Friday, March 26 Holy Week Day One

Following Jesus

Scripture Reading: Luke 9:46-62

Just days before His grand entry into Jerusalem, mounted upon on a colt and riding through streets lined with well-wishers, worshippers, and hopeful servants longing to be free from the tyranny of Rome, Jesus made the abrupt announcement to His followers that they were now headed to the great city. This announcement, as the narrative of Luke seems to suggest, stirred the hopes of the disciples that the anticipated Kingdom was about to come. That Kingdom, they thought, meant for them places of prominence, positions of power, and potential prestige that they had dreamed of for years. Luke notes the scurry for the top spot that occupied the energy of the disciples just before the announcement of a new itinerary that would lead them into the midst of the anxious crowds. He also points out the immediate and harsh response of James and John, who upon learning that the people of Samaria were unwilling to receive Jesus as He passed through, geared themselves up for an Elijah-like demonstration, offering to command fire to fall from heaven and consume them. Jesus quickly rebuked them and reminded them that the Son of Man did not come to destroy and that His trip to Jerusalem was not about judgment, but rather to seek and save the lost.

It is interesting how so little changes among the followers of Jesus. We still hear the story of the preparation for the triumphal entry and read about the crowds of admirers and like the disciples think prominence, power, and prestige. We are ready to correct those who don’t fall in line, judge others who don’t seem to know what we know, and jockey for the seat of honor in the Kingdom with our titles, arrogance, and claimed entitlements. But, all the while we also forget what the disciples failed to recognize. Jerusalem meant death, denial of rights, forfeiture of power, all for the purpose of saving others.

We have been called to follow Jesus. As followers of Jesus, we should not set our sights on our rights, authority, importance, or position. We must die to all of that so that others might live. This is the call of Christian discipleship. This is what it means to follow Jesus.

Prayer: Father, open my spiritual eyes so that I may see what it means to lay down my rights, my insistence upon selfish pursuits, and my desire to be noticed, coddled, or empowered. Replace these passions of my carnal man with a sincere longing to follow you, die to self, and reach those around me who need to know you.