The religious leaders in Jerusalem felt threatened by Jesus. His life and works demonstrated what they lacked, and they didn’t want to see their deficiencies, even though that could have saved them. What do we do when someone makes us feel that we might have some spiritual deficiency? We might be tempted to try and find an excuse to reject them. That is what the religious leaders did with Jesus. They interrogated him on matters of law and theology to try to ‘catch him out’ and find some justification to reject him. Not only did they not catch Jesus out, however, but Jesus calls their bluff and comes down hard upon them. They were meant to be the messengers of the Father’s love to his children. But instead, the carers had become oppressors; they were control-freaks who wanted to secure their position of power over the people. They upheld a religion that was too hard for the common man to attain, and which therefore made them look superior. They wanted a Messiah who would support their positions, not one who would challenge them. What sort of Messiah are you willing to accept? Will you only respond to God if he confirms all your prejudices and makes you feel like you are right about everything? Or are you willing to be corrected? Are you willing for God to shift you and change you? Are you willing for God to do things you don’t expect or understand? Are you willing to be discomforted and stretched? These are things that Jesus did then, and this is what he does now. Will you surrender, or defend your ground?
Consider whether you have taken a defensive stance towards God.
Read Matthew 22:15-23:39
