Luke 13:31-35
Today marks the Second Sunday of Lent. Just two weeks ago, on Ash Wednesday, we began this journey with Jesus—a journey that leads us to Jerusalem. Jerusalem, the City of God, the heart of Israel’s faith. This should be the safest place for Jesus the Messiah to be. Yet, as we’re reminded in today’s scripture, it’s a city that kills prophets and stones those sent by God. And still, it’s the destination of Jesus. Let us not forget that as disciples, our journey through Lent is also a journey to Jerusalem, following where Jesus leads.
In today’s reading, Jesus receives a warning from some Pharisees: “Herod wants to kill you.” Scholars debate their true intention. Were they genuinely trying to protect Jesus, or was this an attempt to scare him away from Jerusalem and his mission? Based on Jesus’ bold response, it seems the latter: “Go and tell that fox, I will keep casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day, I will reach my goal.” This wasn’t just defiance toward Herod; it was also a challenge to the Pharisees. Jesus made it clear—he was resolute to be faithful and obedient to his Father, even unto death.
Jesus knew his journey to Jerusalem would end in his death, but not because of Herod’s threats. His death wasn’t a tragic accident or the result of political games—it was his mission. He came to die; He wouldn’t die as a martyr but as the Lamb of God, taking away the sins of the world.
Luke 13:32 highlights two key aspects of Jesus’ ministry: casting out demons and healing. These actions carried profound significance. In Luke 11:20, Jesus explains that casting out demons by the “finger of God” signals the arrival of God’s Kingdom. It was a declaration of victory over evil. Healing, too, was a sign of God’s Kingdom breaking into the world. Quoting Isaiah in Luke 4:18-19, Jesus said his mission was to “proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind.” Every act of healing pointed to the coming reign of God.
Even as Jesus approached the climax of his ministry—the cross—he continued to teach, heal, and demonstrate signs of the Kingdom. He pressed on toward Jerusalem, fully aware of the trap awaiting him. The religious and political establishments, challenged by his message of love, equality, and justice, would ensure his fate mirrored that of the prophets before him. Then, the question is, why did Jesus Walk into Jerusalem to die?
Osvaldo Vena one of my professors in Garret Evangelical Seminary in his book, Jesus, Disciple of the Kingdom: Mark’s Christology for a Community in Crisis, helps us with the answer to this question. He explains as the title of his book says it that Jesus was a disciple, a disciple of God’s Kingdom. As a disciple he was faithful and obedient to God’s call. This faithfulness and obedience led him to the cross. Therefore, without mentioning it this scripture is about a disciple of the kingdom living his faith and commitment. Last Sunday I shared with you that Lent is a season that invites us to meditate in our identity… and today, Luke 13 is asking us, are you disciples of Jesus whose discipleship led him to the cross?
Luke’s Gospel has a question implicit for us, is your discipleship radical as Jesus’s? and with this question also invites us all to realize the distinction between believing in Jesus and truly following him. Someone who believes, simply believes in Christ; a disciple lives as Jesus lived and goes where he leads—even to Jerusalem the city that kills the prophets. The distinction between someone who believes and a disciple often lies in the depth of commitment and practice. Someone who believes in Jesus typically acknowledges His teachings, divinity, and role as Savior, and may maintain faith in Him at a personal or intellectual level. This belief can vary widely in terms of how it influences their daily life.
A disciple of Jesus, on the other hand, goes a step further by actively following His teachings and seeking to live in alignment with His example. Discipleship often involves a deeper level of dedication, including studying His word, engaging in regular prayer, cultivating virtues like love and humility, and sharing His teachings with others. Essentially, being a disciple emphasizes putting belief into action and striving to grow spiritually. In a way, all disciples are believers, but not all believers may choose the path of discipleship.
A story from the website Ministry Matters illustrates this well. The story says, that during a youth-led service, a young man stood up after a hymn and challenged the congregation: “You just sang, ‘All to Jesus I surrender,’ and ‘Where he leads me, I will follow.’ How many of us really mean it?” do we sing just for the sake of singing? His words left the congregation speechless… and with those questions in the air, let me ask, are we living what we profess in our singing?
As disciples, this scripture calls us to follow Jesus’ example of unwavering devotion to God’s will. The season of Lent prepares us to walk with him to the cross. Along the way, we may encounter voices, like those Pharisees, that attempt to deter us from our calling. But as followers of Christ, we are called to carry our cross and stay the course.
Jesus calls us not to halfhearted loyalty but to wholehearted commitment. He doesn’t ask for spare time, energy, or change. He asks for our all. Lent is a time to boldly step out in faith, to follow Jesus without fear, and to embody the devotion and service that sets us apart as his disciples. As Jesus, the disciple of the kingdom did. On Ash Wednesday Millions of Christians bore the cross of ashes on their foreheads publicly declaring their faith. Now, Jesus asks us to live that faith daily.
Brothers and sisters, our devotion and service to God and others define us as followers of Christ. Jesus’ faithfulness brought us salvation. Let our faithfulness, our service, and our commitment to God’s Kingdom be an expression of our gratitude to the One who gave everything for us. Imaging a young person telling us, “You have sung many times, ‘All to Jesus I surrender,’ and ‘Where he leads me, I will follow.’ How many of us really meant it?” or did we sing all those beautiful hymns just for the sake of singing? Am I someone who just believes or am I a follower?