Luke 13:32
Go and tell that fox, “I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.”
On the Sunday of Transfiguration before Lent began we heard an image of our goal in Christ. The human body completely united with God’s blazing glory. Jesus came down the mountain to defeat sin, death and the devil; casting out the demon from the boy, healing him and restoring him to his father. And last week you heard the Holy Spirit bringing Jesus out into the desert to fast and be attacked by demons. Tempted with those three great temptations of pleasure, possession and pride; and the devil departing for a time. Today we hear a veiled threat and the love of God.
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son to drive out demons and heal the people, to defeat sin, death and the devil for you. Jesus had been teaching, healing and casting out demons, casting wide the net of the Gospel; yet in doing so he had disturbed and angered the local leaders, the Pharisees and the scribes. Teaching, ‘unless you repent you too will perish.’ (Luke 13:5). Healing a woman, who was crippled by a demon, on the Sabbath, God’s day of rest; teaching the freedom of the Lord’s Day (Luke 13:10-16). And now the Pharisees confront Him, telling Him to leave under threat of death. But Jesus is not in a rush and He knows His work. “I will keep driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.” To show God’s love to the people, even when some of those people stood against Him.
Jesus standing against death and the devil, yet not fussed by the people who stood against Him. Continuing His way of life, He stood firm. And this is what Paul is writing of to the Philippians (4:1). St Paul and many like him strove to follow in the example of Jesus, to live in His life, to do as He did. Listening to His Word, which stands forever, Paul believed God’s Baptismal Promises, that our citizenship is not here in Australia, but in heaven (Philippians 3:20). In heaven, where God reigns in glory and where sin, death and the devil have no power. And Paul more than believed, he eagerly awaited our Saviour from there, from the right hand of God, the Lord Jesus Christ (3:20). Awaiting our Lord who defeats sin, death and the devil and will destroy your sin, your death and your devils; transforming your bodies to be like His glorious body (3:21). This is God’s goal for all of humanity, the revelation of the mount of Transfiguration, that we become who Jesus is. This is why we encourage each other, why we try to explain the faith to others, to spread the News of His victory. This is why we have the Church Year, Lent; why we might fast, pray and give to those in need.
And this is what being a Christian is. When you are Baptised, you are baptised into Christ’s everlasting life. When you are Justified, God Justifies you, He makes you righteous, with Christ’s Justice, His Righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30). When you receive Holy Communion, Christ incorporates you into Himself, the two become one flesh. As you are united with Christ Jesus, you, together with all Christians, are becoming as He is. Fully reconciled with God Almighty, our Father; Eternally Victorious over sin, death and the devil; and glorified by Him in the New Creation, shining with His Eternal Glory. You have a foretaste of this today, a foretaste of God’s goal for us, of Christ’s goal; yet today, tomorrow, you struggle to follow His example again.
We struggle, especially as we focus, fast, pray, give to the needy, we struggle against sin death and the devil. And others stand against us, people, those we work with, our government, at times even friends and family; they stand against us when they set their minds on earthly things. Paul says not that they fast but that their god is their stomach, not that they pray but that they glory in shame (Philippians 3:19). Yet we have a helper, the Holy Spirit; we have a Saviour, Jesus Christ; and we have an ever-loving Father, God Almighty. He who made a total and unilateral commitment to Abraham, has promised forgiveness, and New Everlasting Holy Life in relationship with Him to you. He loves you.
That is why Jesus, despite those living as enemies of His cross, keeps working. A good example for us. A couple of days then on the Third day He would reach His goal. A few days until Good Friday, then on the Third day He would rise, resurrect, stand forever in victory. And we will receive Him today as we too proclaim, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
And so the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, now unto His coming in all glory. Amen!
Pastor Joseph Graham.