Skip to main content

"...the people did not receive Him." Luke 9:53

On my journey with Jesus I camped in Luke 9 this past week. Jesus is making His way to Jerusalem. It is nearing time for Him to go to the cross. He knows full well what this is going to be. Luke describes it: "When the days drew near for him to be taken up he set his face to go to Jerusalem." 
Jesus was determined to accomplish what He had come to do - no matter how difficult. The prophet Isaiah tells us that He set his "face like a flint." 50:7. 
Loved one as you look at Jesus, are you filled with that same resolve? To set your face like flint and press on? When trials come do you ask God to take them away? Of course we can ask Our Heavenly Father to take our trials away. We can bring all our prayer requests to Him - He actually knows our desires and requests better than we do. He loves us and He cares deeply.
For some though this is not a request you can ask for. The deed is done - it cannot be reversed. Julius is gone - not even God is going to change this.
What is your Jerusalem my friend? A life of loneliness? Singleness? God has not blessed you with children? A terminal illness that is going to take many medications and constant doctors visits? You know you will never get the dream job that you wanted? Your bank account does not look as healthy as you want it to and you have to live within your means?
As I looked further at this passage I was deeply convicted by what happened next.
As he travelled He graciously sent messengers ahead of Him to make preparations for him. The first village Luke describes, is a village of the Samaritans. And what was their response? "But the people did not receive him because his face was set toward Jerusalem".
A little bit of historical background. The Samaritans and the Jews hated each other. The Jews looked down on the Samaritans and called them "half breeds" as they were descendants of mixed marriages. The Samaritans in turn had developed their own form of worship on Mt Gerizim - they did not want to worship the God of the Jews.
O what blessings they denied themselves when they rejected Jesus from even entering their village. Had they not heard who He was?
I was challenged to look at my own life. What and who are the messengers that Jesus sends daily to my life?
Who is He sending to you loved one? Are you receiving or rejecting Him? The Samaritans rejected Him because He was going to Jerusalem.
Like me are you afraid of where He is headed and of His call to follow Him - which is to take up your cross and take it up daily?
The Samaritans were quite satisfied with their pagan rituals. They were so blinded that when God's only Son was knocking at their doors they said "no."
They had actually said "no" to God Himself.
Dear Reader what is your Mt Gerizim? Your religious rituals that you are satisfied with? It is pretty scary that these can actually keep you away from letting Jesus into your life. He wants a personal relationship with you, dear one. He wants to visit you right in the home of your heart.
Looking further what did Jesus do? He did not retaliate - He even rebuked James and John who wanted to burn the villages in a flash. He did not force his way in. He "went on to another village". vs 56. Oh how very sad for that Samaritan village that day!
Loved one He is calling out to you: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Rev 3:20
Will you answer "Yes Lord! Come in" today?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

"Joy comes with the morning." Psalm 30

"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!" Three days after Julius went home to the Lord, God had given me a promise. He had spoken to me from Psalm 77. Just like He had moved the nation of Israel, He was going to make a way through the deep waters of suffering that I was in. A way that I could not see, a way that I had to trust. I had to make a choice to move forward and believe that the waters would not drown me. (Is 43:2).  I had to believe Him. It is one year and 9 months and there are days even now when the waters seem to overwhelm and there are days when I see a glimpse of the path ahead. Through the prophet Isaiah He says: 'Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness...

Thankful

Another first... Last year we had my Papa and Julius at the dinner table. Couple of weeks later my Dad passed away - slipped away in his sleep. Six months later Julius was gone to heaven. To be honest I have asked God "What are you thinking God?" "How do you expect me to move on with so much loss and grief?" And "What is coming next?" I confess that none of these questions are answered because they are not worthy to be asked. God is Sovereign, He is Creator and He is in control and I am so comforted by His Word. In the book of Job I read: But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back?      What he desires, that he does. 14  For he will complete what he appoints for me,      and many such things are in his mind . Job 23:13-14. And again in Lamentations 3 For the Lord will not cast off forever, 32  but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love;  33  for he doe...

The past 2 weeks

How do I describe these last 2 weeks of my life? May 7th, 2013 a seemingly ordinary day. Julius dressed for work in his new red checked shirt, and new flat front khakis. feeling good, looking great, bounding off to work with a huge smile and a hug with a promise to come home. Last conversation "guess what I read in the book of Jeremiah today" (always, always excited about God's Word) "don't put my pyjamas to the wash", (knowing my habit of throwing everything to the wash), helping me clear the room for the workmen who were coming that day to change the windows (my strong man),  "thank you for making my lunch" (always so gracious and thankful). 10 am - a call from work to say that he was not yet there. No answer on his cell phone - wouldn't have returned a call anyway because his phone was in the trunk of his car (safe driving habit). I just knew that something was horribly wrong. and then a blur of OPP officer at the door, phone call to Ale...