Receiving Repentance
As Jesus travels to Jerusalem, with a clear vision for what the next part of his mission is, his confrontation with the religious elites increases. He frequently comes toe-to-toe with them, maneuvering through their traps with wisdom, calling out their hypocrisy with boldness, and avoiding their distractions with clarity. The Gospel of Luke uses the word “repent” nine times, and all of those times are in this travel narrative, while Jesus’ focus is on Jerusalem. The pride, arrogance, exclusivity, and entitlement of the religious warrants God’s judgment. Although Jesus would rather accept and welcome Jerusalem and her leaders - as a hen cares for her chicks - he can not. He can not turn a blind eye toward their relentless sin while they cling to their assumption that they are good with God. They are not! And in this section, Jesus calls them to repentance and weeps because he knows they will ultimately reject his offer. Repentance shows up as a warning (to those that may reject it), but to those that receive it, it is a gift!
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
Read Luke 13. Jesus’ message is “repent or perish!” We can often view repentance as some necessary chore. What about repentance is gracious? What prevents us from viewing repentance as a gift or as something that reduces us from disaster?
It is easy to drift toward classism. In what ways do you assumer others are better or worse than you?
V. 18-21 describe the kingdom of God as something that starts small and grows abnormally large. What is the benefit and what is the danger of this kind of growth? How does repentance function as a safety measure during seasons of growth and favor?
January 15, 2023 - Gabe Shippam