Second Sunday in Lent C | March 16, 2025 | Luke 3:31-35 | Luther H. Thoresen |

Luke 13:31–35

(Text New Revised Standard Version copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.)

³¹At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” ³²He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. ³³Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’ ³⁴Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! ³⁵See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

Note: The initial paragraphs in italics of this sermon might be used as the basis for a Children’s message. If not used that way, one might adapt it as the beginning of the “usual” sermon, or insert part of it later in the sermon…or earlier in the service.

Good morning! “Finish what you started!” ¹Have you ever heard that? Who said it? (with questions in the Children’s time, I usually allow for youth to answer…knowing that this may sidetrack things if I don’t stay on my toes and “steer things” along the way). With each of these what might be some results if we don’t finish what we started?

• Food still on your plate after supper? (e.g. feel hungry before bed time; maybe no “bedtime” snack)
• School work sent home in your backpack not completed? (e.g. teacher not happy the next day)
• You are asked to take out the garbage…but get distracted and it is left sitting by the entry? (e.g. the dog gets into it and makes a mess, it sits a few more days and gets “stinky”)
• Dog food left in the cup on the counter because you heard the TV before you got the food in the dog’s dish? (e.g. the dog knocks it on the floor…or worse)
• Only half of the flowers got watered when Mom asked you to water all of them? (e.g. some wilt and/or die)
• Mom (or Grandma) starts knitting a sweater, but stops before putting on the last arm to begin a different home project? (e.g. the person for whom she was making it has a “one armed” sweater, or doesn’t get it at the time Grandma said)

Now, what happens if the task is completed? (go back through each task and note the benefit of each completed task)

In today’s Gospel reading Jesus talked about finishing his work. In this story it means curing the people he will meet in the next few days, and maybe teaching or preaching, too. We also heard that King Herod is threatening him and the people of Jerusalem don’t want what Jesus has to offer. We might say that King Herod and the people of Jerusalem were getting in the way of Jesus finishing his work. But Jesus was intent on finishing what God sent him to do. I’ll talk more about that during the rest of the sermon.

But for now, would you pray with me? God, thank you for tasks we have to finish; in doing them we grow as people who live in families. Thank you for the great love you have shown us by sending your Son, Jesus. Thank you that Jesus finished his work in today’s story. Thank you that Jesus finished the work you sent him to do in giving his life on the cross for all. Help us follow him and finish the things you call us to do that share your love with others. Amen.

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Have you ever completed an obstacle course? Maybe it was in a Physical Education class in school…or at a YMCA camp…or in Basic Training in military service…or sometimes a room or two in a house looks like an obstacle course. Anyway, we might think about the goals of most courses. It might be things like these:

• To improve the competitor’s overall endurance.
• To improve the strength of multiple muscle groups in the competitor’s body.
• To improve team work.

This last goal is one that cannot be completed alone. You might gain endurance or strength alone, but team work takes a team.

Jesus’ resolve to finish his work has been part of Luke’s story already.

Some of you might recall that in chapter 9 when Jesus asked the disciples “…who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “The Messiah of God,” that is, God’s anointed one. Moments later Jesus added, “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” It is with this resolve that Jesus moves forward.

Shortly after that we hear of Jesus, “…he set his face to go to Jerusalem.” It’s like Jesus set his GPS destination as Jerusalem, and he would follow the course with no detours, no need for the GPS to recalculate how to get to the goal.

At least one more time on the way to Jerusalem, that is in chapter 18, Jesus will speak about being mocked and more, and then killed.

In the Gospel text today Jesus will move through or past a couple of obstacles: because his resolve is to go to Jerusalem, because his goal is Jerusalem. One obstacle is Herod Antipas. We heard that some of the Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” This is NOT Herod the Great –

• NOT Herod the Great who developed the project to upgrade the temple and the grounds around it and by this restore the temple to its ancient grandeur.
• NOT Herod the Great who had one wife and one son assassinated because he suspected that they were plotting against him.
• NOT Herod the Great who may have had the children of Bethlehem killed when the Wise Men didn’t return to Jerusalem after offering to the infant Jesus their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

But, Herod Antipas was one of the surviving 4 sons of Herod the Great. Each of these sons ruled a portion of their father’s kingdom. Antipas ruled Galilee, in what we would call northern Israel, by the Sea of Galilee and near modern day Lebanon. Herod Antipas is the one who liked to listen to John the Baptist…but had John jailed because his words upset Herod’s wife…and eventually this Herod had John beheaded.

So, it is THAT Herod. Still, what does Jesus say in response to the Pharisees? Jesus basically says “Get out of my way, Herod. I’m headed to Jerusalem.” But the scriptural words of Jesus are these, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. ³³Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’

A fox? We often think crafty or wily, as we find in later European folk tales. But if I understand correctly, ancient Jews didn’t think of foxes that way. They were simply varmints. A few years ago I attended a gathering of our synod’s pastors for a day of activities led by our Synod staff. The preacher that day, reflecting on this text, asked a question, “How different is it to meet a lion on the road or a fox?” He noted that if we were to meet a lion we would RUN and maybe have to fight for our very life. But a fox? This is no real threat. We might be startled, but a fox is not much bigger than a yippy dog…one that might nip your heel…one you might kick the dust at to say, “Get out of my way.” A fox is not much bigger than a schnauzer or yorkie. The Pharisees come to Jesus with what they think is a major obstacle for Jesus. But, for Jesus Herod may be an obstacle, but NOT one that will deter him from his course.

Once Jesus notes the name Jerusalem as his goal, he shifts from Herod to the people of Jerusalem. This is because Jesus knows not only that he will suffer and die there, but that the people will reject him. So, here he laments, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”

If I am correct, some of the early artwork of Christians included images of a hen with wings spread as if she were gathering her chicks but there are no chicks to be seen. Other times there are chicks under her wings. Either way, there is often a reference to that verse with those drawings or mosaics. Whether the chicks are or are not in the picture, they represent Jesus’ desire…but they were not willing. A hen waits; clucks, calls yes; but waits. A hen does not chase the chicks. Someone, I don’t even know who it was, created a contrast. They said, “A hen gathers chicks but does not chase them. A fox chases chicks, but does not gather them.” Let me repeat that. “A hen gathers chicks but does not chase them. A fox chases chicks, but does not gather them.”

Jesus is drawn to the center of life for his own people. Jesus is drawn to the center of Jerusalem. Jesus is drawn to that center, yet he knows the people he loved were not willing to be embraced by his love. Jesus knows that the people he loved were not willing to be gathered under his wings. Yet, Jesus, does not let rejection be an obstacle that will prevent him from going his way. God in Christ moves past all obstacles. God in Christ moves past Herod the fox. God in Christ moves past rejection by his own people. God in Christ waits as a hen spreads her wings and waits for her chicks.

You and I know that God in Christ moves past obstacles and Jesus will spread not his wings but his arms. Jesus will be crucified on a cross, arms outstretched…and die. And, you know Jesus will be raised to life on the third day and spread his arms again; spread his arms anew; waiting for us as a hen waits for her chicks. God in Christ moves past all obstacles then and now to come to us. Jesus’ love was opposed 2000 years ago and yet, Jesus kept moving toward the object of his love. Jesus love may be opposed today, yet Jesus keeps moving toward us, the object of his love.

We might put up obstacles. We might put up an obstacle like, “I don’t deserve your love. I’m not good enough.” Well the truth is we don’t deserve Jesus’ love, we are not good enough…BUT Jesus still moves closer and calls to us with open arms. Or we might put up an obstacle like, “I don’t need your love that much…I’ve got this…I can do better.” Well the truth is we do need Jesus’ love (whether we recognize it or not…and we might or might not do better…BUT still Jesus moves closer and calls to us with open arms.

God in Christ moves past obstacles and comes to us in the Word we receive in the hearing of scripture and it’s proclamation. God in Christ moves past obstacles and comes to us in, with and under the water and word of Baptism. God in Christ moves past obstacles and comes to us as his body and life blood in, with and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion. God in Christ moves past obstacles and comes to us in, with and under the mutual conversation and consolation among God’s people. God in Christ moves past obstacles and comes to us in, with and under God’s poor and rejected people.

God in Christ moves past all obstacles then and now. Jesus finished what he started, on the cross…and he continues to finish what he started in and through each of us. How do we live as a people loved and called as a hen gathers her chicks? Maybe we spread our wings, open our arms and open our hearts to the vulnerable people around us. Maybe we as God’s people move past obstacles to embrace those who are unloved by others. Maybe we as God’s people trust the one who gathers us under his wings, and trust that God works through us to draw others under those wings. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the +Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

©Pr. Luther H. Thoresen, ELCA, STS, retired; thoresenluther54@gmail.com; Grundy Center, IA, USA

¹ The Children’s portion of this sermon is my adaptation of a Children’s message by Lois Parker Edstrom posted at https://sermonwriter.com/childrens-sermons/finishing-your-work/ .