Fire on the Earth: Repentance and Judgment (Luke 12:49-13:9)

by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson
Other online lessons from Luke | Lessons in book format

Free E-mail Bible Study Bible study King Solomon: Wisdom, Wealth, Weakness

READER 1 I have come to bring fire on the earth,
READER 2 Fire
READER 3 Judgment
READER 1 I have come to bring fire on the earth,
READER 2 and how I wish it were already kindled!
READER 1 But I have a baptism to undergo,
READER 2 My destiny
READER 3 My cross
READER 1 But I have a baptism to undergo,
READER 2 and how distressed I am until it is completed!
READER 1 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth?
READER 2 No, I tell you, but division.
READER 3 Not peace
READER 2 Not yet
READER 3 But division
READER 2 Dissension
READER 1 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other,
READER 2 three against two
READER 3 and two against three.
READER 1 They will be divided, father against son and son against father,
READER 2 mother against daughter
READER 3 and daughter against mother,
READER 2 mother-in-law against daughter-in-law
READER 3 and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
READER 1 He said to the crowd: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'It's going to rain,'
READER 3 and it does rain.
READER 1 And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It's going to be hot,'
READER 2 and it is hot.
READER 3 Hypocrites!
READER 2 Hypocrites!
READER 1 You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky.
READER 2 How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time?
READER 1 Can't you read the signs of the times?
READER 2 The signs of the end of time?
READER 3 The signs of judgment upon the earth?
READER 1 "Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?
READER 2 As you are going with your adversary to the courthouse,
READER 3 try hard to be reconciled to him on the way,
READER 1 Make an out-of-court settlement.
READER 2 Don't walk in that courtroom you wrongdoer!
READER 3 or he may drag you off to the judge,
READER 2 and the judge turn you over to the bailiff,
READER 3 and the bailiff throw you into prison.
READER 1 I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny of what you owe.
READER 3 The very last penny.
READER 1 Some in the crowd told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.
READER 2 Pilate had killed them
READER 3 While they were offering sacrifices in the temple.
READER 1 Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?
READER 2 I tell you, no!
READER 3 But unless you repent, you too will all perish.
READER 1 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them
READER 2 When the tower fell
READER 3 and the bricks instantly killed 18 men
READER 2 who died a tragic death.
READER 1 Do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?
READER 2 I tell you, no!
READER 3 But unless you repent,
READER 2 you too will all perish."
READER 3 Unless we repent
READER 2 We too will all perish.
READER 1 Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard,
READER 2 and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any.
READER 3 No fruit
READER 2 No figs
READER 1 So he said to gardener, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any.
READER 2 Cut it down!
READER 3 Why should it use up the soil?'
READER 1 " 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year,
READER 2 and I'll dig around it
READER 3 and fertilize it.
READER 2 Fertilize it
READER 3 And cultivate
READER 1 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "
READER 2 Unless it bears fruit
READER 3 It must be cut down
READER 1 Unless we bear fruit
READER 2 The fruit of the Spirit
READER 3 The fruit of righteous living
READER 1 Unless we bear fruit
READER 2 we are worthy to be cut down
READER 1 I have come to bring fire on the earth,
READER 2 Fire
READER 3 Judgment
READER 1 I have come to bring fire on the earth,
READER 2 and how I wish it were already kindled!

Other online lessons from Luke | Lessons in book format

Copyright © 2024, Ralph F. Wilson. <pastor@joyfulheart.com> All rights reserved. A single copy of this article is free. Do not put this on a website. See legal, copyright, and reprint information.

Sign up now!To be notified about future articles, stories, and Bible studies, why don't you subscribe to our free newsletter,The Joyful Heart, by placing your e-mail address in the box below. We respect your privacy and never sell, rent, or loan our lists. Please don't subscribe your friends; let them decide for themselves.
FirstLast
E-mail
Country(2-letter abbreviation, such as US)
Preferred FormatHTML (recommended) Plain text