If ever I decide to curate a list of the most chilling words found in scripture, the words “not willing” will be near the top of that list. I am of the opinion that the words “not willing” belong beside words like, “I don’t know you”, “depart from me”, and “outer darkness”.
The words “not willing” are found in our gospel lesson for today. After descending the mountain of transfiguration, we are told Jesus “resolutely set out for Jerusalem”[1]. Along the way Jesus continued to make use of teachable moments as He traveled from village to village. He healed the sick, drove out demons and taught about the kingdom of God. Someone in one of the villages asked Him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”[2] In reply Jesus told a story about a narrow door that will, one day, be shut and many of the people who thought they were in the front of the line will, not only find themselves standing at the back of the line but, be shut out entirely.
The Pharisees understood the implication of the story; they knew Jesus was saying that they were the ones who were going to find themselves on the wrong side of heaven’s door. That is why some of the Pharisees came to Jesus and said “31… leave this place and go somewhere else…” It is in reply to this rejection that Jesus speaks those chilling words I mentioned a moment ago. I believe Jesus is looking straight into the eyes of the Pharisees when He says, “34 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!”
The words “not willing” are a chilling condemnation of the Pharisees who rejected Jesus, but they also serve as a warning for us. The words “not willing” help us answer one the fundamental questions of Christianity, which is, “why are some saved and not others?” or “why do some people go to heaven and others go to hell?”. I am still a salvation by grace alone kind of guy and will be till the day I die, so please don’t misunderstand me when I say salvation is by grace alone but, damnation boils down to a matter of the will. Let me try to explain what I mean.
In the New Testament Hell is pictured as a place of unquenchable fire, a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth, an outer darkness. In Matthew 25:41 we read that hell is, “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” Hell is a place of separation from God where the unholy are imprisoned and punished. Hell was prepared specifically for the devil and the demons who rebelled against God. So, why then, do we read in Scripture that hell is also occupied by people? Mark 16:16 makes it clear that some men “will be condemned”. Matthew 13:42 tells us some men will be thrown “into the fiery furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”. In Matthew 7:21 Jesus himself tells us, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,” We know that some people will join the devil and demons in hell. Why? Since hell was prepared for the devil and demons, why do some people go to hell? Or let’s ask the same question with a more aggressive tone, “Why would a so-called loving God want anyone to go to hell?”
The simple answer is, He doesn’t. God doesn’t want anyone to go to hell. Ezekiel 33:11 tells us that the Sovereign Lord “takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked". We read in 1Timothy 2:4 that God “wants all people to be saved”. Luke 24:47 tells us God wants “Repentance and forgiveness of sins will [to] be preached in his name to all nations”. God doesn’t want anyone to go to hell. God wants everyone to go to heaven. Jesus reinforces this truth for us in our gospel lesson for today. There Jesus says, “I will”, “I must”, “I have longed”. Jesus said, “32… I will drive out demons and heal people...” Regardless of the rejection He faced, Jesus made sure that the gospel was proclaimed among the people. Jesus said, “33… I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!” Jesus knew what awaited Him when He arrived in Jerusalem, but He also knew it was the only way to make satisfaction for our sins. Jesus said, “34… I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings…” When danger is present a mother hen cries out to her chicks. Typically, the chicks race to their mother knowing beneath her wings they are safe. A mother hen is so devoted to her chicks that she will wrap herself around her chicks and allow the fangs of a predator to sink into her flesh in order that her chicks may be delivered form death. Jesus told the Pharisees and by extension He tells you and me that He longs to be a mother hen to us. Even before a crown of thorns was placed on His head and nails were driven into His hands and feet, Jesus made it clear that God wants everyone to go to heaven.
It is God’s will that everyone should go to heaven. However, as I have already showed you from scripture, not everyone goes to heaven. How can it be that God does not get what He wants? The answer to that question brings us back to the words “not willing”. Jesus wanted to gather the Pharisees as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But the Pharisees did not want what Jesus wanted. They wanted nothing to do with Jesus. “31… leave this place and go somewhere else…” they told Him.
Jesus wanted the Pharisees to go to heaven, but they were “not willing”. Are you? Are you willing? I think our immediate answer to that question is, “yes”, “absolutely, whole heartedly, yes!” But is our immediate answer an honest answer? Are you absolutely and whole heartedly willing? I don’t know about y’all but personally I have my doubts. I say that because more often than I care to admit, I treat Jesus the same way the Pharisees treated Him. Maybe you have too? You ever find yourself trying to push Jesus away? Maybe when you are enjoying a particularly pleasurable sin and you don’t want to hear what Jesus has to say about it? So, you find yourself avoiding anyone who might dare to speak on His behalf. Maybe it is not as dramatic as that. Maybe sometimes you just don’t feel like taking the time to hear what He has to say because, well, your bed is too comfortable, the drive is too far, or it interferes with the plans you have for that day. Maybe you are not as obvious as that and are willing to be in the same room with Him and surround yourself with people who worship Him but still you have found a way to tune Him out and not let Him make a real and meaningful impact on your life. I suspect we aren’t even aware of it, but I think if you spend a few minutes thinking about it, you will be surprised how often and in how many ways you, like the Pharisees in our gospel lesson, have asked Jesus to leave and go somewhere else.
From the pages of Scripture, from the pulpit, from fellow believers Jesus cries out “O Christian, Christian, how often I have longed to gather you together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings”. The question you have to ask yourself is, are you willing to be gathered by your Savior or will your occasional rejection of Him go from occasional to constant? I mean, for how long and in how many ways can you push Jesus away before the words “not willing” are used to describe you? When the time came for the unwilling Pharisees to stand before the judgement seat, the word “35… desolate…” was used to describe them. If you are going to keep on pushing Jesus away, you have to wonder if the same word will be used to describe you. The reason why some people don’t go to heaven isn’t because God is not willing to have them there, it is because they are not willing to be there.
The words that Jesus spoke to the Pharisees and the Holy Spirit has recorded for us are harsh. But the very fact the Holy Spirit inspired saint Luke to record these chilling words is more proof that God wants you to go to heaven. The words of our text were not written for those who killed the prophets and stoned those who were sent to them. The Holy Spirit recorded these words on the pages of Scripture for you. The Holy Spirit wants you to be chilled by these words so that you will repent of the times you have tried to push Jesus away. The Holy Spirit wants you to repent so that the word desolate will never be used to describe you. The Holy Spirit wants you to hear Jesus say things like, “I will”, “I must”, “I long” and realize when Jesus said these things, He was thinking of you. Jesus faced the rejection of the Pharisees and the Herodians, He faced the rejection of the very people He came to save, and He resolutely set out for Jerusalem because Jesus was thinking of you. And He is still thinking of you. Still today Jesus is thinking of you that is why regardless of the rejection He has faced from you; Jesus has made sure that the gospel has been proclaimed to you. Regardless of the rejection He has faced from you, Jesus has died on the cross and made satisfaction for your sins. Regardless of the rejection He has faced from you, Jesus still longs to gather you under His wings. Regardless of how often and in how many ways you have told Jesus to leave and go somewhere else Jesus wants you to go to heaven because Jesus loves you.
As I said, If ever I decide to curate a list of the most chilling words found in scripture, the words “not willing” will be near the top of that list. I trust you now understand why. The words “not willing” are chilling, but in a way, they also help us better understand how much our Savior who resolutely set out for Jerusalem loves us. Your Savior Jesus faced and sadly still faces rejection because your Savior Jesus wants you to go to heaven; because your savior Jesus loves you. Amen.
[1] Luke 9:51
[2] Luke 13:23