Bowing the Knee to Jesus Christ (Luke 13:34-35)

Bowing the knee to Jesus Christ is something each person will do, whether on this side of heaven or the next. Everyone will come to the realization that Jesus is the Son of God: Isaiah 45:23 [God says], “To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.” Romans 14:11 “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” Philippians 2:10 At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth. How can it be that every knee will bow to Christ when we know many have rejected him? There are two ways people bow the knee to Christ: willingly in this life, or unwillingly in the next life. Table of ContentsFamily Worship Guide for Bowing the Knee to Jesus ChristSermon Notes for Bowing the Knee to Jesus ChristLesson One: Jesus repeated people’s names when they failed but would recover.Lesson Two: Sorrow is a Christlike response to sin.Lesson Three: We choose how we bow our knee to Christ. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NXPE_X8DbA Bowing the knee to Jesus Christ is something each person will do, whether on this side of heaven or the next (Isaiah 45:23, Romans 14:11, Philippians 2:10). Family Worship Guide for Bowing the Knee to Jesus Christ Directions: Read the verses and then answer the questions: Day 1: Luke 10:38-42, 13:34, 22:31, John 12:1-8, Acts 9:1-5—How do you think Jesus spoke to Martha? Why did Jesus rebuke her in Luke 10, but not in John 12? How do you think Jesus spoke to Peter? What did Jesus want Peter to do after he recovered? How do you think Jesus spoke to Saul? How did each of these people recover from the rebuke Jesus gave them? Day 2: Psalm 118:22-26, John 12:12-13, Romans 11:25-27—How do you think Jesus spoke to the Jews when he repeated the name of their capital? Why was he sorrowful? Can you think of other times Jesus seemed sorrowful over sin? What about angry? Can you think of examples of Old Testament versus quoted in the New Testament and explain the way the context applies? Day 3: Luke 19:41-44, Zechariah 12:10, Isaiah 45:23, Romans 14:11, Philippians 2:10—Why did Jesus weep after his triumphal entry? What does it mean that every knee will bow to Christ? How can this be true when we know that many reject Christ? Why do you think Jesus compared himself with a mother hen? How can you see this being a fitting illustration? Sermon Notes for Bowing the Knee to Jesus Christ The title this morning’s sermon is, “Bowing the Knee to Jesus Christ.” On Sunday mornings we’re working our way through Luke’s gospel verse by verse and we find ourselves at chapter 13, verses 31-35. We started these verses last week and we will finish them this morning. Please stand with me for the reading of God’s Word. Luke 13: 31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” 32 And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. 33 Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ 34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35 Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” Let’s pray. Because we have to read Scripture instead of listen to it, or to be specific for this morning’s verses, because we have to read Jesus’s words, versus hear them, we have to guess how he said this to the Jews. As we talked about last week: Because the Jews murdered the prophets… Because they would murder Jesus… Because Jesus – according to his own words – often reached out to them, and they were not willing… How would you expect Jesus to say, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,” to the Jews? I would expect him to be angry. To understand how Jesus said these words we are going to do something a little different. Instead of jumping right into the verses, we are going to look at the other times Jesus said names twice. This will give us a good idea how he said these words to the Jews, because he always seemed to have the same tone when repeating names. There’s one other thing I want to mention about these examples before we look at them. It seems like whenever Christ repeated people’s names, they were in weak, vulnerable positions of failure, but they would recover and do well in the future…and this brings us to lesson one… Lesson One: Jesus repeated people’s names when they failed but would recover. First, please turn to the left to Luke 10. Luke 10:38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “MARTHA, MARTHA, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” How do you think Jesus spoke to Martha when he said her name twice? Even though she: Interrupted Him when he was teaching… Criticized him, saying that he didn’t care that Mary was mistreating her… And ordered him to do something – “Tell my sister to help me!”… I think he spoke gently to her. I think He felt sorry for her for serving with this attitude. And as far as Martha recovering from this and doing well in the future, briefly turn to the right to John 12. Look at verse 1… John 12:1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Christ had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Martha prepared a meal for Jesus, the Twelve, her brother, and her sister. That’s 15 people! Look at verse 3… John 12:3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said,5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” This account took place less than a year after the account in Luke 10 and there are several similarities between them: Jesus is in the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus again. Mary is back at Jesus’ feet engaging in another act of devotion. Martha is back to serving again. Jesus defends Mary’s behavior again: Previously He defended Mary to Martha. Now He defends Mary to Judas. And let me ask you a question… Since Martha is serving again and Mary is showing her devotion again, what else would we expect? We would expect Jesus to rebuke Martha again, but He didn’t, and there are two reasons for that: First, Jesus was eating instead of teaching. There was nothing better for Martha to choose this time. Second, Martha served with the right attitude. She’s not overwhelmed, feeling sorry for herself, or annoyed with others or the Lord. So Jesus rebuked her and she recovered well. For the next example, turn to Luke 22. Here’s the context: In Luke 22:1-23 Jesus says he will be betrayed, but all the disciples deny it Then in Luke 22:24-30 the disciples argue about who is the greatest Then Peter boldly declared that he would never betray Christ. Look how Jesus responded in verse 31… Luke 22:31 “SIMON, SIMON, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Even though Jesus knew Peter would deny him – three times – how do you think Jesus spoke to Peter when he said his name twice? I think he spoke kindly to him. He knew Peter would fail, so he prayed for him and told him what to do when he repented and was restored: use what he learned to strengthen, or encourage, other Christians. And did Peter recover well? Yes, he went on to become the leader of the apostles in the early church. Now turn to Acts 9 for the third example. This is Saul’s famous conversion on the road to Damascus. Acts 9:1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “SAUL, SAUL, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Saul was on his way to arrest, imprison, or murder as many Christians as he could. He never reached Damascus because the Lord called out to him by using his name twice and asked him why he was persecuting him. How do you think Jesus spoke to him? Firmly, but kindly. For persecuting Jesus, Jesus could’ve spoken very harshly to Saul.