Luke 13:31-35. Jesus weeps for his wayward people 4/3/07
(31) At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, "Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you." {32} He replied, "Go tell that fox, 'I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.' {33} In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day--for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem! {34} "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! {35} Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
As Jesus looks down over Toowoomba and this country of ours today, one can almost see his reaction in light of this reading here. As he focuses on the many people who have let him down so badly: who have become so slack in their attitude toward the Christian faith; or who have openly turned their back on him; one can imagine him dropping to his knees broken-hearted. As he looks on each one of us here in turn, one can almost see another tear of sadness fall. “How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”
It is amazing to think that he should care so much: That he should be so concerned about our every wayward action and thought: Particularly in light of the fact that we are so unconcerned about our failures and hiccups. After all they are no big deal, are they? I mean we still call ourselves Christians: We have been baptized and are members of the church; and we try to do the right thing - well some of the time anyway. So what if we miss going to church, or we don’t read our Bibles as often as we should, or we take our neighbour down in a deal; or other things that are no big deal; does it really matter? We certainly don’t think so!
Yet, here we find that Jesus is deeply concerned. He knows only too well what each of those little failures, stem from, and lead to. He knows what dangers are lurking around the corner for each one of us. Even if we are blind to the reality of the evil that is there in our lives; our Lord is not. He is concerned for each and every one of us here this morning; and he is mindful of all of those others in our community who are not here. All are important to him, and he doesn’t wish to lose any one of us. Yet the time comes when he has to leave us to our own destruction, if that is the way we are determined to go.
Now the picture of the hen and the chickens that Jesus uses here is so good to describe on the one hand how much Jesus cares for us; and on the other how stupid we can be. Just think for a while on this picture, and our place in it: Then particularly of Jesus and his concern for us.
Mother hen and the chickens are out scratching around in the yard. The hen is trying to teach her chicks how to find sustenance for life and to constantly be on the lookout for the ever-present dangers in life. Yet how often weren’t the chicks oblivious to those dangers. They would wander off from being too close to mother hen: first just a little way, then a bit more and a bit more. Happily playing around they had forgotten about their food and were no longer listening to their mother – they were too busy enjoying themselves.
All of a sudden mother hen kicks up such a fuss, racing over to the chicks, flapping her wings. In the process some of the chickens are sent flying. She saw the cat sneaking up and raced up to scare it off. As the hen tried to gather the chickens under her protective wings, they grumbled and complained that she had hurt them in her mad scramble.
Very soon however they head off in another direction, thinking that all the dangers had passed. Even when the shadow of a hawk circling overhead came their way, they did not see the danger that was inherent. When the call went out from the hen and the other chooks around, they paid no great attention. Despite the hens efforts one chick falls prey to that menace from nowhere.
Now at that, we would think the rest would take note and now be very careful indeed. But no, before long they are back to their old ways, too busy doing other things – getting on in the world – thinking only of themselves and their pleasures. They know better. They will be able to out run the hawk next time. They will be alright.
Meanwhile mother hen continues to fly back and forth trying desperately to help and protect her chicks. Whenever danger was present she would call them to her protective wings. She does everything she possibly can for her young, and it grieves her greatly to see her loved ones placing themselves in danger again and again. She is left heart-broken every time another of her chicks falls prey to the evils that were ever present. Sadly before very long she has only a small brood left in her care.
Now as we think about that illustration, how often isn’t this just the case with Jesus and us: God is constantly trying to teach us what is good and right for us, and give us the help and good that we need; and also of the dangers that are ever- present around us. Yet so often we find ourselves having moved away from our God and the help and protection that he wants for us.
We get caught up in life and the comings and goings around us, and so often don’t even realize that we have moved away from those things that he wants for us. After all it is only one Sunday that we missed in the beginning; but little by little we miss a month at a time. Or, it is only the ignoring or changing of one little aspect of the Bible to suite ourselves, but before long the whole focus of our attention in worship is on ourselves and not what God has to give us. Or there is any number of ways that we get caught up in the crowd, and move bit by bit away from where we should be.
Then when have moved far enough away, un-be-knowns to us, the devil is lurking ready for the pounce. We don’t even realize the danger is there, or the shift in our thinking. Even when we see one of our Christian friends fall away and get caught out, we very quickly seem to forget. So we go our merry way thinking we will be alright. ‘Look we still believe in God, we have got it all under control; she’ll be right mate.’ And that is danger time indeed for us. There evil is ready to swoop.
However thank God that Jesus is like the mother hen: doing all he can to protect us and gather us back under his wings. He hasn’t given up on us yet. He hasn’t given up on our community or country yet. He is patiently calling and calling us back: doing all he can to ward off the dangers that threaten to capture. But however, perhaps allowing us to be hurt from time to time and go through difficulties, so that we recognise the need for us to stay close to our Lord and saviour. Maybe there, our Lord is trying to protect us from a much greater harm – our soul’s destruction. But Jesus has told us again and again that he loves and cares so much for us. So much so that he doesn’t want to lose any one of us. He knows the dangers; and he is constantly seeking to gather us back under his wings: back into the safety of his family, the church.
Here as we approach Easter, this picture of the hen and her chicks takes on a further step. Recently I was reminded me of a story that I read about a hen and her chicks, some time ago. It is supposedly a true story. On this occasion a fire went through this farm yard and burnt through the chook shed. After the fire had gone the farmer wandered through his burnt out yard, and out in the middle of the yard he kicked a charred lump which was once one of his hens. To his surprise, under the charred remains there was this little chicken still alive: Saved under the protective wing of her mother.
True or not, I do not know. But certainly, we know that Jesus spread out his wings – his arms to save us. He gave up his life on the cross so that we might have forgiveness for our sin; for our failure to heed our Lord’s commands. He died so that we might have life, here and in heaven. He has rescued us from certain destruction, which was circling around us, because we have again and again wandered far from our Lord’s protective care. He raised his arms so that he might ward off, eternal death from us all.
As a result let us this Lenten season show our gratitude for his not giving up on us. Let us heed his call to turn back to the safety of his protective care. Let us not be one of those that Jesus truly wept over because they ‘would not let him put his arms around them.’ Let us not cause him any further heartache by doing our own thing and wanting to go our own way, and by failing to listen to his calling and rejecting his word.
Instead, let us recognise that great love and concern that he has for us, and so stay close under his protective wings; and give him thanks and praise for all that he has done. To him alone be all glory and honour, now and always. AMEN.
Pastor Roger Atze
Redeemer Lutheran Church
Toowoomba
(31) At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, "Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you." {32} He replied, "Go tell that fox, 'I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.' {33} In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day--for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem! {34} "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! {35} Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
As Jesus looks down over Toowoomba and this country of ours today, one can almost see his reaction in light of this reading here. As he focuses on the many people who have let him down so badly: who have become so slack in their attitude toward the Christian faith; or who have openly turned their back on him; one can imagine him dropping to his knees broken-hearted. As he looks on each one of us here in turn, one can almost see another tear of sadness fall. “How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”
It is amazing to think that he should care so much: That he should be so concerned about our every wayward action and thought: Particularly in light of the fact that we are so unconcerned about our failures and hiccups. After all they are no big deal, are they? I mean we still call ourselves Christians: We have been baptized and are members of the church; and we try to do the right thing - well some of the time anyway. So what if we miss going to church, or we don’t read our Bibles as often as we should, or we take our neighbour down in a deal; or other things that are no big deal; does it really matter? We certainly don’t think so!
Yet, here we find that Jesus is deeply concerned. He knows only too well what each of those little failures, stem from, and lead to. He knows what dangers are lurking around the corner for each one of us. Even if we are blind to the reality of the evil that is there in our lives; our Lord is not. He is concerned for each and every one of us here this morning; and he is mindful of all of those others in our community who are not here. All are important to him, and he doesn’t wish to lose any one of us. Yet the time comes when he has to leave us to our own destruction, if that is the way we are determined to go.
Now the picture of the hen and the chickens that Jesus uses here is so good to describe on the one hand how much Jesus cares for us; and on the other how stupid we can be. Just think for a while on this picture, and our place in it: Then particularly of Jesus and his concern for us.
Mother hen and the chickens are out scratching around in the yard. The hen is trying to teach her chicks how to find sustenance for life and to constantly be on the lookout for the ever-present dangers in life. Yet how often weren’t the chicks oblivious to those dangers. They would wander off from being too close to mother hen: first just a little way, then a bit more and a bit more. Happily playing around they had forgotten about their food and were no longer listening to their mother – they were too busy enjoying themselves.
All of a sudden mother hen kicks up such a fuss, racing over to the chicks, flapping her wings. In the process some of the chickens are sent flying. She saw the cat sneaking up and raced up to scare it off. As the hen tried to gather the chickens under her protective wings, they grumbled and complained that she had hurt them in her mad scramble.
Very soon however they head off in another direction, thinking that all the dangers had passed. Even when the shadow of a hawk circling overhead came their way, they did not see the danger that was inherent. When the call went out from the hen and the other chooks around, they paid no great attention. Despite the hens efforts one chick falls prey to that menace from nowhere.
Now at that, we would think the rest would take note and now be very careful indeed. But no, before long they are back to their old ways, too busy doing other things – getting on in the world – thinking only of themselves and their pleasures. They know better. They will be able to out run the hawk next time. They will be alright.
Meanwhile mother hen continues to fly back and forth trying desperately to help and protect her chicks. Whenever danger was present she would call them to her protective wings. She does everything she possibly can for her young, and it grieves her greatly to see her loved ones placing themselves in danger again and again. She is left heart-broken every time another of her chicks falls prey to the evils that were ever present. Sadly before very long she has only a small brood left in her care.
Now as we think about that illustration, how often isn’t this just the case with Jesus and us: God is constantly trying to teach us what is good and right for us, and give us the help and good that we need; and also of the dangers that are ever- present around us. Yet so often we find ourselves having moved away from our God and the help and protection that he wants for us.
We get caught up in life and the comings and goings around us, and so often don’t even realize that we have moved away from those things that he wants for us. After all it is only one Sunday that we missed in the beginning; but little by little we miss a month at a time. Or, it is only the ignoring or changing of one little aspect of the Bible to suite ourselves, but before long the whole focus of our attention in worship is on ourselves and not what God has to give us. Or there is any number of ways that we get caught up in the crowd, and move bit by bit away from where we should be.
Then when have moved far enough away, un-be-knowns to us, the devil is lurking ready for the pounce. We don’t even realize the danger is there, or the shift in our thinking. Even when we see one of our Christian friends fall away and get caught out, we very quickly seem to forget. So we go our merry way thinking we will be alright. ‘Look we still believe in God, we have got it all under control; she’ll be right mate.’ And that is danger time indeed for us. There evil is ready to swoop.
However thank God that Jesus is like the mother hen: doing all he can to protect us and gather us back under his wings. He hasn’t given up on us yet. He hasn’t given up on our community or country yet. He is patiently calling and calling us back: doing all he can to ward off the dangers that threaten to capture. But however, perhaps allowing us to be hurt from time to time and go through difficulties, so that we recognise the need for us to stay close to our Lord and saviour. Maybe there, our Lord is trying to protect us from a much greater harm – our soul’s destruction. But Jesus has told us again and again that he loves and cares so much for us. So much so that he doesn’t want to lose any one of us. He knows the dangers; and he is constantly seeking to gather us back under his wings: back into the safety of his family, the church.
Here as we approach Easter, this picture of the hen and her chicks takes on a further step. Recently I was reminded me of a story that I read about a hen and her chicks, some time ago. It is supposedly a true story. On this occasion a fire went through this farm yard and burnt through the chook shed. After the fire had gone the farmer wandered through his burnt out yard, and out in the middle of the yard he kicked a charred lump which was once one of his hens. To his surprise, under the charred remains there was this little chicken still alive: Saved under the protective wing of her mother.
True or not, I do not know. But certainly, we know that Jesus spread out his wings – his arms to save us. He gave up his life on the cross so that we might have forgiveness for our sin; for our failure to heed our Lord’s commands. He died so that we might have life, here and in heaven. He has rescued us from certain destruction, which was circling around us, because we have again and again wandered far from our Lord’s protective care. He raised his arms so that he might ward off, eternal death from us all.
As a result let us this Lenten season show our gratitude for his not giving up on us. Let us heed his call to turn back to the safety of his protective care. Let us not be one of those that Jesus truly wept over because they ‘would not let him put his arms around them.’ Let us not cause him any further heartache by doing our own thing and wanting to go our own way, and by failing to listen to his calling and rejecting his word.
Instead, let us recognise that great love and concern that he has for us, and so stay close under his protective wings; and give him thanks and praise for all that he has done. To him alone be all glory and honour, now and always. AMEN.
Pastor Roger Atze
Redeemer Lutheran Church
Toowoomba
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