Matthew
Dear
Friends in Christ,
A
blessed Ash Wednesday to each of you as we once again begin the forty day
season of reflection we call Lent. Each
year it is our custom to center our midweek Lenten devotions on a certain
theme, and this year will be no different.
Our
theme for this year is entitled “We See Jesus.”
In the weeks ahead we will see how Jesus Christ and His atoning work was
pointed to and symbolized by specific events recorded for us in the Old
Testament books of Exodus and Leviticus.
It has been said of the Bible that “the new [testament] within the old
[testament] is concealed, and the old within the new is revealed.” In other words, all of Scripture in one way
or another is about the Savior. As we
navigate through these Old Testament texts we will be reminded of that truth on
each successive Wednesday evening.
However,
tonight on this Ash Wednesday we’re going to set the stage for this season (as
well as the series that will follow) by looking at a text which needs no
navigation or explanation. In His clear
actions and clear words,
WE SEE JESUS
1. We see His resolve for us as our Savior
2. We see His expectations of us as His
followers
Turning
to our text, we see how Jesus went forward with a dogged determination to
finish what He started… From that time
on (this is in reference to the disciple Peter’s bold and beautiful
confession of faith that Jesus is the Son of God) Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to
Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and
teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be
raised to life.
Twice
Jesus says the things He’s talking about must
happen. He doesn’t say that they might happen or that they could happen; they must happen. And He knew
exactly what this meant…
If He persisted in this plan it would mean, among other things, His closest friends forsaking Him… His own people rejecting Him… the spiritual leaders of the people mocking Him… the chief priests accusing Him of blasphemy… the Roman governor caving into political pressure and condemning Him… and finally Roman soldiers leading Him away and executing Him.
So
this is what was on His agenda: Forsakenness.
Rejection. Mockery. Accusation.
Condemnation. Execution. Not exactly a pleasure trip. Yet Jesus told His disciples that He must proceed. The Gospel writer Luke, in a parallel
passage, puts it this way: “As
the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out
for Jerusalem.” The dictionary
defines the word “resolutely” as “characterized by firmness or determination;
pursuing a fixed purpose; unwavering.”
Some Bible translations convey a more literal meaning of the Greek words
here and tell us that Jesus “set his face” toward Jerusalem. In other words, there was no turning
back. Jesus was a man on a mission.
But
apparently that’s not the way the disciples saw it. So we have Peter running some
interference. Our text tells us that
Peter actually began to rebuke
Jesus. We can only imagine what he
said. Probably told Jesus to quit with
the morbid talk. Maybe told Jesus that
this pronouncement was scaring the disciples.
Undoubtedly he told Jesus that nothing bad was going to happen because
he and the disciples would have his back all the way. At any rate, Peter tries to break Jesus’
resolve.
But
Jesus does not break His resolve. Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind
me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to
me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men. He identifies Peter’s suggestion for what
it is. It was more than misguided. It was Satanic and earthly…
Just
the opposite of Himself, and in direct opposition to what He came to do. What He came to do Jesus spelled out
succinctly and specifically in Mark 10:45:
“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give
his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus’
purpose was to complete what He had begun.
What started in a cradle was now inexorably marching toward a conclusion.
The story ends with Jesus reassuming His
crown of glory. But before the crown there was a single
obstacle. An obstacle not to be avoided
or skirted around, but to be embraced.
And that was the cross. So he
resolutely goes forward to meet the cross.
And
we follow Him because we know what the cross means for us. The cross means our
redemption. The cross means our
forgiveness. Upon that cross Jesus died
as my substitute and yours, satisfactorily paying the full price for my sins
and yours. When Jesus came off that
cross and was buried in the tomb, so were all our sins. We are redeemed, restored, forgiven. We are in a right relationship with God. We are not the objects of His anger or displeasure,
because we are His beloved children. And
as His beloved children we are heirs of eternal life meaning we have a
reservation in heaven that has no check out time…
And
so we follow Him now with the same resolve He showed toward us when he followed
the path to Calvary.
What’s
involved in being a follower of Jesus?
It is more than an agreeable nod of the head to certain historical
truths. There are expectations. We see Jesus telling us what they are: If
anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and
follow me. For whoever wants to save his
life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
Jesus talks about taking up our cross. We sometimes talk about difficulties we endure as our “crosses to bear.” And that can certainly be understood correctly. But the crosses Jesus talks about here are those which come as a direct result of our relationship with Him. And those crosses come in various shapes and forms, sometimes on a daily basis.
For instance, it may be the cross of ridicule or exclusion by others because we hold to our Christian principles. It may be the cross of loneliness when no one else around us seems to be troubled by violating God’s will. It may be the cross of doing the right thing when others – sometimes even our own fellow Christians – seemingly have no pangs of conscience in doing the wrong thing.
Jesus reminds us that cross-bearing is a part of discipleship. More than a part; an expectation. Jesus tells us to remember that before the crown comes the cross.
And
that is why Lent is such a special time of the year. In a way Ash Wednesday is like New Year’s
Eve. It’s the opportunity to get a fresh
start, a second chance to “get it right.”
Lent
is our chance to slow down from lives that often seem spiraling out of control
and concentrate on the spiritual. Luther
suggested that Christians devote themselves to reading the Gospels during
Lent. Spending time with Matthew, Mark,
Luke and John is never a bad idea
Lent
is our chance to become reflective and introspective. A time to take a spiritual inventory. A time for an honest self-evaluation of our
life of discipleship. Where am I when it
comes to self-denial (properly understood as a response to Christ’s self-denial
for us)? Where am I when it comes to
willingly bearing my crosses? Do I see
my Christianity as a duty to be perfunctorily performed, or as the core of my
life to be joyously lived?
Which
means Lent is also a time for repentance.
A time for daily confession of our sins.
A time to understand that the sin in our life exacted a high, high cost
and is therefore not be excused or defended or minimized, but confessed;
followed by the blessed knowledge that at the cross of Jesus Christ there is
full and free absolution, as well as empowerment to live our lives to His
glory…
In
the words of the writer to the Hebrews, Lent is our time to “fix
our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set
before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right
hand of the throne of God.”
Followed by these words of Lenten encouragement regarding our personal
cross bearing: “Consider him who endured such
opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
If we find that we have grown weary or lost heart, Lent is our time for spiritual refreshment and renewal. Because, perhaps more than any other season of the year, Lent is our time to see, adore, and reflect Jesus.
To that end, I’d like to close our Ash Wednesday meditation with a prayer I recently came across. It comes from a collection of prayers written centuries ago by Puritan Christians (from “The Valley of Vision”)…
O Lord God,
Thou hast commanded me to believe in Jesus;
And I would flee to no other refuge,
Wash in no other fountain,
Build on no other foundation,
Receive from no other fullness,
Rest in no other relief.
His water and blood were not severed in their flow at the cross,
May they never be separated in my creed and experiences;
May I be equally convinced of the guilt and pollution of sin,
Feel my need of a prince and savior,
Implore of him repentance as well as forgiveness,
Love holiness and be pure in heart,
Have the mind of Jesus and tread in his steps,
Let me not be at my own disposal,
But rejoice that I am under the care of one
Who is too wise to err,
Too kind to injure,
Too tender to crush.
May I scandalize none by my temper and conduct,
But recommend and endear Christ to all around,
Bestow good on every one as circumstances permit,
And decline no opportunity of usefulness.
Grant that I may value my substance,
Not as a medium of pride and luxury,
But as the means of my support and stewardship.
Help me to guide my affections with discretion,
To owe no man anything,
To be able to give to him that needeth,
To feel it is my duty and pleasure to be merciful and forgiving,
To show to the world the likeness of Jesus. Amen.