We live in an age of spineless religion, of equivocation, prevarication, evasion; in plain English-uncertainty, lies, and dodging the issues.

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1 Introduction My brother Tony loves to sail. He has a boat in Lake Winnapasake. I have no knowledge of sailing. I never knew until I sailed with my brother that you can get the boat to go in different directions, by either sailing with the wind, or against the wind. Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote; I find the greatest thing in this world not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving. To reach the port of heaven, we sail sometimes with the wind, and sometimes against it, but we sail, and not drift, nor live at anchor. We live in an age of spineless religion, of equivocation, prevarication, evasion; in plain English-uncertainty, lies, and dodging the issues. In the Bible, when Jacob came to the end of himself, he vowed a vow unto the Lord. That means he made a commitment to the Lord. This began an incredible journey for Jacob a wonderful life with the Lord. Jacob did not always do things right, he still failed, but his early determination kept him on course, and he came through victorious in the end. Daniel purposed in his heart to obey the Lord and God honored his purpose. Paul determined not to know anything among the people except for Jesus Christ and Him crucified. In that determined spirit, Paul ignored the philosophers, the wise men of his age, and preached a gospel that seemed foolish to a generation determined to perish, and life-giving to a generation lost in sin. Jacob, Daniel, Paul all experienced greatness because they were determined to know and do the will of God. They did not simply obtain fire insurance and wait for the world to burn itself out, die and float to heaven on some perfumed cloud. They cheerfully accepted the fact that they must cleave to the Lord. Jesus sets his face like flint towards Jerusalem. In the diaries of the saints we find vows and solemn pledges made in moments of grace, in the presence of God. Many of you have made vows and spoke pledges. You promised to love Jesus. You promised to serve Him. You promised to go where he told you to go. You promised to love your wife. You promised to respect your husband. You said for better or worse, and now its really bad. You said for richer or poorer and you husband has not worked in months. You said in sickness and in health, and your relationship cannot be described as healthy by any stretch of the imagination. Jesus made a promise to His Father. He will go to Jerusalem. He will suffer. He will die a horrible death. The certainty of the cross looms large. We now come to a place in Luke s gospel for the next ten long chapters, Jesus is on the road. Luke alludes to this fact at least ten times (9:51-57; 10:1; 11:53; 13:22, 33; 17:11; 18:31; 19:1). Luke reminds us of the journey. We are on the road, headed for an ultimate destination. Now Jesus will continue to educate his disciples, his followers on the demands of the road. We must learn life lessons on the road to our ultimate destination, the port of 1

2 heaven. The lessons are sometimes fiercely radical, sometimes scary, sometimes even discouraging. Sacrifice, suffering, service, loss, detriment, disadvantage, some of us will have to turn our backs on people, places and things that are committed, even hostile towards God s will for our lives. The Face of Determination (v.51) Luke 9:51 (NKJV); Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, Luke uses the unique expression the time had come for Him to be received up In other words, the days were fulfilled-the term suggests the completion of a divine plan. Jesus is going to walk through everything involved in his being taken up to heaven. We are so familiar with the story, his betrayal, his passion, his death, his resurrection, his ascension. The expression received up is the Greek word analempseos. The expression means to be taken up. It is a reference to his ascension into heaven. Salvation comes to us in part by Jesus death, burial, resurrection and ascension into heaven. In what way? Well the fact Jesus ascended into heaven presupposes his resurrection from the dead. If Jesus had remained in the grave, like an ordinary human being, he could not have ascended. Death is conquered human beings can be saved. God has highly exalted Jesus (Phil.2:8-9), on earth Jesus lived a perfect life. Now he is seated at the right hand of the Father (Col.3:1). Jesus is risen and ascended so He is able to represent us before the Father in perfection. Jesus is able to pray for us, and plead for us. He steadfastly set His face literally stiffened his face. Jesus is determined that nothing will stop Him from doing the Father s will. Jesus is on a mission to secure salvation for all humanity. Nothing will stop Him, prevent Him from fulfilling God s will. His face to go to Jerusalem the city of destiny the walls loom large, the Roman fort of Anthony where he will be judged, the plaza called gabbatha or the pavement where he will be scourged. Jerusalem is the Holy City of sacrifice. Jerusalem is the Eternal City the place where Jesus must suffer and die. Jerusalem is the place where God will complete His divine plan. God has a divine plan for you. A direction He is calling you to go. Are you willing to resolve, to purpose, to set your face towards Jerusalem? The Face of Destiny (v.52) Luke 9:52 (NKJV); and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 2

3 Jesus sent messengers ahead. They went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for Jesus. Samaria was the most direct route from the northern part of Galilee to the southern region of Judea. The Face of Distinction (v.53) Luke 9:53 (NKJV); But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. They did not receive Jesus, they rejected Him. The rejection should not surprise us. There was a deep seated hatred and animosity between Jew and Samaritan. Many centuries earlier, the Assyrians had invaded the region, deported some of the Jews, and intermarried with others. This created a group of people who the Jews believed to be bi-racial, half-breeds and religious apostates. The Samaritans built a temple (later destroyed by John Hyrcanus 128 B.C.) worshiped on Mount Gerizim and published their own version of the Pentateuch, and celebrated their own Passover ( a practice which continues to this very day in modern Nablus-ancient Schechem on Mount Gerizim). So the Samaritans did what many people do when they are hated, marginalized, discriminated, they hate back. Some of the Samaritans in New Testament times managed to sneak on to the Temple Mount and scatter some human bones, thus defiling the Temple. For both Jew and Samaritan life was short, too short, they had so much hatred, they did not live long enough to fully express that hatred. They rejected Jesus because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. The Samaritans hated Jews and Jerusalem. They hated everything Jerusalem stood for. People still reject Jesus because His primary function is not as a good teacher or great moral leader or lessons in love. Jesus is going to Jerusalem. The will of the Father lies in Jerusalem. A cross is waiting in Jerusalem. It is indeed difficult to follow Jesus to a place you despise. Think for a moment. They will gladly accept Jesus if Jesus agrees to be the kind of Savior the Samaritans can live with. He can serve them in their temple, they can read from their book. But if Jesus is going to Jerusalem, to that other Temple, where they have those other priests, that is unacceptable. Everyone is willing to accept a Jesus that is the product of their own imagination, of their own peculiar beliefs, and distinctives. A Jesus who does not insist going to Jerusalem to die on a cross. A Jesus that does not demand commitment, sacrifice, surrender. A Jesus who is fine with my sin, my sexual immorality, my pride, my anger, my religion, my gambling, my drinking, my drugging, my greedy pursuit of endless riches. A Jesus who doesn t care whether I worship on Mount Gerizim or Mount Moriah. A Jesus who is fine 3

4 with me believing only the parts of the Bible I agree with and celebrating the traditions in the comfort of my home or the golf course, or the ski slope. The Face of Deliverance (vv.54-56) Luke 9:54-56 (NKJV);54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did? 55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men s lives but to save them. And they went to another village. We are not surprised given the history of hatred, that James and John suggest they call down fire from heaven and consume them. They are naïve but they are not stupid or insincere. They really do want to call down fire from heaven. Another thing, they believe Jesus really can call fire down from heaven. just as Elijah did. They are referring to the story in 2 Kings 1:1-14 where the apostate King Ahaziah twice sent soldiers to take Elijah and how twice the prophet said, If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men (vv.10-12) and it did! This by the way was a section of Scripture rejected by the Samaritans. Someone might say, well it s in the Bible. Yes it is in the Bible their memory was good about the story but the failed to grasp the true meaning of the story. Ahaziah was rejecting God, and God s prophet, and pursuing Elijah to kill him. The Lord was protecting Elijah from harm. Yes the Samaritans rejected Jesus at that moment. Part of their rejection was rooted in the deep seated hatred Jews felt for Samaritans, and Samaritans for Jews. Ignorance, prejudice, traditions can be overthrown and changed. A young lady named Sally took a seminary class taught by Professor Smith, who was known for his elaborate object lessons. One day Sally walked into class to find a large target placed on the wall, with several darts resting on a nearby table. Professor Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone they disliked or someone who had made them angry and he would allow them to throw darts at the person s picture. Sally s friend (on her right) drew a picture of another woman who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend (on her left) drew a picture of his younger brother. Sally drew a picture of Professor Smith, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on his face! She was quite pleased at the overall effect she d achieved. The class lined up and began throwing darts amidst much laughter. Some of the students threw with such force that they ripped apart their targets. But Sally, looking forward to her turn, was filled with disappointment when Professor Smith asked the students to return to their seats so he could begin his lecture. As Sally fumed about missing her chance to throw the darts, the professor began removing the target from the wall. Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus. A hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled image of their Savior holes and jagged marks covered his face. His eyes were virtually pierced out. Professor Smith said only these words, 4

5 Luke 9:55-56 (NKJV); You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men s lives but to save them. Killing abortion doctors, killing people who disagree with us, is not God s answer. Jesus did not come to destroy men s lives, but to save them. Who have you drawn a picture of this morning? Old earthers? Democrats? Liberals? Liberal Christian scholars? Homosexuals? Catholics? Protestants? The disciples are short on steel. They keep forgetting the will of God and ministry of Jesus. Jesus has come to save people, to deliver people not destroy people. Our job is never to accelerate the judgment process. Grace precedes judgment. We have the awesome responsibility to give people grace. The disciples ignore the very example of Jesus and his teaching. Luke 6 tells us that both James and John heard Jesus say, Luke 6:27-28 (NKJV); But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. The ethic of the Kingdom is mercy; Matthew 5:7 (NKJV); Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Those on the road with Jesus, those who travel with Jesus, those who pretend to share in his ministry, must be merciful. Sometimes we must preach turn or burn get right or get left but we must always include and I hope it is not you. Think for a moment. James and John were just as guilty as the Samaritans. They imagined a King without a cross, a resurrection without a grave, they imagined a place of righteousness where sin had not truly been dealt with in its most sinister form, inside of us, in our hearts. James and John were full of bitterness, wrath and vengeance reacting to the Samaritans rejection. They wanted to destroy the Samaritans because the Samaritans were not willing to worship Jesus on Jesus terms or to live like James and John expected. Conclusion Jesus was on a mission to save life, not destroy life. Luke 19:10 (NKJV); for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. John 10:10 (NKJV); The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. 1 Timothy 1:15 (NKJV); This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 5

6 2 Corinthians 6:2 (NKJV); For He says: In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. Today is not the day of judgment it need not be judgment is yet future Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV); And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 6