The Road to Easter: What Was Jesus Thinking?
(NIV)John 2:13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.
15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” (Some translations say den of thieves.)
I can remember the first time I heard of this event. I was probably eight or nine and we went with our friends to their Vacation Bible School.
This particular VBS showed a film of Jesus overturning the tables and He was angry! So I went home and told Mama we saw the worst thing ever. The story we just learned could not be true.
Well, Mama assured me that Jesus had, indeed, put an end to men buying and selling in the Temple. At least for that day. But why?
Since people traveled long distances to celebrate Passover in Jerusalem, they did not carry the required sacrifices with them. Instead, they bought them in the outer courts of the temple.
Here is the problem. Those needing to make their purchase used different currencies, so, exchange tables were set up and exorbitant fees were charged for the services.
When Jesus overturned the tables, He did not just upset a few business men. The Pharisees were also angry because Jesus was cutting into their profits. More importantly, Jesus was upending the social order and the Pharisees valued order almost as much as money.
As we meditate on these verses, perhaps we could consider if there are “tables” in our own lives that need to be overturned.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Road to Easter: The Triumphal Entry
(NIV) John 12:12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna![c]”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[d]
“Blessed is the King of Israel!” 14Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written,
15″Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt.”[e]
16At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.
17Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. 19So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”
Have you ever been in the crowd when a dignitary arrived? When I was twelve years old President John F. Kennedy came to Arkansas to dedicate Greers Ferry Dam. He addressed the crowd on October 3, 1963, and later that day spoke at the State Fair and Livestock Show. My aunt checked my sister and me out of school so that we could be in the crowd.
I wonder how many twelve year olds were in the crowd the day Jesus entered triumphantly to the sound of hosannas and the waving of palm branches? Did they realize the import of what was happening? Dud anyone? Did they feel the electricity in the crowd? Did they know how that week would end?
It is important to note that Jesus was fulfilling prophecy from Zechariah as he rode into town. Even, the donkey upon which He was riding was part of the prophecy.
The crowds were already large because Passover was being celebrated, but in addition Jesus had only recently raised Lazarus from the dead. Many of those present in Bethany were in Jerusalem, and as word of Jesus’ miracles spread, and as His popularity grew, the authorities became increasingly concerned.
As we enter into what we refer to as Holy Week, may we fix our eyes upon Jesus and our hearts upon the resurrection.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
The Road to Easter: The Day God’s Glory Shone Through
(NIV) 28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. 31 They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
The Transfiguration, to me, is one of the most compelling accounts from the New Testament. Jesus, along with James, John and Peter climb up a mountain. It is nighttime and the disciples grow sleepy. When awakened by voices, they witness Jesus in all of His glory, speaking with Moses and Elijah.
There are so many things we can take away from this encounter, which occurred on a mountaintop. Could it be that although much of our learning occurs in the valleys, or low points in our lives, we must climb up to the mountain tops to see things clearly?
Jesus had just recently explained, without parables or anything that would obscure His message, that He was going to be killed and rise again. Although the disciples needed to hear this, they were not ready. Jesus allowed these three men to witness this extraordinary moment to strengthen their faith. And it did.
The glory that Jesus had set aside when He took on humanity was now fully present as He spoke with the two men who had their own mountaintop experiences. Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets were the heavenly witnesses of Jesus the Christ, just as James, Peter and John were the earthly witnesses.
And then, as if nothing greater could happen, a cloud encompasses them all and God’s voice proclaims “this is my Son—listen to Him. In that very moment, the Old Testament is fulfilled and Jesus becomes the new and living way.
Oh, to see Jesus in all of His glory. It reminds me of the old hymn:
Oh, I want to see Him, look upon His face,
There to sing forever of His saving grace;
On the streets of glory let me lift my voice,
Cares all past, home at last, ever to rejoice.
May we continue to listen to Him as we await His return.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
The Road to Easter: The Bread and Fish Multiplied
(NIV) John 6:8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
There are so many things I really love about the multiplication of the bread and fish. First, I love that Jesus saw the need of the people, but He did not see the lack of provisions. He didn’t wring His hands in desperation, nor was He tempted to give up. He didn’t even pray for God to provide because He already had! Jesus took the young boy’s lunch basket, gave thanks to God and the people ate.
Throughout Jesus’ ministry, we can find examples of Jesus thanking God, not after He provided but before. When Jesus resurrected Lazarus, His prayer was not that God would breathe new life into a man dead for four days, but instead He gave thanks for God’s faithfulness.
I love that Jesus, the very Bread of Life, born in Bethlehem (City of Bread) was giving bread to feed people’s physical bodies. I love that a young boy became the vessel for this miracle. And I love that Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who provides, became manifest that day when 5000 men (up to 15,000 people) were fed with leftovers for tomorrow.
So today, in 2024 in preparation for Easter, may we be thankful for the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the shelter we have, not asking God for anything more, simply giving thanks.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Road to Easter: Jesus Writes on the Ground
(NIV)John 8:3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
I have always found this account of the woman accused of adultery to be one of the most compelling of Jesus’ encounters with the Pharisees. Consider this: each time Jesus met with the Pharisees, their intention was not to fellowship with Him, nor to learn from Him, but to entrap Him.
In this instance, if Jesus called for mercy the Pharisees would accuse Him of breaking Mosaic law. If He agreed to stone the woman, He would have been breaking the Roman law, which allowed the Sanhedrin to pronounce a guilty sentence, but not carry out the death penalty.
Jesus wrote with His finger in the dirt reminiscent of God writing the Ten Commandments with His finger on stone not once, but twice. Although we are not told what Jesus wrote in the dirt, what if He was simply writing the “Thou shall nots” followed by the Pharisees’ names? That would get their attention.
Whatever Jesus wrote certainly had the desired effect. One by one the accusers left, until only Jesus and the woman were remaining. What a beautiful depiction of mercy and redemption.
I recall the song “Tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart every word…” When we engage in Bible reading and prayer, we are ensuring that our hearts are fertile for planting the Word, and the harvest we reap will be one of joy.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Seeking Holiness 