Jesus’ phrase, the power of darkness, has my attention. This is more than a youthful fear of the dark. Perhaps those childhood fears are not so misplaced.
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For me, it can be easy to overcommit. I can be carried away with the excitement of the moment. I have friends who do a much better job thinking through just exactly what they may, or may not, commit to. In other words, before you commit to being passionate for a cause, or a person—make sure you are sold out on the purpose.
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Beyond the widow’s offering, Jesus hears people focusing on the temple. He shifts to predicting the fall of Jerusalem, and some not-so-straightforward words regarding the end of the age are spoken, and Jesus ends by encouraging us to stay awake.
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I am able to see the path through other people’s situations, and not my own. So maybe the exercise I ought to do is write out my questions for Jesus—not in an attempt to trick or trap him, but rather in an attempt to identify what is getting in my way to love him more.
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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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Jesus is not interested in fans. He is interested in people who are offering him their hearts—so that he might transform our hearts, so that we might join him in this kingdom work—so that God the Father may be glorified.
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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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