Dan Willis works through Luke 13, exploring Jesus' parables about the mustard seed and leaven, the narrow door, and his lament over Jerusalem. Willis argues that God values humility over status, that the Kingdom grows from small beginnings, and that following Christ means personal focus rather than crowd approval.
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Welcome back to the Iron Saints Podcast with your host, Dan Willis.
Welcome back, saints. We are back at it after a hiatus, uh, just working through some personal stuff, but I am glad to be back. I'm glad that we get to continue walking forward in Luke. Uh, gonna continue to go through scriptures daily with you guys, try and break down, you know, what Jesus has for us, what he's giving to us. The plan is still to finish Luke and then move into Acts and do that one-two combo. And then probably head into Paul's letters. But for those of you that haven't been here before, all of the episodes go from Luke 1 to where we are right now in Luke 13. So if you want to go back and start in the beginning, you can do that. Otherwise, buckle up, grab your Bibles, however you want to do that, digitally, on your phone, wherever. I'm going to read from the ESV. I read out loud for those of you guys that are on the road, aren't able to get to a Bible physically. But if you are able to get to a Bible physically, I always recommend that you take the time to do that. But Without further ado, let's get down to it. We are going to dive right back in. Luke 13, chapter 18, away we go. He said, therefore, what is the kingdom of God like, and to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches. And again he said, to what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in 3 measures of flour until it was all leavened. He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, Lord, will those who are saved be few? And he said to them, strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, open to us, then he will answer you, I do not know where you come from. Then you will begin to say, we ate and drank in your presence. You taught in our streets. And he will say, I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil! In that place 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, but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, from north and south, and recline at the table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last. At the very hour, some Pharisees came and said to him, get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you. And he said to them, go and tell that fox, behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets, stones those who were sent to it, How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! Behold, your house is forsaken, and I tell you, you will not see me until you say, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. All right, not an easy read. We get back into some parables. So he opens up with the mustard and the leaven. He talks about the narrow door. Christ is coming back to this idea, guys, that from small things, great things can come. What the world sees as being large isn't necessarily the big picture, and what the big picture is is often missed. It's also not always the way that we think it's going to be. When we look at this, we see this all throughout Jesus's walk. If you were going to pick a group of guys that is going to be the, the legacy that you leave after you, most of us would pick people of high repute, of high moral standards, of high education, of high value, of high social worth. And yet Jesus picks nobodies from nowhere. We see Jesus teaching lessons about blessed are the poor instead of blessed are the wealthy. We see Jesus going to sinners, not to saints. We see Jesus healing sick, spending his time with lepers, spending time with those who are ill and broken in social regard, and not the wealthy and the rich and the opulent and the well-looked-upon. Everything that he has is pointing to this narrow door, this idea that the mob isn't always right. Just because you're in the majority doesn't mean you're in the right place. In fact, you may want to pause and look around if you're surrounded by a mob because that door is narrow. The way is few. It's not the big and the extravagant and the posterity. It's not the pomp and circumstance. It's humility. It's coming to God and really just blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. It's about Christ. It's about God. It's not about who you are. It's about who he is. It's a really, really great way to start your week, guys. As you go into your work, as you go into your school, as you go into whatever it is that the week has for you today, stop. Take a moment of pause. Are you there for you or are you there for him? That's it, guys. That's the whole message today. Are you there for him or are you there for you? It doesn't take much. You don't have to have this massive, huge faith. If you're feeling tired, if you're feeling weary, you're feeling beaten down, it's like a grain of mustard. It's small, but it'll grow as long as that's where your focus is. Focus on God today, guys. I'm gonna pray for you before we head out here. As always, guys, if you have prayer requests, feel free to submit them online. Uh, the website's up, everything is there for you guys to check out, so please do so. Uh, but for right now, let me pray for you guys. Lord, thank you so much for all of those who are listening. I pray for the men that are heading into their week, Lord, that they would have you at their heart, you at their focus, that whatever it is that they have to tackle in work and family and home and personal struggles, trials, whatever it is that's coming against them, Lord, I pray that you would be their focus first and foremost. That from you, answers would come, support would come, that they would just find so many blessings this week as they come to you and they head out into the world. In the name of the Lord, in your name we pray. Have an amazing day, guys. And like I said, I do intend to be back and at this on the daily. 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Thank you for listening to the Iron Saints Podcast. If you are looking to share your prayer requests, check the description for social media or email to contact the show. Blessings on you all until next time.
