The World is Waiting

Week Three - Day 7

Today's Reading -- Luke 23:1 to Luke 24:53

Our journey with Jesus through the Gospel according to Luke comes to a close, but not to the end.  Before I get to that there are a few observations on how Luke has recounted the post resurrection appearances of Jesus.  They are more extensive than what we read in Matthew's account, and they all occur on the same day in and around Jerusalem.

In a story unique to Luke, Jesus meets up with two of "them" (apostles? disciples?) as they have let Jerusalem and are walking to a village called Emmaus.  The two fail to recognize that it is the resurrected Jesus traveling with them and spill their guts on their disappointment that the mission he headed up had apparently failed.  In a wonderful two-fold episode that for us had undertones of the Holy Eucharist, the mystery of his presence becomes known through the exposition of scripture and the breaking of the bread.  The two men rush back to tell the others, and in their passion of retelling their experience in Emmaus, the presence of Jesus is alive and once again known to all in that room in Jerusalem. It is then that Jesus commissions them to go to all nations proclaiming "repentance and forgiveness of sins . . . in his name" (24:47).  What the apostles and disciples might have thought had ended is only just beginning.

So, the next step of the journey is about to begin, and Luke will be our guide.  He knew that the story of Jesus was incomplete without telling what became of Jesus' apostles and disciples.   Luke, therefore, has a second volume of his narrative entitled the Acts of the Apostles.  First he tells the story of the early community of believers in Jerusalem, and then the Christian mission to Jews and Gentiles alike throughout much of the known world.

And so tomorrow, let's get ready to step out in faith. . .

The Lord Turned and Looked

Week Three - Day 6

Today's Reading -- Luke 21:1 to Luke 22:71

Have you ever been in a situation where you did or said something publicly that drew a disapproving glance of someone important to you?  Perhaps as a child you misbehaved at a family gathering, and you could tell by the look on your mother or father's face that there would be consequences to your behavior? Even worse, you knew you had disappointed someone who loves you.  As adults we have all manner of relationships with spouses, friends, neighbors, bosses and coworkers.  We can feel the same tug on our soul when we have done something that hurts or denies something about our relationship with someone we care about or respect.  Looking them in the eye afterwards can be an awkward encounter.

What struck me in today's reading was the eyeball-to-eyeball moment that Peter had with Jesus when Peter had denied three times that he either knew or had been with Jesus.  This occurred after Jesus had been arrested and brought to the courtyard of the house of the high priest.  As Matthew and Mark's gospel account set the scene, this occurred while Peter was "outside" (Matthew) or "below" (Mark) the courtyard.  As Luke tells it, however, Peter is in the middle of the courtyard where Jesus is being held.   After Peter's third denial of Jesus the cock crowed, as Jesus had said it would, and "The Lord turned and looked at Peter" (22:61).  Only Luke provides this heart-wrenching personal moment between Peter and Jesus; not only for Peter to realize the gravity of what he has done, but at that exact moment to have to look into the eyes of the Son of God that he has denied!  I have never before caught the impact these seven words.  Luke has not left Peter's denial outside the earshot of Jesus or behind his back, but has brought it right into his presence.  To deny the one who is standing right before you is even more horrifying than doing it where you can't be seen or heard.  On the other hand, it certainly is more honest, in a perverted sort of way.  Why Peter, after such a performance, didn't just run away forever is hard to understand. 

No harder to understand, I guess, than the mercy of God that draws any of us back when we have sinned against God or our neighbor, for what we do is never done secret, nor is ever out of sight of our Lord.  As we are reminded in the Collect for Purity that is said at the beginning of most services of Holy Eucharist in the Episcopal Church, our God is the one "to (whom) all hearts are open, all desires known, and from (whom) no secrets are hid" (Book of Common Prayer, p. 355).

Everything Has Its Price

Week Three - Day 5

Today's Reading -- Luke 18:15 to Luke 20:46

Their are varied costs to conforming one's life to the will of God, and we hear about them as Jesus approaches and enters Jerusalem, "the city" he earlier declared "that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!" (13:34).  For Jesus, the cost will be his betrayal and painful death (13:31-34).  This is the third time that Jesus pulled the apostles aside to tell them what was ahead, but "they did not grasp what was said." It makes a person wonder what the apostles thought was going to happen once they all reached the walls of Jerusalem.  Did they expect that the populous and the religious leaders would fling wide the gates and invite them to take over the city?  Perhaps they thought Jesus would win them over one-by-one.  I can't imagine the typical Christian today thinking that anything bad was about to happen, not with Jesus on their team.

Of course, being a part of a team also carries a price to the individual members, and requires the commitment to work towards common goals and expectations.  For a disciple that means not hanging on to possessions that get in the way of a relationship with God (18:18-30); squaring yourself with those whom you've wronged (19:1-10); knowing to whom the riches you are entrusted with ultimately belong (19:11-27); being willing to follow Jesus into unsettled situations (19:41-48); and being able to let go of prior convictions in order to attain something purer and more holy (20:1-46).  That's a long enough list for one day.

Come to think of it, that's a long enough list for a lifetime, which is the length of the commitment that a true disciple must be willing to make.

Listen to a Story

Week Three - Day 4

Today's Reading -- Luke 15:1 to Luke 18:14

Our reading today consists mostly of parables, some of which are found only in Luke including The Prodigal Son, one of the most well-known stories in the entire Bible.  Part of the aim of the parables was to provide a response to the Pharisees.  The three parables in chapter 15 respond to the Pharisees grumbling that Jesus welcomed sinners.  Jesus then tells parables about the lost sheep, a lost coin, and the return of the prodigal son.  Each was lost, but then was found, which was cause for celebration.  Jesus' point was that God does not shun sinners, but rather welcomes and rejoices over all who repent.  Inclusivity is again affirmed as a characteristic of the kingdom of God.  In chapter 16, the Pharisees are labeled as "lovers of money" (16:14).  The parables of this chapter then speak to the dangers of wealth.  It's not that money is bad; the danger lies in relying upon riches rather than upon God.  What we need to build up is our faith not our bank accounts.

There are two additional parables in today's reading, and various sayings of Jesus.  There is also the memorable encounter that Jesus has with the ten lepers in the region between Samaria and Galilee (17:11-19).  This parable is only found in Luke, and I appreciated it even more after I read Martin Bell's short story entitled "Where Were the Nine?" Bell reflected on the fact that although all ten lepers were cleansed of the disease, only one returned to thank Jesus.  Why didn't the others come back?  Were they so happy they just ran home to reunite with their families?  Had they simply forgotten?  Did they fail to give Jesus credit for their healing, thinking he had nothing to do with it?

Looking at the story in this manner brings a whole new meaning and challenge: How often do we become distracted, or forgetful, or unappreciative that we fail to give thanks to God?

Talking Over a Meal

Week Three - Day 3

Today's Reading -- Luke 12:35 to Luke 14:35

Jesus was often criticized for the company he kept and the people with whom he shared meals.  It was usually the Pharisees who complained that he ate with tax collectors and sinners, including a woman whose sins were known to the whole community.  So, it is interesting that Jesus was frequently invited by Pharisees to be a table guest in their homes.  There were occasions when they wanted to engage him in conversation about his teachings and activities among the people, and times when they wanted to watch him to see if he was going to break one of the laws or commandments.  The account in chapter 14 seems to be the latter, and Jesus has joined the leader of the Pharisees for a meal on the Sabbath, and we are told that they were watching him closely.

In my experience, if you watch Jesus closely you’re going to see and hear things you didn’t expect because we can be so certain as to what he will do in any given situation.  Jesus, however, doesn’t do what we think he should; instead, he reveals what God would want us to do.  During this one meal Jesus does and says quite a lot.  First he challenges the lawyers and Pharisees with a legal question:  “Is it lawful to cure people on the Sabbath, or not?”  This is not just a theoretical question because standing there before them all is a man with physical ailment.  The lawyers and Pharisees remain silent.  We can imagine them wanting to say no, it is not lawful, but hesitate because of the man right in front of them.  For Jesus, caring for someone in need is not about proper timing but about timeless compassion.

Jesus’ other comments at dinner are aimed first at the other guests whom he saw jockeying for the best seats at the table.  Using the image of a wedding banquet (a frequent reference to the future Messianic Banquet where all people will be gathered before God), Jesus tells the guests that no one should think too highly of themselves in the eyes of the host.  While all will be welcomed to the banquet it will remain within God’s prerogative to design the seating chart and assign places as God sees fit.  Jesus’ other comments are saved for the host, whom he implores to forget about inviting your rich neighbors or friends.  Not only do they not need your food, they will only return the favor and invite you to their house for a meal.  You basically swap food with each other and neglect those who truly are hungry or in need of a helping hand.  Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.  Think about your eternal salvation, Jesus says, for God will look favorably upon your honest generosity to your brothers and sisters in need.

Conflict, Warnings and Exhortation

Week Three - Day 2

Today's Reading -- Luke 10:38 to Luke 12:34

The road to Jerusalem will not be easy for Jesus or his followers.  Although he enjoys the hospitality of people like Martha and Mary, and can take the time to do some teaching on prayer in response to a request, opposition is on the horizon.  When Jesus cast a demon out of a man that had been leaving the man mute, some in the crowds hurl a charge at him that he is in cahoots with Satan.  They reason that only someone with satanic powers could act against a demon.  Still others in the crowds keep testing him, demanding that he give them a sign from heaven.  Jesus turns their words around, however, essentially saying that it makes no sense that Satan would act against himself.  That would only lead to the fall of his kingdom of evil.   Jesus then goes on to address the demand for a sign by saying that it is by the finger of God that he casts out demons, evidence that the kingdom of God has come upon the people (11:20).  That is not the end of it, however, as Jesus declares that even when an unclean spirit is cast out it may attempt to come back, strengthened and more emboldened (bringing seven other spirits more evil than itself, 11:26).  Life in the kingdom of God takes diligence and fortitude.

Jesus then issues a series of “woes” against the actions of the Pharisees regarding right faith, accusing them of being concerned with outward appearances while their interior spiritual life was wicked and impure.  When a lawyer speak up, feeling that what Jesus says about the Pharisees casts insults upon his standing in the community as well (11:45), Jesus turns and speaks a series of “woes” and against lawyers for their interpretations of the Law that have placed heavy burdens upon others that they themselves do not nothing to relieve or to follow themselves.

There is more to do and to learn as the journey to Jerusalem continues to move on: fearlessly confessing Jesus before others, not allowing your possessions to become your hope for salvation, and to put worry aside in favor of trusting in the goodness of God, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (12:34).

Comings and Goings

Week Three - Day 1

Today's Reading -- Luke 9:1 to Luke 10:37

We begin our third week of our New Testament Journey with stories of comings and goings.  It makes no difference when a follower is called or the length and level of his or her training.  To take the journey with Jesus is to live ready to be sent out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.

Jesus first sent out the twelve apostles (9:1-6), telling them to travel light and not to waste too much time anywhere they are not welcomed.  To send out the apostles seems only right, for that is what they were commissioned to do by Jesus.  When they came back they told Jesus all they had done, but Luke does not give us any details.  They still had more to learn, however, such as trusting in the abundance of God (the feeding of the five thousand, 9:10-17), the glory that belonged to Jesus as the Son of God (the Transfiguration, 9:28-36), humility amongst themselves (arguing who was greatest, 9:46-48), and leaving judgment to God (the Samaritan village, 9:51-56).

But before anyone thinks that this ministry is for the ‘professional’ apostles, Jesus appoints seventy others and commissions them as advance teams to pave the way for his appearance to others (10:1).  And the charge that he gives to these followers is the same he gave to the apostles: travel light, greet the people, accept hospitality where offered, and don’t bother to linger around places where you’re not welcomed.

All of this might have us thinking that if we don’t go far away from home or do something on a grand scale, then we are not up to snuff as followers of Jesus.  Today’s reading ends, however, with the lesson that we also must be attentive to the one-on-one relationships that result from our encounters with have at home as well as on the road.  If we could all truly live the lesson of the Good Samaritan (10:25-37), the kingdom of God would indeed be known to the whole world.