An Angel From the Realm

Luke 22:39-53
It may seem like an odd time of year to be reading events from Jesus’ passion, but there is significance in holding the season of Advent, which highlights both the birth and second coming of Jesus, in tension with the events of Holy Week. They are, after all, aspects of the same life. But in reading the gospel passage for today, what really resonates with me is the way that God responded to Jesus’ earnest prayers. “Then (Jesus) withdrew from them about a stone's throw, knelt down, and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.’ Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength” (Luke 22:41-43). Jesus, the word of God incarnate, sought to avoid the death that awaited him and asked God to “remove this cup.” (In faithful obedience, however, Jesus was determined to accept God’s will.) And while God did not choose to change the events to follow, God did send Jesus strength by which to persevere. It came to him in the person of an angel who ministered to him.

There are people hurting in our world today, whether from illness or mishap or from some act of evil, people who may have prayed fervently to have some “cup” removed from their lives. They may be people of tremendous faith in God who live in obedience to God’s will. Yet God may not respond the way that they would like. This does not mean that God deserts them – or us – in our hour of need. We all face challenges and hardships. It is by grace that we discern the presence of God offering us strength to endure. The good news of the gospel is that with mercy God reaches out to those who are hurting, who are lonely, who are neglected, who long for light and peace and joy, who wish to be saved from challenges or tribulations, and in any number of ways God seeks to meet those needs and answer those requests. It may not be what we wanted, but it is always a source of hope.

Prayer: Lord, bless us with the knowledge of your presence in all that we do and give us the strength and the courage we need to face the challenges of our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

When Is a Sword Not a Sword?

Luke 22:31-38

(I’d like to wish my daughter, Lindsay James Freeman, a happy and blessed 21st birthday. May she always recognize the love and grace of God’s presence in her life.)

I’ll admit to a great deal of consternation about a section of the Luke passage for today. “(Jesus) said to them, ‘But now, the one who has a purse must take it, and likewise a bag. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one’” (Luke 22:36). The comments about the purse and the bag are one thing, but for Jesus to talk about the disciples arming themselves has long troubled me. I am indebted, therefore, to the footnotes of the Oxford Annotated Study Bible (NRSV). The suggestion there—and a good one, I think—is that Jesus was telling his followers to use their resources for living in a time filled with hostility. Jesus is not speaking of an offensive weapon, but of a commitment to remain faithful to Jesus’ teachings. That the disciples misunderstood the comments should not surprise us, they have been doing that from the very beginning.

The question we need to ponder, no matter where we live, is what does the sword represent for us today? Some Christians are despised or persecuted for their faith. For them a renewed commitment to the faith and a willingness to take up “spiritual arms” is essential. But for many of us it is almost too easy to be a Christian. In fact, for many of us there is no threat at all. For us the sword becomes a confusing image of violence. I want us to rethink the sword in Jesus’ words. I want us to arm ourselves for living a life of commitment, not against hostility, but in the face of apathy and disregard. For us the sword is the willingness to study scripture, to pray, to participate in worship, to give to those in need, to look ahead with confidence to the fullness of God’s reign. If we will “steel” ourselves for the long haul, if we will focus our lives on the meaning of Jesus Christ for the world, I believe we will find ourselves enlivened by the faith and full of joy and hope. The sword for us is a life of faith for which we should be willing to sacrifice everything.

Prayer: Lord, help us to remain focused on you throughout our lives. Grant us the insight and the wisdom to perceive your word at work in our midst. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

A Place at the Table

Luke 22:14-23

“When the hour came, (Jesus) took his place at the table, and the apostles with him” (Luke 22:14). This is how Luke begins his account of the Last Supper. When it was time for the celebration Jesus and the disciples gathered in the upper room. It was natural, of course, for Jesus to have a “place at the table,” after all he was the leader of the group, and as Luke helps us to understand, he was (and is) the Messiah, the Son of God. What may seem troubling is a verse that comes later in the passage, where Jesus says, “But see, the one who betrays me is with me, and his hand is on the table” (v. 21). Not only did Jesus have a place at the table, but so did Judas!

What does this mean? We may not betray Jesus the same way that Judas did, but all of us are willing to cast our lot with the world when it suits us. Ultimately our choices lead us to betray Jesus in our own ways, turning our backs on God’s will for our lives and treating each other with greed and self-interest. Yet, even sinful folks like you and me are welcome in the presence of Jesus. There is a place for us at the table as well. The meal that Jesus offers, then, is one of hope. In worship, gathered around the table, we find our identity as forgiven people. In confessing our sins we know we will receive pardon, and in the Lord’s Supper (or Communion, or Eucharist) we are given a share in the work of the body of Christ now, and a foretaste of that which is to come. This is one reason why I consider the communion table, the font, and the pulpit to be the “watchposts” of my own faith tradition, Presbyterianism, for it here that we actively await the fulfillment of God’s plan in history (Habakkuk 2:1).

Luke helps us to see that it is a big table to which we are invited. Jesus knows our sins. Nonetheless, he invites us to come and to take our place with him, with one another.

Prayer: Gracious and loving God, forgive us our sins and help us to live as your people, gathered around the table of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.