“Love your enemies” the scriptures tell us. “Pray for those who persecute you.” That is easier said than done. But fortunately for us, that is exactly what Jesus does.
If it would have been you or me, we probably would not have responded in the same way. We have all kinds of defense mechanisms that kick in when we are confronted. We get tongue tied, nervous, our blood pressure goes up. Sometimes we get frustrated, sometimes introspective. We feel the need to defend ourselves, or else we feel the impulse to go on the offensive. None of these things are helpful. Maybe you can relate.
But not Jesus.
Here in our text, Jesus finds himself face to face with those who do not believe in him. They confront him. They push him. They attempt to force his hand. “Who are you really. If you are the Christ tell us plainly.“
Do you know what that is like?
Jesus does. And instead of responding like me, either defensively, or lashing out and attacking, Jesus responds in love. In love, Jesus confronts the sin of the sinner. And he does, here in our lesson for today, but not with vengeance or anger. Not with hatred or spite. Jesus corrects and rebukes mercifully and lovingly. And even with his enemies He invites them to believe. Lay aside your unbelief and follow me. Be one of my sheep. For I am the Good Shepherd and I protect and care for my sheep and I preserve them even for eternity.
Initially the details of our text are quickly glossed over. But a careful re-reading will help us to set the stage. It was winter. It was stormy and cold outside. The Jerusalem temple was open air and there was one portion that offered shelter, the area named in our text, Solomon's Portico. Perhaps kept away by the storm, Jesus was not accompanied by the typical large crowd. He was on his own, maybe with a small contingent of his disciples. The unbelieving Jews were there at the temple, they saw Jesus without the crowds. They saw an opportunity. Jesus was popular with the crowds. The Jews couldn't adequately confront him as long as they were around, but on this day the crowds were absent. They had the opportunity to gang up on him and they took full advantage. They approached Jesus, surrounded him. Got in his face and started to challenge him.
Behavioral therapists will tell us that human instinct has a “flight or fight mechanism” built in to it. When confronted, in the interest of self preservation most people will do one of two things; they will either run away and hide or they will lash out and fight back. Jesus does neither. He didn't run away because He couldn't run away. The people who surrounded him were the people he came to save. He loved them. In spite of their hatred for him he cared for them and he desired their salvation. Neither did he fight back. Not because he was unable. He could call down thousands of angels to come fight for him. But he allowed the attack to continue. And in the context of this attack, Jesus gives one of the most stirring of Gospel invitations that scripture has to offer.
When you think of an icon of manliness, who would it be? – someone who exhibits strength and poise and determination. Someone who doesn't back down from a fight. Put Jesus on the top of that list. Jesus is tough and strong, yet at the same time possessing a gentle and kind eye. Jesus stands up against his attackers and he meets them head on confronting them with their refusal to believe. When they got in his face and demanded that he account for himself, Jesus shot back, “I told you. You did not believe.” Firm but gentle. Resolute yet merciful. Confrontational yet kind.
And it was true. Jesus had spoken plainly about his identity in the past. They heard it. But they did not believe it. Jesus had said, “Before Abraham was, I Am”. When Moses asked God for his name, a name to tell his people who were enslaved in Egypt, the name God gave was Yahweh. “I Am" in English. Egw Eimi. In Greek. The Jews knew what he meant. They understood his reference. The tried to stone him on the spot. But God spared Jesus because it was not yet his time.
But that is the point. Jesus told them, as plain as day, as plain as could be. And in spite of hearing it and in spite of understanding it they refused to believe it. They are like the hard ground that receives the seed in Jesus' parable. The seed falls on the soil yet it does not sink in and take root and grow because the soil is too hard.
Now if you are trying to plow through hard soil, there are different strategies. If a shovel doesn't work, you get a back hoe. If a back hoe doesn't work, you get some dynamite. Each time, more power, more muscle, more violence.
But Jesus has a different strategy. Instead of getting their attention to change their hearts with violence, Jesus preaches the Gospel. He goes into his Good Shepherd Narrative. He tells of the sheep who are in his flock and how he calls to them and they hear his voice. They know that he is the one speaking and they come to him to follow him. And he leads these sheep to an eternal pasture where they will graze as he lovingly watches over them. No wolves will come to attack and kill and carry away. No storms or death will invade to wash out his pasture. No famine will deprive his sheep of their fill. Their lives will be peaceful and idyllic. Jesus speaks of the blessings of heaven set aside for those who believe in him.
Implicit in this preaching is an invitation. You do not believe but you could. You have hardened your hearts but they could be made soft. You have rejected this Word but it could be received. No big stick. No smack in the face with the law. Just God's gospel word of promise. Just God's invitation to heavenly joy.
But we are cynical aren't we? The law is still coming we would say. It always does. There is always hell to pay. It's like third down when the home team is on defense. The bell starts to toll. The enforcer down is on his way.
But not for you. Not even for them. Not on that day. While Jesus met their unbelief with kindness and mercy and love, they turned it to violence. While Jesus gently invited them with preaching and proclaiming his love they reacted in hate. They were discussing his demise behind closed doors. They would arrest him, falsely accuse him, and then stir up the crowds to kill him. They would hand him over to the Romans for execution. They would call for his death by hanging. They would see to it that he was hung upon a cross. They would see to it that his name was forgotten and his works buried if it was the last thing they did.
So that is what happened. Jesus was arrested. Jesus was nailed to a cross. Jesus died. And there was hell to pay. But not for you. For him. And not just a roman hell, not just a roman shame, it was God's hell and God's shame. God turned his back on His Son. God turned his wrath against his son. God spent an eternities worth of punishment on Jesus so that big stick would never have to come off it's branch, so that you could be changed and healed and saved. Not with the law, not with pain, not with suffering, but with God's gentle invitation to heaven.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd does not change your heart with power and violence. He doesn't get a bigger stick until he can finally get through. Jesus changes your heart with love and mercy. God changes your heart with the gospel. Jesus changes your heart with his word of Grace that goes where he wills and accomplishes what he has appointed. God changes your heart with his Holy Spirit, who accompanies that Word. God changes your heart with love that raises you from the dead, that creates life where there was death, that creates a heart of flesh where there was stone, that creates the oil of gladness where there was weeping and mourning.
This is what God has done for you. This is what god continues to do for you. Salvation. For free. For ever.
Amen.
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