JESUS WAS MINDFUL OF HIS MISSION.
In the name + of Jesus.
When the Pharisees came to Jesus and
warned him that King Herod wanted to kill him, it sounds like they were doing
him a favor. Their warning seems plausible. After all, King Herod had arrested John the
Baptist and had put him to death. But the
Pharisees were never interested in doing Jesus any favors. They criticized his miraculous healings. They found fault with the behavior of his disciples. They belittled Jesus over the people he ate and
drank with. Privately, they even plotted
how they might kill him. So, their
counsel, “Get away
from here, for Herod wants to kill you” (Luke 13:31), was most likely an effort to make Jesus forsake his
work. If he acted cowardly and was derelict
in his duties, they could prove that he was no true prophet.
Jesus did not fear dying. In
fact, he was headed to Jerusalem for that very purpose. And Jesus knew that he was not going to die at
the hands of Herod. Galilee was not going
to be the place where Jesus would be slain.
That would be Jerusalem, a city with a history of killing the prophets. The sins of Jerusalem would reach their fill
when they would put to death the Christ, the Son of the living God. In any case, Jesus would not refrain from the work
which the Father had given him to do.
Jesus was mindful of his mission.
The message he gave to Herod was likely meant for the Pharisees. “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out
demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my
course’” (Luke 13:32). In other words, neither threats nor death
would prevent Jesus from carrying out his work. Jesus was mindful of his mission.
Jesus, then, lamented over his final destination. “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” (Luke 13:34)! Of all the nations in the world that the Lord
could have chosen for his own purpose, he chose the people of Israel. Of all the places in the world that the Lord
could have put his name, he chose Jerusalem.
It was there, at the Temple, that the sacrifices were made to proclaim
atonement between God and the people. It
was there that the priests were to be devoted to God’s word and to teach that
word to the people. Unfortunately, as time
went by, the priests and the people grew negligent of that word.
Moses had warned about this even before Israel had set foot in the
Promised Land. Shortly before Moses
died, the Lord had him teach a song to the people. The song, recorded in Deuteronomy 32, was a
warning about turning a deaf ear to God’s word and forfeiting God’s grace. Faithfulness to God’s word meant blessing and
grace and life. Failing to hear God’s
word, to take it to heart, and to live according to it would result in God’s wrath
and rejection. But the people did not
heed the warning.
The Lord was grieved that his people no longer listened to the word of
the Lord. As far as the people of Israel
were concerned, their sins were addressed by mind over matter. They didn’t mind, so God’s word didn’t
matter. The Lord, therefore, sent
prophets to call the people to repent.
They were all falling under a bitter judgment for ignoring the word of
the Lord. The word of the Lord made the people
chafe. They did not want to hear that people
who mind their own business should rather mind what the Lord says. They did not repent. Instead, they silenced the word of the Lord by
killing the prophets. The rebuke from
Moses was fitting: “They have dealt corruptly with (the Lord); they are no longer his
children because they are blemished; they are a crooked and twisted
generation. Do you thus repay the Lord, you foolish and senseless people”
(Deuteronomy 32:5-6)? The Lord desired to bless them and to be
their God. But they were not willing.
These words serve as a warning for
us. You, dear Christians, are God’s
chosen people. You have been chosen to
receive grace, blessing, and everlasting life.
Jesus has redeemed you from your sins so that they will not condemn
you. But we are always in danger of
neglecting God’s word. Familiarity with
God’s word easily becomes an excuse to overlook it, and we can be easily deceived
into thinking that we are keeping it just because we had studied it and are familiar
with it.
Here is how that can happen. We usually judge others and ourselves based
on how we treat one another. There is
some truth to that. “Love your
neighbor” is the second table of the Law.
If you are sinning against your neighbor, that is a problem. But the first table of the Law is “Love
the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.” Many people will accept that it is good
to love your neighbor even if they do not care about God’s word. But your neighbor will not be your judge on
the Last Day. Your neighbor can neither condemn
you by saying what a jerk you were nor save you by saying what a great guy you
were. All judgment has been entrusted to
the Son. It is his word that
matters. It is his word that
endures. It is his word that either
saves or condemns. Be mindful of that;
for that is what matters.
When Jesus lamented over Jerusalem, his lament
applied to all people who turn away from God’s word. “How often would I have gathered your children
together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not
willing! Behold, your house is
forsaken” (Luke 13:34-35). Jesus longs to spread his wings over us so
that his innocence covers our guilt.
Jesus longs to spread his wings over us so that he absorbs the brunt of
God’s wrath for us. Jesus longs to save
us, protect us, and to preserve us. But
if we wander away from his word and no longer listen to him, we forfeit his benefits. It is not because Jesus is unwilling. It isn’t even because Jesus withdraws his
benefits. It is because stubborn hearts refuse
to come to Jesus and be covered by his mercy.
Anyone outside of Christ is exposed—exposed as a sinner, exposed to
damning judgment, and exposed to God’s wrath.
If we are forsaken by Jesus, it is not because Jesus wants to ditch us. It is because we have forsaken him. If anyone refuses to be mindful of God’s word
and goes his own way, God will finally let him go as he desires. Heed the warning. The people of Jerusalem did not, despite God’s
repeated efforts with many prophets and even with Jesus himself.
Dear Christians, Jesus was mindful of his mission. He longs to be your Savior who delivers you
from death and gives you life. Jesus
longs to be your Lord who speaks to you words which guide you away from sins
and into godly living. Jesus faithfully delivers
to you the words of eternal life so that you would faithfully follow him. Oh, how he longs for your salvation! Oh, how he is grieved when people abandon him
and neglect his word. For, there is no
salvation apart from his word.
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, …how often would I
have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under
her wings, and you were not willing” (Luke 13:34)! Even if they were not willing, Jesus
was. Even if they would not be faithful,
Jesus would be. Jesus was mindful of his
mission. And how faithful he is! Jesus was not dissuaded by the threats of the
Pharisees. Jesus was not deterred by the
death which would meet him in Jerusalem.
Jesus was minded to complete his mission because the will of his Father
mattered to him. Jesus was minded to
suffer and die because sinners matter to him.
Jesus went to Jerusalem mindful of you, because you matter to him.
Jesus was mindful of his mission.
His Father sent him to save sinners.
So, Jesus went to Jerusalem for Herod who killed the last Old Testament prophet,
John the Baptist. Jesus went to
Jerusalem for the Pharisees who despised him and continually undermined him. Jesus went to Jerusalem to atone for the
people who killed the prophets and stoned those who were sent to them. Jesus was mindful of all these people because
they mattered to him. Sadly, many resisted
the call to be gathered under Jesus’ care for forgiveness and salvation. They stubbornly held on to their unbelief and
perished.
But the fact that many will perish did not
dissuade Jesus. He was sent to be the Savior
of the world, and so he went to Jerusalem to suffer and die for all. He was mindful of his mission. He went there for his apostles. He went there for tax collectors and
prostitutes, for people whose sins are scandalous or secret. He went there for people who are afraid, who
doubt, who battle against temptations and fail often. He went there for the lonely, the depressed,
and the dying. He went there for
you. For his mission is to save sinners. Faithful to that mission, Jesus suffered all things
for you. He endured God’s fiery wrath to
spare you from it. Satan pinned on Jesus
every accusation of sin and guilt to exonerate you of them. Jesus shelters you from death and punishment
as a hen shelters her chicks under her wings.
He takes the blow so that you are delivered. He was committed to his mission.
Jesus lamented over Jerusalem. It was the place where the Lord dwelt with
his people to bless them and be with them.
But after so many years of rejecting God’s word, Jesus let them go their
way. “Behold, your house is forsaken” (Luke 13:34), he said to them. Their hope would not be found in Jerusalem
anymore. It would only be found in
Jesus. It is delivered only in his word
and sacrament. Therefore, Jesus said to them,
“I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in
the name of the Lord’” (Luke 13:35)!
If they would not receive Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living
God, and the Savior of the world, they would never know him. But to you who cling to Jesus as the Savior
and crave his word, you see him and know him as he is.
We are mindful of Jesus because we know he comes for our highest good. Therefore, we sing, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (Luke 13:35), when we celebrate the sacrament. For here, Jesus comes to us. Jesus delivers to us the body and blood which were given to save us. Here is the living bread which sustains faith. Here is the blood which purifies sinners. Therefore, we have no reason to be dissuaded from a godly life by threats. We have no cause even to fear death. Be mindful of Jesus and his word; for these are the only things that matter for this life and for the next. Rejoice that Jesus was mindful of his mission. He is faithful to you, for you matter to him.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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