“Handling Rejection without Resentment”
Luke 13:31-35 March 4, 2007 Play
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Pastors Get Stoned: Some Welcome!
○ Jerusalem rabble endangers visiting Canadian
pastors
○ tensions, resentments parallel Native
situation
○ rejection felt deeply through uncaring words
Henny Penny, Chicklee, and Other Feathered Friends
○ Experiment in poultry-raising resulted in
new pets
○ God’s love for people ‘from everlasting to
everlasting’ (Ps 103:4,8b,11,17)
○ Jesus often longed to gather Jews as hen
gathers chicks (13:34)
Foxy Foes
○ environment hostile to Jesus: Pilate,
religious leaders, Herod (13:1,14,31)
○ guilty conscience due to murder of John the
Baptist (Mt 14:2)
○ Pharisees jealous of Jesus’ popularity
○ others may resent you if try to live a holy
life
○ Herod ‘fox’ - cunning, sly, opportunistic
(13:32)
○ confronting carnivorous coons: die hard
though pierced
Responding with Grace - and Gravity
○ answer to threat given with respect,
reassurance (13:32)
○ coupled with serious warning will be
desolate if persist in refusing the Lord (13:35; Deut.28; Jer 22:5)
○ narrow door to enter God’s Kingdom; weeping
of those thrown out (13:23,28; Rom 1:18)
Hope for the Hostile in the Long Term
○ hint that Jerusalem will eventually welcome
Jesus at His return (13:35)
○ will mourn for Him who was pierced, with
spirit of grace and prayer (Rev 1:7; Zech 12:10)
Jesus Heals - Even When You’re ‘Burned’
○ napalm victim now ambassador of goodwill
& forgiveness, raising funds to help children of war