My sermon notes for Sunday morning, March 17th. Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. The notes are provided as an outline each week for our Tabernacle Church family. The church provides a live stream of the service each Sunday at 10:30 on Facebook. We also provide the services through YouTube by Sunday afternoon. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, Prayer List, and other resources at our Church Website.
Luke 13:1–9
INTRO
- Jesus continues to warn and teach the disciples.
- Here Jesus teaches on the Necessity of Repentance
AS WE CONSIDER THE AFFAIRS OF THE DAY
Real Life Events – Pilate and the Tower in Siloam
They were more inclined to talk about what is happening to others, rather than consider our own life.
- I wonder what they did… for that to happen
They had a wrong perspective (world view) on life
- If you are good, then good things happen.
- This is not a biblical worldview
- God does judge sin and sometimes it is suddenly (Herod)
- Here, it is catastrophes that take place without discrimination.
Some people still think the same way today. They believe that suffering is always and only caused by the sin of those who suffer. Therefore, they say that you are to blame for whatever goes wrong. If something bad happens—if you lose your job, or come down with a serious illness—then you must have done something bad to deserve it. You have brought your troubles on yourself.
Sometimes people do suffer the consequences for their own actions. However, not all suffering is caused by someone’s sin. Even when it is, we do not know all of God’s reasons for doing what he is doing in someone’s life—including our own lives. Therefore, we simply do not have the right to make moral judgments that are based on someone’s suffering. Jesus rejected this whole line of reasoning. He said no one should think that the Galilean martyrs were any worse than anyone else. When their blood was shed, God was not singling them out to punish them for their sins.
Philip Graham Ryken, Luke, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, vol. 2, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2009), 4.
UNLESS YOU REPENT YOU WILL LIKEWISE PERISH
- They did not perish because they were sinners.
- We need to look at our own life. Yes, they passed, but where do we stand.
- The heart of their concern… was their view of their righteousness.
- We all are sinners. Romans 3:23
- They were asking ..why them? We should be asking… why not me?
The Issue Is Repentance.
- Turning from our sin and to Christ in faith.
- “Repent and be converted” Acts 3:19
Repentance: Turning from sin to Christ. From our sin to His righteousness (J.C. Ryle)
- Acknowledge sin
- Sorrow over sin
- Confession of our sin
- Breaking off of sin
- Producing a habit of deep hatred for sin
There was never one who was washed in the blood of Christ who did not feel, and mourn, and confess, and hate his own sin. (J.C. Ryle)
AS WE ANTICIPATE THE COMING JUDGMENT
The Parable – Fig tree and Israel
In His vineyard
- The best spot. Fertile, protection
- Given much
- The privilege of being God’s people (Israel)
- The prosperity of living in our current culture
- Micah 7:1; Isaiah 5:1-7
Not bearing fruit
- Should have been producing fruit
- The nation of Israel. Rejecting Christ
- The fruitlessness of our churches/believers (America)
Cut it down
- The judgment of God
Let it alone this year also
- The grace and mercy of the Lord
- How much longer does Israel need?
But if not, then cut down
- Luke 21:5-7
- A.D. 70. Destruction of the Temple
THE WHAT NOW
- It is easy to consider the spiritual condition of others, but how often we will look in the mirror.
- What will we say to the Lord when we stand before Him? Consider all that we have been given? Does what we have received compare with the fruit we are bearing?