What had Jesus to say about a fox and chickens? There are
important warnings and lessons for you and me in what He said.
Jesus was never popular with everyone. For example, neither Herod
nor the Pharisees wanted Jesus around. They knew Jesus' teachings
would show up their evil ways. In their own cunning ways they
wanted to capture and control people's minds and lives.
"Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said, ‘Leave this place and go
somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.'" 1*.
Herod was like a cunning fox that wanted to frighten off his rival
and have everything his own way!
Jesus 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.'" 2*.
Jesus would not be put off from His good work by the evil king - He
would continue to demonstrate His power over demons and diseases!
And, nothing or no-one was going to stop Jesus doing the most
important work He had come to do. He had come to die at
Jerusalem for our sins so as to become the Saviour for mankind.
3*. Then He would be
able to bring together all those who would trust in Him as their
Saviour and make them His own special Family - His "Church".
4*.
Today the true Gospel of Jesus Christ has still many rivals -
cunning men and religions who deceive people in order to have
control of their minds and lives. Watch out for such "foxes"; they
will want to keep you from knowing and believing that
Jesus is the ONLY PRIEST AND SAVIOUR God has for mankind
today. 5*. Instead
they will want you to trust in them, and obey their
religion, in order to receive peace and absolution of sin from them
- and they might even claim to be able to do this "in Jesus'
name"!! 6*.
Nothing would keep Jesus from His "goal" in Jerusalem - there He
would lay down His own life as a sacrifice for your sins and mine.
7*. But He knew that
He would be rejected as Saviour by the very people He loved and
wanted to save. 8*.
As Jesus thought about what the people of Jerusalem would soon do
to Him He cried out, "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!" 9*. The people of Jerusalem, like foolish chicks,
were turning from the salvation offered to them by Jesus Christ and
becoming the victims of evil and deceptive ‘foxes' of false
religious leaders and evil rulers!
Don't you behave like a foolish chick and turn away from the only
God and Saviour. Jesus is your only hope!
One day, very soon I believe, Jesus will come again and every one
will realise then that He is the blessed One they should have
trusted in - but it will be too late then!
Trust in Jesus now for forgiveness of your sins and for His
protection and safety; then you will not fear His return but will
eagerly be looking forward to it. 10*.
Read about the people who resemble animals in Luke 13:31-35.
Bye for now,
John Nixon, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
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Bible quotations from N.I.V.
1 Luke 13:31.
2 Luke 13:32.
3 Luke 24:46-47. 1st John
4:14.
4 Matthew 16:18. Galatians
4:4-7. Hebrews 2:9-18.
5 Acts 4:12. Hebrews
7:24-27.
6 Matthew 7:21-27.
7 Romans 3:21-26.
8 John 1:10-13.
9 Luke 13:34.
10 Luke 13:35. Hebrews
9:28.
