Luke 13 commences with Jesus' call to the people to repent or perish! Jesus reacts to news of the tragic deaths of some Galileans who "were not worse sinners because they suffered in this way... but unless you repent you too will perish". He then told a parable of a fig tree given a 4th chance to produce fruit! So repent or perish! Then Jesus healed a woman who had been crippled and bent over for 18 years and the synagogue ruler was irate because he had done it on a sabbath! Don't you give water to your donkey on a sabbath, asked Jesus? So this woman could be set free from Satan's bondage on a sabbath. Then with the Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast Jesus showed that the kingdom of God's silent small beginnings had dramatic far-reaching effects and results. Jesus went on to teach that the door of salvation was a narrow door and "many will try to enter but will not be able to... and once the owner of the house closes the door there will be no entry... and there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth... though many will come to the kingdom from east, west, north and south... but the first will be last and the last first". Then the Pharisees told Jesus that Herod wanted to kill him so Jesus said: "Go tell that fox... I will reach my goal... O Jerusalem who kills the prophets... I have longed to gather you under my wings but you were not willing... you won't see me again till you say blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord".
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