Year C Lent 2
Philippians 3:17 Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. 4:1 Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!
Luke 13:31 At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, "Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you." 32 He replied, "Go tell that fox, `I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.' 33 In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day--for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem! 34 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, `Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.' "
Here we see the commitment and compassion of Jesus. His commitment to follow the mission entrusted to him by God. Of ministering to people, going to the cross and rising from the dead.
We cannot assume that the Pharisees words were motivated by concern or Jesus. They may have wished to divert him from his goal by moving him, perhaps to an area where they had more influence.
Jesus describes Herod Antipas as a fox, the meaning then was "insignificant" or "meaningless", rather than the cunning we associate with the word. Yet Herod's father, Herod the Great had killed the boys under 2 soon after Jesus' birth ( Matt. 2:16-18 ). Herod Antipas had slain John the Baptist. Despite this Jesus was not afraid because his life and death were in God's hands.
Today's Epistle, Phil. 3:17-4:1, also speaks of the need to follow God's ways and stand firm in the Lord, 4:1.
Jesus is also compassionate, like a mother hen, for those who reject him and are, therefore, disobedient to God. Whilst some of the Jews would welcome Jesus with the words of Psalm 118:26, verse 35, others are not prepared to come to him. Indeed, they would reject and kill him, just as their predecessors rejected and killed the prophets. A reminder to us that standing up for God and His ways will lead to problems, even death for some believers.
Life questions:
What is God's goal, verse 32, for my life?
What could, or does, distract me from this? During lent can I address this?
How can I show compassion to those who have not yet accepted Jesus?
Perseverance illustration:
( 23rd March marks the 200 year anniversary of the Act that abolished the slave trade in the U.K. A film called "Amazing Grace" is due for release in the U.K. On 23rd March 2007 )
Young William Wilberforce was discouraged one night in the early 1790s after another defeat in his 10 year battle against the slave trade in England. Tired and frustrated, he opened his Bible and began to leaf through it. A small piece of paper fell out and fluttered to the floor. It was a letter written by John Wesley shortly before his death. Wilberforce read it again: "Unless the divine power has raised you up... I see not how you can go through your glorious enterprise in opposing that (abominable practice of slavery), which is the scandal of religion, of England, and of human nature. Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you? Are all of them together stronger than God? Oh, be not weary of well-doing. Go on in the name of God, and in the power of His might."
Compassion illustration.
St. Martin of Tours whilst on horseback in Amiens in Gaul (modern France) encountered a beggar. Having nothing to give but the clothes on his back, he cut his heavy officer's cloak in half, and gave it to the beggar. Later he had a vision of Christ wearing the cloak.
On a visit to Lombardy to see his parents, he was robbed in the mountains - but managed to convert one of the thieves.