A Village Rejects Jesus

[0:00] Now as we see God's blessing upon his own work and his spirit to drive us along the way of holiness, we're coming back to the portion of scripture that we read in Luke's Gospel and chapter 9, and reading at verse 51.

[0:23] When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he sent his face to go to Jerusalem.

[0:35] And he sent messengers ahead of him who went and entered the village of the Samaritans to make preparations for him, but the people did not receive him because his face was set towards Jerusalem.

[0:48] And when his disciples, James and John, saw it, they said, Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them? But he turned and rebuked him.

[1:03] And they went on to another village. Jesus, more than once, when he's referring to the works he was doing in this world, and the timing of things, he always referred to it as a time.

[1:28] My time, he said, has not yet come. And again, he refers to it as a no, my own has not yet come.

[1:39] And we see that because Jesus Christ is going by a perfect clock. He is going by a perfect plan.

[1:51] And everything fits into that plan. However, upside down the thing appears to be at times. And that is why he said to the woman at the well of Samaria there, who had done.

[2:07] And this comes through the theology. And the theology that revolved around a well and a mountain.

[2:18] And they knew about Jacob. They knew that Jacob, she knew that Jacob had drunk from that well. And he said, but Jesus said to her, woman says, the hour is coming.

[2:33] The hour is coming, he said. And the hour is here. And I will say, when you shall neither worship upon this mountain, at this well or upon this mountain.

[2:45] Because, he said, of the Father. The Father, he said, he requires a worship that is in spirit and in truth.

[2:59] You see, the wells were in the way. The theology was upside down. But that was all that mattered to that woman at that time.

[3:10] And we must always be careful that we are not swallowed up in that type of thinking. Where it seems to be clear enough for ourselves. But against the clock of eternity, it is miles off.

[3:25] And that is why he says this to us. He said, in another case, my time has not yet come. And I must keep, he said, the Passover at your house.

[3:35] Everything was along the lines of that time and everything along that hour. Everything in Jesus' life happened according to the divine plan of God.

[3:53] Now you see, when we grapple with infinity, that's what we're doing. With God's plan. We are finite creatures. And because we are finite creatures, we are limited.

[4:07] It doesn't matter how much of a mind we have, how deep we can think. We are within the realms of finite, the finite things.

[4:19] But he says, Jesus here was speaking about things that were infinite. Eternal things, he said. And they differ in time from our interpretation of time.

[4:34] Everything in Jesus' life happened according to that. You read through it, you find that that is the way it was. People were going to arrest him. Then they couldn't arrest him.

[4:46] Because his time had not come. And there are multiple other things along that way. So that he lived in a sense in the present tense of God's love.

[5:02] In the present tense of God's love. That's why he was never alone. He was never alone. And that is one thing we have to learn bit by bit.

[5:15] We are slow to take all these things on board. But that is the way it is. That when we are being sanctified by the word of God and by the spirit of God.

[5:28] It is as if he is releasing to us some of these great mysteries. And that you apply them to our own personal plans. And also his will was in harmony with the divine plan also.

[5:48] The will. That's our problem. The bondage of the human will. That it is bound up there.

[5:59] It was bound in sin and nature's night. That's how Wesley puts it. Fast bound in sin and nature's night.

[6:12] And able to release ourselves from it. Because our wills were not in harmony with God's plan. Divine plan for us.

[6:24] And despite Jesus' foreknowledge of the bitterness. The cost of this. The indescribable bitterness and hatred and the agony.

[6:37] He is fully determined to accomplish. And that's where we pick up this story here. The work which the Father has given him to do.

[6:49] He is going to do it. But our wills are warped. That is the reason in that we were where we were before grace touched our lives.

[7:07] We did everything according to our own wills. And nobody could tell us otherwise. This is the only one who could tell us.

[7:17] This is the only one who could shape the system in such a way. That he would synchronize our wills to his will. And it's when we are brought into this union.

[7:32] That we experience the peace of God. Peace of God. No wonder. How could we have peace? We were searching for peace here, there and everywhere.

[7:43] As the world still is. But, you see, this peace and the shame. When our wills. When we have come round. When he brings the throne to our own.

[7:56] To his will. And lodges us in there. It doesn't say before his death here.

[8:06] He says before his ascension. Before he was taken up from this world. Before he returned to glory.

[8:17] That's what all this is about. It is about glory. It is about our salvation. It is about our realigning us with God.

[8:29] So that we can enjoy God forever. That was the reason we were created man. Man's chief end is to glorify God. And to enjoy him forever.

[8:41] And God has to intervene in this problem. Because of ourselves. We cannot do this. Before his ascension. Before his return to glory.

[8:54] He fully realizes that the cross is there. But he sees the cross. As a stepping stone. To the crown. No cross.

[9:07] No crown. No crown. And that is true. In our own personal lives. We have to come to this place. We have to come to Calvary.

[9:18] We have to be broken there. We have to tell the truth there. And then. If we see it. As the only way. To heaven.

[9:30] Is through Christ. He fully realizes. This is this. That Timothy. Said this way. Who for the joy. That was sent before him.

[9:41] Endures the cross. It has a feeling. About that word. Hasn't it? Endures the cross. Despising the shame. Despising the shame.

[9:53] The set down at the right hand. Of God the Father. The throne of God. In heaven. And he has become. Now.

[10:03] Our surety. Our guarantee. He is the one. Who has done the work. So I want to look at this. Just three little things.

[10:15] First of all. The course. He maintained. He steadfastly. Sent his face. To go. To Jerusalem.

[10:25] No flinching. No flinching. No flinching. From the duty. At all. It was all. To do with this. This was.

[10:36] How important. You know yourself. How important. It is. To have. To start from the right. Premise. In anything. If you expect to end up.

[10:47] At the right answer. You have to start. Begin. With the right. Premise. And this is what he shows us here. He didn't flinching. Sin. And that is what this world.

[10:59] Tonight. Needs. People. Who are steadfast. Who are not afraid. To stand out. And to own. Their God.

[11:09] And to say. To the world. You have nothing. To teach us. As far as this is concerned. You see. Our duty. As Christians.

[11:22] Thomas Watson. The. Great puritan. Of his own age. And said. Very simply. He said. He said. Duty. Is our.

[11:35] Success. Is God's. We do our duty. We're not going to change. People's lives. No one here is going to change.

[11:46] People's lives. But. God can change their life. Through the. The person. We don't claim the glory. For anything. That happens. Like that. Because the prerogative.

[11:58] Is with God. My friend. He moves. First of all. And then. It happens. And Jesus himself. Was looking for people.

[12:08] Like that. He said. Anyone. He puts his hand. He puts his hand. To the plow. And looks back. Is not fit. For the kingdom. Of God. You know that.

[12:19] From the illustrations. Around about. You hear. Days come by. When people. Were plowing. Where every inch. Of ground. There was plowing. Somewhere or another. See. People took a lot.

[12:30] Of pride. In doing things. Like that. And some people. Were better at it. Than other people. We have to say that. But you see.

[12:40] A straight furrow. Was what Jesus. Was saying here. Like wanted Christians. Who are Christians. Somebody said. That the believer.

[12:51] Is to live. In stark contrast. To the culturally. Accepted. Norms. Of the day. In stark contrast.

[13:03] To it. Because he has been. Brought into. This union. With the one. Who made this. Possible for him. It's not.

[13:15] Conforming. To the world. It's not going along. With everything. That the world. Says. You see. That's a good way. Of coincing. The church. Of Jesus Christ.

[13:28] Not at all. Christ. Gave you. And I. Something. That we might not. Shirk. Or flinch. He set his face.

[13:40] As to go. Into Jerusalem. You see. In the state. Of our. Our country. Today. Because of this. Of compromise.

[13:51] After compromise. After compromise. On the great issues. On the great issues. And because of that. They don't take that. From Christ.

[14:02] Here he shows them. This is the example. He said. He set. His face. As a flint. He said. To go to church. There was nothing. Going to stand in his way.

[14:14] No. Nothing. Nothing. Would stop them. Doing this. And that is how Christ. And God. Graced this world. Through Christ. If you were to remove grace.

[14:26] From this world tonight. What an awful place. You would be living in. The wall you had. Was just common grace. But this grace. That was bought for us.

[14:38] At a price. Of the blood. Of the Lamb. Of God. God was manifest. In the flesh. Justified in the spirit. The sin of angels.

[14:51] Preached unto the Gentiles. And believed on. In the world. And received up. Into glory. That's the cycle.

[15:02] That was the cycle. And that is what he did. That was the agreement. He had with the Father. Before the world was. In this eternal counsel. He set this in motion.

[15:14] He was to come. And do this. But I say. To deal with that. Awful thing. Sin. That people don't want.

[15:25] To know about. In this day and age. Sin. A wee word. That what. The tentacles. That that thing has.

[15:39] On the way to glory. He passed through. This. This inhospitable land. This sinful world. You and I. Passed through this world. Also. We see.

[15:52] See things. That would make. Our flesh. Shutter. From day to day. You see things. More horrible things. Every day. Of life. But you're only seeing them.

[16:04] Through sinful eyes. That you just for a moment. Think. If you can undo that. And see. Have the eyes. That Christ. Who had no sin.

[16:16] And saw this. Saw the cross. And the horror. Of the cross. And what it meant for him. To do this. To be steadfast.

[16:27] So that people. Would be brought back. On to this cautionary. Of course. In your course. We weren't bound. For glory. Passing through.

[16:40] Any territory. He tells us that. He says. That he went. He says. And he went to. Samaria. He sent messengers.

[16:52] To go to Samaria. And he sent messengers. Ahead of him. Who went and entered. A village of the Samaritans. To make preparations. For him. This is all.

[17:05] Timed. Into this. Clock. Into the. The work. That he had to do. The preparation. So that no one. In Samaria. Could turn around.

[17:16] And say. We haven't heard anything. About this. We haven't heard it. We have an excuse. But we don't have an excuse. Because. He sent this messenger.

[17:28] Ahead of him. To do that. Christ. Christ. Has done. The difficult bit. The difficult bit. The bit you and I. Could never do.

[17:39] For ourselves. And that is why we see. How amazing a thing. Grace is. Christ. The life. Christ. Christ. Christ. Christ.

[17:50] But. You might ask. Was his message. And his mission. A success there. Well. They did not receive him. That's what they see. He did not receive him.

[18:02] Because. He sees. And he tells them. Why. This was. Because. His face. Was. Towards. Jerusalem. his face was towards Jerusalem he hadn't reached Jerusalem but that was enough to put them off that the intentions were there and they knew that he wasn't going to flinch on that one and that was enough and they didn't want you see their wills were not in harmony with God's eternal plan of salvation it kept knocking at me but it wasn't at harmony with it and that is what Christ was going to do that's what Christ did to the woman of the world when he challenged her about her life challenged her about all these things she said oh I know he's a prophet he said

[19:05] I am he who speaks unto you you don't look beyond me for this this is where I am this is what my work is this is the Father's will for you and the question for us tonight is are our wills in harmony with his will with the divine plan because there's no way we can challenge it as it comes it comes with everything that's in it there we have to accept it and go along with it the great controversy between the Jews and Samaritans Samaritans was the place of worship the place of worship couldn't see as the place of worship to the person to the saviour who was offering himself and that's a dangerous thing when the place becomes more important than the actual worship of God you can't you needn't expect great blessings in a situation like that because all they were doing was the same as that woman was doing thinking about who had been there before

[20:25] Jacob had been there before the well he had drunk that water before but Jacob was gone and that is because the Samaritans built a temple and Mount Garrison there against the chapter some the Samaritans in total opposition to Jerusalem but Jesus sees through the temple he sees through these things that cause so much and disharmony among people and drives the spirit of the Lord away from them but Jesus saw through the temples to their souls he said is the temple of more importance to you than the soul of the individual this is what he's trying to say to them he's trying to say for them to get them to say what I say

[21:32] I said behold God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song he has become my salvation the course he set steadfastly set his mind to go to Jerusalem and he didn't flinch in that and that is why he knew all the problems along the way into the grave itself but he saw through the grave Christ didn't lay in the grave forever none at all there was as if he saw through everything a window in the grave to glory on the other side but the joy that he had with the father before the world was be steadfast he said that is why he said himself you cannot serve two masters you can't serve that is totally impossible you have to give yourself to the one or the other and that is why tonight we pray that we would be on the side of this one who went through all the agony of

[22:57] Gethsemane and everything else and poured out his blood that we who were unrighteous creatures might be made righteous the righteousness of God but there's another word here not just the course but the correction the correction he corrects the disciples along the way he said to them and when his disciples in verse 54 James and John saw it these are the ones who were so close to him they saw it they said Lord do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume is that the type of thing is that the type of way you work we want vindication we want to retaliate in this type of thing because we feel what they've done they're refusing you as an offence it's never a nice thing not to but this is the thing but God reminds them

[24:04] Jesus reminds us vengeance is mine I will recompense saith the Lord he doesn't John and James and them don't have to do these things they have to look after themselves and make their own calling and election sure but the middle of God grinds slowly my dear friend that's why things don't happen in the spirit of the moment a sentence against an evil work is not carried out immediately then the sons of men are ready to go ahead and do more that's what Ecclesiastes tells us to execute speedily the middle of God grinds slowly but it grinds very fine very fine the

[25:06] Samaritans were given the opportunity because they had forgotten that the law had come of Moses but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ and they couldn't accept this because Luke 10 verse 16 tells us the one who hears you you you hear me the one who hears you hears me and the one who rejects you rejects me and the one who rejects me him he rejects him a chain of events and all that chain he said even the dust of your town that clogs clings to our feet we wipe off against you nevertheless know this that the kingdom of God has come near you he says this is the condemnation they were given an offer and they could accept it or reject it

[26:11] Jesus had been rejected before Jesus went and they rejected tonight also and today throughout the preaching of the gospel whoever sincere the preaching is we remember that our wills are not in harmony that we reject this and this isn't something new Jeremiah said stand he said God said stand in the way and see and ask he says for the old path where is the good way and walk therein but you see we mustn't stop there because that's not the end of the quotation the end of the quotation is what they said they said we will not we will not decide and that's the same thing that is being said here also Jesus warns them against the consequences of this refusal whoever refuses me and my words in this evil and adulterous generation of him also shall the son of man be ashamed when he comes in the glory of the father and of the holy angels they needed collecting they needed to be put in that place along the way but also a word regarding the compassion that he shows in verse 54 then said and when his disciples saw

[27:53] James and John saw they said Lord do you want us the fire to come down from heaven but he turned and rebuked them he turned and rebuked them because he says the son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost that's his mission Christ came to slay the enmity that was in the human heart not to foster it but to slay it so that we wouldn't then that we might have life and know this new life in Jesus Christ would you go back to your old life that you have before that you've tasted and seen that the Lord is good would you go back to it again however difficult it is and difficult it will be there is no such thing as an easy path to heaven because we wrestle not with flesh and blood we wrestle with satanic forces along the way that would want to see the church of the

[29:15] Lord Jesus Christ annihilated off the face of the earth that is what is at heart these people have hearts but not so if you have tasted this life see how often for years maybe in your life you existed from Monday to Friday Holy Friday would come miracles were going to happen things were going to change and then your freedom and then Monday came again and you're back to the same old thing again not at all it is to have life he went all the way he was the only one who could say it is finished he said in one word it is finished I finished the plan he says as far as God what God gave me to do is it's finished there is nothing to be added to it there is nothing to be subtracted from it because it was in a sense finished before the foundation of the world before anything came in to be it was so and that is something for us to think about the depth of the mystery of the grace and the salvation that

[30:41] God offers us people go around as they were throwing contenties to people saying accept this accept that accept you can't do this as simple as that the prerogative is God God moves first in this situation he draws you in a strange way however much you pull against it it doesn't matter it is God who is pulling you and if he wants you he will get you he'll get you one way or another supposing you're one other mentioned that the other day to somebody a lady that I knew who was under conviction of sin and she was trying to get rid of this thing that was plaguing her she thought so what did she do well she said she booked a holiday in New Zealand well you couldn't go much further away than that she was in the plane there and arrived in

[31:47] New Zealand she was coming down the steps of the plane who met her there the word of God stopped her in her back see whither shall I go from your spirit there's no place go way go way finite creatures wrestling with these things you can't because Jesus gives and forgives we get and forget so often when Christ knocks at the door of your heart you send somebody else to the door to answer when he says behold I stand at the door and I knock he is knocking for you it's not for you or for me to send someone else to the doors but we're very good at that we're very good at that delegating the thing to somebody else but

[33:01] Jesus says I don't want that I want you I want you and by the time he's finished with you he will indeed do just that are you afraid that he might go like what happened here on to another village to another village to Capernaum where they were lifted up to the heavens with the great miracles and things that were but now he has moved on he is leaving them alone to wallow in their own things whereas this salvation that we have here is set you free Augustine said that man is free when he delights to do

[34:04] God's will when he delights to do God's will not when he complains about having to do something but like we all do but when we delight to do God's will blessing and there's a difference and there's a blessing when we do that and it is in the synchronizing that God has done this has brought us round to that situation so that we delight to do it because we know that it doesn't depend on us it depends on him so that the glory and honour be his always they were quite happy to call fire down from heaven on the earth but they weren't so happy about being correct as themselves they had a lesson to learn that they also had to be taught and we all have to be taught there is no spiritual delinquency in God's kingdom we have to be taught and if we walk with the

[35:23] Lord then we will exactly know what that is like he said rejoice he says not that you have the spirits but that your neighbors have written in heaven in heaven the simple I say to what my love F.B.

[35:49] Mayor was traveling over from Ireland on one of his many missions years ago and he was familiar with the ferry the captain on the ferry that he was coming over on this rough night it was when he was up on the bridge with the with the captain there and he's the mass of lights ahead of him and he said how on earth do you know when you are in line where the actual entrance is how do you know all the lights there and he just called him he said he said do you see there's three lights ahead of me there he says when I get these three lights as one appearing as one then I'm bang on he said the entrance to that other and that in a sense is what God is saying to us that we get the three into one so that we are ready also to enter into the kingdom not to reject but to accept and to embrace and to love with all of heart mind and soul so that we touch but the hem of his garment to do that and the lady said who who's touched me

[37:20] Jesus said who touched me and he said I know somebody the disciples said who touched you there's thousands around you here but he says power went out from you that is the power that brought Christ back from the dead that's the power that you and I are in great need of in this day and age so that we live live for Christ and if we live for Christ we will die in Christ also and we will have no regrets regarding our journey into this world there is a course of things that we need to say there is a correction that we're always open to but there is a consolation of compassion but he didn't come he came he said not to condemn did I come he said

[38:27] I came he says that they might have life the word he said would condemn at the end of time may God bless us together a few words that we have here and he glorified in out let's pray gracious God we thank you for the moments here on earth for the moments of heaven on earth itself where time seems so distant from us and where the beauty of our saviour envelops us and we look not at the things that are seen but the things that are unseen but the things that are seen are temple and the things that are unseen are eternal oh lord wash us on this evening and you cleanse us forgive us in the name of jesus christ and for his sake glory amen so we now we now to praise in psalm 84 from verse 7 to the end of the psalm so they from strength that weary go still forward unto strength until in sion he appeared before the lord at them lord god of host my prayer dear oh jacob's god dear see god oh shield look on the face of thine and lent it dear to the end of the psalm so they from strength and weary go psalm 84 so they from strength and weary go still born and to strength until in sion they appear before the lord of name for god of host my day

[41:01] I hear oh day I start to hear seek God and share to God the face of thine and night and year for death thy course one day and share the power to follow me my God that pray suffer thy l top

[42:11] Peng cave James isn't tells us by the angel to have his sword thought through the false ministry of psych seven ONE Lord of all, my man is worthy place, to find my truth on goodness on thee, O Lord of all.

[43:16] Well, before we conclude, I would like to thank you for your singing, Jerry, impressed with your voices here tonight. And now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit rest upon and abide with us now and evermore. Amen.