Repent and Be Baptized in the Name of Jesus (Luke 11:37-54)

Our Lord Jesus tells that our eyes are the lamp of the body in a parable. If our eyes are healthy our whole body is full of light physically and spiritually. Jesus is the light of the world which has been shining out of the darkness from the beginning. In Him there is no darkness at all. Those who are in Christ Jesus never walk in the darkness any longer because the whole body is full of light. Jesus shines the light in order for us to see us clearly inside and out.

Our Lord was invited by a Pharisee and went in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee was surprised because Jesus did not first wash before the meal.

“When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.” (Luke 11:37-38)

It doesn’t mean that Jesus didn’t wash His hands at all. He washed and was hygienically clean but not ceremonially clean because our Lord didn’t follow the peculiar way of washing hands according to the customs of the elders. Our Lord knew what was inside of this Pharisee, so He deliberately didn’t follow the ceremonial washing custom. It is an acting parable manifested in His body language. Jesus had in mind to teach something significant related to the parable, the lamp of the body.

Our Lord Jesus warns the people who are blind by neglecting the light of the world, Jesus Christ.

Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you. Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone. Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.” (Luke 11:39-44)

Jesus rebukes rather harshly and sternly because it is the most fundamental truth for all humanity to know. It is rightly true to be called foolish for those who clean outside but don’t do inside. They make clean outside like by a ceremonial washing, but inside they are full of greed and wickedness. Many think that simply coming to church and giving of offering can make them clean while neglecting of being generous to the poor.

How many times does the Scripture say that God sees our hearts? No one can hide inside what they think or desire. Our God knows all. One of these days, everything will be laid bare before the Holy God. Jesus says, “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.” (Luke 12:2-3)

How easy it is to ignore the poor who are simply less important and insignificant while paying a tremendous attention on the status quo! We are somehow congenitally blind, so we conveniently fail to pay attention on our faults and weaknesses. For example, how much are we appalled by the selfishness and pride of others? But we are amply generous on our pride and selfishness, conveniently changing the language. Others cheat, we get smart. Others are selfish, we are righteous.

In the parable of a Good Samaritan, a priest and a Levite just passed by on the other side of road where a man was robbed and left half dead. They practiced the law-abiding life by counting every grain in order to give God the tenth of everything but neglected practicing the justice and love of God. They loved to sit at the most important seats in the synagogues and the banquets and to be paid respectful greetings in the marketplaces. But they were like unmarked graves, says Jesus. They had no influence and inspiration to the people although they were supposed to be the model of community.

That’s the reason God sent His Son Jesus Christ who is the light of the world. Thus, we can be corrected and fixed from confusion and illusion in the light of the Lord and Master of all. However, they were extremely offended by the word of Jesus. “One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.” (Luke 11:45) As Prophet Isaiah prophesied, they miserably failed to see what it is as it is.

He said, “Go and tell this people:

“‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding;

   be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’

Make the heart of this people calloused;

   make their ears dull

   and close their eyes.

Otherwise they might see with their eyes,

   hear with their ears,

   understand with their hearts,

and turn and be healed.” (Isaiah 6:9-10)

Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them. “Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all. “Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.” When Jesus went outside, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, waiting to catch him in something he might say. (Luke 11:46-54)

As our Lord Jesus told them that they were responsible for the blood of all the prophets from Abel to Zechariah, they would kill the Son of God by the hands of wicked pagans. It’s because they didn’t listen to the word of Jesus. They deliberately refused the One whom God sent by hardening their hearts. Apostle Peter bluntly charged them that they were accountable for the blood of the Son of God when he delivered the sermon on the Day of Pentecost.

“This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.” (Acts 2:23-24)

Peter continued the message of our Lord Jesus who was crucified but rose again from the dead just less than two months ago. Then, the people who were listening to Peter were suddenly awakened and alarmed by what they had blindly done to Lord and Messiah and stopped him, asking what they should do. Peter urged them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. And they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. That day about three thousand were added to their number.

“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” (Acts 2:36-41)

Our God did so love the world that He sent His begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). No matter whom they may be will be saved by the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. God will grant His righteousness by this term only through the blood of Jesus Christ.

“God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:25-26)