Interruptions on the road to death

 The beginning of this passage is the third time Jesus has told the disciples he will be killed. The first time Jesus tells the disciples:

Jesus told his disciples, “The nation’s leaders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law of Moses will make the Son of Man suffer terribly. They will reject him and kill him, but three days later he will rise to life.” [Luke 9:22 CEV]

Then later in the same chapter:

“Pay close attention to what I am telling you! The Son of Man will be handed over to his enemies.” But the disciples did not know what he meant. The meaning was hidden from them. They could not understand it, and they were afraid to ask. [Luke 9:44-45 CEV]

And in the passage this morning:

He will be handed over to foreigners, who will make fun of him, mistreat him, and spit on him. They will beat him and kill him, but three days later he will rise to life.

The apostles did not understand what Jesus was talking about. They could not understand, because the meaning of what he said was hidden from them.

 As the disciples travelled with Jesus, there were many times they did not understand, yet they continued to follow.

 Then we hear two events when Jesus stops on his travels. Jesus is intent on travelling to Jerusalem, next week we read later in this chapter as he enters Jerusalem at Passover.   

 As Jesus and the disciples enter Jericho, a man who is blind hears the noise of a crowd forming. He is told that Jesus of Nazareth is walking past.

The man who is blind seizes the opportunity

He calls out

The crowd try to stop him

Too much shouting could draw the wrong kind of attention

But he continues to call out: Son of David have mercy on me!

 

There is so much wrong with the actions of the man who is blind.

Calling out Son of David is a political statement

Yelling was considered disorderly and not showing honour to Jesus.

 

But this man who cannot see gets who Jesus is.

He has heard, or knows, or senses that Jesus is the Son of David – a bold statement.

 And Jesus stops.

And asks the man what he wants.

Jesus doesn’t heal him; he asks what he wants.

And the man has the guts to say: I want to see again.

Not making excuses for his life or blindness

Not if you can or want or ….

 

I want to see again.

 

Do you have the courage to be honest with yourself and Jesus about what you really want?

Are you willing to risk asking for what you want?

Maybe when you think about it,
you don’t really know what you want.
Or you think it is too hard even for God,
or that God has more important things to do …..

 The man who was blind can now see, he follows Jesus and praises God.

 Jesus and the disciples continue their journey. The crowds continue milling around and people line the streets to catch a glimpse of Jesus.

By this time, he has been travelling around for three years, word about him has spread. We come to the meeting of Jesus and Zacchaeus.

 Here is what a friend wrote a few years ago:

“So, you’re in the crowd, watching and waiting for Jesus; suddenly you notice that there’s a bloke in the gum tree next to you, six feet up and climbing. …..

He is wearing a good suit and carrying a briefcase; he looks like he hasn’t negotiated a tree in his life. His balance is, to say the least, precarious. However, his ineptitude is outweighed by his energy, searching the road.”[i]

 

Zacchaeus, like so many others, wanted to see Jesus.  
Did he want something from Jesus, we don’t know.

While Zacchaeus was up a tree trying to get a glimpse of Jesus,
Jesus saw him,

and says: Come on Down!

“Zacchaeus came down at once, happy to welcome Jesus.”

The text doesn’t suggest that Zacchaeus is upset or ashamed to have Jesus come to his house.

Jesus doesn’t mention guilt, shame, or sin.

It is the crowd who get upset! Why him! He is a sinner!

Jesus is going to the house of the villain!

 The crowd are upset that Jesus is going to the house of Zacchaeus,  Zacchaeus responds by saying – “I give half of my possessions to the poor. And if I have cheated anyone, I repay them four times as much.”

 These two ‘interruptions’ in Jericho,

the man who is blind and the one who collects taxes,
both told by the crowd to stay out of the way,
both reminded they do not fit into proper society

Both have their lives transformed by their encounter with Jesus.

In both events we are told they are saved.

 

The one who was blind recognised Jesus as the Son of David

Sight restored

The one who collected taxes

Welcomes Jesus into his home

In both events we hear of the crowd
who tried to stop the man calling out

And told Jesus how sinful Zacchaeus was

 

I wonder how much we are like the crowd

·       This is the way to behave

·       We are Christians we don’t march/shout/upset the status quo

·       We don’t associate with sinful people, you know the ‘bad’ ones

 

The man who was blind saw Jesus in ways the disciples did not until after the resurrection

The one who associated with the roman occupiers went up a tree in the hope of seeing Jesus.

 

I wonder if our Christianity, our discipleship, is too orderly

too proper

too perfect.

 

What are we missing out on by not being honest with ourselves
with each other
with God

I wonder what we would be willing to do to see Jesus
to help others see Jesus
for eyes to be opened

for lives to be transformed.

even our lives.

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[i]  https://talbragar.wordpress.com/2016/10/27/tree-change/