Journey to the Cross 2017, Day 21

Friday, Day 21                                 

Reading for today:
Matthew 20:17-28
Mark 10:32-45
Luke 18:31-34

An early bunny trail: In Israel – no matter where you are traveling from – you always ‘go up’ to Jerusalem. (In our Western minds, we always think ‘up’ is north – at least I do. From where I live in Western Washington I go up to Seattle, down to Portland....) That isn’t the case in Israel, and that phrase is still commonly used today. I noted that when I was there. So, even though the route Jesus and his followers journeyed was primarily south – and then across...they were headed ‘up to Jerusalem.’ (I love little tidbits of trivia.)

Jesus’ destination is definitely on his mind. Now, in reality, I don’t know the exact timeline. I could easily be off by several days for this portion of the journey to the cross and to Easter. Only the last 9 days or so are pretty explicit – but He did have to get from Capernaum to Jerusalem. We know He was ‘across the Jordan’ on that journey – and some of the other specific locations he will travel through. I just want to clarify that this timeline is general, not specific...yet.

In today’s reading Jesus tells his followers the third time that He is going to die and be raised again – but He is far more specific with what that is going to entail. Mark tells us Jesus will be betrayed and then the Jewish religious leaders will condemn Jesus to death and turn him over to the Gentiles (aka the Romans), who will mock him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. Dr. Luke adds ‘insult.’ Matthew is specific in telling us Jesus will be crucified.

Luke is the only who explains that the disciples didn’t understand any of this  – that the meaning was hidden from them – and they didn’t know what He was talking about.

Right after that pronouncement, Mrs. Zebedee, the mother of the ‘Sons of Thunder’ – as Jesus called them – took her sons to Jesus and asked for Him to place her sons in roles of esteem in His kingdom. I grant you the timing is terrible, and it is pretty obvious she didn’t hear any better than her boys or the other disciples how the reality of Jesus’ true Kingdom was going to play out. It seems incredibly selfish and self-serving – but in contrast to that reality of human nature, Jesus teaches one of the most salient principles of Christianity and of being Kingdom-dwellers: “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” In the world’s reckoning some people are elevated to positions where ‘getting their hands dirty’ would be unheard of. Not so in God’s kingdom. Willingly serving – no matter how seemingly unsavory or trivial the task – is the true CEO position in God’s kingdom.

I know people can self-elevate or allow themselves to be put on pedestals by others – and it is a temptation all Christian ‘leaders’ have to resist at some point or other along the journey. It is so common that I pay attention to the tender moments when I see that is not true. One summer when I saw my pastor as he came upon a crying child at VBS, comfort the little lad, then take him by the hand and stay with him until he was no longer fearful, it touched me. When another of our pastors used his home for a garage sale fundraiser for a man who was dying, it touched me.  Recently when I was in a very large church for a Celebration of Life and afterward while we were seated around tables eating together, the Lead Pastor noticed I didn’t have a drink, and insisted on getting me a glass of water.  Humility personified in every case. 

When I see people who are the ‘pillars of the church’ be hands-on and minister at the level of whatever the need is:  participating in fish ministry – canning fresh fish to send around the world to people in need; caring for folks through our food bank; helping with a garage sale; washing dishes; or doing manual labor on clean-up day:  it touches me. When I see people go – and do – and love in Jesus name, it touches me. There is no hierarchy of ‘too good to do’ any job that needs to be done in Kingdom living. Lines are blurred. People are blessed. Jesus is glorified.

He is our model. “...just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” The Lord of Glory – God Almighty took on human flesh – became fully man as well as fully God – then humbled himself to...oh, yes – I keep getting ahead of the story.

Humor for today:
“Mama’” a little girl cried out excitedly as she came home after going to Sunday School, “I learned God’s other name today.”

“God’s other name?” the mother inquired.

“Yes, it’s Andy.” She proclaimed. “We even sang a song about him: Andy walks with me, Andy talks with me, Andy tells me I am his own.”