Transcript

Podcast Introduction

Since today is Saturday we’re going to read from one of the Gospels. Right now we are in the book of Luke. We’ll read chapters 13-14. After the reading I’ll have some comments. Stick around, too for our prayer time. I’m calling today’s episode “Once and For All and Over and Over.”

Comments on Luke 13

1At that time some people were there who told Jesus that Pilate had killed some people from Galilee while they were worshiping. He mixed their blood with the blood of the animals they were sacrificing to God. 2Jesus answered, “Do you think this happened to them because they were more sinful than all others from Galilee? 3No, I tell you. But unless you change your hearts and lives, you will be destroyed as they were! 4What about those eighteen people who died when the tower of Siloam fell on them? Do you think they were more sinful than all the others who live in Jerusalem? 5No, I tell you. But unless you change your hearts and lives, you will all be destroyed too!”

Luke 13: 1-5 NCV

Let’s break this down, shall we?

Some people told Jesus about a heinous act of Pilate where Galilean worshippers were murdered, and in His reply, Jesus reminded them of the eighteen people who died when the tower of Siloam (sye-LOH-uhm) fell on them. For both of these events, Jesus asked them, “Do you think this happened to them because they were more sinful than all others from Galilee?” 

People sometimes think that good things should happen to “good” people, and bad things happen to “bad” people. Of course, we know from our reading of the book of Job that that is not always how it works, but Jesus used this opportunity to remind them of this truth. 

After He asked the question, He immediately answered, “No, I tell you.”

Listen to this quote from Spurgeon: “It is true, the wicked man sometimes falls dead in the street; but has not the minister fallen dead in the pulpit? It is true that a pleasure-boat, in which men were seeking their own pleasure on the Sunday, has suddenly gone down; but is it not equally true that a ship which contained none but godly men, who were bound upon an excursion to preach the gospel, has gone down too?” 

So He turned the question from “Why did this happen?” to “How does this apply to me?”. He said, “Those Galileans didn’t die because they were worse sinners than all the other Galileans.” In saying this, Jesus was not saying that they were less guilty of sin, either. The fact is, all are guilty. Romans 3:10 says, “There is no one righteous, not one.”

Twice in his statement, Jesus said, “But unless you change your hearts and lives…” Or to look more at the original Greek, Jesus said “…unless you repent…” In the Greek, He mentioned two kinds of repentance. He talked about a “once and for all repentance” in verse 5, and in verse 3 He referred to a “continuing repentance”. Both kinds are necessary. 

When we first accept Jesus as our Savior, we repent once and for all. But as we’ve said so many times before, we are imperfect. We sin. And that’s where the continuing repentance comes in. In that case, we don’t repent because we have lost our salvation, but because we love Him. He said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” So when we sin, we repent. We ask His forgiveness, and we turn from that sin.

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 13 NCV; Ch. 14 CEB

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Links Mentioned On the Show

Kathi Brixey Lifespring! Podcast Interview “Faith Personified”

Del Brixey Lifespring! Podcast Interview  “How To Have Power, Potential, and Passion In Your Marriage”

Transcript

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Steve Webb 0:00
How does this apply to me?

Steve Webb 0:09
This is the Lifespring family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California, podcasting since 2004. I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb, it’s good to see you. Welcome. If this is your first time here, I’m glad you found the show. This is a daily podcast and we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. We don’t have listeners here, by the way, we have family if you listen to the show more than once you’re part of the Lifespring family. So make yourself at home. Since today is Saturday, we’re going to read from one of the Gospels right now we’re in the book of Luke will read chapters 13 and 14. And after the reading, I’ll have some comments. Stick around to for our prayer time. The title of today’s episode is once and for all and over and over. The show notes page for today’s episode is Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 171. And that’s where you can comment on the show. And I’ll be mentioning some links during the show today and the show notes pages where those links will be. Okay, let’s get started.

Steve Webb 1:09
Luke chapter 13.

Steve Webb 1:12
At that time, some people were there who told Jesus that Pilate had killed some people from Galilee while they were worshipping. He mix their blood with the blood of the animals they were sacrificing to God. Jesus answered. Do you think this happened to them? Because they were more sinful than all others from Galilee? No, I tell you, but unless you change your hearts and lives, you will be destroyed as they were. What about those 18 people who died when the Tower of Siloam fell on them? Do you think they were more sinful than all the others who live in Jerusalem? No, I tell you, but unless you change your hearts and lives you will all be destroyed to Jesus told this story. A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard. He came looking for some fruit on the tree, but he found none. So the man said to his gardener, I’ve been looking for fruit on this tree for three years. But I never find any cut it down. Why should it waste the ground? But the servant answered, Master let the tree have one more year to produce fruit. Let me dig up the dirt around it and put on some fertilizer. If the tree produces fruit next year, good. But if not, you can cut it down. Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath day. A woman was there who for 18 years had an evil spirit in her that made her crippled. Her back was always bent. She could not stand up straight. When Jesus saw her he called her over and said, Woman You are free from your sickness. Jesus put his hands on her and immediately she was able to stand up straight and began praising God. The synagogue leader was angry because Jesus healed on the Sabbath day. He said to the people, there are six days when one has to work so come to be healed on one of those days and not on the Sabbath day. The Lord answered, You hypocrites. Doesn’t each of you untie your work animals and lead them to drink water every day, even on the Sabbath day. This woman that I healed, a daughter of Abraham has been held by Satan for 18 years. Surely it is not wrong for her to be freed from her sickness on a Sabbath day. When Jesus said this, all of those who were criticizing him were ashamed. But the entire crowd rejoiced at all the wonderful things Jesus was doing. Then Jesus said, What is God’s kingdom? Like? What can I compare it with? It is like a mustard seed that a man plants in his garden. The seed grows and becomes a tree, and the wild birds build nests in its branches. Jesus said again, what can I compare God’s kingdom with? It is like yeast that a woman took and hid in a large tub of flour until it made all the dough rise. Jesus was teaching in every town and village as he traveled toward Jerusalem. Someone said to Jesus, Lord will only a few people be saved. Jesus said, try hard to enter through the narrow door because many people will try to enter there, but they will not be able. When the owner of the house gets up and closes the door. You can stand outside and knock on the door and say, Sir, open the door for us. But he will answer I don’t know you are where you come from. Then you will say we ate and drank with you and you taught in the streets of our town. But he will say to you, I don’t know you are where you come from. Go away from me, all you who do evil. You will cry and grind your teeth with pain when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets in God’s kingdom, but you yourselves thrown outside. People will come from the east, west, north and south and we’ll sit down at the table and the kingdom of God. There are those who are last now who will be first in the future. And there are those who are first now who will be last in the future. At that time, some

Steve Webb 5:00
Pharisees came to Jesus and said, Go away from here Herod wants to kill you. Jesus said to them, Go tell that fox Herod today and tomorrow I am forcing demons out and healing people. Then on the third day, I will reach my goal. Yet I must be on my way today and tomorrow and the next day. Surely it cannot be right for a prophet to be killed anywhere except in Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you kill the prophets in stone to death, those who are sent to you. Many times I wanted to gather your people, as the hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would not let me now your house is left completely empty. I tell you, you will not see me until that time when you will say, God bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

Steve Webb 5:48
Luke 14.

Steve Webb 5:50
One Sabbath when Jesus went to share a meal in the home of one of the leaders of the Pharisees, they were watching in closely, a man suffering from an abnormal swelling of the body was there. Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees does the law allow healing on the Sabbath or not? But they said nothing. Jesus took hold of the sick man cured him and then let him go. He said to them, suppose your child or ox falls into a ditch on the Sabbath day, wouldn’t you immediately pull it out, but they had no response. When Jesus noticed how the guests sought out the best seats at the table, he told them a parable. When someone invites you to a wedding celebration, don’t take your seat in the place of honor, someone more highly regarded than you could have been invited by your host. The host who invited both of you will come and say to you, give your seat to this other person. Embarrassed, you will take your seat in the least important place. Instead, when you receive an invitation, go and sit in the least important place. When your host approaches you. He will say friend move up here to a better seat. Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. All who lift themselves up will be brought low, and those who make themselves low will be lifted up. Then Jesus said to the person who had invited him when you host a lunch or dinner, don’t invite your friends, your brothers and sisters, your relatives or rich neighbors. If you do, they will invite you in return and that will be your reward. Instead, when you give a banquet, invite the poor, crippled, lame and blind and you will be blessed because they can’t repay you. Instead, you will be repaid when the adjuster resurrected. When one of the dinner guests heard Jesus remarks, he said to Jesus happier those who will feast in God’s kingdom. Jesus replied, A certain man hosted a large dinner and invited many people. When it was time for the dinner to begin. He said his servant to tell the invited guests come the dinner is now ready. One by one, they all began to make excuses. The first one told him, I bought a farm and must go and see it. Please excuse me. Another said, I bought five teams of oxen, and I’m going to check on them. Please excuse me. Another said, I just got married, so I can’t come. When he returned, the servant reported these excuses to his master. The master of the house became angry and said to his servant, go quickly to the city streets, the busy ones in the side streets and bring the poor crippled blind in lane. The servant said, Master, your instructions have been followed and there is still room, the master said to the servant, go to the highways in back alleys and urge people to come in so that my house will be filled. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will taste my dinner. Large crowds were traveling with Jesus. Turning to them, he said, Whoever comes to me and doesn’t hate father and mother, spouse and children, and brothers and sisters. Yes, even one’s own life cannot be my disciple. Whoever doesn’t carry their own cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple. If one of you wanted to build a tower, wouldn’t you first sit down and calculate the cost to determine whether you have enough money to complete it? Otherwise, when you’ve laid the foundation but couldn’t finish the tower, all who see it will begin to belittle you. They will say, here’s the person who began construction and couldn’t complete it. Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down to consider whether his 10,000 soldiers could go up against the 20,000 coming against him. And if he didn’t think he could win, he would send a representative to discuss terms of peace while his enemy was still a long way off. In the same way, none of you who are unwilling to give up all your possessions can be my disciple. Salt is good. But if salt loses its flavor, how will it become salty again?

Steve Webb 9:53
It has no value neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. People throw it away. Whoever has ears to hear should pay attention.

Steve Webb 10:03
In Luke 13, verses one through five we read at that time some people were there who told Jesus that Pilate had killed some people from Galilee while they were worshipping. He mix their blood with a blood of the animals. They were sacrificing to God, Jesus answered. Do you think this happened to them? Because they were more sinful than all the others from Galilee? No, I tell you, but unless you change your hearts and lives, you will be destroyed as they were. What about those 18 people who died when the Tower of Siloam fell on them? Do you think they were more sinful than all the others who live in Jerusalem? No, I tell you, but unless you change your hearts and lives, you will all be destroyed too. Alright, so let’s break this down Shelly. Some people told Jesus about a heinous act of Pilate where Galilee and worshipers were murdered. And in his reply, Jesus reminded them of another time when the Tower of Siloam fell on 18 people and killed them. For both of these events. Jesus asked them, Do you think this happened to them because they were more sinful than the others. People sometimes think that good things should happen to good people and bad things should happen to bad people. Of course, we know from our reading of the book of Job that this is not always how it works. But Jesus used this opportunity to remind them of this truth. So he asked the question twice, do you think they were more sinful? And twice? He answered himself by saying, No, I tell you. Listen to this quote from Spurgeon. It is true, the wicked man sometimes falls dead in the street, but has not the Minister of fallen dead in the pulpit. It is true that a pleasure boat in which men were seeking their own pleasure on the Sunday has suddenly gone down. But is it not equally true that is shipped which contained none but godly men who were bound upon an excursion to preach the gospel has gone down to So Spurgeon was saying bad things do happen to bad people, but bad things happen to good people, too. So Jesus turned the question from Why did this happen to how does this apply to me? He said, those Galileans didn’t die because they were worse sinners than all the other Galileans. And he wasn’t saying that they were less guilty of sin either. The fact is, all are guilty. Romans 310 says, There is no one righteous, not one. And then twice in his statement, Jesus said, but unless you change your hearts and lives, and that’s according to the translation we read today, but to look more at the original Greek, Jesus said, twice, unless you repent, now in saying unless he repent, in the Greek, it’s two kinds of repentance. He talked about a once and for all, repentance in verse five. And in verse three, he referred to a continuing repentance and both kinds of necessary a once and for all repentance and a continuing repentance. You see, when we first accept Jesus as our Savior, we repent once and for all. But as we’ve said, so many times before we are imperfect, we sin, and that’s where the continuing repentance comes in. In that case, we don’t repent because we have lost our salvation. No, but it’s because we love Him. Jesus said, If you love me, you will keep My commandments. So when we sin, we repent. We ask His forgiveness, and then we turn from that sin. That’s what repentance is, we turn from the sin. So what do you think? Leave a comment at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 171. Tomorrow being Sunday, we’ll read from the epistles and we’re in Ephesians. We’ll read chapters four through six.

Steve Webb 14:00
On this date in church history, February 19 1802, Leonard W. Bacon was born. He was an American congregational, clergyman, educator, and editor. He pastored, the First Congregational Church in New Haven, Connecticut for 56 years from 1825 to 1881. And he was a leader in the anti slavery and temperance movements. He also authored the him oh god beneath a guiding hand.

Steve Webb 14:38
prayer requests yesterday Kathy was back at City of Hope for some pre surgery testing. They did some blood tests and an EKG. We don’t have a report back on the blood but she did pass the EKG. So that’s good news. This coming Sunday. She has to go back for a COVID test. The surgery supposed to be next Wednesday. Now for new listeners Kathy and her husband Dell are some of my oldest and dearest friends. Dell is the one who invited me to the church where I accepted the Lord. I’ve known him since we were in junior high school. So we’ve known each other a very long time. And Dell and I met Kathy at that same church probably at the exact same time when we were probably freshmen in high school. They became sweethearts and married right out of high school. She was diagnosed with MS in her mid 20s, then was first diagnosed with cancer probably in her mid 30s or so if I remember right. She said several forms of cancer over the years and right now it’s bone cancer she’s dealing with the surgery next week is to burn out a spot in a right scapula or shoulder blade after which they’ll repair that area with a sort of cement. They did a similar surgery last year on one of our femurs, then Dell had cancer about 25 years ago, but he is has not returned. Kathy has been plagued with ill health sensor first MS diagnosis. So let’s pray that the COVID test that she takes this coming Sunday comes back negative so that the surgery can be done on Wednesday. Let’s pray. Our Heavenly Father, we thank You, Lord for your word, and that you teach us so much from it, we would literally be lost without it. Thank you, Lord, for the Holy Spirit who helps us to understand and who leads us comforts us and gives us the words to say when we tell others about Jesus and so many other things. We pray, Lord, that Kathy’s surgery will be able to happen on Wednesday and that it’ll go smoothly. Help them Lord to get every bit of cancer cleared out of her shoulder blade. And again, I ask that you heal Kathy, heal her I asked in Jesus name of every bit of disease. It’s not beyond your ability, you made her body and you can heal her body. Lord, please do it. And we promise to give you praise. Thank you so much, Lord, for each person listening right now. Each Lifespring family member, bless them today no matter where they are, or when they hear this. For those who need your healing touch. Heal them today. For those with financial pressures provide what they need. For those with marital discord, bring healing and love and peace. For those who are struggling with depression. Give them hope. You Lord, our rock or shield are everything. We can run to you with our needs and know that you can meet them. But above all, we do pray that your will would be done in our lives. We do know that you use the hard times in our lives to strengthen our faith and mold us into the people you want us to be. So I pray that You would give us the grace and the faith to accept your will. You love us more than we can ever hope to comprehend. So I pray that you give us the faith we need to rest in you. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Send in your prayer request and praise His Beloved, I’ll pray for you in my daily private prayer time and I’ll pray for you on the show.

Steve Webb 18:05
And by the way, I interviewed Kathy in April of 2006. The episode is called Faith personified. If you want to hear one of the sweetest most godly women I’ve ever known, you really ought to listen. I’ll have a link on the show notes page. Also, I interviewed Dell in January of 2008 on the Lifespring show. That episode is called How to have power potential and passion in your marriage. Delon, Kathy had a ministry to couples of that time and the ideas that he shares on that show are timeless. I’ll have a link to that episode on the show notes page as well. The show notes page for this episode is at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 171. You can get those links there and comment on today’s episode. You can email me at Steve at Lifespring media.com. And please support the show at Lifespring media.com/support. Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. Thank you for being here. I’ve enjoyed spending time with you today. I don’t take it for granted. My name is Steve Webb. Bye

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