Luke 13:31-35
Early in the first century Jesus began his ministry by talking with people about God and healing those who were ill or disabled. Over time people began to pay attention. They would gather when he came to their village or even travel into the countryside to see what he would do and hear what he had to say. He was popular because he could heal diseases, straighten crooked feet, cast out demons (which meant calm mental illness) and do some showing things. People who had a physical problem wanted to be made well. Those who didn’t, wanted to see the show. Jesus wanted to help people, so he welcomed the crowds.
We often think of the Pharisees as his enemies, but some men who belonged to that group of religious leaders had sympathy for what he was doing and some surely agreed with how he thought about God. The Pharisees were the reformers of their day, the ones pushing for religious change, and some of them liked what they heard when Jesus talked. So, wanting to be helpful, some come to him and encourage him to be more careful. Herod the local ruler has taken notice, and in an Empire, notice is not a good thing. It’s better to keep your head down, talk in smaller groups, and not draw attention. This is particularly true because Jesus is challenging the status quo. He’s challenging the way those who are rich are exploiting the masses, demanding high taxes and heavy workloads. He’s challenging the way religious leaders are gaining power by enabling Empire’s violence, encouraging people to go along with harsh rules to keep relative peace. Jesus is telling people that God is love and those who truly follow God watch out for each other, feed the hungry, level economic opportunity. It’s a disruptive message. I’m sure Jesus wasn’t surprised to hear the Pharisees’ words of caution. He has to have known he was causing trouble.
It's interesting that Jesus refuses to be silenced. His reply: I have work to do and I’m going to keep on doing it. Jesus claims the role of prophet – speaking God’s truth to a moment in history which isn’t going God’s way. He’s taking on the authorities and daring them to arrest or kill him. We know how that ends. In essence, Jesus is refusing to be afraid of what might happen because what IS happening in his ministry is too important to give up. He has a clear mandate to speak about God’s way of living, and he keeps at it.
Last week we talked about Jesus in the desert, preparing for this ministry. I’m sure he asked himself, “If I do this, what will happen to me? If I speak out, will I be the next one arrested and crucified?” Knowing what we know about his time, the answer must have been “Yes.” When we hear Jesus’ message, we can be certain that he saw it as so important it was worth dying for.
It's interesting to think about Jesus’ fearless response in this particular moment in time. Every day I talk to people who are afraid. Some are afraid of losing their jobs or of having their jobs become harder as government workforce shrinks. Some are afraid that important research they are doing or service they are giving will simply end. We don’t know what happens next. Will our friends be deported? Will children lose their teachers? Will cancer research not find the next cure? Will the next pandemic not be addressed? Will protest be silenced? Things that seemed impossible to imagine not long ago suddenly seem quite possible and dangerous. What do we do?
Jesus answered the danger by doing what mattered most to him: he healed people, he accepted people, he talked about God’s love. We can follow that example. Yes, the world is a bit upside down, but we can keep teaching, keep befriending, keep driving carpools. Every week we help the people in front of us in ways that we can. The need may grow in the months ahead, but we can keep doing the part that comes to us, doing what we can.
Jesus knew there was danger ahead, but he focused on the moment. He taught the people who came that day. He healed the ones in front of him. He connected with his friends and welcomed newcomers and ate supper at the end of the day. He prayed and rested. Then he did it again. It’s very easy right now for us to borrow trouble thinking about “what if….?” Jesus tells us not to worry about tomorrow; focus on today. Do what we can today. That’s something we can do.
And I love the image at the end of today’s story, Jesus thinking about going to Jerusalem, to the seat of power, and gathering the people into his arms. Gathering folks into safety like a mother hen. There’s a time to confront abusive power – to look it square in the face and call it out. This is such a time. But at the same time, we can trust that God is gathering us together and holding us close. God is wrapping strong arms around us, hiding us under protective wings. Some didn’t allow Jesus to gather them, but those who did received comfort and care. Jesus faced death because he wanted us to know that we were loved. God loves us. The world can be scary, but God is with us. There’s hard work to be done. There are brave words that need speaking. God is with us in the work and the word. We are not alone. We are God’s people. We are in this together and God is leading the way.
Here's a verse of a song that has been important to me for 50 years –