It seems out of nowhere a crowd appears and there is a parade. For most days, the crowd has been silent. The voice of the religious of the day has been filling our ears. The people are excited. Today they are yelling, “Hosanna!”
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There has been a group of people following Jesus and all they do is grumble and pick at him, and what he is doing. They are locked in this negative cycle. It has blinded them. So, I am wondering, where and at what am I grumbling? How is this blinding me? How about you?
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When you “see” Jesus, who do you “see”? A historical figure, who started out from humble beginnings and was a great teacher? Or the God Incarnate, announced by angels, born of a virgin, and with power over all the world?
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What does Jesus point out today? He gives us a persistent person of prayer, a contrast between someone overly religious and a sinner, and a man who had quite a bit of money. In total we read, be like this widow, be like this tax collector, be like a child…place my confidence in God and have a humble heart.
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Are they so focused on this perceived brass ring, that they miss the kingdom of God that is in their very presence? When people are restored to wholeness, physical and spiritual, has not the kingdom of God become present? Jesus even says in verse 21 that the kingdom is in their midst.
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Jesus returns to his team. His comments are set against the religious of the day, their attitude and behavior. Jesus’ words are strong and spot-on. For his team, there will be many temptations. For his team, it will be easy to decide to let others serve them. Both are deadly. How many people today look at the church and consider it either corrupt, lazy, or both?
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It is amazing that Jesus, by spending all this time with his adversaries, is loving them, calling them home. The so-called sinners and tax-collectors, they know they are lost. They welcome Jesus’ rescue. Humility, repentance, joy because of his invitation—we read of all these attributes appearing in them.
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We like to do things in our strength. We like the feeling of being right. We must enter not in our own righteousness, but in the righteousness and grace of God.
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Jesus is not saying, you and I have to do good works to enter eternity. He is saying, if you and I go about proclaiming and professing to be his followers, well, our lives must have the right focus. How will we know? It is actually rather simple... just look at what we are spending our energy on.
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We are not left alone. Jesus isn’t giving us tall orders, waving good-bye, and saying good luck. No. We read that the Holy Spirit is present. We read the example of the sparrows and how we are worth so much more.
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It is amazingly easy for people following Jesus to become religious in the worst possible way. I can easily adopt this persona. I was once told I was being smug. The words stung. What was harder was to ask myself, “Was I?” I think I shine best not when I am often right about theology, as to when, without looking at others. I am simply trying to follow him, obediently.
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There is no middle ground. We cannot take part of Jesus’ teachings to justify ourselves and leave the bits we do not like. That is not living a spiritual life committed to Jesus. That is just kidding ourselves, and Jesus has some very strong words about it.
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Why do I follow Jesus? Is it so I feel good about myself? Is it so I can feel like I have all the right answers? Is it so I believe I am trying to do everything right? Or is there supposed to be some other reason? Said differently, what is my full purpose in following Jesus? My sense is that within that answer, I will find his power for my life.
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As followers of Jesus, look at the picture he paints here. It is a picture of total commitment that is less interested in attacking other followers of Jesus, less interested in attacking those who reject Jesus, and less interested in our own personal importance, and more interested in seeing that people are served in his name—all people.
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When we follow Jesus, we are not in control, he is. Which leads me to ask, as I follow Jesus, am I trying to use him to control my world—or have I surrendered that? How about you?
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What parts of Jesus’ behavior can we emulate? First, he is not flustered by all that is thrown at him. Not storms, not demon-possessed men, not seriously ill people. In all situations, he does what he is able to do. His focus is not on himself, it is on being obedient to his Father.
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Many people believe that spreading the Word should be left to preachers, missionaries, and evangelists. Not so! All of us can offer people a simple portion of Scripture, and invite them to read it. God knows what the condition of their hearts (the soil) is like. That bit is up to him. We can simply share.
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We, human beings, think we need to do something to earn God’s love. The fancy phrase is conditional love. It means you must first do something that pleases God, and then he may show you some love. That is not the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible unconditionally loves you. He loved us before we loved him.
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I think this is a life of faith. The Bible defines faith in Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Some translations replace assurance for confidence. Yet the key word for me is “hope.” What does it mean to have hope?
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Jesus has just prayed and selected his apostles, the ones who will be sent with his message. He comes down and is face-to-face with a large crowd—a crowd that has either witnessed him heal on a Sabbath, or heard about him. No doubt people are wondering about this good guy who breaks the Law.
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