Amen. I'm pleased to have a seat. Can everybody hear me okay? There I am. Excellent. Well,
my name is Graham, the pastor here at the church, and it's a real joy to welcome you
here, especially perhaps if this is your first time here, spoken to a few new folks. You're
so welcome. We just hope you have a really encouraging time with us this morning, and
particularly as we come to God's words now. So, can I invite you to turn back to Luke
chapter 13 and those verses that Alice read for us earlier. So, we're going to camp out
this morning as we get back into Luke. But as we come to God's word now, why don't
we just pause and let's pray together. Father, we thank you so much for your goodness. Lord,
you are a good, good God. And we thank you so much for the privilege it is to gather, Lord,
as your people this morning and to sing your praises. Thank you for the truths that are included
in those songs that we are singing, that we've been reminding ourselves that you are a big
God. You are the creator of the ends of the earth, and you are worthy of all praise.
And so, as we turn to your words now, Father, we pray that you would speak deep into our lives,
that we would leave here this morning, Father, changed because we've encountered you.
So, Father, be with us now, we ask for your glory. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Amen. One of the TV shows that Alex, my wife, and I love to watch is called Dragon's Den. I don't know
if anyone else here loves a bit of Dragon's Den. But one of the stars of Dragon's Den, my favorite
guy on the show, is this man. He's called Peter Jones. I just look at this guy. He's not great.
Six foot seven. Highly intelligent. Sharp dresser. Self-made millionaire. Oh, he's a cracking guy.
Do you know why people love this man? They love Peter Jones because he's got a reputation for being
a straight talker. In fact, so loved is he for this, that when it was rumored this time last year
that he might run for prime minister, he was interviewed on this morning. I don't watch this
morning, but he was interviewed on this morning, Philip Schofield, because he was thinking about
becoming prime minister. Somebody tweeted in, I'd love Peter Jones to be prime minister.
He wouldn't mince his words. He'd tell us exactly how it is, and that's what we need. Hashtag this
morning. I don't know about you, but maybe it's just a Scott in me that I love a straight talker.
Love a straight talker. In our world of photoshopping, in our world of spin doctoring, I find it
so refreshing when somebody just tells me the truth of how things are. And what we're going
to see this morning as we get into Luke 13 is we're going to hear three truths from the
straight talking Jesus. Three truths from the straight talking Jesus. So if you've got Luke
13 there, let me just, before we dive into it, and particularly since we've taken a break
from Luke over the summer, it's worth getting our bearings as to where we are in Luke's story.
And so by way of quickly refreshing our memories, let me just draw your attention as we kind
of skim the first 13 chapters to two words. And they both begin with C, because I love
alliteration. Here's the first C. It has to do with the reason why Luke has written his
gospel in the first place, and it's the word certainty. Luke has written this account,
this gospel for Theophilus, this man who's commissioned him to go and do a bit of detective work.
So, Luke, if you go and research the facts, if you uncover every stone, if you speak to
the witnesses, if you hunt from top to bottom, and if you present that to me, then I can know
for myself the truth about this man Jesus Christ. And Luke, the good doctor that he is, he's done
just that, and he's put this material together in a way that is coherent and logical so that
Theophilus can have confidence that Jesus is who he says he is. Now, the second C has to
do with where we are in the story. That's the word cross. Verse 21 of chapter 9, maybe you
just want to skim there, back a few pages. Jesus is resolutely on his way to the city of Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, where he's going to go and he's going to offer up his life of his free will on the cross.
And so, on his way to Jerusalem, as he's been encountering people, he's been teaching both his
disciples and the watching world what it means to truly follow after him. So, that's the big question
of where we are in Luke's gospel at this point. What does it mean to follow this king? And straight
off the back, and I suggest that that is a wonderful question to ask yourself this morning.
What does it truly mean to follow after this king? So, it's into this backdrop that Jesus delivers his
three straight-talking truths. Now, if you want to follow along this morning, the first truth is found
at verses 1 to 9, and it's a truth for the people. So, we pick up the story, travel with me, verse 1,
with Jesus, who at this point in time is gaining both in popularity and he's raising eyebrows.
He's confronted by some people desperate to know his take on current events. Now, we don't know much
about the specifics of these events, but the people know, check it out, that Pilate, the Roman official,
has had some Galileans put to death. And Jesus knows of a similar tragedy and Siloam when a tower has collapsed,
killing 18 people. Real lives have been lost here, and real pain has been suffered here.
And as you can imagine, there's some real questions to be asked here.
And the people must have been asking Jesus, why did this happen? Why did this happen? It's a real question.
But we need to get to the mindset behind their question. I was trying to ask myself this week in preparation,
trying to put myself in the shoes of these people who are asking Jesus, what answer are they looking for?
What are they wanting Jesus to clarify? And even though the people don't say it,
Jesus hears this mindset in their voices, and he knows that it's lurking in their hearts.
Because they look on at current events, and they think that these people, these Galileans,
must have done something so horrible in the sight of God, for God to allow something so horrible
to happen to them. Let's flip it another way around, the equation.
It's that extraordinary tragedy equals extraordinary guilt.
So they look at these current events, and that is how they perceive what has happened.
That's how they understand what has happened.
And if you think about it, by implication then, that means because I'm alright,
because I'm not suffering like these people have suffered,
it must mean that I'm doing alright.
It must mean I'm doing okay.
I don't know if you...
I mean, really, it's just karma playing out, isn't it, in religious dress?
It's karma.
I don't know if you've reminded me this week of the old saying about the karma restaurant,
where you go and there's no menus, you just get served what you deserve.
This is karma.
This is how people view and understand these current events.
And so they ask Jesus, what do you make of this Jesus?
Tell us how we're supposed to understand this.
And this week of all weeks, I guess that is a very real and a very raw question, is it not?
As we look at our news, as we look at Hurricane Irma causing devastation in the Caribbean,
and as we look at the strongest earthquake in a decade hitting Mexico,
what was it, killing 60 people?
And if you look at the floods in Houston that happened only a couple of weeks ago,
and this question all of a sudden becomes really raw and really live, doesn't it?
And so I guess as a reader looking onto this,
I'm really interested to see how the one through whom all creation was made answers that question.
How is Jesus going to answer this question?
Is he going to be like a politician?
Is he going to duck the question and answer another one?
Is that the thing that's what I would have done?
Is he going to duck it? No.
Do you see how he emphatically answers that question?
No.
And Jesus, the master teacher that he is,
he answers their question by telling them not only that they are asking the wrong question,
but he directs them towards asking the right question.
The question is not primarily,
why do these things happen in life?
Although that is a real question.
The question you need to be asking yourself is,
what does the fact that these things happen in life tell you about life?
You know, it was C.S. Lewis who said that pain is God's megaphone to rouse a deaf world.
Time is short.
This is what Jesus is saying.
Life is fragile.
And the world is not as it was created to be.
And the most urgent issue, says Jesus,
it's not other people's souls.
It's your soul.
If you don't get right with God, you too are going to,
what's the word he uses?
Perish.
If you don't get right with God,
the reality check here for these people is that judgment is coming for you.
One day you will stand before your creator.
And so will you listen to God on his megaphone?
Rico Tice, the author of The Christianity Explored,
tells this story about how he was swimming in Australia one time.
Really wanted to go swimming.
So off he gets with his top.
Down he heads to the water.
He's all about to jump in.
And his friend shouts over,
Rico, what are you doing?
And Rico says, I really want to go for a swim.
And his friend points to a sign that says,
Shark's Danger.
And Rico says, I really want to go for a swim.
And his friend says, well, listen, you do whatever you want, mate.
You do whatever you want.
But you've got to ask yourself at some point,
is that warning sign there to kill your joy?
Or is it there to save your life?
And that's exactly how Jesus' words come to these first hearers
and exactly how they come to us this morning.
Here is a loving warning from the King of Kings.
And what does he call on people to do?
Repent.
Greek word there, metanoia.
Present tense word, turn.
Turn from trusting in yourself and living for yourself.
Realize the road that you're on.
And turn and trust in and live for God.
For what is it we were singing earlier?
For he alone can rescue.
And as if to drive home this point,
he tells them this parable of verse 6
of a man who owns a vineyard.
In that vineyard there was a fig tree
and that fig tree is just not performing as it should.
The tree should have been full of fruit,
but year after year he comes back
and he looks on this tree
and he's just massively disappointed.
How long has this tree had in the passage?
Three years.
Quite rightly, the owner questions,
why should this unproductive tree
continue to take up space in my vineyard?
The vine dresser pleads the case of the fig tree,
convinces the owner to give it another year,
and we're not hopeful,
but the fig tree has one more year to produce fruit.
And like that unfruitful fig tree,
the invitation to the people
is to take advantage of the grace,
the space for grace before judgment comes.
First truth from the straight-talking Jesus,
time is short.
Time is short.
I don't want to dwell too long here this morning.
I want to allow Jesus' words to speak for themselves,
except to ask you to ponder in the quietness
of your own heart
whether you need to do business with God this morning.
And if you think about it,
the very fact that God in the flesh,
Jesus Christ,
has come down to find us,
has stepped into our mess
to tell us this,
is quite amazing.
the lengths that God has gone to
to get this message to us.
Why?
Because he loves us.
And the lengths went further still
as this man,
this man who presents this warning,
is on his way to the cross
to do what?
To lay down his life,
to die for people's sins
so that we could be reconciled
to the God who made us.
That is the first truth,
and that is a heavy truth this morning,
the first truth from the straight-talking Jesus.
is that time is running out.
It's a truth for the people.
Second truth, verses 10 to 17,
is a truth for the leaders.
Verse 10,
Jesus is teaching in the synagogue
one Sabbath day,
and who does he see there?
He sees a woman.
Now it's really interesting,
if you want to follow it with me,
look how Luke tells this story.
What does he know about this woman?
What are we told about this woman?
That she was disabled.
Verse 11,
she was bent over,
and she could not stand up.
Now how long has she been like that?
She's been like it 18 years.
Now that's a long time.
18 years.
Just picture that in your mind.
18 years.
Got some students here this morning,
that is four and a half degrees.
18 years.
This woman has been like this.
And we've got to say,
this woman as we meet her here,
doesn't have an awful lot going for her.
In fact, she epitomizes everything
that Luke has been telling us so far
about those who are lowly,
about those who are poor.
And notice that Jesus sees her.
And there's a wonderful truth there,
that this woman didn't come forward to Jesus
asking him to help her out.
The initiative here is all of Jesus.
It is all of Jesus.
And is that not a wonderful truth
to ponder this morning?
That he came down to find us.
The initiative is all his in this passage.
Jesus sees her,
and he has compassion on her.
He speaks to her.
He lays his hand on her,
as if to signify,
I'm getting involved in this woman's pain.
And he heals her.
Now it is a beautiful Christ
that we're presented with in these verses.
A wonderful Jesus.
Luke wants us to see that.
Jesus gets involved in this woman's pain.
He heals her.
Here is another miracle announcing
that the kingdom of God is here.
Why?
Because Jesus the King is here.
And what is the result?
She glorifies God.
Glorifies God.
Worship fills the synagogue.
And we're thinking,
yes, hallelujah.
But not everybody feels that worship.
Not everybody feels that sense of joy.
Verse 14.
We're introduced to this synagogue ruler.
And look how Luke describes him.
He's not just indifferent
to what Jesus has done.
He's indignant at what Jesus has done.
We get the image there.
His nostrils are flaring up.
He is angry at what Jesus has done.
Why?
Not because of what Jesus has done.
Because of when Jesus has done it.
When has he done it?
He's done it on the Sabbath.
And look how this guy interacts here
with the crowd.
Does he speak to Jesus?
No.
He piously addresses the crowd about Jesus.
Verse 14.
You get six days to do that stuff.
You get six other days to do that stuff.
And understandably,
the straight-talking Jesus
takes exception to this man.
What does he call him?
You hypocrite.
You hypocrites.
He's talking about the lot of them.
Because somehow it's become the norm
to not view caring for your ox
and your donkey in the Sabbath as work.
But it's become the norm
to view healing on the Sabbath as work.
But more to the point,
this man cares more for the health
of his donkey
than he does for the health
of this woman.
The very leaders of God's people
who are supposed to be
giving themselves for these people,
supposed to be leading these people
in obeying the word of the Lord,
leading them in worship.
And here they are,
because of their hard hearts,
neglecting God's people.
And how they are treating this,
what phrase does Jesus use,
this daughter of Abraham?
is case in point.
I remember when I was a student,
many moons ago,
when I first lived on my own,
my mom would phone me
and she would say more than this,
but she would often ask me,
Graham, have you cleaned the oven?
Have you cleaned the oven?
And I would reply to her,
Mom, I have nailed the oven.
I have nailed the oven.
And do you know what I meant by that?
That's it.
I've cleaned the outside.
That's what I meant.
I'd cleaned the outside.
Mom, I've nailed it.
So Mom would come up
and she'd visit.
And she wouldn't head straight
for the oven,
but I knew it was in her head.
And she would go to the oven
and she would see the pristine oven.
She would just open the door
and she would look in
and she would say,
Graham, you've got to be kidding me.
So what Jesus is doing here
with these hearts,
of these people,
he's just opening the oven door.
What he finds
is he opens this oven door,
something clean in the outside,
but something not pretty in the inside.
Second truth from the straight talk in Jesus
is that your hearts are bad.
Do you notice that Luke tells us
about these two groups?
Jesus' adversaries,
so those with hearts,
just like the synagogue ruler,
rejecting Christ
and the people.
And what are they doing?
They're rejoicing at what God has done.
And as Luke tells us this story,
Theophilus,
check out this guy's heart.
And as readers,
we're invited to ask ourselves
this morning
that if Jesus were to open
that oven door of our hearts,
what would he find inside?
What would he find inside?
Would he find somebody
just cleaning the outside,
but playing at it on the inside?
And we're invited to ask,
which group are we in?
One commentator writes,
Jesus is too great a figure
to be left to neutrality.
It's a great quote.
Where are you this morning
in relation to the Lord?
The second truth
from the straight talking Jesus
is a truth for the leaders.
And the third truth this morning
and finally is
verses 18 to 21.
And it's a truth for the disciples.
So Jesus addressing those listening
tells them a reality
about the kingdom of God.
And it's simile time.
I love similes.
Simile time.
What is the kingdom of God like?
Now you can imagine
you're in the crowd.
The rising anticipation levels
at this point
as to what this man is going to say.
What is he going to say next?
Oh, I can't wait to hear it.
Is the kingdom of God,
is it like the blazing sun?
Is it when it comes
and all its radiance,
is it going to blitz away
all the darkness?
Is it like,
is it like that scene in Aladdin
when Prince Ali comes to town
with the elephants in the parade?
Is this king going to come in
and just blitz the place?
Oh boy, I can't wait
to hear what he says.
What simile will Jesus choose?
Well, it's a rhetorical question.
Do you like rhetorical questions?
Just checking.
It's a test.
You're still awake.
Jesus answers this question for them.
What is the kingdom of God like?
What is it like?
It's like a mustard seed.
It's like a what?
It's like a mustard seed.
The smallest seed
that these people could imagine.
Barely visible to the eye.
And it's like that,
a small pinch of yeast
that you would add
to three measures of flour.
Three measures of flour,
50 pounds of dough.
That's the similes
that Jesus gives you
for the kingdom of God.
Like a tiny little mustard seed
and like a teensy little bit of leaven.
Now, what would your word associations be
if you were in the crowd
listening to this?
Unimpressive.
Insignificant.
This is the kingdom of God?
Imagine you were one of the people
listening in.
What would you have made
of Jesus' words here?
Because there are two truths
at the heart of what he says here.
Firstly,
and again,
alliteration,
forgive me,
the posture of the kingdom.
If the kingdom of God
is like a mustard seed,
then Jesus is the mustard seed king.
Now, we've seen that
all the way through
Luke's gospel so far.
Born to a peasant girl.
Born in a stable.
Hanging out with sinners.
A bunch of unimpressive
looking followers.
Rejected by his own.
This is this king.
And here he is
inviting people
to come and follow him.
To follow the guy
who is being persecuted.
To follow the man
with the target on his back.
To follow the guy
who has just gone public
with the fact
that he is journeying
by his own accord
to his death.
But following straight off
the back of the posture
of the kingdom
comes the promise
of the kingdom.
That even though
this may look insignificant
and even though
the lives of the people
if they decide
to follow Jesus
will look insignificant,
Jesus wants his disciples
to know
that no matter
how insignificant
and foolish looking
it looks,
that the kingdom of God
comes with heaven's guarantee
that God
will make it grow.
And he'll make it grow
and he'll transform it
from something menial
and he'll grow it
to something magnificent.
This is the promise.
The third truth
from the straight talking
Jesus
to those who would
follow after him
is the kingdom of God
might look unimpressive
but God is going
to make it grow.
And so as we work
towards a close this morning
let me just make
two points
by way of application.
So this mustard seed king
is here calling
his followers
to embrace
and adopt
mustard seed
lives.
So to follow
this king,
to follow Jesus
is to sign up
for a life
that is very
unimpressive.
Now let me ask you
when was the last time
in your life
that you felt
unimpressive
for following Jesus?
Alex and I
were at a wedding
down south
a few months ago
and one of those
strange weddings
where we knew
nobody apart
from the bride
and the groom
and being an extrovert
I loved that challenge
so I'm speaking
to people
giving away
my game secrets
here but my first
question
where are you from?
Second question
what do you do?
Going around
in a circle
speaking to people
one guy
owns the local
award winning restaurant
great chap
really good guy
next person
doctor
next person
working in
sustainable development
next person
working in the
charity sector
and I'm just
waiting for it
I know it's coming
Green what do you do?
I'm a pastor of a church
I'm a minister of a church
conversation dead
dead
never seen people
head for the canopy
so quick in my life
conversation dead
and I felt
unimpressive
for following this king
unimpressive
when did you last
feel unimpressive
for following this king
as we embrace
this lifestyle
think about it
tomorrow
you'll be asked
I'm sure
for those of you
who go to the office
who work
what did you do
yesterday
I went to church
and imagine for a lot
of us that is
conversation over
so what do we do
in those moments
well following the
mustard seed king
is tough
as we embrace
his lifestyle
what he's calling us
to do here
the posture
but let's be so
encouraged
by the mustard seed
king's promise
because we stand here
what a glorious
privilege it is to stand
where we do in history
we stand
in God's story
at this point
and I guess in particular
we stand
the other side
of the cross
we know
the mustard seed king
met a cross shaped
death
and if ever
there was a mustard seed
moment in this man's
life in history
surely it was Calvary
Jesus suspended
on the cross
surrounded by a handful
of followers
most of whom
have scattered from him
but the truth
that this king rose
and this king
has ascended
and this king
rules
and this king
reigns
and this king's
church by his spirit
it grew
and it grew
now what odds
would you have got
back in 33
roughly AD
that 2000 odd years
later not only
would we be here
but our voices
would join in
with an estimated
2.2 billion people
around the world
who are following
this king
surely that would make
5000 to 1
unless the city
winning the league
a few years ago
looked like child's play
would it not
and yet here we stand
this morning
knowing the truth
of that
and the incredible news
is that this king's church
is still growing
and it's still growing
you know I heard a statistic
recently
that it's estimated
I don't know how they
figure this stuff out
but it's estimated
that in China
19,000 people
come to faith in Jesus
a day
and that's estimated
to go as high
as 48,000 in 2025
now so often
our problem is
that we take
how we see
things going out here
and we just project
it onto the world
this king's kingdom
is growing
and we might not
experience anything
like those numbers
in Scotland
but let me tell you
I've been so encouraged
this week
and over the past few weeks
to speak from church leaders
from across the country
and to hear about
so many churches
being planted
in our nation
Huntley
Haddington
Dundee
Livingston
Inverness
Aberdeen
why?
because this promise
is true
that the kingdom of God
is like a mustard seed
it looks unimpressive
it has small beginnings
but our great God
will grow it
into something spectacular
as he saves men
and women
boys and girls
from across this globe
who put their faith
in his son Jesus Christ
and in this all glorious
and all conquering king
he will grow it
and because I see
and because this is where
we should end this morning
because we see
the proof of that truth
it should encourage us
to build our lives
on every single word
that proceeds
from the mouth of the Lord
that's the confidence
we can take this morning
these straight talking truths
from the straight talking king
are hard
but we can build our lives
because we see the proof
of the truth
crown him
the Lord of heaven
enthroned
in worlds above
crown him
the king
to whom is given
the wondrous name of love
crown him
with many crowns
as thrones
before him fall
crown him
ye kings
with many crowns
for he is king
of all
three truths
from the straight talking
Jesus this morning
Luke chapter 13
time is short
your hearts are bad
the kingdom will grow
just before we pray
why don't we just have
a moment of silence
just for a few moments
as we allow
just before we head
into a busy week
let's just allow
God's word
by his spirit
to fill our minds
and our hearts
just before we finish
and so maybe just in the quiet
I wonder if some of us
need to
crown him
the Lord of all
to take our crown
off our own heads
and to place it
on Christ
Father we thank you
so much this morning
that you are a good God
Father thank you so much
for the truth of your word
that we have it
in our own language
that we can read it
Father that we have
the freedom to meet
together
to worship you
and Father we ask
ask Lord
that you would help us
to heed the truth
of your word
this morning
and you would help us
to hold to the truth
of your word
this morning
Father may Jesus
be ever more glorious
in our eyes
as a result of us
being here this morning
and it's in his glorious name
we pray
Amen