Luke 13:31-35; Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Philippians 3:17-4:1
Today is the Second Sunday of Lent, and just two weeks ago, on Ash Wednesday we began our journey with Jesus. This journey of Lent will lead us to Jerusalem, the City of God, the city where God’s House is; Jerusalem is the center of Israel’s religious life. Jerusalem is where the teachers of the law study and teach about the coming of the Messiah. This should be the safest place for the Messiah to be. However, it is not so, Jerusalem is the city who kills the prophets and stone those sent by God as our reading this morning reminds us. And sadly, this is the city of Jesus’ final destination. Let us remember that we are following Jesus in his journey; let us remember that we celebrate Lent within the framework of discipleship, therefore, as Jesus’ followers, during Lent, Jerusalem is our destination also.
In our scripture Jesus receives word from some Pharisees that Herod wants to kill him. The scholars are divided about the reason behind this warning. Were the Pharisees trying to save Jesus or were they just trying to put fear in him, so he will keep away from Jerusalem and his mission? Because of the answer Jesus gave them I believe that the latter was the case, that was their intention, “You go tell that old fox, -Jesus said- I am casting out demons today, and tomorrow, and performing cures, and on the third day I will be on my way.” This was not only an open challenge to Herod but also to the Pharisees. If they were trying to instill fear in him, with this statement Jesus made it clear that he was ready to obey his father until the last consequences.
Whatever the purpose of the Pharisees and Herod was, Jesus uses this moment to make clear his intention of continuing his journey to Jerusalem where he was going to die; His death was going to be part of his mission. Jesus is going to die, but it will have nothing to do with the threat of Herod. Rather, his death is the fulfilment of his ministry. Jesus will not die as a martyr; Jesus will die as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of this world.
Luke 13:32 describes Jesus’ ministry as “casting out demons and performing cures.” Both activities are by themselves important: The significance of casting out demons for Jesus’ ministry is given in Luke 11:20. He was accused of driving out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons. Jesus told them, “But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you.” Therefore, casting out demons is part of Jesus’ signs of God’s Kingdom and his battle against evil.
Performing cures is likewise a part of Jesus’ mission and also signs of the establishment of God’s kingdom. Quoting Isaiah, Jesus in chapter 4:18-19, makes it clear, the Messiah’s mission was “to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind.” These cures also point to God’s Kingdom. In his way to Jerusalem Jesus continued showing signs of the Kingdom.
Lent is the prelude of Jesus’ death; His ministry is near its climax. And even though, he traveled to Jerusalem, teaching and healing along the way. The disciples knew that Jesus was heading for a trap. He was about to intrude on the center of the Jewish political and religious establishment. Political and religious establishment he has already challenged with his message of love and equality. A message in line with the prophets of the Old Testament. Therefore, he will end as those prophets. He will be killed on the cross.
I said before that this scripture is within the framework of discipleship; within the framework of following Jesus where he goes, where he leads us, and throughout the season of Lent, we are preparing ourselves to experience Jesus’ journey to the cross. During that journey we will also encounter pharisees who will alert us of the danger with the intention of detour us from continuing the ministry, the mission, the called God has made to us. All of us here are Jesus’ followers, women, and men with a mission within God’s people, and within our local churches. As his followers we do not have to die on the cross as Jesus did, but we have to take our cross and follow his steps.
This passage from Luke calls us to considering whether our lives resemble correctly the one Jesus exemplifies for us. I life dedicated to do God’s will. I read somewhere that there is a difference between a Christian and a Follower, a disciple of Jesus. A Christian is simply someone who believes in Jesus Christ. A Follower, a disciple is someone who lives as Jesus lived and goes where he leads… even to Jerusalem.
In the website Ministry Matters, I read the story about a congregation where, at the conclusion of a hymn a young man jumped to his feet and shouted at the people, “You don’t mean a word of it! During this service you sang, ‘All to Jesus I surrender,’ ‘Where he leads me, I will follow,’ ‘Jesus, I my cross have taken.’ How many of us have done or would really do that?” The congregation sat stunned under the impact of his words. The question haunted the people as they sat in the pews speechless, even when they knew it was a preplanned part of the youth-sponsored special service.
Jesus calls his disciples to live what we sing, to live what we believe. He calls on us to be examples of resilient followers. He calls us to be committed to his cause the same way he is committed to our salvation. He never suggested that he would be content with the spare time or spare energy or spare change of us his followers. He set no limits on the loyalty he expects, neither constraint on the commitment he requires from those who once accepted him and allowed him to be their Lord and Savior.
Sisters and brothers, Lent is a call to be bold and to come out from wherever we are hiding and without fear follow Jesus to Jerusalem where we will see him suffer and die for us. On Ash Wednesday millions of Christians went shopping, went to school and to work with the cross of ashes on their forehead. This was a way to let everybody know we are Christians; we are followers, disciples of Jesus Christ. Now he is expecting us to live as one. Remember, Christian is someone who believes in Jesus Christ; a follower, a disciple is someone who lives as Jesus lived and goes where he leads, even to Jerusalem.
As his followers we have to differentiate ourselves by our devotion and service to him, even when he has told all those who follow that they should expect to suffer for that devotion and service. “For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?” Luke 23:31. Brothers and sisters, our devotion and service to God and others is what make us different. The faithfulness of Christ to his mission won our salvation. Our faithfulness, devotion, and service to God’s Kingdom, regardless of the cost, is our glad gratitude to the One to whom we owe it all.