May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.

I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation. "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. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'" (Matthew 23:34-39)

In the name of Christ and to his glory, dear friends: Today we have the 3^rd in our series on the Kingdom of God. We have seen how the living seed of the word is the way God brings his Kingdom to us. We have seen the great value of being in the kingdom; it is like a treasure hidden in a field which a man finds. Now finally Jesus gives loving warning of the great danger that threatens our life in God's Kingdom.

There is great need that we pay attention to Jesus' words, for there is no one who is immune to the dangers that threaten life in God's kingdom. There are Christians who have over the centuries mistakenly thought "once saved always saved," once a believer always a believer, as if no true Christian can fall from faith. Bible history and the doctrine of Scripture tell us otherwise. There are the examples of Saul and Judas, men who once believed but then fell victim to Satan. There is God's direct warning: if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Corinthians 10) And today we have Christ's words to the Israelites of his day. These words were not just for them, but for us, that we too may take warning and be safe in God's gracious care. Let's listen to Jesus' words to OLD JERUSALEM - A WARNING TO ALL WHO ARE IN THE KINGDOM.

The scene Luke and Matthew record Jesus' famous lament over his people and city, but at different times. This makes us think that Jesus spoke similar words often and at various times. When Matthew records them there is a sense of finality, one last warning. Jesus is in Jerusalem for the last time. In just days he would be one of the many spokesmen of God who died at the hands of these people. But this martyr was like no other. He was not dying for what he said, but as the sin-bearer.

Let us hear this call of grace. Do not fail to listen. It certainly is a call of grace. Nothing paints a picture of grace like Jesus in his dealings with the Pharisees and other Israelite religious leaders. What contrast! They plot to kill Jesus. Jesus tries by a little parable and by a review of history to change their hearts about who he was. That's exactly what grace is - love for those who do not deserve it. God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Jesus words are certainly a stern warning. Yet grace seasons that warning and his true saving heart is laid bear...O Jerusalem...how I longed for you...as a hen for her chicks.

Why did they not listen? Because they thought they needed no warning, that they were safe, that God certainly chosen them for heaven because of how much better they were than the other choices. Jesus, you waist your breath on us. Oh, let us not fail to listen. Still, people do not listen when they feel they don't need what Jesus the Savior offers. And this account can call us to repent, to see our need for Jesus the Savior, in a subtle way. Just compare the way Jesus handles his enemies to the way we do. Often we are hurt or wronged, even by people close to us. Sometimes we see injustice and sin in those around us, and we too must warn as Jesus did. But what lies in our hearts as we do. Are not our warnings often in selfish anger - you hurt me! - not the selfless concern for the other's soul that Jesus shows? That alone ought to remind us how weak we are to stand up to Satan's temptations, to live the life of a child of heaven. Oh Jesus, your warning is for me. Help me to listen!

Let us use our time of grace. Do not grow indifferent. Time marches on. Jesus wanted the citizens of Jerusalem to realize that. Abel was the first generation born into this world. Zechariah was born 1000's of years later, just some 400 years before Jesus. Both died at the hands of angry men. Though they did not die in the same way, those angry murderers too met the end of their earthly lives. Time marches on. The day of judgement comes to every soul. Jesus warning means there was still time. O Jerusalem, do not waste this time. It is not without limits.

Oh, let us not grow indifferent. Time marches on and we too must face the judgement. Growing indifferent to the Lord's warnings is a great danger for us children of the Kingdom. Listen! Do not let time lull you into ignoring Christ's warnings. Another writer of Scripture put it this way: See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. As has just been said: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion." (Hebrews3) Holding on "to the end." For this we need daily contrition and repentance. Oh Jesus, give us that which you demand and desire for us.

Embrace the gift he gives you today. Just as Jesus does not want us to think that he is speaking to "someone else" when he warns, he also does not want us to think that he is speaking to someone else when he comforts and strengthens with this little parable of the hen. His words are for us.

The story is told of a farmer on the prairies of Minnesota. Back in the days before insurance, when part of a man's crop was seed for next year, it was devastating to loose ones whole crop. A prairie fire did just that. The farmer was angry with his God and confused. As he trudged through his black fields he came on a dead, burned hen. "You foolish bird," he said, you didn't even have the sense to run!" He kicked the bird in disgust. To his amazement, out scurried the little chicks, saved from the fire by their mother hen. That hen knew exactly what it was doing, and her chicks benefited from her deliberate action.