Divine Rescue: Embracing Jesus as Our Savior

 

Summary

In today's reflection, we delve into the parable of the tenants from the Gospel of Luke, exploring the profound implications of sin and the necessity of divine rescue. The parable illustrates the rejection of God's messengers and ultimately His Son, symbolizing humanity's persistent rebellion against divine authority. This narrative serves as a poignant reminder of our own tendencies to reject God's guidance and the need for a savior who can bridge the chasm sin creates between us and God.

We are reminded of the storms in our lives, both literal and metaphorical, that threaten to overwhelm us. Just as evacuation routes guide us to safety during a hurricane, God provides signs pointing us toward spiritual rescue. However, these signs are not the rescue themselves; they direct us to the ultimate source of salvation—Jesus Christ. Our sin, like a relentless storm, separates us from God, and we cannot save ourselves. We need a savior, and Psalm 51 offers a roadmap to repentance and restoration, emphasizing that only God can rescue us from sin's grip.

The Old Testament sacrificial system, with its rituals and offerings, was a sign pointing to the need for a perfect sacrifice. Yet, it was not the ultimate solution. The sacrifices had to be repeated, highlighting the ongoing nature of sin and the need for continual repentance. This system foreshadowed the coming of Jesus, the suffering servant, who would offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice once and for all. Jesus' death and resurrection fulfill the promises of the Old Testament, providing a way for us to be made acceptable to God.

As we journey through Lent, we are called to reflect on the significance of Jesus' sacrifice. His life, death, and resurrection are the ultimate rescue from sin, offering us forgiveness and acceptance before God. We are invited to live as living sacrifices, dedicating our lives to God in gratitude for His grace. In this season, let us look to the cross, where all signs point to Jesus, our only hope and rescue.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Parable of the Tenants: This parable highlights humanity's rejection of God's messengers and ultimately His Son, illustrating our tendency to resist divine authority. It serves as a reminder of our need for a savior who can reconcile us with God. [21:27]

2. The Storm of Sin: Just as hurricanes threaten physical safety, sin poses a spiritual threat that separates us from God. We cannot rescue ourselves; we need divine intervention to guide us to safety. [25:02]

3. Psalm 51 and Repentance: Psalm 51 offers a path to repentance, emphasizing that true transformation comes from a heart turned toward God. It reminds us that only God can cleanse us from sin and restore us to right relationship with Him. [27:04]

4. Old Testament Sacrifices as Signs: The sacrificial system of the Old Testament pointed to the need for a perfect sacrifice. These rituals foreshadowed Jesus' ultimate sacrifice, which provides complete forgiveness and acceptance before God. [32:42]

5. Jesus, Our Perfect Sacrifice: Jesus' life, death, and resurrection fulfill the promises of the Old Testament, offering us a way to be made acceptable to God. His sacrifice is the ultimate rescue from sin, inviting us to live as living sacrifices in gratitude for His grace. [36:48]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [20:36] - Introduction to the Parable
- [21:27] - The Rejection of the Son
- [22:24] - Opening Prayer
- [23:46] - Personal Introduction
- [24:03] - The Storm of Sin
- [25:02] - Our Need for Rescue
- [27:04] - Psalm 51 and Repentance
- [28:29] - Restoration and Right Worship
- [30:07] - The Heart of Worship
- [31:28] - The Problem of Sin
- [32:42] - Old Testament Sacrifices
- [35:20] - The Suffering Servant
- [36:48] - Jesus, Our Perfect Sacrifice
- [37:42] - Lent and Holy Week
- [39:24] - Conclusion and Call to Faith

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Luke 20:9-19
2. Psalm 51
3. Isaiah 43:18-19

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Observation Questions:

1. In the parable of the tenants, what actions did the tenants take against the servants and the son sent by the vineyard owner? How does this reflect humanity's response to God's messengers? [21:09]

2. How does the sermon describe the "storm of sin" and its impact on our relationship with God? What metaphor is used to illustrate our need for rescue? [25:02]

3. According to Psalm 51, what is the psalmist's attitude towards sin and repentance? How does this psalm guide us in seeking God's forgiveness? [27:04]

4. What role did the Old Testament sacrificial system play in pointing to the need for a perfect sacrifice, and how is this fulfilled in Jesus according to the sermon? [32:42]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the parable of the tenants illustrate the broader theme of humanity's rejection of divine authority, and what does this suggest about our need for a savior? [21:27]

2. The sermon compares sin to a storm that separates us from God. In what ways can this metaphor help us understand the seriousness of sin and our inability to save ourselves? [25:02]

3. Psalm 51 emphasizes a heart turned toward God for true transformation. How does this align with the sermon's message about the necessity of divine intervention for repentance and restoration? [27:04]

4. The sermon mentions that the Old Testament sacrifices were signs pointing to Jesus' ultimate sacrifice. How does this understanding affect our view of Jesus' death and resurrection as the fulfillment of God's promises? [32:42]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you resisted God's guidance in your life. What steps can you take to be more open to His direction and authority? [21:27]

2. The sermon describes sin as a storm that we cannot escape on our own. Identify a specific sin or struggle in your life that feels overwhelming. How can you seek God's help in overcoming it? [25:02]

3. Psalm 51 speaks of a broken and contrite heart. What practical steps can you take to cultivate a heart of genuine repentance and humility before God? [27:04]

4. The Old Testament sacrificial system pointed to the need for a perfect sacrifice. How can you live as a "living sacrifice" in gratitude for Jesus' ultimate sacrifice? What changes might this require in your daily life? [32:42]

5. As we journey through Lent, how can you intentionally reflect on the significance of Jesus' sacrifice in your life? What specific practices or disciplines can you incorporate during this season? [37:42]

6. The sermon emphasizes looking to the cross as our only hope and rescue. What distractions or obstacles in your life prevent you from focusing on Jesus? How can you address these to deepen your relationship with Him? [39:24]

7. Consider someone in your life who may not know about the hope found in Jesus. How can you share the message of Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection with them in a meaningful way? [39:24]

Devotional

Day 1: Humanity's Rejection of Divine Authority
The parable of the tenants in the Gospel of Luke illustrates humanity's persistent rejection of God's messengers and ultimately His Son. This narrative serves as a powerful reminder of our own tendencies to resist divine authority and guidance. It highlights the need for a savior who can reconcile us with God, bridging the chasm that sin creates. The parable calls us to reflect on our own lives and consider how we might be rejecting God's voice and direction. [21:27]

Matthew 21:42-43 (ESV): "Jesus said to them, 'Have you never read in the Scriptures: "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes"? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.'"

Reflection: In what ways might you be resisting God's guidance in your life today? How can you open your heart to His authority and direction?


Day 2: The Spiritual Storm of Sin
Sin is likened to a relentless storm that threatens to separate us from God. Just as evacuation routes guide us to safety during a hurricane, God provides signs pointing us toward spiritual rescue. However, these signs are not the rescue themselves; they direct us to the ultimate source of salvation—Jesus Christ. We cannot save ourselves from the storm of sin; we need divine intervention to guide us to safety. [25:02]

Isaiah 59:1-2 (ESV): "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear."

Reflection: What "storms" of sin are you currently facing in your life? How can you seek God's guidance and rescue in these areas today?


Day 3: The Path to Repentance and Restoration
Psalm 51 offers a roadmap to repentance, emphasizing that true transformation comes from a heart turned toward God. It reminds us that only God can cleanse us from sin and restore us to a right relationship with Him. This path to repentance is not about mere ritual or outward actions but about a genuine turning of the heart toward God, seeking His mercy and forgiveness. [27:04]

Joel 2:12-13 (ESV): "'Yet even now,' declares the Lord, 'return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.' Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster."

Reflection: Is there an area of your life where you need to seek God's forgiveness and restoration? How can you begin to turn your heart toward Him in genuine repentance today?


Day 4: Old Testament Sacrifices as Foreshadowing
The Old Testament sacrificial system, with its rituals and offerings, pointed to the need for a perfect sacrifice. These sacrifices had to be repeated, highlighting the ongoing nature of sin and the need for continual repentance. This system foreshadowed the coming of Jesus, the suffering servant, who would offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice once and for all. [32:42]

Hebrews 10:1-4 (ESV): "For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."

Reflection: How does understanding the Old Testament sacrificial system deepen your appreciation for Jesus' ultimate sacrifice? In what ways can you live in gratitude for His grace today?


Day 5: Jesus, Our Perfect Sacrifice
Jesus' life, death, and resurrection fulfill the promises of the Old Testament, offering us a way to be made acceptable to God. His sacrifice is the ultimate rescue from sin, inviting us to live as living sacrifices in gratitude for His grace. As we journey through Lent, we are called to reflect on the significance of Jesus' sacrifice and dedicate our lives to God in response to His love. [36:48]

1 Peter 2:24-25 (ESV): "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."

Reflection: What does it mean for you to live as a "living sacrifice" in response to Jesus' ultimate sacrifice? How can you express your gratitude for His grace in your daily life?

Quotes

A man planted a vineyard and led it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while. And when the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. [00:20:31]

But the storm bears down, the storm being our sin. So it is with our sin; we are separated from God by it, and we cannot rescue ourselves from sin and its effects. It may be the sin that is outside of us, that brokenness expressed in myriad ways, whether it be the passing of a loved one, conflict with a friend or a co-worker or neighbor, the evils of war, suffering, poverty, disease, and yes, the danger of hurricanes. [00:25:13]

Repentance, turning to God, is about the heart, not simply changing behavior. And that's what Hunter shared with us when the psalmist says that God delights in truth in the inward being. And in our efforts to create a clean heart, Ken emphasized that only Jesus can clean our hearts. [00:27:36]

The psalmist is pointing to the restored center back to the Old Testament worship, this system of sacrifices in the tabernacle, the place of Israelite worship located in Jerusalem called Zion, also representing a people called Zion, a place where God dwells and where his people worship him with right sacrifice. [00:29:39]

Without regular animal sacrifice, forgiveness, acceptance before God is fleeting and in need of continual repair, continual sacrifice, continual repentance. Martin Luther, that 16th-century reformer, captured this ongoing nature of sin in the first of his 95 theses. He says when our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said repent, he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance. [00:31:52]

The servant, the suffering servant, is Jesus, the son of David, God the son, Jesus Christ, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. All signs point to Jesus, the only way of rescue to whom the Old Testament signs point. Brothers and sisters in Christ, friends, we cannot rescue ourselves; only Jesus can be that right sacrifice that makes us acceptable to God. [00:36:49]

Jesus would come, that perfect God-man who would live the perfect sinless life, who did live that life that we cannot. Jesus, God the Son, paid the penalty for our sin on the cross to make us acceptable to God the Father, our sins sent away, receiving forgiveness once for all, a perfect sacrifice on our behalf. [00:37:01]

And now, by God's spirit, we can live in that spirit and offer our bodies as living sacrifices, acceptable, holy, and pleasing to God. We're in the season of Lent and look forward to Holy Week that points our way to rescue. Lent is a season of repentance begun on Ash Wednesday, culminating in the flow of the Holy Week services with Palm Sunday next Sunday. [00:37:42]

Through this week, we will, through Holy Week, we will recall and reflect on Jesus, on the one who would enter triumphantly into Jerusalem and yet days later be rejected even by his disciples. He would experience brutal suffering, sent down the viodolar roa, the way of suffering, the perfect lamb on whom our sins have been laid, sent to Goltha to suffer death on the cross. [00:38:00]

Brothers and sisters in Christ, friends, we now look back and see all signs point to the person and work of Jesus Christ on the cross, the perfect sacrifice for sin in our place, this risen and reigning Lord who makes us forever acceptable before God the Father. Look to the cross, believe the gospel of Jesus, all signs point to Jesus, our rescue. [00:39:24]

If anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. Let us stand together as we are able. [00:45:36]

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it, the people of old receive their commendation. Hebrews 11:1 and two. Lord, increase our faith. Luke 17:5. [00:50:19]

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Transcript
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