David Bahn – Reflections

There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. ² And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? ³ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. ⁴ Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? ⁵ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

⁶ And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. ⁷ And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ ⁸ And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. ⁹ Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

¹⁰ Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. ¹¹ And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. ¹² When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” ¹³ And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. ¹⁴ But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” ¹⁵ Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? ¹⁶ And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” ¹⁷ As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

¹⁸ He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? ¹⁹ It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”

²⁰ And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? ²¹ It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”

²² He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. ²³ And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, ²⁴ “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. ²⁵ When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ ²⁶ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ ²⁷ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ ²⁸ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. ²⁹ And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. ³⁰ And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

³¹ At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” ³² And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. ³³ Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ ³⁴ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! ³⁵ Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

Maybe you’ve seen a bent over woman or man. He must twist his head to the side to speak with you. She has to contort her neck to see where she’s going. Such a life is sad and difficult. How could it be, therefore, that when Jesus had pity on this woman and healed her, he was criticized by the synagogue ruler?

There are some possible answers – all of which are speculative. Maybe she had been a pest every Saturday. Constantly asking for alms. Continuously interrupting the synagogue meeting demanding help. Could be that there had been complaints about her behavior. Perhaps they realized that they had never done anything to help her and they felt guilty when Jesus did help her. I wondered whether the synagogue ruler was afraid of losing control of his synagogue. I wonder if he was genuinely afraid that that loss of control would disqualify him as a leader or actually offend God.

Many possibilities, but one root cause: sin. Sin blinds us to others’ needs. It holds us captive to fear of Satan, the judgement of others, and our security before God. Recall Isaiah’s response to the vision of the LORD in his temple (Isaiah 6). “Woe to me, for I am a man of unclean lips!” Remember Peter’s response to Jesus after the miraculous catch of fish, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8). Sin turns us in on ourselves and closes our hearts to others’ needs. It protects our self our assets, our reputation.

Jesus was not encumbered with sin in his nature. He was totally without sin, so when he saw this woman he saw her need and realized he could do something about it. He harbored no guilt about past failures. He had no ulterior motives. He was committed only to pleasing God and loving others.

So he healed her. On the Sabbath. In front of the whole synagogue. And he took away her infirmity. And he took on their ire. He calls them to account in the process, saying, “And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?”

There are two reactions to Jesus’ healing touch. Luke tells us, “As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.” 

Lord, grant me courage to do the right thing. In love. For my neighbor’s benefit. For your glory! Amen

Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. ¹⁵ But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” ¹⁶ while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. ¹⁷ But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. ¹⁸ And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. ¹⁹ And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. ²⁰ But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. ²¹ When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; ²² but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. ²³ Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

²⁴ “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ ²⁵ And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. ²⁶ Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.”

²⁷ As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!”²⁸ But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

²⁹ When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. ³⁰ For as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. ³¹ The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. ³² The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

³³ “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. ³⁴ Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. ³⁵ Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. ³⁶ If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.”

³⁷ While Jesuswas speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. ³⁸ The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. ³⁹ And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. ⁴⁰ You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? ⁴¹ But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.

⁴² “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. ⁴³ Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. ⁴⁴ Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.”

⁴⁵ One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.” ⁴⁶ And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. ⁴⁷ Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. ⁴⁸ So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. ⁴⁹ Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ ⁵⁰ so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, ⁵¹ from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. ⁵² Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.”

⁵³ As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things, ⁵⁴ lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say.

Thankfully not every encounter of Jesus with people is like the ones in these verses. The lawyers, the people seeking a sign, the woman who praised him, the crowds, the scribes and the Pharisees don’t fare that well in these encounters. Even the woman who expresses praise, “Blessed is the womb that bore you…” is seemingly rebuffed. Jesus’ response: “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Is Jesus just in a bad mood?

Jesus has set his fact toward Jerusalem (Luke 9:51). Luke’s account in these middle chapters is called the Travel Narratives, or Journey to Jerusalem. Things are heating up between Jesus and his detractors. Especially the Pharisees and scribes are ratcheting up their criticisms, opposition, and scheming. They are growing increasingly critical of Jesus’ teaching, and Jesus knows it.

It might look as though Jesus, for his part, is picking a fight with them, poking them in the eye, and intentionally aggravating them. But something else is at play here. Jesus is heading toward Jerusalem in order to sacrifice himself for the sins of the world. That includes those of the Pharisees. I believe Jesus was provoking them in order that they would see their false ideas for what they were. He is not just being mean. He is uncovering their duplicity.

Not only that, Jesus is aware that this is a critical time, and the danger of getting derailed is imminent. The pressure is building from the criticisms of the Jewish leaders and the impatient crowds and the confused disciples. These are not peaceful times in his ministry. Jesus must stay the course if he is to usher in the reign and rule of God.

For the reign and rule of God to be fully grasped it is essential that our sins be forgiven and the pathway to God cleared. Jesus will have to die. And be raised. And give the Great Commission. And ascend to the right hand of God. He reigns there now. But he also reigns in the hearts of all believers. By grace. Through faith. He must let nothing deter him. And thankfully he didn’t.

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. ³⁹ And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” ⁴¹ But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, ⁴² but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

11 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” ² And he said to them, “When you pray, say:

“Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
³ Give us each day our daily bread,
⁴ and forgive us our sins,
    for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.”

⁵ And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, ⁶ for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; ⁷ and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? ⁸ I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. ⁹ And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ¹¹ What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; ¹² or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

I used to think I was a pretty good pray-er. I had leaned into the praise hymns of Revelation, had taught the P.R.A.Y. (Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield) prayer outline. I regularly exercised my prayer muscles by praying with church staff and members. I regularly led our elders to spend the first 20 minutes in prayer at our monthly meetings. Although I haven’t completely failed at praying the same way I used to, I do feel as though I’m a bit off my game.

Thankfully I do have some help. Occasionally I will read John Baillie’s A Diary of Private Prayer. It is a treasure trove of morning and evening prayers for each day of the month. I also subscribe to the Moravian Daily Text email. It has two Bible verses and a brief prayer. Well and good. But still feel like a musician who hasn’t practiced as much—still able to play, but not with the same confidence or ease. My prayers feel a bit scattered, sometimes routine, sometimes reaching, but not always as deeply connected as before.

So I’m with the apostles when they ask Jesus to teach them to pray. Jesus offers us a beautiful pattern in The Lord’s Prayer. It’s found here and in Matthew’s gospel. Luke has,

“Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
³ Give us each day our daily bread,
⁴ and forgive us our sins,
    for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.”

Simple words with profound meaning. I use it nightly, sometimes even falling asleep while I’m praying. (What better way to fall asleep, right?) Perhaps I need a bit of Mary’s better choice of sitting at the feet of Jesus, not worrying about how I’m going to pray, but listening to his voice.

In the end I take comfort in knowing that prayer is not about my eloquence or performance, but about God’s presence and embrace. He hears, even when my words feel weak, and He welcomes me, even when I struggle to find the right ones. It’s not about my ability to pray well, but about his gracious invitation to be with him, and his promise to hear when I call.

Father…

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” ²⁶ He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” ²⁷ And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” ²⁸ And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

²⁹ But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”³⁰ Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.³¹ Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. ³² So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.³⁴ He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.³⁵ And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ ³⁶ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” ³⁷ He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

”Leaders lead. Leaders speak first. Leaders frame the question.” That was Lyle Schaller’s aphorism on leadership. I especially like the last one. Questions are powerful tools in helping people discover their own answers to life’s challenges. They may be thought of as neutral, but truly no question is without bias.

That is certainly true with the lawyer’s question. He has an agenda. He wants to trap Jesus and justify himself. Jesus answers the lawyer’s firsts question with a question. When the lawyer answers Jesus tells I’m to “do this, [keep the Law] and you will live.” Then comes the lawyer’s second question, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan in order to set up yet another question. He asks, “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”

Once the answer comes, Jesus then says, “Go and do likewise.” But there is so much in that story that will make it difficult for the lawyer go and do likewise. He would have to be like the hated Samaritan. He would have to admit that the example of loving one’s neighbor would be a loathsome half-breed. All that in answering Jesus’ question.

Jesus was a master question-answerer. Zach and Allison Zehnder founded the Red Letter Challenge, and in November of 2022 posted The 305 Questions Jesus Asked with One Shocking Discovery. I’d say Jesus was good at asking questions. And framing them. In other words asked questions that would challenge people, invite people to reconsider their place in God’s kingdom, and bring comfort to those who looked to him.

In this case Jesus was asking who acted like a neighbor in order to get the lawyer out of the loophole looking paradigm and see how God’s love is to be shared with all kinds and sorts of people. Even syncretistic foreigners.

Jesus, however, didn’t ask questions about how we are to treat one another. He was clear, direct, and unwavering in His command to “love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Go and do likewise. No question here. Just go and love like God has loved you.

But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, ⁴⁴ “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” ⁴⁵ But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

⁴⁶ An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. ⁴⁷ But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side ⁴⁸ and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”

⁴⁹ John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” ⁵⁰ But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.”

⁵¹ When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. ⁵² And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. ⁵³ But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” ⁵⁵ But he turned and rebuked them. ⁵⁶ And they went on to another village.

⁵⁷ As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” ⁵⁸ And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” ⁵⁹ To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” ⁶⁰ And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” ⁶¹ Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” ⁶² Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

10:1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. ² And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. ³ Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. ⁴ Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. ⁵ Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ ⁶ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. ⁷ And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. ⁸ Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. ⁹ Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ ¹⁰ But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ¹¹ ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ ¹² I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

¹³ “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. ¹⁴ But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. ¹⁵ And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades.

¹⁶ “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

¹⁷ The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” ¹⁸ And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹ Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. ²⁰ Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

²¹ In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. ²² All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

²³ Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! ²⁴ For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

Maybe you remember the book Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche by Bruce Feirstein. The book poked fun at traditional masculine stereotypes, particularly the idea that “real men” should be rugged, tough, and only eat stereotypically “manly” foods like steak and potatoes—not something delicate like quiche. Personally, I like them both!

I thought of that as I read of the conflict between the disciples who are arguing about who was the greatest among them. Jesus knew they were stewing about this so he told them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”

Issue settled, right? Not so fast. Luke tells us that John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” Sounds to me like they didn’t get it at all. They were worried about someone else getting credit for their hard work.

Then comes the challenge of Jesus: “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” That in response to those who come to him, wanting to sign up for his discipleship course. This will be a long haul, he is saying. If you’re in. Stay in. 

With that background Jesus appoints 72, sending them on ahead of him, telling them they must rely on God’s provision and the kindness and hospitality of the persons of peace they meet along the way. They are to heal diseases, cast out demons and announce the presence of the reign and rule of God.

They return in delightful joy because they saw the work of God through their ministry. “Even the demons were subject to us in your name,” they recount. Jesus replies, “Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Real disciples get caught up in petty squabbles about greatness, worry about who is getting the credit, sometimes want to turn back from following Jesus, and are nonetheless sent by Jesus on remarkable missions of proclamation and healing.

We may not fit in all of those categories, but the next time you feel discouraged about your faithfulness, effectiveness, character, or qualifications, consider these examples. If I’m reading this right the 12 are hung up on their own personal preferences and protections while the 72 are sent to do amazing things. Yet the 12 are still the 12, and the 72 are not to boast in their personal accomplishments.

Real disciples follow Jesus – however well they are able. And that is our calling. And our names are recorded in heaven.

Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” ¹⁹ And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” ²⁰ Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

²¹ And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, ²² saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

²³ And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. ²⁵ For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? ²⁶ For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. ²⁷ But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

²⁸ Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. ²⁹ And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. ³⁰ And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, ³¹ who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. ³² Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. ³³ And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. ³⁴ As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. ³⁵ And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” ³⁶ And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.

³⁷ On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. ³⁸ And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. ³⁹ And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. ⁴⁰ And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” ⁴¹ Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” ⁴² While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. ⁴³ And all were astonished at the majesty of God.

We were at a Michael W. Smith concert. He is a remarkably gifted musician, composer and performer. We used to listen to his music all the time. I recall, however, at the concert that when he walked on stage, I did not recognize him. “Who is that?” I asked Diane. She said, “That’s Michael W. Smith!” or maybe, “That’s him!” I should have known. He’s smaller in person than I had expected. But boy, oh boy, could he sing! The concert was excellent! Michael W. Smith has blessed me and many people.

But Michael W. Smith doesn’t hold a candle next to Jesus of Nazareth. And even though the context is different the events of this text prompt me to reflect on just who this Jesus is. Who is this man? Do we recognize him for who he is?

Jesus asks his disciples who the people say he was, and Peter confesses, “You are the Christ of God.” Christ means anointed one. Jesus is the anointed one of God. Anointed, set aside, consecrated, ordained by God for a singular mission. He was set aside to usher in the fullness of God’s reign, the Kingdom of God. Though he would “be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed,” he would usher in the Kingdom of God, because would be raised from the dead on the third day. 

He is the one who will come in “his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” Then he tells his disciples that some were standing there who would “not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.” Some might think this is a prophecy that Jesus would return within the lifetime of some of the disciples. But Luke makes it clear that Peter, James, and John see the kingdom of God. They see Jesus with Elijah and Moses as Jesus’ appearance and clothing changed, shining with unborrowed light. 

But not only do Peter, James, and John get to see the kingdom of God. When Jesus comes down from the mountain he shows his reign over all things–even the evil spirits. He casts out the evil spirit who convulsed the son so that “he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him.” Luke tells us, “Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.” Then he adds, “And all were astonished at the majesty of God.”

Did we recognize this Jesus is God in the flesh? Do we see it only in the dramatic healing of the man’s son, or the majesty of Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration? God’s majesty is veiled in the person, life, ministry, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. But make no mistake: This Jesus is God’s majestic Son, Savior, Redeemer, Lord, and Friend!

Soon afterward Jesus went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, ² and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, ³ and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.

⁴ And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, ⁵ “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. ⁶ And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. ⁷ And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. ⁸ And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

⁹ And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, ¹⁰ he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ ¹¹ Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. ¹² The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. ¹³ And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. ¹⁴ And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. ¹⁵ As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

¹⁶ “No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. ¹⁷ For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. ¹⁸ Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”

¹⁹ Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. ²⁰ And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” ²¹ But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

At one point Jesus’ family thought he had lost his mind. Mark recounts: “Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, ‘He is out of his mind.’” (Mark 3:20-21) John 7:5 has, “not even his brothers believed in him.” Luke’s record here may the the same event, or another incident recorded in this context. If it is two different occasions, his family may yet be concerned that Jesus was going too far. in is ministry. He had gotten carried away with his ministry and taken on too large of a challenge.

Then he dismisses his family and makes the point that his true mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it. He seems to dismiss his family, which might also explain how his brothers dismissed him and his mission. Maybe he has gone too far.

And what about the women traveling with Jesus? They are accompanying him and supporting him from their own means. I wonder if whether their friends and family thought they had gone too far. They may have thought that these women had gotten carried away.

Were these women and Jesus like the seed sown on the path that the birds carried away?

Do you ever get carried away with Jesus?

When I was in college I got very serious about sharing my faith. I took my Bible to my philosophy class and shared from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. When I told a girl who I had interest in dating (she was also a Lutheran but totally not interested in me), she said, “Don’t get carried away, Dave.”

Sometimes our faithful witness can make us seem fanatical. People might feel as though we’re getting carried away with Jesus. Maybe so. But Jesus carried away our sins to the cross, and then he was carried away from his cross to a borrowed tomb. Now he reigns at the right hand of God. He did that to secure our eternal salvation and give us hope and a future.

For that I’m thankful. And I may get carried away once in a while in praise and witness to his perfect grace, goodness, and love.

¹¹ Soon afterward Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. ¹² As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. ¹³ And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” ¹⁴ Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” ¹⁵ And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. ¹⁶ Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” ¹⁷ And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

¹⁸ The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, ¹⁹ calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” ²⁰ And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” ²¹ In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. ²² And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. ²³ And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

²⁴ When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ²⁵ What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. ²⁶ What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ²⁷ This is he of whom it is written,

“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
    who will prepare your way before you.’

²⁸ I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” ²⁹ (When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, ³⁰ but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)

³¹ “To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another,

“‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
    we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’

³³ For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ ³⁴ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ ³⁵ Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.”

³⁶ One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. ³⁷ And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,³⁸ and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. ³⁹ Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” ⁴⁰ And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

⁴¹ “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴² When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” ⁴³ Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” ⁴⁴ Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. ⁴⁶ You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. ⁴⁷ Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” ⁴⁸ And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹ Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰ And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Some churches have a sending at the end of the service that goes like this: “Go in peace. Serve the Lord,” says the pastor. The congregation responds, “Thanks be to God!” I have appreciated this sending sentiment. I was reminded of the “go in peace” portion as I read this passage. Jesus forgives the woman of her sins, commends her faith, and tells her to go in peace.

What does that mean?

It does not mean that we’ll never face death or have to deal with grief. Even though Jesus raised the widow’s son, he will one day die. His mother will die. The disciples will die. Jesus will die. We all must face death—unless Jesus returns before we die. We can go (on) in peace even in the face of death because Jesus has power over death. And the young man’s resurrection prefigures Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus’ resurrection has eternal implications for those who believe.

Going in peace also does not mean we’ll never have doubts. John had doubts, and he is the one of whom Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11). He had doubts because he was languishing in prison even though he was Jesus’ forerunner. Yet Jesus promised a peace that transcends even this dark hour.

To go in peace certainly does not mean dismissing Jesus’ ministry. The Pharisees were decidedly without peace as they saw what Jesus was doing. They were holding to their own power and position. They feared losing their influence at the hands of Jesus’ teaching. We cannot dismiss Jesus’ teaching—be it convenient or convicting.

A life of judgmental condemnation of others is not a life of peace. If we’re constantly worrying about how someone else is living out her faith, we won’t find peace. If all we can see in another person’s life is how God seems to treat him more favorably than us, our hearts will be distressed. If we expect God to conform to our sensibilities we will not experience the joy of the Lord and beauty of his grace.

Going in peace requires that we are humbly aware of our faults, failures, sins, and shortcomings. The widow at Nain, John in prison, and the woman of the city, a sinner forgiven: all knew a peace that passes understanding.

If I am to go in peace I must ask myself a question or two. Is my life aligned with God’s will insofar as it is possible with me? Am I expecting God to align himself with my ideals rather than living in humble faith in his goodness? Do I realize how great a debt Jesus took on and paid for my sins? Do I believe Jesus who said, “In this world you will have troubles. But rejoice! I have overcome the world”? Do I believe his promise, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27)? Jesus’ resurrection greeting, “Peace be with you,” is a blessing we all need and which Jesus freely gives to those who trust in him.