Luke — Chapter 13

Why do people reject the claims of Christianity? Modern people claim that they are enlightened. They believe in their own reasoning and find Christianity to be irrational and utterly unbelievable. In this sermon on Luke 13:1–9 titled “In the Midst of Life,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows that humankind rejects Jesus for one reason: prejudice. Humanity is in sin and a slave to evil desires and, therefore, he is the least free thinking. Humanity claims that evil disproves God, but Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones argues that this is not a belief born out of the evidence but is a result of prejudice. The only answer to humanity’s sinful state is the gospel. Only the grace of God can open their eyes to see that they are under the judgment of God and living in death. Only the gospel prepares people for death because it frees them from sin and the judgment of God that justly comes to all. This sermon brings the most important message that anyone can hear. It tells humankind that no matter how bad their sin is, God can save them. There is no one beyond the grace of God and the loving grace of Jesus Christ.

In this sermon on Luke 13:23–28 titled “Are There Few That Be Saved?” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones focuses on Christ answering a man’s question: “how many will be saved?” Instances like these, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, allow the believer to see how Jesus walked and talked on Earth. These conversations are important because understanding how Christ acted clues Christians into how He has always been, since the beginning, and for eternity. Jesus answers, “Strive to enter through the narrow door.” Dr. Lloyd-Jones, however, wants to know why Christ answered so strangely. He didn’t quote a number or provide a list of names. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says Jesus didn’t answer because the question wasn’t important. It doesn’t matter how many people will be saved, but rather if the one asking will be saved. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that these types of questions reveal a person’s heart. The man asking Jesus wasn’t interested salvation. He wanted to approach Christ as an equal, to discuss matters of philosophy or theology. He concludes by saying that Jesus isn’t interested in discussion. His opinion is the only opinion that matters, and when it comes to salvation, Christ wants to see to a person’s soul, to show him or her His redemptive love.

In this sermon on Luke 13:31–31 titled “The Lord of Lords,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones centers this sermon around a critical topic: Why do people not believe? He visits an important passage where the character of Jesus is on display. When told by the Pharisees that Herod is out to kill Him, Christ says, “Go ye, and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’” Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains the political undercurrents beneath such an interaction. The Pharisees and Herod did not care for Jesus’s safety, but rather wanted Him out of their territory. Herod could not kill Jesus, for surely there would be an uproar in the kingdom. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that both the Pharisees and Herod try to tempt Christ out of His redeeming purpose but God cannot be distracted or led astray. Nothing can derail the plan God has put forth. And like the Pharisees and Herod, a person cannot make Jesus go away. They must come face to face with Him and choose to reject or believe. In closing, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones encourages those who have not believed to see the Son for who He is, and accept His providential and tremendous love.

Who are the hypocrites? In this sermon on Luke 13:34–35 titled “In the Shadow of His Wing,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains how those who rejected Jesus in the time of his ministry were just like those that persecuted the prophets and murdered them in the Old Testament. The greatest opposition to Jesus came not from the outright rebellious world, but from the religious leaders of the day. They killed their Messiah because He was not what they wanted Him to be. Dr. Lloyd-Jones further expands this convicting message by showing what the Jewish leaders did in rejecting Jesus and killing him is no different than what the modern-day religious person does. They seek to live by their own righteousness and feel no need for a crucified savior. Those who reject Him do so not out of intellectual opposition and reason, but because they are sinners who have been blinded by their evil ways. But in the gospel, there is power to save even the most sin-hardened hypocrite, for the gospel is God’s power unto salvation for all who believe.