February 28, 2010 [Lent 2] Luke 13:31-35 J.D.Roekle

³¹At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, "Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you."

³²He replied, "Go tell that fox, 'I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.' ³³In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!

³⁴"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! ³⁵Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

Dear Friends in Christ,

If the name Joannie Rochette doesn’t ring a bell, you haven’t been following the Olympic Winter Games very closely. She is the Canadian figure skater who won a bronze medal just a few days ago. That is an outstanding accomplishment in itself, but it is made more remarkable considering the circumstances in which she skated. Just two days prior to the competition’s beginning, her mother who had just arrived in Vancouver that day died suddenly of a heart attack. With that weighing heavily in her mind, she decided to follow through with her Olympic dream and skate. She showed amazing determination and resiliency in some extremely rough times.

You might recall another winter Olympian who also showed a great deal of resiliency and determination. One of Wisconsin’s own, Dan Jansen won a speed skating gold medal in 1994 at the Lillehammer games. Again, a great achievement in itself, but unless you know the rest of the story, you can’t appreciate how special it was for him. In the ’84 games, he came in 4^th place in an event. Only 18, he was an up-and-comer. During the next 4 years he rose to the top of the world’s standings in two events. In 1988 at Calgary, Jansen was a favorite to win the 500 meter race. On the day of his race, he received a phone call telling him his sister was dying. She died later that day. He raced, but partway through his race, he fell, dashing his medal hopes. He returned to the Olympics in 1992 in Albertville, France where he was favored in two races, but came up short in both. Then finally in his last race in his Olympic career he received his gold medal in ‘94. If there is a better story of individual persistence or perseverance in Olympic history, I’m not aware of it.

But you know one much greater than any Olympian who achieved even greater things than winning medals. We are evidence of his achievements. We wouldn’t be here today if he had not succeeded in the greatest victory ever. But the road to victory was not easy. He would endure trials, troubles, temptations. He would endure premature threats on his life. Countless people tried to stop him from doing the work he was determined to complete. And we thank God that Jesus was persistent in going about his Father’s work. Today, let’s take a few moments to Admire Jesus’ Perseverance.

In our account, Jesus was going about his business of teaching and preaching and performing miracles. There is some debate whether Jesus is in the region of Galilee to the north or on the east side of the Jordan River in Perea. In either case, they were both territories that were governed by Herod Antipas. While Jesus was popular here among the people, his presence didn’t sit well with everyone. Some Pharisees approached Jesus and told him: “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.”

Now if you know anything about the Pharisees, the appearance of them being concerned about Jesus should make you immediately suspicious. In Jesus many encounters with them, they were always trying to trap Jesus in His words. We know from Mark’s Gospel that the Pharisees were already conspiring with a group called the Herodians to kill Jesus. The Pharisees wanted Jesus stopped.

It wasn’t likely that they were trying to save Jesus, but rather it was much more likely that they were attempting to get Jesus to move on to Jerusalem where they would have a better opportunity to end Jesus’ work and life.

But because they were warning about Herod, Jesus answered the Pharisees this way: “Go tell that fox, 'I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.' ³³In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!”

Jesus’ words served to remind Herod, the Pharisees and everyone else that he was in control. Jesus was following the Father’s plan, and an exit from this area wasn’t in the plan as of yet. Jesus knew that the plan would culminate in Jerusalem, but he also knew that this was not yet the time for him to go there. He was following God’s timetable and no one else’s. He was determined to stick to the plan.

In fact, Jesus gave a veiled reference to the Pharisees as to when the goal of this plan would be reached. He told them it would be on ‘the third day.’ What was veiled before the Pharisees is clear to you and me. Jesus’ plan would culminate with his crucifixion, death, and his resurrection… on the third day.

Each day is measured out in God’s plan. Jesus carefully kept to that plan. You can be thankful that you are a part of that plan. Way before your parents even met, the Lord chose you. He picked you to be his own. And he selected you in spite of the fact that you would be conceived and born in sin. He chose you even though he knew you would continually rebel against him.

It was his perseverance that brought you into his kingdom. He sent his Spirit to work in you as you were baptized, washing your sins away. He brought you to faith through his Gospel and keeps your faith growing and strong through it as well. He works on your behalf seeking to shield you from temptation and spiritual harm. And even when you fall into sin, and push him away, Jesus sticks to his plan. He forgives you and assures you that he wants you to live in his kingdom forever. Admire Jesus’ Perseverance where you are concerned! It is his determination that made you his own, and it is his persistence that ensures that his plan for you is carried out. As you admire this characteristic of Jesus, you can take comfort in it.

But Jesus’ perseverance also serves as a warning to those who reject Jesus. Listen to Jesus: ³⁴"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! ³⁵Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

Jesus had a special place in his heart for Jerusalem, but at the same time Jerusalem was a deep disappointment to him. Jerusalem was the seat of Jewish authority. It was the central hub of spiritual life for the Jew. The temple was the centerpiece of the city and people flocked from near and far to gather in Jerusalem for various appointed festivals.

Even its name was meant to endear people to itself. Contained in the name is a form of the word ‘Shalom’ the common Hebrew greeting which means ‘peace.’ So the very name of Jerusalem indicated that it was a ‘city of peace.’

However, the very ones who the Lord sent to them to bring them peace were shut down. Through the prophet Jeremiah (in our Old Testament lesson) the Lord sought to bring repentance, and thus peace to the hearts of the people by prophesying the destruction of Jerusalem. All Jeremiah received from the people there was hatred and persecution.

Another of God’s prophets, Zechariah, was sent to Jerusalem with the message that because they had forsaken God, God would forsake them. Again it was a call to repentance. Instead of repenting, the people in their fury took it out on the messenger. They ended up stoning Zechariah in the courtyard of the temple.

And so Jesus laments over the city of Jerusalem because of its rejection of God’s prophets. Jesus wanted to gather them to himself, but they were not willing. And so the Lord warned them of impending destruction. Yes, the city of Jerusalem would be destroyed in less than 40 years from that point.

But even worse, the Lord warns of eternal destruction. Those who don’t acknowledge Jesus as one who has come in the name of the Lord, will not see him again. Not seeing Jesus means not seeing God. It means being shut out of the kingdom until they acknowledge Jesus as Savior.

What a stark warning to unbelievers. To all who reject Jesus as the way and the truth and the life. Until they acknowledge that no one comes to the Father except through him, they are headed down the certain road of destruction. Jesus the Judge is determined to come one day to bring those who cling to him in faith into his heaven, and sentence to hellfire those who reject him, just as they have rejected all messengers of the Word.

What drove Olympians Joannie Rochette and Dan Jansen to persevere? I’m sure there are various factors, but as Joannie Rochette spoke to a reporter, she said that it was her dream from childhood, and her mother’s dream for her as well.

What was it that drove Jesus to persist in carrying out God’s plan? What was it that would cause him to be so determined to eventually get to Jerusalem where he knew would suffer an excruciating death? We can only answer it with the word love. A love that is beyond our comprehension. We admire this love that leads Jesus to persevere where we are concerned. May we in reaction to this love persevere in following the way of the Lord until at last we reach the heavenly Jerusalem. Amen.