy of a good story.
Here’s the deal: for all of us who are following Jesus, all of us who have trusted Him with our lives—He’s promised He’s taking us somewhere great. If at any point you find yourself in a bad scene, you can know for sure it’s not the end of your story. God’s a better storyteller than that. He invented the happily ever after ending.
So, we’re in the Gospel of Luke—one of four accounts of the story of Jesus’ life on earth. Today He’s going to show us what it looks like to stick to the path God has set before Him because He knows where it’s going.
The importance of today’s text can’t be overstated. It’s the central point of the whole travel narrative—Jesus is going to Jerusalem for a specific purpose, and He will not be distracted. Jerusalem is His city of destiny, His destination, the place of His final rejection and ultimate triumph.
Luke 13, VERSE 31:
At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.”
Jesus had just been talking about the narrow door, how He was holding the door open for people to repent and come into the kingdom of God before it’s too late. Warning them with the most severe language of weeping and gnashing that they need to drop what they’re doing, abandon their personal agendas, and believe in Him before He shuts the door in their face.
I’m sure some people were listening. I’m sure a few people got the message. But they’re not the ones that make for an interesting story. Luke tells us about the interesting guys—some Pharisees.
It might seem at first like they’re just trying to be helpful. “Jesus, you’re alright with us but King Herod’s going to send someone to get you—it’s too dangerous for you to stay here, you need to be on your way.” So thoughtful of them, right?
Nevermind that in Luke, the Pharisees are always the bad guys. Nevermind that they don’t want anything good for Jesus. Nevermind that He just told them they were going to be left out in the streets while Gentiles from all over were going to be welcomed into the kingdom of heaven.
No, they’re not looking out for Him, they just want to use the threat of Herod to push Jesus on down the road.
VERSE 32:
And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. Luke 13:32
So what does the fox say? Ha
Jesus calls Herod a fox. It’s not a compliment. He’s basically accusing him of being a selfish conniving schemer—we’d probably call him a weasel. Jesus tells the Pharisees He’s not changing His plans because of empty threats from Herod. He says maybe they’re the ones who should get out of town, run to big daddy Herod and tell him what’s going on.
Casting out demons and healing people. Messiah stuff. God stuff. “Tell Herod I have no intention of stopping anytime soon—not until I finish what I’ve started.”
He makes a veiled reference to the cross and the resurrection on the third day. They would have had no idea what He was talking about but the readers of the Gospel of Luke would get it—you and me get it.
The third day is when all creation will finally be released from bondage. Jesus will take all the punishment and sin of the world on Himself at the cross, it will be buried with Him in the tomb at His death—when He rises from the dead, His death and resurrection are the basis for all the things He is doing: exorcisms, healings, and salvation once and for all. He will finish what God has started in Him. He will finish His course.
VERSE 33:
Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ Luke 13:33
Tell Herod and anyone else who doesn’t like what I’m doing, there’s nothing that’s going to stop me from playing this role that has been assigned to me—finishing what God has started in me—the cross will happen soon enough but it won’t be today.
He’s on His way to Jerusalem. The big finale happens in Jerusalem. He knows He’s not going to die out here in the boonies—no matter what the fox says.
He’s also making a biting comment about Jerusalem. Jerusalem means “City of Peace,” but it’s not going to be very peaceful for the Son of God, the Prince of Peace. It’s supposed to be the Holy City, the place where God dwells in His Holy Temple—but if someone actually says what God wants them to say, does what God wants them to do, it’ll probably not end well for them in Jerusalem.
VERSE 34:
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! Luke 13:34
This is definitely Sad Jesus talking here. “Jerusalem, Jerusalem” is Bible-speak for “Oh dear Jerusalem you’re breaking my heart.” He’s not saying it’s the only place where prophets have ever been killed but He knows way too many have been killed there. And He knows it’s going to be where they kill Him, too.
He has this beautiful image of wanting to protect His people like a bird gathers her family under her wings. It’s an image that’s used in the Psalms. Birds really do this. A lot of people miss why God might think of gathering His people under His wings though. He’s not really a bird. Thankfully. That would be awkward. In the Temple there’s an inner room called the Holy of Holies, it’s where the Ark of the Covenant was located. The Ark of the Covenant was a gold box that held the Ten Commandments and on top of it were two angels with their wings covering over it—like a bird protecting her young. It was the location of the special presence of God on earth. So He says a mother bird is a picture of Him covering His people in the place where He promised to dwell among them under the wings of His shekinah glory. Pretty cool, huh?
Well, Jesus says His people have mostly been like a bunch of stupid chicks who weren’t willing to accept His protection. Weren’t willing to listen to the Word of God spoken by the prophets—especially the Prophet of prophets, the Word of God made flesh. God’s grace was offered to them but they resisted it, ignored it, hated it! They rejected Jesus and refused His covering and protection.
VERSE 35:
Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ” Luke 13:35
Jerusalem is forsaken. The Temple is forsaken. Israel is forsaken. They rejected the One who was promised to come and save them—they rejected the Messiah—and now they have been rejected. Just like when God shut the door on the Ark, just like when Jesus shuts the narrow door into the banquet of the kingdom of heaven, God is forsaking/abandoning Jerusalem’s house. They will remain rejected, forsaken, cast out of God’s presence—until they say “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Until they recognize Jesus as the Messiah, the Savior.
In a few weeks, Jesus is going to ride into Jerusalem on a donkey, people will wave palm branches and sing “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Then Jesus is going to preach in the Temple courtyard during the week leading up to the cross where Jesus Himself will be forsaken—Matthew records Jesus saying this whole “Jerusalem, Jerusalem” speech again that week after Palm Sunday. Bringing out the urgency of recognizing the One that God sent to save them.
A few years after the resurrection, the Temple will be completely destroyed. Jesus came to the Jews first, He came as a Jew to call them to repent and believe in Him. The old was passing away and the new had come. The sacrifices that happened at the Temple were to cease once Jesus was crucified. That time was over. Any further sacrifices would be gratuitous and insulting. The Temple was destroyed in 70 AD ensuring that no further sacrifices would ever be made according to the Old Testament. The people of God would from then on be the people who believed in Jesus—the One who comes in the name of the Lord!
Believers in Jesus, like you and me, we need to stay ready so we recognize Him when He comes again in the name of the Lord at the end of time. We need to stay ready by coming together in His house and encouraging each other. We need to stay the course of the mission He’s given us, play the role that’s been assigned to us, and not get distracted by any foxes that come our way.
We started NewChurch eight years ago. I would have loved for the story to have been something like: In episode one there were 25 of us who met at the Athletic Performance Lab, in episode two we publicly launched with 200 people. We broke ground on NewChurch’s first building in episode three, and planted our second location in episode four. I’m not sure what happens the rest of the series but, You know, people are baptized and saved and we just keep running out of places for people to sit! So many people are excited about what God’s doing in their life here. The Gospel is just exploding! But nothing bad ever happens. There are no setbacks. No frustrations.
I really like that story. But it’s not how stories work. Not the ones God writes.
He likes a cliffhanger with lots of foreshadowing. He likes to rescue at the very last minute. He likes it to look absolutely hopeless for the main character but they keep hoping anyway. Keep going. They know the story is going somewhere good and they’re only in the middle of it.
Have you read the Bible enough to know that none of God’s people ever had it easy? They’re called heroes of the faith because that’s what they lived by—faith. They trusted God and did what He wanted them to do in the face of any opposition or setback or emotional breakdown—no matter who rose up against them. No matter how hard it got. No matter how dark the path ahead looked.
It’s going to be the same for you. God has called you out of the world for a purpose. He put His name on you for a purpose. You need to keep His name holy. You need to be the person He called you out of the world to be. He’s going to give you what you need to succeed, what you need to be faithful—your daily bread. He’s going to show you how to navigate around temptation. He’s going to deliver you from the evil one. He has a path for you to walk. It’s the way of wisdom, not the way of fools, not the way of the wicked.
He took you into consideration when He assigned you the role you’ve been given. He knows your weakness. He knows your foolishness. He knows your temptations and your sins. He called you anyway—those things are all part of what makes you perfect for the part. You’re the only one who can do what He called you to do.
Stop fighting the director. Stop living your life like He’s run out of good ideas for the plot—like He doesn't have a good ending, a purpose in mind for your story.
What has God called you to do in this life?
Like why does He have you in this church?
I doubt if He called you to show up half the time, discourage everyone with your empty seat when you’re not here, and refuse to do any of the difficult and brave things that push the plot forward.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem. The place of peace can be the most dangerous place on earth. Why are you unmoved by persuasion, unyielding, stubborn to the Word of God.
O NewChurch, NewChurch. Same. Church shouldn’t be the most dangerous place in the world for the faith of God’s people. But so many people have been hurt by the church. I want NewChurch to be a place of gathering those fragile people under God’s wings—under His care. That’s what He brought you here to do. To heal. To be healed and to help others heal.
How would you approach the ministry God has given you here if you saw your picture on the poster for season eight? If you knew you were supposed to be a major player in the story. If you knew the story was going somewhere good?
But not just here. You’re not a one dimensional character in this story. How would you approach your job? The relationships with the people you work with, if you knew God had a role for you to play representing Him there?
And at home. If the part you’re supposed to play with your family was to heroically orient them toward the path God has laid out for them—how would you approach your role in the family?
You have a part to play as God directs your steps. I know it’s messy but are you more of a good guy or a bad guy?
What would be different if you actually acted like the person God called you to play in the role He assigned you?
Jesus played His part perfectly. In our story today, He was doing what God told Him to do, saying what God told Him to say. Some people showed up and tried to scare Him into going off script. “The king wants you dead, you’re not safe here. Be afraid. Run away! Hide!”
Jesus knew the safest place for Him to be was always wherever God wanted Him to be. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Fear, love, and trust God above anything else—don’t even worry about anything else. It’s the same for you—the safest way to go is always following the will of God.
Jesus is on the road to Jerusalem and when He gets there they’re going to kill Him. Herod will have a hand in it, so will Pilot, so will the Pharisees, so will the Temple priests—all the people He’s mentioned as villains in the last couple chapters. He knows what they’re going to do. He’s going anyway.
He’s going to walk there by faith. One step at a time. One small painful obedience at a time. He knows the cross, for all its horrors, is actually the safest place for Him to go—because it’s the will of God and the only way to the resurrection. He’s going to suffer the cross because He knows it’s the only chance you have of making it to the end of the story He has for you. You won’t make it to the end He has for you unless He is faithful to the part assigned to Him—to make it to the end for you.
He’s going to the cross where He will die—it’s the only way you’ll be able to carry your little cross, your frustrations and setbacks and failures—all of this life’s momentary afflictions. But He knows He’s going to rise on the third day, just like He said He would, to give you the promise and hope that when you die doing whatever God has planned for you to do in your life, that you will also rise from the dead on the last day when He comes in glory.
And despite how I hate spoilers, I’m really glad He told us how this story ends.
Because you’ll stand there in your newly resurrected body and you’ll see Him—you’ll recognize Him. You’ll say ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” And you’ll remember that He put His name on you, that He loves you, He directed your steps, and you will have reached the glorious happily ever after ending of the story God had written for you. Of course that’s not really the end—it’s just the beginning of a new season of life more beautiful and glorious than you could have previously imagined. AMEN