URC Daily Devotion 22 February 2025

Jesus went through one town and village after another, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem.  Someone asked him, ‘Lord, will only a few be saved?’ He said to them,  ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.  When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, “Lord, open to us”, then in reply he will say to you, “I do not know where you come from.”  Then you will begin to say, “We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.”  But he will say, “I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!” There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out.  Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God.  Indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.’
 
Reflection

In this bit of Luke, Jesus is well into his short public life of loving, shocking and making some people very angry. These verses come after a stream of Jesus telling people to repent or perish, to destroy the unfruitful, that the sabbath can be ignored for love’s sake, and that the Kingdom of God is tiny or invisible, not obvious and powerful. After these verses, the pharisees warn Jesus that Herod wants him dead.

Inside these verses, Jesus is not making new friends. He’s saying that those who think they can be with God in eternity most likely won’t be and that the least expected entrants will be relishing the hospitality.  Jesus isn’t gentle. His messages are difficult, hard work.  He’s not comfortable at all. Yes, you say, I know that.  We all know that.

Let’s look then, taking our eyes out of the text. Let’s step back, go up a hill and look down on the institutions made in the name of Jesus. Not much looks anything like Jesus or love. No matter what the names on the buildings are, no matter the sentiments on the signs we hang, we don’t often see love taking over sabbath rules, or the Kingdom invisible.  We see rules taking over the people, dark secrets, and many God-facing buildings looking like kingdom castles.  Yes, you say, I know that.  And?

Well, somehow, we colluded to allow the institution to emasculate the real Jesus and reduced the Holy Spirit to our comforter.  Texts are mere words. Somehow, we’ve turned inside and Jesus has been safe in the tabernacle on the wall. I include myself in this awful challenge – to wake and move out of our familiar places.  Our planet and all people are crying out for radical real love.

Prayer

Yes, Lord, it’s me and it’s them.
We’ve got it wrong.
We are amazed that your love is not worn out.
I am so sorry about the times I held back and took the easy option.
You know how difficult times are and some people can be.
Bless you that you have pulled each of us to new life each time.
Give us more courage than ever to be difficult Jesus people.
In your eternal wisdom, Amen.