Matthew 21:23-32
Grace peace and mercy from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the beginning of Matthew 21 Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey and the crowds cheer but the Pharisees reprimand him and ask him to silence his disciples. Then Jesus casts the money changers out of the temple to the displeasure of the religious authorities and the delight of the pilgrims flocking into Jerusalem. Next we find that Jesus curses a fig tree and it withers and dies.
This is the context that Matthew provides us for the encounter of Jesus and the chief priests and the elders we read about today. As you can imagine the religious authorities are not happy with Jesus. He has interfered with affairs that may cost them financially. They are especially upset after He concludes this encounter that causes their trap to backfire on them. Their question of authority is one that can't be answered without either arrest as a blasphemer or the loss of faith of the people. Jesus is wise enough to turn the tables with a counter question about John's baptism that puts the religious authorities in a no win position.
By the end of this chapter, the religious leaders are ready to kill Jesus. But this is all working according to His plan. Jesus has come to die on Friday of this week, this is Holy Week, and he has come to make the Passover sacrifice which will take away the sins of the whole world.
This reading plays to my thoughts on Calvary and why I am here with you. It may not be obvious but Jesus orchestrated every event that first Holy Week. That includes His cruel death on the cross the day before the Sabbath. The way in which He speaks to the leaders, incites them to violence. Everything we read has an underlying theme that Jesus did indeed control the events during that week.
I often question my role here as the life of this congregation plays out. I have limited time to accomplish any tasks here because of my travel and the distance I live from the church. I'm a missional thinker rather than someone that fits in a maintenance environment. Yet for some reason I was drawn here. My questioning is not anxious deliberation, but rather seeking of purpose.
My comfort is that I know that God orchestrates everything in my life and at the appropriate time His purpose will be revealed. There are too many prior events in my life that the outcome could only have been intervention and guidance on His part to believe otherwise.
Individually and as a congregation you should also take comfort that God does have a plan for you and all of it hinges on His love for you. Regardless of the outcome of efforts here God does care and ultimately that outcome is good.
Latter this morning we are going to discuss what God's plan could be for Calvary. We are going to rely on the Holy Spirit to work in us to determine where we go next. Our job here is to follow His will and work to His glory.
Sometimes God's plan takes us through painful experiences. In the reading from Ezekiel the people of the first wave of exiles just prior to the fall of Jerusalem complain about the unfairness of their punishment for the sins of prior generations. Unfortunately, Ezekiel must share the brutal truth of their situation. The Babylonians will be victorious, Jerusalem will be destroyed, and they are not the righteous people they think they are. Beginning in verse six of the chapter although not in the reading Ezekiel shares sins other than idolatry that their generation is guilty of.
6 …He does not defile his neighbor's wife …
7 He does not oppress anyone,
but returns what he took in
pledge for a loan.
He does not commit robbery
but gives his food to the
hungry
and provides clothing for the naked.
8 He does not
lend at usury
or take excessive interest.
He withholds his hand from
doing wrong
and judges fairly between man and man.
9 He
follows my decrees
and faithfully keeps my laws.
Despite movement away from idolatry the people still did not follow God's will. Instead they followed their own will. They believed they could pick and choose what commandments to keep. Ezekiel makes it clear that there are many things that come into play in serving God.
For us to seek God's will at Calvary we need to have our eyes opened as well. We need to ask some hard questions and peal away the emotions that surround our circumstance. Questions that come to my mind are:
Is God going to raise-up the people we need here to go out and share the Good News and bless us with growth?
Are we being good stewards of God's resources? Can we do better? Do we want to do better?
Is God offering a rest from the activities here so that we can be renewed to work in fields elsewhere?
I don't know the answers to those questions but they are good questions to think about as we ask the Lord to reveal His plan for this congregation.
Talking about the future often raises the anxiety level in people. The current national crisis is a prime example. As we think ahead we may worry about the cost of transportation and heating our homes. We may worry if we will loose our home or be able to retire because of current financial crisis. Yes, those things can happen but be comforted that these things occur for God's purpose to be fulfilled in His time according to His plan.
As we discuss our direction here at Calvary be comforted that God has a plan for us to follow and He will reveal it to us. My personal experiences tell me that His plan, although sometimes painful, always leads to the best for His people.
In the name of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
