Charlie Kirk
some would call him a man of God.
some would call him a political activist
some viewed him as a great example for society
others viewed him as a part of the problem for the division
Since his assassination a couple of weeks ago, some have asked me why I haven’t said much about Charlie. Frankly I haven’t said much about any of the killings or deaths that have happened. I haven’t anything about Charlie because I didn’t pay attention to him much. I heard the highlights from both sides, but did not follow him personally. Maybe I blinded myself to that. My mandate as a pastor is to teach the word and to help us to live according to the Kingdom of God amidst the kingdom of man.
There was a time a few years ago when his organization reached out to me with an invitation as they were rallying churches to get behind Trump. I declined the invitation because I did not want to conflate the message of the Gospel with Trump or the Republican party. Frankly I don’t think either party speaks fully, clearly, or compellingly in favor of biblical values and ethics. There are biblical and unbiblical elements of both parties. You may or may not agree with me, and that’s okay. I still love you and I hope you still love me.
From what I can see, he was a good man who was trying to do what he thought best for his family, his faith, and his nation - something we all should strive for.
But one of the things that Charlie’s death reveals is the ways that the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Man work differently. Charlie seemed to try to use his influence to foster change. His argument was one that sought to convince people to change their mind rather than to force them to. He invited conversation and welcomed a discussion. He sought to elevate both the Kingdom of God as he promoted biblical values and shared the gospel on college campuses and the Kingdom of Man as he rallied people to support the causes and candidates of one party.
Conflicts between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Man have been around since the beginning of time. Jesus experienced this conflict in His day.
In first century, Israel was an environment where the political structure was one of Roman occupation. The emperor in Rome installed regional rulers and governors to keep the Pax Romana on his behalf. The religious leaders of that day worked to garner some favor with the Roman government and made provisions for the Jewish people to worship their way. As leaders, they controlled the way. Both groups seem to represent the Kingdom of Man - even though one was supposed to advocate for God’s Kingdom.
Jesus sought to model another way - the way of the Kingdom of God. Throughout Jesus’ ministry, we find the Kingdom of God clashing with the Kingdom of Man. The passage we’re looking at today is one of those times.
It seems like Big Idea is: Real faith in the kingdom of God is not defined by rigid rule-following but by a loving relationship with Jesus that transforms how we interact with others.
Open your Bible to Luke 13. We will be considering verses 10-14:6.
Luke brackets the discussion with two healings that take place on Sabbath days - or the day of rest. While they both make similar points and reveal certain inconsistencies or points of hypocrisy in the religious leaders of his day. The first helps us to see that the Kingdom of God is about…
Prioritizing People Over Procedures (13:10-17)
Luke 13:10–17 ESV
Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.
The kingdom of man takes many different forms. We see it in political circles, legal environments, academic campuses, and even as we notice here, in religious institutions.
Here, this synagogue, which was designed to be a gathering place for God’s people, a place for people to come and learn, to worship God, to find community, had become a place where rules reigned over relationships, good deeds over grace.
What is so sad about this encounter is that the ruler of the Synagogue belittles those who are coming and not the One who offered the healing (frankly he should not have belittled either). And yet, even if their motivation to assemble came from a desire be made whole, their healing did not break the traditions.
There are hundreds of laws in the Old Testament. There are even some specifications around what was and what was not acceptable on the Sabbath. Beyond those laws, the Jewish legal scholars added 39 rules designed to keep people from breaking those laws. While this language is a bit cryptic, see if you can hear anything about healing:
The Mishnah Shabbat
The generative categories of acts of labor [prohibited on the Sabbath] are forty less one:
B (1) he who sews, (2) ploughs, (3) reaps, (4) binds sheaves, (5) threshes, (6) winnows, (7) selects [fit from unfit produce or crops], (8) grinds, (9) sifts, (10) kneads, (11) bakes;
C (12) he who shears wool, (13) washes it, (14) beats it, (15) dyes it;
D (16) spins, (17) weaves,
E (18) makes two loops, (19) weaves two threads, (20) separates two threads;
F (21) ties, (22) unties,
G (23) sews two stitches, (24) tears in order to sew two stitches;
H (25) he who traps a deer, (26) slaughters it, (27) flays it, (28) salts it, (29) cures its hide, (30) scrapes it, and (31) cuts it up;
I (32) he who writes two letters, (33) erases two letters in order to write two letters;
J (34) he who builds, (35) tears down;
K (36) he who puts out a fire, (37) kindles a fire;
L (38) he who hits with a hammer; (39) he who transports an object from one domain to another—
M lo, these are the forty generative acts of labor less one.
Is healing there? Is being treated for an ailment there?
No
And I think that is a bit of what Jesus is getting at. They were so concerned with the procedures that they failed to see the people that were coming to seek God’s providence.
Jesus points out that these rule enforcers would be the very ones who would break rules if their animal was bound up in a predicament.
Christians - I know in my own life it can be tempting to be a strict rule follower. There is comfort in the clarity. But an overwhelming focus on rules also elevates laws over loved ones.
Do you and I have unwritten or unspoken expectations for others?
where do we tend to focus on legalism or moral adherence rather than the people to whom God has called us to minister?
Where are we being hypocritical - judging others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions?
Even in political realms, do we view one side as the only side for Bible believing Christians and assume that everyone else is lost?
For all of us, just as Jesus saw this woman and the disability that plagued her, know that Jesus sees our pain, our illness, our disability. The biggest things - our sin - He addressed in His death, burial, and resurrection.
He also sees and understands our individual predicaments. I wish I fully knew why He heals some and lets others go for a time. In all of this, know that He sees you - just as he saw this woman.
We could say that the Kingdom of man is about restriction.
The Kingdom of God is about resurrection - bringing new life where deadness existed.
The kingdom of man is about bondage - heavy handed rules and expectations.
The Kingdom of God is about freedom to walk in the grace of His unconditional love!
The beauty of this is that as people begin to step away from the kingdom of man into the kingdom of God, they get to experience…
Permeating Growth by Grace (13:18-30)
Luke 13:18–30 ESV
He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”
And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”
He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”
Jesus begins by making some observations about the Kingdom of God - using two different metaphors.
Mustard seed - upward/outward/visible
Like a mustard seed, the Kingdom of God begins small and grows large. Thabiti Anybwile notes that this is an upward and outward growth. This is a visible growth.
As we continue reading through the New Testament, especially in the book of Acts, we see this fledgling Kingdom of God expand and grow. It goes out into a great many parts of the known world. In fact, it’s estimated that by the 300s, roughly 2/3rds of the population of the World had become believers even though it was illegal to be a Christian for most of that time! The Kingdom of Man could not hold back the Kingdom of God!
Today, there are between 25-33% of the world who profess to be Christians. So in some ways, it begs the question - what happened? I think this is where people who professed to be Kingdom of God people began to use kingdom of man principles to rule, control, to cajole
Constantine - declared Christianity the official religion and coerced many in his army to get baptized
Wealthy leaders who liked the control of the old system paid lip service to genuine salvation in order to keep control.
During the Dark Ages, the leaders of the church restricted learning and knowledge and controlled the language in order to keep some people in the dark, garnering power, knowledge and control.
And yet - this is again where the Kingdom of God gets a sort of re-birth. As godly leaders truly read the Word and submitted to it, they put the Word of God into everyone’s hands. They translated the Word into the languages of common people so that everyone had direct access to God. Thus, the reformation became a vehicle by which the Kingdom of God demonstrated its superiority over the Kingdom of man.
But as this kingdom grows from small to large, upward and outward, did you notice that it becomes a blessing to others - even those who might not be a part of that Kingdom? In Jesus’ analogy, the birds come and rest in the branches, finding shade and shelter.
I’m so grateful for the ministries that God has called us to. Things like helping to staff the Thrift Shop, contributing to benevolence, giving away food and gift cards to people in need, preparing meals for many in need through RAH. In these things, God has collectively given us an opportunity to let people find rest and refreshment in God’s Kingdom. They may or may not ever come to faith, but we should continue to be as much of a shelter as God has enabled us to be. At the same time, we should continue to proclaim the good news of the gospel to all who may come to the gospel for shelter.
Leaven - within/invisible
But in addition to growing upward and outward, from small to large, the gospel permeates from within throughout society. As citizens in a society grow in faith and as more people become followers of Christ, their Gospel presence permeates throughout society - making a difference - like leaven permeating flour. You could say it grows sort of invisibly - yet visibly.
While Jesus reflects on the way that the Kingdom of God grows, He doesn’t comment on the Kingdom of man, except in a vacuum. When we look at the society around us, so often, the Kingdom of Man consists of control, but also outside in or or forced adherence. The Kingdom of Man passes laws that people are required to follow. The Kingdom of Man often expands through conflict and conquest and subjugation - rather than through transformation.
I think this is a bit of what makes Christian Nationalism so dangerous. It uses “Kingdom of Man” concepts to propagate the Kingdom of God.
Jesus seems to both teach and demonstrate that the Kingdom of God is expanded without the enforcement of government. It grows from within, permeating earthly kingdoms - no matter what the environment.
So as Jesus travels about teaching about the Kingdom of God, a man asks him about the number of people in the Kingdom. Jesus communicates that entrance into the kingdom is through a…
Narrow, soon-closing door
Jesus - didn’t answer how many, but that the way is small and the door will close. Jesus urged him to strive or work toward entering the Kingdom and to do it before it’s too late.
friend - know that there is one way into the Kingdom of God - through Jesus - there will come a time when either the door of eternity will close or the span of your life will end. After that point in time, it will be too late. You may have participated as an observer in a church or tried to do good things - but if you’ve never entered through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, then you’re on the outside.
come
come today
So as Jesus helps us see some of the distinctions between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of humans, one of the pharisees comes to him, urging him to beware because Herod wants to kill him. In this, Jesus demonstrates that the Kingdom of God is about…
Propelling Love Over Loss (13:31-15)
Luke 13:31–35 ESV
At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” 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. 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.’ 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! 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!’ ”
According to the Jewish historian Josephus, Herod liked to ensure that his region (Galilee and Peraea) were peaceful. It could be that Jesus’ ministry marked a bit of a disruption in the region which is why Herod wanted to kill him.
It does seem a bit odd that a Pharisee would want to warn Jesus, after all, they were trying to catch him in controversy and undermine his ministry. Eventually, they would be the ones trying to find a way to have him killed. But as the old saying goes, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Them warning Jesus may have been a way for them to stick it to Herod - at least for a time.
So Jesus responds with some sharp words - calling Herod a “fox”. Herod was the man who had had John the Baptist killed for little more than a show (Luke 9:7-9, Mark 6:14-29).
Jesus was not afraid to go to Jerusalem - this was one of the political seats of power for the region, but it was also the religious seat of power - and yet Jerusalem, while it should have marked the center of the Kingdom of God - humans had usurped that for their own gain and power. Jerusalem would eventually mark the place where the Kingdom God and the Kingdom of Man will compete in a cosmic battle - but not yet.
In spite of the loss that Jesus would face in Jerusalem, He still loved his people. He loved the people for whom He died. Jesus even notes in John’s gospel…
John 15:13 ESV
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
The loss of his life was the means by which he demonstrated the depth of his love for those who would kill him.
The loss of his life was the means by which he demonstrated the depth of His love for you and me. He completed the work he needed to do with his life so that He could complete an eternal work on our behalf with his death and resurrection. He did not fear Herod, or death, or the cross - He would endure all of those things out of love for the Father and His own followers.
In His lament, Jesus notes how often he longed Luke 13:34 “…..gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” They were not willing.
How often are we unwilling to be near Jesus, to bask in his love, to learn at his feet? How often do we stiff arm the spiritual embrace that Jesus offers?
Oh that we would truly let down our Kingdom of Man guards and truly rest in His love.
Finally, Jesus helps us see that that the Kingdom of God is about…
Promoting Mercy Over Meticulousness (14:1-6)
Luke 14:1–6 ESV
One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” And they could not reply to these things.
So here we find Jesus poking the bear on another sabbath with a healing. This is one of the final times that Luke notes a Sabbath healing. This is also another dinner, a meal where Jesus has been invited to dine in the home of a Pharisee. Whatever their motives with Jesus, they certainly practiced hospitality with him - and others. Ironically, Jesus is dining on a Sabbath - this must have been a Friday evening meal so that all of the preparations could be done ahead of time and the meal could be enjoyed at dusk.
Meals like this must have been public events because a man shows up who has dropsy (also known as edema) or in Greek hydropikos. His limbs had been swollen with fluid. Religious leaders in Jesus’ day often equated this condition with some sort of sexual sin, though this was not necessarily the case. Dropsy is a symptom of another underlying medical problem such as heart failure or kidney problems. It can be quite uncomfortable and even deadly.
So again, Jesus uses this as an opportunity to ask about what is and what is not legal on the Sabbath - namely healing this man. Whether he had stumped them or not, they did not speak.
In response to their silence, Jesus took (touched) the man - not grossed out by his condition, healed him, and sent him on his way - unbound by the watery-weight that plagued him - AND the underlying disease that resulted in this visible symptom.
As He did with the woman who was bent over, He scolded those who were present with the same rebuke: Luke 14:5 “And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?””
Jesus was ultimately prompting them and us to promote mercy rather than demanding strict adherence to traditions.
Yes, we do need to call people to repentance, but we should not demand obedience before extending mercy.
Poolesville Day
parade - celebration of so many different things
schools
sports teams
first responders
but also things that might cause us or our Savior sadness
idol worship
sexually charged dancing
pride surrounding unbiblical identities or orientations
In seeing those things, do we (do I) have the judgmental heart of a pharisee or a merciful heart of compassion like Jesus? Would I welcome someone to my home or invite them to sit at my table or write them off in condemnation?
Showing mercy is not endorsement, but it’s also not judgment. The Judge is coming soon. Our job is to introduce people to the loving embrace of the Savior who took their judgment, just as he did ours.
Closing thoughts:
As we wrap up, there are so many areas that we can touch on. This afternoon or this week in your community group, consider what areas the Kingdom of man and the Kingdom of God collide in your life.
As people of the Kingdom of God, we live by His ways, act by His standards, grow by His methods.
Kingdom of man (whether political or religious) is about control and limitations
Kingdom of God - began small but grows large - permeates every kingdom of man.
Kingdom of God is about grace, wholeness, healing
Kingdom of God frees - releases
Kingdom of man kills
Kingdom of God resurrects - restores
The kingdom of man is temporary
The kingdom of God is eternal
Yes, the kingdom of God has a narrow door (that will soon close). He sees people for who they are and welcomes people from all over, it requires that we surrender our kingdoms to His, but it results in abundant life now and eternal life to come! Whose kingdom are we living in? Whose kingdom are we promoting?
Let’s pray
Benediction:
Luke 9:2 ESV
and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.
Questions for reflection and discussion
Read Luke 13:10-14:6.
Discussion leaders, this is a long section of scripture and the questions are generally divided among the smaller pericopes (sections). Feel free to adapt and adjust as you see fit according to the needs of your group and the conversations that ensue.
What stands out or surprises you in this passage?
What did Jesus do when He saw the crippled woman? (13:12)
How did the woman respond to what Jesus had done? (13:13)
Why was the synagogue ruler indignant? (13:14) What did he announce to the crowd? What is odd about that?
What example did Jesus give to justify His healing of the woman? (13:15–16)
What self-imposed rule or tradition do you need to modify to allow for God’s work?
To what did Jesus liken the kingdom of God? (13:18–21) How are those metaphors similar/different?
What makes a mustard seed a good illustration of God’s kingdom? What might the birds represent?
What makes yeast a good illustration of God’s kingdom?
In 13:22-30, What is Jesus communicating? What urgency should that produce in us? Who will be inside? Who will be outside?
Who came to Jesus? Why? (13:31) How was Jesus in danger? What message did Jesus have for Herod (vs. 32-33)
To what did Jesus compare His concern for Jerusalem? (13:34)
In 14:1-6 how is this pericope similar/different from 13:1-17? What should we learn from Jesus’ lesson? How can we apply that lesson in our day?
Sources:
Anyabwile, Thabiti. Exalting Jesus in Luke. Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2018.
Bock, Darrell L. Luke 9:51-24:53. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999.
Easton, M. G. Illustrated Bible Dictionary and Treasury of Biblical History, Biography, Geography, Doctrine, and Literature. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1893.
Martin, John A. “Luke.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
Liefeld, Walter L. “Luke.” In The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke, edited by Frank E. Gaebelein, Vol. 8. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984.
McKinley, Mike. Luke 12-24 for You. Edited by Carl Laferton. God’s Word for You. The Good Book Company, 2016.
Stein, Robert H. Luke. Vol. 24. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992.
The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible. Biblical Studies Press, 2005. Print.
Wilcock, Michael. The Savior of the World: The Message of Luke’s Gospel. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1979.
Young, E. J., and F. F. Bruce. “Sabbath.” In New Bible Dictionary, edited by D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer, and D. J. Wiseman. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996.
