Day 57 – Thursday, March 20, 2025

One Year Journey Through the New Testament

Luke 13

Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!

Christ Teaches on Repentance

13 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. ² And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? ³ I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. ⁴ Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? ⁵ I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

⁶ He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. ⁷ Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ ⁸ But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. ⁹ And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’ ” 

(Luke 13:1–9, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Jesus spoke of the common plight of all those who do not repent. They all suffer eternal punishment and pain.
• He then used a parable to explain. A man owned a vineyard that also contained a fig tree that did not bear fruit.
• He had been looking for fruit on the tree for three years, but it bore none. He told his steward to cut it down.
• The steward asked for one more year to cultivate and fertilize the tree. If that does not work, he would cut it down.
• God longs to give us opportunity to find our way to Him. Jesus wanted them to know that there is mercy, but not forever. Find Him today!

Christ Heals the Crippled Woman

¹⁰ Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. ¹¹ And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. ¹² But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” ¹³ And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

¹⁴ But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.”

¹⁵ The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? ¹⁶ So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” ¹⁷ And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him. 

(Luke 13:10–17, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Jesus again is teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath (He loved being in the synagogue on the Sabbath).
• He saw a woman that had been bent over and unable to straighten up for eighteen years. He spoke to her and loosed her body, and she straightened up and was whole.
• The ruler of the synagogue was indignant, and scolded Him for healing on the Sabbath.
• Jesus reminds him that he loosed his ox or donkey on the Sabbath to feed and water it. How could Jesus not heal a child of Abraham on the Sabbath?
• His enemies were then put to shame, and the multitudes rejoiced.

Parable of the Mustard Seed

Matt. 13:31, 32; Mark 4:30-32

¹⁸ Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? ¹⁹ It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.” 

(Luke 13:18–19, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Jesus hear compares the kingdom of God to a mustard seed.
• That small seed, when planted, produced a great tree.
• The gospel of the Kingdom has the same power and ability.

Parable of the Leaven

Matt. 13:33-35

²⁰ And again He said, “To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? ²¹ It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.” 

(Luke 13:20–21, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• He then uses leaven, or yeast, as a metaphor for the Kingdom.
• Leaven put in measures of meal will spread throughout and make the dough rise. So will the gospel of the Kingdom permeate a city and make it wholly effected.

The Way into the Kingdom

²² And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. ²³ Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?”

And He said to them, ²⁴ “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. ²⁵ When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ ²⁶ then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ ²⁷ But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ ²⁸ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. ²⁹ They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. ³⁰ And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.” 

(Luke 13:22–30, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Jesus is asked if few will be saved.
• He responds that each one should strive to enter by the narrow gate.
• Many will go the easy way and find death at the end of that path.
• Those who take the easy way will not understand why they are not in the Kingdom, but those who went the narrow way will sit down with Christ and be saved.

Christ Mourns Over Jerusalem

³¹ On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.”

³² And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’ ³³ Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.

³⁴ “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! ³⁵ See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ” 

(Luke 13:31–35, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Some Pharisees told Jesus that Herod wanted to kill Him.
• Jesus adamantly told them that He was not afraid of Herod.
• He even sent Herod a message that He would keep doing the good He was doing, and even told them where He was going: to Jerusalem. He basically told Herod, “Come and get me.”
• He then told those listening that He longed to gather Jerusalem under His wings, but they were not willing. This broke His heart.
• What does God desire for you and your city? Don’t break Christ’s heart.

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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page. Another blog will be posted each weekday at 6:00 a.m.