Who Are My Adversaries?
Good Morning Friends,
Jesus loved the disciples and demonstrated it by leading all but one to a victory when defeat was imminent. Jesus is a lover that never quits. Every time they got into a tight spot, every time they were up against the wall, He gave them strength and a prayer. Still the learning experience of Holy week for them and for us is formidable. It is important to know the emotional challenges. And so this week we have, at the close of Lent, a series of events that test our feelings. And they rip us apart emotionally. And the amazing thing is that Jesus faced this problem too. I am sure that part of Jesus wanted to stay with the disciples and part wanted to leave all this behind. They had experienced the triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the foot washing, the last supper, the prayers, the songs, the betrayals, the denials, the bogus trial, punishment and crucifixion. And the thing is that they prepare us and prepared almost all the disciples to see life in a new way. And the even more amazing thing is that Jesus found a way to both stay and to go. But forgive me for getting ahead of the story. For today we face the reality that all is not as it seems. There is a traitor. And interestingly both Isaiah and Matthew in the storyline beg the same question. Who Are My Adversaries?
Scripture: The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens— wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty? All of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.
Isaiah 50:4-9a (NRSV)
Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I betray him to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, my time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.'” So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal. When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?” He answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.” Judas, who betrayed him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” He replied, “You have said so.”
Matthew 26:14-25 (NRSV)
Message: There is already a bit of backwash from Palm and Passion Sunday. The storyline is getting darker. The tension is rising. Even Jesus is getting ready to sweat blood. And here we find that our emotions are heightened too. Here we find that it is not only wise but very necessary that each of us identify our adversaries when things are getting heated. It is a well-founded strategy to identify who our enemies are, so we might relate to with them with caution. But identifying them is not always easy for not all enemies are external. Some are internal. And get this, the internal enemies are more dangerous than the external ones. They are gate keepers. And the thing is that we need a power greater than ourselves to help us fight the good fight against internal enemies. We cannot fight ourselves and win. There is a division here like sheep and goats…angels and demons. There is a battle and victory to be won. But we need to be clear on which side are we fighting. And friends, in today’s scripture the table is set before an enemy. And like Pogo’s insights made famous, he is one of us. Friends, we each are discern who we really are. We are to discover our true faith and discover true wisdom and good character that comes from God when we choose to love even our enemies. Friends, life without love, like faith without works, is like wisdom without character… dead. Adversaries made Jesus better because he knew how to use them for a Holy purpose all the while loving them.
Pray that we begin to sort out how we have changed in the experience of Lent. Pray that we would begin to walk in the words of the prophet Isaiah and the life of Jesus. Pray that God becomes personal to us… that we grow in the strength of trust… that we have a new life because we too have been given God’s gift of life. Pray we not be greedy. Pray we learn that the key to victory is Jesus. Pray we experience Jesus in the light. Pray we see that He holds it all together when things seem to be falling apart into the darkness. Pray we learn and share in anticipation of the resurrection hope. Pray we identify our enemies and ask God to deal with them on our behalf because we cannot do it on our own.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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