Tag: Luke 23

“The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” 

Luke 23 & John 18-19

Devotion by Rachel Cain (Ohio)

What a true idiom. I never cease to be amazed at how large a small minority can seem when given a message and a platform. The media spins the truth to sway unsuspecting observers one way or another, leading us to disregard critical thinking and become emotionally attached to the perceived (and sometimes invented) injustices. We begin to see this small, vocal group as representative of the entire population. This happens on both sides of the political spectrum. Even niche groups can seem large if they’re loud and persistent enough. 

In Luke 23 it seems like “everyone” wants Jesus punished! The chapter begins with an emotional interaction between the Sanhedrin (the religious court) and Pilate, the governor of the Roman province of Judaea. The very first verse indicates that “the whole Sanhedrin” brought Jesus before Pilate, hoping for a death sentence.  A text note in my Complete Jewish Study Bible for Jews and Christians (p 1513) clarifies that “this literally means, ‘the multitude of them’- namely, the whole of those present… this reflects not the whole of the Jewish people but instead some members of the religious court…” 

This small-but-loud crowd succeeded. Even though Jesus had been healing multitudes, teaching with authority, and relating the people to God in no way they had ever experienced before, all it took was a small, mad mob to fuel the emotional fire that would cause the crowd to exclaim, “crucify him!” and end Jesus’ life.

We all know these actions fulfilled God’s plan; this is how it had to happen, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn a lesson from the chaos. We need to be aware of fallacies in arguments that aim to sway us away from God’s Truth. We must be watchful to notice the sly work of the deceiver who “masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). We should constantly compare the cries of the culture to the ways of God so we will not be conformed to the world, but “test and approve what God’s will is” (Romans 12:2). It would behoove us to remember the words of Jesus, that his life-giving way is straight and narrow, not the broad path that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14). 

So, as Christians, let’s be the WD-40 on the “squeaky wheels” that are leading people astray from God. We must help encourage other Christians to stand for what is right, even when it seems like we’re standing alone. Also, we should be a different kind of “squeaky wheel”: unashamedly sharing God’s love to the world around us and shining His light everywhere we go. The world is watching. 

Reflections: 

How have you been influenced by the world around you – or resisted that influence and stayed true to your faith? 

In what ways can you be WD-40? Or be the squeaky wheel for Jesus? 

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Religion and Politics

*Theme Week – Celebrating Jesus – Luke 23

Old Testament: Zechariah 11 & 12

Poetry: Psalm 147

            There’s an aphorism that says: “Two subjects that you should never talk about in polite company are, religion and politics.”  Why is that?  Because they often turn into arguments that can never be resolved.  Why can’t they be resolved?  Jonathan Swift wrote in 1721 that: “You cannot reason someone out of something he or she was not reasoned into.” Quite often people don’t choose their religious tradition or their political affiliations, they accept them from their parents. (Some do reject their parents’ religion or politics, which can create some unpleasant conversations at family dinners).  There is no doubt that conversations around religion and politics can and do grow contentious at times.  In my 60 years of living, I would say politics have become more contentious in the last 5-10 years than I can remember in my earlier life.  Some might argue that Trump is the cause of divisive politics, and others might argue that Trump is the outcome of divisive politics.  I would say that there is some truth in both of these arguments.

            What I really want to say as I reflect on today’s reading in Luke 23 is that to say religion and politics is to present a false dichotomy.  Religion and politics are not two separate things.  Religion is political.  One early political philosopher, Aristotle (384-322 BC) envisioned the role of politics to be that “government exists to promote and foster virtue in a way that leads to the good life of its citizens.”  Virtue is doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong.  For him, the good life was the positive result of doing the right things.  Jesus lived between 300 – 400 years after Aristotle.  Jesus taught that if we “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” then we would experience good outcomes in life. (Matthew 6:33-34).  Notice the similarities between Aristotle and Jesus?  Government or Kingdom and virtue or right living.  There has always existed a strong correlation between the governing powers and the right behaviors of the people and how that results in peaceful and good living for everyone.

            In today’s story, we see politics at work.  Israel’s religious leaders felt threatened by Jesus’ massive popularity among the common people.  At the time the religious leaders of Israel had a comfortable arrangement with the Roman authorities.  Rome pretty much left them alone to practice their religion, run their temple sacrifices, and hold their religious feasts and pilgrimages.  As long as the Jewish leaders kept their people in line there wasn’t much of a problem.   But Jesus came along bringing up the ancient talk about the Kingdom of God and God’s anointed King ruling.  That kind of talk made the religious leaders very nervous.  When Jesus came to Jerusalem right before the Passover he was greeted by crowds who wanted to install him as their King.  This would have undoubtedly led to a major conflict with Rome that would have enormous consequences for the leaders of Israel.  So they needed to put a stop to Jesus and his followers.  They needed to get rid of him before his followers got out of control.

            Remember the original Herod tried to have Jesus killed as a baby.  Now, Jesus was brought before  this Herod (descended from the previous Herod) who was not Jewish and not heir to the messianic throne of David, but merely a puppet of the Roman Empire.  Pilate was the Roman governor and was Caesar’s representative in that region.  Both Herod and Pilate needed to keep the peace and keep the Jewish people in line or else their positions would be threatened.  They both had comfortable lives in palaces.  The Priests and scribes lived comfortable lives too.   They all had vested interests in maintaining the status quo in the region.  Jesus was a threat to their political power.

            So, in very political acts, all of the various groups worked out their plan to publicly execute Jesus, even though he had admittedly not committed any crime worthy of capital punishment.  They chose to set free an actual murderer and insurrectionist, while they crucified an innocent man, who also happened to be the son of God, the heir to David’s throne, the true King and Messiah.

            As you continue to celebrate Christmas, eat Christmas leftovers and get ready to celebrate New Years, take a moment to think about what’s truly important to you and why.  Do you commit your allegiance to Jesus as King?  Do you want to seek first God’s Kingdom and the way to live right that Jesus taught?  If so, you are making a political act.  And if you reject Jesus and the Kingdom of God you are also making a political act.  You can’t avoid politics or religion.  Just make sure that you make a thoughtful decision about Jesus and the Kingdom of God.

-Jeff Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1. Do you agree that religion is political? Why or why not? What examples can you think of to support your position?
  2. What do you think the following people thought about Jesus – Herod, Pilate, chief priests, a Jew watching the events unfold, the criminals, the centurion, Joseph of Arimathea? 
  3. What do you learn about Jesus in Luke 23? 
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Preparing Your Mind: Recognizing Priorities

*Theme Week – Jesus: Luke 23

Old Testament Reading: Joshua 1 & 2

Psalms Reading: Psalm 95

The next few days of readings will be centered around Jesus’s crucifixion. Luke’s account tells us of the interaction that Jesus had with the thieves on the crosses next to Christ, which is what I’m focusing my attention on today. 

Jesus has been arrested and has appeared before Pilate, the highest Roman official in the area, and been found guilty of nothing more than inciting a spiritual revolution. Yet he was punished and tortured and hung up on a cross with criminals to die an agonizing death. 

The criminals were guilty. They knew that they were being punished for wrongs they had committed. Still one mocked Jesus, telling him to save himself and them. The other, however, knows that he has sinned. He knows that he deserves punishment and that Jesus does not. And rather than asking Jesus to remove him from the cross and death, he has his focus on something far more important. He asked Jesus to remember him when he comes into his kingdom. 

How remarkable. Honestly, when I’m in trouble I’m not thinking of whether or not I deserve that trouble. I’m not focused on what is ultimately important. I should be acknowledging that I’ve done wrong and that I likely deserve whatever mess I’m in. I should acknowledge that whatever battle I’m in the midst of, I can continue to fight because God has already won the war. Instead, I’m just looking for God to rescue me from my current situation. I’m looking for an easy way out. I have lost sight of the end game, which is an everlasting kingdom that can be had by accepting the gift of grace offered to us when Jesus was punished and killed for our transgressions. 

The thief had his priorities straight, and Jesus acknowledged it by promising him a place in his everlasting Kingdom. How beautiful. 

Take some time with me today to prepare yourself by realigning your priorities. Ask yourself: 

When I am struggling, is my focus on myself or on God’s plan? 

Have I accepted the free (for me) gift of salvation, or am I still trying to earn my way into God’s kingdom? 

Have I truly acknowledged and accepted that no matter what I have done or said to redeem myself, I cannot?

How can I better reflect my joy and gratitude for this gift of eternal life? How can I express it to others so that they can accept it as well? 

My prayer for you and myself today is that we each accept with a humble heart the gift of salvation, acknowledging that it is only by grace that we are saved. I pray that we accept that grace with extreme joy, because it is truly something to celebrate. I pray that our priorities are not focused on anything in this world, but on God’s coming kingdom. 

Jenn Haynes

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The Mob

Luke 23

Friday, December 30, 2022

            I’m just going to put it out there.  Luke 23 really frustrates me.  There is so much wrong with what happened to Jesus, and it should have been obvious to anyone with an ounce of common sense, but “the mob” got their way because they were the loudest and most obnoxious.  Has anything changed in 2,000 years or is the mob still getting their way?  Why did God allow the mob to get what they wanted?  Why didn’t He protect His son?

            My first point of frustration is that the people wanting to kill Jesus were not the ones that didn’t believe in God; they were the ones who supposedly had devoted their lives to God.  Apparently, “Thou shall not kill” was too difficult for them to understand.  They also weren’t too bright about recognizing that Jesus was the Messiah that they had been told would be coming.  It is true that Jesus rocked their world a bit by telling them they needed to reevaluate their laws and their hearts, but it is amazing that their response to that was that they believed Jesus should be killed.  I am trying to picture an elders’ meeting today at our church where we had to talk about someone stirring up the congregation in a way we thought was inappropriate.  I can’t imagine someone would suggest, “We need to kill them.”  (Although, I guess I did just imagine that or I wouldn’t have written it.)

            The most frustrating part of this chapter is reading about how an innocent man was sentenced to death.  Pilate knew Jesus was not guilty and he tried to convince the mob of such.  They weren’t having it, so Pilate sent Jesus to Herod because he didn’t want any part of condemning an innocent man.  Herod also could not find anything that Jesus had done wrong, so he sent him back to Pilate.  Pilate pleaded with the people again, but the people wouldn’t listen.  Pilate tried one last time to get Jesus released with the rule about letting a prisoner go free.  Instead, the mob said they wanted an insurrectionist/murderer released.  Again, if the mob had one shred of common sense, they would have freed Jesus.  This was so wrong!

            Lastly, it was ridiculous enough that they put Jesus to death, but it is extremely frustrating to read about how they did it.  Why did they have to choose the most torturous, horrific way of killing someone?  The pain Jesus felt had to be excruciating and it lasted way too long.  I get mad thinking about what they did, and they did it to the one person who literally never did anything wrong to anyone.

            This was a terrible act by the people, but why did God not stop it?  Strangely enough, it was always a part of God’s plan.  Think about what would have happened if God had not allowed Jesus to die on the cross.  I suppose he would have gone on teaching, healing, and revealing the kingdom, and at some point, Jesus would have died of old age.  No crucifixion.  No resurrection.  Nobody paying the price for our sins.  God allowed the most terrible act in history to happen because it was also the most wonderful act in history.  There has never been an act in all of time that was greater than what Jesus did for you and me on that day.

            I am sorry to say that the mob is still alive and well.  I am continually frustrated by all the things I see today that happen because the mob gets what it wants.  Christians are losing many battles today, just like Jesus lost to the mob back then.  I feel like the women and acquaintances that were mentioned in verses 27 and 49.  They too were watching the injustice from a distance, knowing they couldn’t stop the mob.  However, I think about what Jesus said while he was dying on the cross.  He asked his Father to forgive them because they didn’t know what they were doing.  I believe the mob today truly believes that what they are doing is right; they just don’t understand what they are doing.  And we should ask God to forgive them as well, the same way Jesus did while he was being tortured and killed back then.

-Rick McClain

Time to ponder:

Take some time to remember what Jesus went through on that horrible day so that our sins could be forgiven.  Also, think about what it must have been like for God to watch His son die in that way when He had the power to stop it at any time.  Do you love someone enough that you would make your son take their punishment of death or would you decide that they should take the punishment themselves since they are the one who committed the crime and deserve it?  Thank Jesus and God for that incredible loving act.

Are you frustrated today when you see the loudmouths get their way, especially when it is against Christians?  Are you willing to forgive them?

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