Dan Willis reads Luke 13:31 and reflects on Jesus' lament over Jerusalem, where the city rejected the prophet. He connects the passage to modern Christian persecution and urges listeners to answer Christ's call by living faith in work, family, and relationships.
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Welcome back to the Iron Saints Podcast with your host, Dan Willis.
Welcome back, saints. It is a new day and we are going to continue our walk through Luke today. If you guys are new to the podcast, we have been going through the book of Luke right from the beginning. If you want to go back to the first episode, I encourage you to do that. If you just want to pick up where we are, that's great too. No need to go all the way back, but we are going to continue through Luke. We are going to be at Luke, uh, 13. 16:30-ish, 31 actually. So we're gonna get into this, tackle it, get down to it. If you need a second, pause right now, you know, grab yourself a coffee, grab yourself your Bible, and we will just dive right in. As always, guys, I am gonna be reading from the ESV. I make a point of reading through the scripture for you. So just in case you don't have a Bible handy, you're driving, you're in the office, you just don't have that ability to get your hands on a Bible, don't worry, I've got you covered. I'm gonna read for you. However, I do encourage you guys whenever possible to have that scripture handy, uh, take notes, journal, uh, just engage with scripture as much as you can. But let's get down to it. Luke chapter 13, verse 31, and we'll go all the way till the end of the chapter. At that 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 and stones those who are 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. Jesus never ceases to amaze me. The Pharisees have proven all along this walk with Luke to be nothing but a nuisance. They don't listen. They have no desire to actually see what Jesus is doing or hear what Jesus is saying. They're a constant hurdle, a constant trial, a constant point of pain and suffering for him. And yet, even now, even after all that they've done so far and everything that they're about to do to him, he weeps. He cries out for them, how he wishes he could gather them under the wings, but they just don't want to come. I really love this because this is Jesus saying, it's not that I don't desire for you to come to me, it's you lack all desire to come to me. You choose your own way. You choose to be separate. You choose to be apart from me. And those that choose to come to me, you scorn and you bully and you find trials with. I don't know where you guys are listening to this, but all over the world, Christians are facing persecution and it's becoming harder and harder and harder to come to Christ every day. It just is. It's a challenge. It's a trial. But it was no less a trial for Jesus to come to us. This is a really, really powerful point that I want you guys to hear, and I want you to take into your week. He's calling you constantly. He wants you just to come to him in your work, in your marriage, in your homes, in your friendships. Just come to him. That's all he asks. Be there with him. If you're struggling, struggle with him. If you're rejoicing, rejoice with him. But he doesn't want you to be separate from him. He doesn't want you to be apart from him. He just wants you to be present with him, in relationship with him, in the things that you're doing. And he's telling you it's not for nothing. When you choose that, when you choose to come to Christ, when you choose to be with him in those places, you will be blessed. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord in all that you do. So whatever you've got up today, if you've got a workday ahead of you, if you've got a day with the kids, if you've got a day at home, if you've got a day of whatever, Come in the name of the Lord, however that might look for you. So before we head out for the day, guys, I do want to pray for you. As always, if you have prayer requests, please feel free to reach out to me anywhere on social media. There's all the links down below in the podcast description. You can email me, uh, if you want your prayers to stay anonymous. I am happy to do that. But for now, let me pray for you guys. Lord, thank you so much for the day that you've given us. Thank you so much that you constantly are calling us into relationship with you wherever we are. And whatever we're doing, I pray for all of those listening. Pray for the men that are facing trials right now and need that extra measure of your presence, your guidance, and your wisdom. Be there with them. For everybody that's facing illness, whether mental or physical, I pray that you are the great healer and you're there with them in that trial as well, Lord. I also lift up all of those that are in a time of blessing, Lord, that are in a time of of joy and rejoicing. Those that are newly married or heading into marriage or a new life of a child or whatever it may be that they're seeing as blessing and joy from you, Lord, that they would also take the time to bring you into that place as well. Blessed are those who come in the name of the Lord. I pray that all of those listening today would face whatever it is that they're walking into with you alongside joyfully, and that they would see the blessing that you've promised in that time. In your name we pray, Lord.
Amen.
I hope you men have an amazing day today. Those of you who have listened to the past, you'll you'll note that the typically the podcast would go quite a bit longer. It would go ten, twelve, fifteen minutes. I'm trying to narrow it down so you guys just have the time to get a quick devotion in wherever you are. That was the hope. That was the aim of this. Let me know your thoughts on whether or not this is working for you, or if you want me to go back to something that's a little bit longer, rip things apart a little bit more for you. I'm happy to do either. Until then though, guys, have an amazing day, and I pray that the Lord's blessings are on you.
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.
