12/13/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
Our Gospel reading from Luke 7:18-35 has a good deal of variety. John, in prison, sends disciples to find out if Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus doesn’t answer the question, but leaves them to make up their minds. Jesus sings the praise of John. He speaks of the utter failure of the Pharisees and scribes. This passage seems to be all over the place.
It’s this last portion, though, that I would like to visit today. In our day, much of the secular world treats Jesus and His people in this same way. They have rejected Jesus without ever considering his claims (v. 30). Jesus observes that they act like children. Whatever the setting, they affirm Jesus and his children to be useless. If he fasts, he has a demon. If he eats, he is a glutton. In every instance, his response is wrong.
What answer does the Church give? I often give no answer at all. After all, it would be the wrong answer. Rather, we go on doing the good the Lord has prepared for us. Heal the sick, give people the good news, feed the poor, care for God’s creation. We let our world make up its mind about Jesus. Sure wish it would be right!
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
Our Gospel reading from Luke 7:18-35 has a good deal of variety. John, in prison, sends disciples to find out if Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus doesn’t answer the question, but leaves them to make up their minds. Jesus sings the praise of John. He speaks of the utter failure of the Pharisees and scribes. This passage seems to be all over the place.
It’s this last portion, though, that I would like to visit today. In our day, much of the secular world treats Jesus and His people in this same way. They have rejected Jesus without ever considering his claims (v. 30). Jesus observes that they act like children. Whatever the setting, they affirm Jesus and his children to be useless. If he fasts, he has a demon. If he eats, he is a glutton. In every instance, his response is wrong.
What answer does the Church give? I often give no answer at all. After all, it would be the wrong answer. Rather, we go on doing the good the Lord has prepared for us. Heal the sick, give people the good news, feed the poor, care for God’s creation. We let our world make up its mind about Jesus. Sure wish it would be right!
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
RSS Feed