“The Question”

Do you have days when you would just love to let loose with a rant? Yell randomly about stuff that you don’t think anybody but you cares about? I do.

Most of the time I do it inside my head. Sometimes it’s the way that I pray.

“If you need it, it’s yours!”

We come to this passage with joy and our hoorays because we know even more fully what the palm branch wavers were celebrating with their hosannas. It looked to them like Zechariah’s prophecy (Zech 9:9) was being fulfilled and their prayers for liberation by a king were being answered. We know that this was the King of Kings coming to set in motion the next piece of God’s plan of salvation – expressed through unconditional, self-giving love on the cross.

Clearing Cluttered Sacred Space

If people watched a silent movie of the last year of your life what could they conclude about what is important to you?

In today’s passage, Jesus’ dramatic rampage speaks loudly and clearly about what he is “for” and what he is “against.” Even without hearing the words of judgment that he shouts, clearly he’s dead set against the commerce that is being allowed.

“Nothing but Leaves”

Someone has said that a text taken out of context can be a pretext for anything! So we need to be careful to consider Jesus’ challenge to the disciples about “mountain moving faith” within the setting of the ongoing story.

Here’s the deal. “Mountain moving faith” is rooted in an authentic, growing relationship with the Lord.

Grace’s other option

Peter was sitting there when Jesus had told the story about the two sons (Luke 15:11-32). He got it. So did the highly esteemed religious leaders. And he must have been shocked when Jesus told them that repentant shysters and hookers would get into the kingdom of God long before they would. A story like that sticks with you.

We don’t know if Peter’s fishing business was about to go bankrupt or if it was listed in Galilee’s equivalent of the Fortune 500.

“What’s Your Elephant?”

What’s with Jesus? Can’t he accept a compliment? After all he was a “good” (in fact sinless) person. And his teaching was both engaging and substantial. So from every angle he merited being called “good”. Yet, he seems offended.

It turns out that this rich guy (let’s be creative and name him Rich) also sees himself as good. Jesus runs him through a list of what makes a person a model citizen and Rich is “good”.

Blindness Blinds

Have you spent any time with blind people? If so, have you watched a blind person’s eyes follow a sound and then stare blankly? Then you know the look of futility.

It has been said that there are none so blind as those who will not see. In today’s passage, we’d have to say that this fits the disciples. They had a picture of how God’s promised King was going to establish his Kingdom on earth.

“Not Everyone is as They Seem”

Boy, do we ever need Jesus to help us with our assumptions.

Zacchaeus knew he was a loser. It likely started when he noticed he was always picked last because he was short. So, suffering with “short man syndrome”, he decided to get the upper hand by sticking it to them. And as a chief tax collector, he did. Let them look down on him if they wanted to. He didn’t care and he didn’t need them.

“So, What Will he Say?”

Do you remember the first time you got to stay at home alone for a weekend? There’s something heady about being trusted.

What is the sensation? Is it feeling the power of choice … the freedom to do whatever you want – whenever you want? In the back of your mind you know what your parents expect. They look around when they come home and give EACH OTHER a high five!