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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion March 21, 2005 Humans Put God on Trial |
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FRONTLINE DEVOTION FOR MONDAY, MARCH 21, 2005 by Fritz
Foltz
Matthew
26: 57-68
During the Passion humans put God on trial. If Jesus represents God, is God, and
if the officials and people represent how humans have normally responded to God;
then we observe humanity putting God on trial in this passage. We often pass
over the charges, but they are just as relevant today as they were in the first
century.
‘They took Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests, the elders,
and the scribes were assembled. …5Now the chief priests and the whole council
was looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death; but they found
none. For many gave false testimony against him, and their testimony did not
agree. 57Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying, ‘We heard
him say, “I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three
days I will build another, not made with hands.”’ But even on this point
their testimony did not agree. Then the high priest stood up before them and
asked Jesus, ‘Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?’
But he was silent and did not answer.
Again the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed
One?’ Jesus said, ‘I am; and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right
hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest
tore his clothes and said, ‘Why do we still need witnesses? 64You have heard
his blasphemy! What is your decision?’ All of them condemned him as deserving
death….’
Jesus was condemned for threatening to destroy the temple. At first that seems
an unjustified political accusation. But then we remember Jesus was always
speaking of offering a better way of becoming right with God that did not depend
upon the temple sacrifices. Think of his conversation with the woman from
Samaria in John. 4. And we still reject Jesus when his truth asks us to
change our own style of religion- every last one of us. We like a comfortable
religion designed with our own needs and wants in mind. We like a religion that
gives us the power of deciding what God wants.
We especially become furious, as the high priest did, when Jesus insists he has
the authority to speak for God, challenging our right to design our own
religion. We know we can not compete with the son of God.
So we find him guilty whenever we need an excuse to refuse following him. We
judge him guilty, if he does not give us power, let us have our way. We declare
him guilty, if he does not give us prosperity, let us have what we want. We
proclaim him guilty, if he does not give us protection, keep us safe and happy
and healthy all the time.
“Why not?” we ask. “Why can’t we have it all?” If you won’t do this
for us, you are guilty of not being the God we want.
And Jesus remains silent just as he did at the first trail in that first Holy
Week. For after all, he already had made his case. It is now for us either to
accept or reject him.
Let us pray: Loving Father, forgive our arrogance when we challenge your
teachings. And grant us the strength to watch with open minds and hearts as we
rehear our Lord’s Passion in ways that reveal our own guilt and our Savior’s
mercy. We pray in his name. Amen.
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry on the "Frontlines" of the world. Frontline Devotions are sent via email daily. Sign up by clicking on the box to the left. Pastor Dave welcomes feedback. Contact him at pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org. |
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