The Gospel of Luke: Jesus is for everyone – God’s salvation plan will be fulfilled – do you see it?

Luke 18:31-43

1. God’s salvation plan will be fulfilled – God had and continues to have a salvation plan. He has a plan to rescue us all from sin. God’s plan is guaranteed to be fulfilled, it cannot fail. The Jews knew the Messiah would come. They had been trying to work out what He would be like and what He would do. They all had ideas on what the Messiah would do, but no-one thought He would be handed over to be crucified. They thought, “How could this be God’s plan?” It was offensive to them, but God knew better. God knew what they did not know. He knew that the sinless Son of God had to die on the cross. Jesus knew this and He wouldn’t be deflected from going to Jerusalem and fulfilling His Father’s will. Jesus knew that God’s plan did not end with Him dying on the cross. He knew God’s plan would end in His resurrection victory over sin and death and would end in eternal life for all.
2. The disciples can’t see God’s plan – How could they not understand what Jesus was saying? They believed Jesus was the Messiah, but they could not understand what He was telling them. We see Jesus’ words with hindsight. Why did God hide it from them? Would they have tried to stop Jesus all the more? It should be encouraging that the disciples did not understand. Jesus did not condemn them for not understanding. He did not give up on them and He will not give up on us. God can restore us and revive us. He doesn’t treat us as our sins and stupidity deserve. He still wants to use us in our weakness and brokenness. Jesus was not discouraged, depressed or diverted by the disciples failure to understand what He was telling them.
3. The Kingdom advances – the blind man sees – This little story shows that Jesus was determined to continue with God’s plan. Bartimaeus (as the blind man is named in other Gospels) knew who Jesus was and he knew he was a sinner who needed mercy. He knew he needed to seize the opportunity to cry out to Jesus. He knew Jesus was not going to pass by again. He didn’t ask for money or food. He asked for healing because he knew he could ask big of Jesus. He knew Jesus had the power to heal him. Do you know who Jesus is and how big God is? Do you know who you are in the sight of God? Do you know you need to seize the opportunity Jesus gives you today to receive forgiveness and salvation? If you are a Christian, what do you need from Jesus today? Are you asking a big God for big things? Are you prepared to believe Him for what seems impossible?