The Worst Question

 
A Lent buddy of mine is sending me a question a week to consider during these forty days leading up to Easter.

The latest:

What is your favorite question in the Bible? Least favorite? Most powerful? Most reassuring?

We agreed the answers would require a measure of time to sit with and listen for Divine Guidance though an easy favorite popped right into my selfish, self-focused, self-obsessed, greedy mind. 

Jesus asked it to a few, "What would you like me to do for you?" 

Way to go, Angela. (In case it lands as answer to the first question, I hope He smiled.)

This morning the next answer jumped off the page.

Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 

and said, "What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?"*

These two verses are so troubling. "One of the twelve" means Judas was in the inner circle of the Son of God for three years. He watched Jesus heal the lame, sick, unhealthy by touch and word. He saw thousands of hungry sermon-listeners fed to full of barely an appetizer broke by Jesus' hands. He observed the wind, and waves die down in a tumultuous storm on a lake by Jesus' rebuke. He smelled the body of Lazarus, four days dead, when it came alive and walked out of a burial tomb at Jesus' command. He listened to Jesus teach the truths and heart of God which astonished the crowds with no notes. He heard Jesus pray for God's chosen people, future followers, the other eleven and for him. He felt Jesus' hands on his dirty feet when He humbly washed them. He looked into the eyes of the long-awaited Savior in the flesh and was loved. He even greeted Him with a kiss, the most intimate expression on their last encounter.

Don't even get me started on the way he "went to the chief priests". The chief priests? The highest-ranking religious leaders? These who earlier that day had "gathered and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill Him."** Plotted together to arrest a man by stealth and kill him? Excuse me?! Where is that written in the Bible as part of the chief priests' job description, acceptable to God? 

Back to the question - the terrible question. One later regretted (understatement), resulting in suicide. Who could bear the consequences of it? Were the thirty pieces of silver he gained actually enough satisfaction for the trade? Apparently so.

We are in the thick of Holy Week now, no turning back. As stated in my last post, the most important week of the year - it truly holds everything.

Kate Bowler put it this way, "Holy Week is a horror movie. And somehow, it's still holy. If it were a movie, we'd all be screaming at the characters: 'DON'T GO IN THERE!' But...in they go."

Isn't that the truth? We're going in too if we dare.

Let's.

Holy Week brings up a lot of questions worthy of our consideration. On this day, Spy Wednesday, the worst - in my opinion written above - can only lead a deep thinker to the obvious self-reflecting follow-ups.

"What would you sell Jesus for?" 

Money?

Power?

Safety?

Security?

Family?

I shudder to think what this heart is capable of here. But I must.

It's good to sit in it, this week in particular. Perhaps a set-up, preparation of the soul, expectant for the gift of newness promised just days away.

Join me?

Just for a little while...because Sunday is coming!

*Matthew 26:14-15

**Matthew 26:3-4

Best Week of the Year

 

Palm Sunday. 

It's kind of a big deal.

Holy Week finishes the season of Lent. For the next six days we will experience whiplash between the highest of highs of Palm Sunday and the lowest of lows on Good Friday.

All of Scripture and our life as the Church revolve around one theme: the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus and His triumph over sin and death. We need a whole week to complete our Lenten focus, to pay attention to Jesus' last week on earth, the final days before His human life ended, and enter into the long-awaited celebration of resurrection and new life.

Palm Sunday kicks us off. I don’t know about you, but when I read through the Gospels and get to this day – happy and exciting as it is and should be - I always think, “No! I’m not ready. Not ready to let go of Jesus. Not ready to say goodbye.” I’m thankful we know the end of this story. But the disciples didn’t.

Yet it was a triumphant day for those in attendance that Sunday morning in Jerusalem. A King arriving on a donkey, the crowd waving palm branches, singing "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." We should do likewise. I hope your church had palms for you this morning.

Holy Monday – This day we remember Mary anointing Jesus’ feet in Bethany. The beautiful gift of lavish love and worship. This day we can reflect on what we offer to Jesus.

During this weighty week we become increasingly aware of the way our sin required the death of Jesus. The rhythm of confession and forgiveness is the practice in the life of a growing Christian.

Holy Tuesday – On this day, Jesus entered Jerusalem and headed to the temple. Upon arrival, witnessing those who were profiting from worship, changing money, selling goods, and profaning God’s holy place of worship, Jesus got mad. He overturned the tables and drove out the unrighteousness. He cleansed the temple.

And wildly, He stayed, spending the next days - His last - healing and teaching right there, so the temple could be used for God’s intended purpose: a place for the people to meet with God, learn about Him and worship Him. Amen?

Maybe on this day we can honor this day by cleaning our homes – top to bottom – in preparation. Making space for the holy to come.

Holy or Spy Wednesday – This day we remember Judas’ betrayal – for 30 pieces of silver. Perhaps we can assess our allegiances. At what price do we value Jesus’ life? Would we give Him up for money? For family? For power? For love?

Maundy Thursday – Maundy means commandment. Jesus washed the disciples’ feet and declared a new commandment to “love one another: just as I have loved you, you are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35

Jesus puts this verse into practice by submitting to the scourging, humiliation, rejection, torture and excruciating death because of His great love for us.

The Last Supper happened on this day. May we remember and marvel that Jesus fulfilled and served Himself up as the Passover lamb that Jews had celebrated and longed for for generations. Spend a little time reading in Exodus?

Good Friday – the day to go to church. Please go to church this Friday. Christians must be together to remember together. It’s designed to be a time of mourning, prayer and repentance. We look on the cross helpless, both grateful and horrified. The bogus middle of the night trials. The scattering of the "believers". The rejection. The outrageous suffering and death of the innocent, the most loving. 

Of course, it will be somber and dark. As it should be. Lament is a very important element of our worship. May we feel all the feelings and confess deeply.

Holy Saturday – or Silent Saturday. Put yourself in the disciples' seats. What in the world just happened? The glorious Sunday resurrection has not yet – they don’t know it’s coming. They should, but they don't. Jesus' closest friends must sit in the silence of what they witnessed happen to Jesus and what happened in their own hearts (which was not pretty).

Holy Saturday teaches us to go through it. It’s a sacred time. So, take away the noise. No music, no media, no noise. Prepare for Easter quietly and reverently.

Because the Big Day – the most important – most glorious and happiest day of the year – is coming! Resurrection Sunday - our annual set apart day to marvel, worship and feast – together! Go wild! Sing! Dance! At church! Then feast.

Brothers and sisters, this is our week to shine. 

To pay attention and participate. 

To read along in the Bible tracking what Jesus was doing and saying those final days. 

To magnify the greatest week in history. The week that changed everything. 

To showcase Jesus, the One and Only, who rose from the dead, fulfilling prophecies and making all things new. Making you new.

Let's engage with gusto. Maybe we will be joined by the curious.

P.S. How about that plant in the above picture? It's called crown of thorns. Check your local florist or nursery to get yours. A beautiful visual.