Note for 20250504

The Gospel of Jesus Christ

According to Luke

Part 104 - Luke 13 - Without Pretence

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The House of Bread · Note for 20250504 - The Gospel of Jesus Christ - Part 104 - Luke 13 - Without Pretence

Luke 13:1-9 KJV

[1] There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilæans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. [2] And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilæans were sinners above all the Galilæans, because they suffered such things? [3] I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. [4] Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? [5] I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. [6] He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. [7] Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? [8] And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: [9] and if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

"A warning to the nation" is the subscription above the text today in the KJV. How many of you have had a problem understanding verse 1 in the past?

Luke (Luk) 13:1 CJB

[1] Just then, some people came to tell Yeshua about the men from the Galil whom Pilate had slaughtered even while they were slaughtering animals for sacrifice.

The Complete Jewish Bible helps us understand what this report was about. I suppose you could compare this with a modern day report of someone coming to a Spiritual Leader with news of yet another thing that the government has done wrong, to bring guilt before the Lord. You know, if that was the case today it would be in slander of the governing regime, but notice how Christ speaks of the sin of those that were slaughtered.

Not only does Christ consider the sin of the slaughtered, but he also speaks of another incident which was known about at the time, and once again looks in consideration of the sins of those that fell. Do you consider their sin greater than yours? What of the sin of Pilate, whom Christ later appeared before?

Now, there is another matter here before us today which is not mentioned outright in the text today and that is the title of the note today that I received before my reading. "Without Pretence," because that takes a deep consideration of what played out in this season as the report came to Jesus here. It is what does not outright get attention, the messengers of this news carry an error too. You see, the question in the initial report and the comparison thereafter is essentially this, "Do you consider the sin of these to be the worst, or worse than your own?" This is brought into perspective as we read verse 3, and I bring it to you from the Complete Jewish Bible again.

Luke (Luk) 13:3 CJB

[3] No, I tell you. Rather, unless you turn to God from your sins, you will all die as they did!

Jesus does not speak to Pilate or to any of those who have perished, but to those standing with Him. Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Then Jesus speaks to them the parable which we have just read. You see, just about every sermon that I have heard focuses on the parable alone, and when I did the series on the parables of Jesus Christ, so did I.

However, I can still remember when The LORD spoke to me by the Spirit on such a matter. It happened in my home language of Afrikaans, but I will translate it for you. The Lord said to me that lightning does not strike the wrong person. You see, we look at a catastrophe and question why it happened, the learned folk will seek their answer in cause and effect in their sciences. Next they will look for human error, just as Christ speaks of here to those in hearing at the time. Very rarely does it happen that man reflects within about his very own error, if something like that had to happen to him. Christ essentially says, "you are all guilty of the same."

By the parable, consider the fig tree to be a man or a group of people. Did the Lord not plead with Israel, before He sent Nebuchadnezzar? Does the Lord not plead with us, is the fig trees not inspected for fruit, even the fruit of the Spirit? The question then is can we repent, for that is the nature of verse 3. The very term, "holier than thou" is brought in question by the scripture of today, just as Christ spoke of when He said we must first remove the beam from our own eye before attempting to remove the speck from another's.

It is in Pretence that we are perfect when we bring a charge against another, that we are spotless and not guilty of the same. This speaks once more of hypocrisy, a thing we know by now that Christ hates. How much better is it when we can admit our own shortcomings, when we can speak further on our concern for the state of someone else. Then we share the concern with them, also for ourselves and repent.

There is no place for a Pretence before the Lord, just like this tree that pretended to be a fig tree, but had no fruit to qualify as such. Look then at the mercy and grace in the extension of time, that the tree can get more attention than the rest to see if it will bring forth fruit. The soul around it is disturbed, stinky stuff is put roundabout it, which will feed the tree in the hope that fruit will come. Does that not speak to our lives? When we fail to repent and conform to the instruction of GOD, does things not seem to get worse, is our lives not disturbed, and stinky stuff added to it? If we cannot produce the fruit the Lord seeks for in us, will we be withered at some point? And don't think for one moment that because it is common it will be accepted, for whole grooves of trees will see the flame of fire then. A tare can only pretend to be wheat until harvest time comes. For, under inspection, no fruit will be found.

Verse 3 gives us a sound warning then. Not for one, but for all. Less we repent and see Spiritual growth, our branches will be bare of fruit.

See this as a warning from Jesus Christ Himself, especially since it is not the only example of this stark warning to those who hear Him. If there is no fruit for GOD in us, we are troubling the soul we stand in. Understand?

Selah, Shalom

PS: Friends, please do not give me any credit in these notes. For I cannot claim any fame therein. The message does not come from me, but as much to me as it is shared with you. These notes I share with you, I share with you as I was instructed to do. So as the LORD guide me it may be extended to you too. Please do not consider that I am somehow different than anyone else, we are all sinners saved by the Grace of GOD alone. In Jesus Christ is our Salvation, not in the words of mankind. I am a man, a fellow sojourner in this world.

Shalom

The House of Bread

(NOTE: If You feel that you want more, please take note that this here is basically just the notes for the Audio version of the Note. There is much more in the Audio and Video Versions of the Daily Notes)

Verse of The Day

From the YouVersion Bible App

Isaiah 43:1 KJV

[1] But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

From Mom

So, as I walked into the room for the Breakfast Quiet Time with Mom, she told me she was feeling anxious, and then the words came to her (in Afrikaans) “Let not your heart be troubled.” She opened up her Bible to go look for the verse, but the Bible opened exactly at John 14.

John 14:1-4 KJV

[1] Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. [2] In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. [4] And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

We serve the Almighty GOD, nothing is impossible for Him, but only those who are His acknowledges that at this time. Soon the time will come, when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.