Matthew – Page 10 – Be Still…

Matthew 21:12-17 – An Angry Jesus

The steeple of Emanuel African Methodist Church, Charleston, SC

Have you ever arrived home only to find your dog had chewed up the couch or destroyed your favorite pair of shoes? We’ve all seen pictures of children covered in flour sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor or having made a clown face on their younger sibling with mom’s favorite lipstick. What would be your reaction to the unexpected?

Perhaps you could keep your cool. Perhaps you would blow up in anger. In today’s reading Jesus made his way to the temple. That’s nothing particularly surprising. However, when Jesus saw how the Temple had been transformed into something he was not expecting, he came unglued. Jesus got mad. You might say he had a bit of a tantrum.

Matthew 21:1-11 – Triumphant Entry

Read Matthew 21:1-11

When you think of Palm Sunday, what is the first memory that comes to your mind? Please share in the comments. I’m expecting that waving palm fronds and processionals come to mind. We did a treasure hunt for the kids at our last church with all the elements of the Passion. The kids found eggs with trinkets to help them tell the Easter story. It was powerful for me. I hope it created a memorable experience for the kids, too.

Now as I write this reflection, it’s the first part of October. Not the usual time for thinking about this story. Putting those limiting thoughts aside, I read the passage again with fresh eyes. What I see today is a beautiful display of prophecy fulfilled. Matthew’s entire gospel is rich with examples of prophecies that have been completed.

Matthew 20:29-34 – Dare to be Different

Read Matthew 20:29-34

Is this story of the two blind men different from all the other healing miracles Jesus performed? Certainly there is no way to count how many people encountered Jesus’ healing touch. Yet with all the potential accounts that could be memorialized, I wonder why this one was singled out from all the rest.

We have Jesus and his disciples on their way to Jerusalem. There would have been a multitude of people all heading in the same direction. A “crowd” as it were. They all had their destination in mind. The Passover celebration was near. Yet these two blind men were different. They were not going anywhere just yet. They had heard that Jesus was coming their way. They were going to be different and wait.

Matthew 20:17-28 – Be a Servant

Read Matthew 20:17-28

Before Jesus’ teaching on being a servant, he spoke of his own death again. This time, he spoke about the Son of Man (himself) in third person. Why does he share again? I’m guessing it’s to prepare his friends. He is telling them exactly what is going to happen. This time he connects it with being in Jerusalem, their destination. Jesus is headed right into his destiny. How was he feeling about that? How would you have felt?

It doesn’t say what the disciples’ response was. I’m guessing they are still finding it hard to believe. Jesus is so popular. How is it possible that he will be killed so ruthlessly? Our reading quickly shifts to the scene with the mother of James and John. She is asking for favor for her sons. Jesus isn’t about to grant her request, it is not his place to do so.

Matthew 20:1-16 – Vineyard Story

Read Matthew 20:1-16

What a glorious picture of the Kingdom of God. Some may call it unfair. Others will see how it portrays a loving God who shows no favorites. It reminds us that God is God and we are not. Our salvation is secure when we follow Christ. Whether we have been followers our whole life or claim Jesus as our Lord and Savior on our death bed, the Kingdom of God is prepared for all who believe. It’s up to God who spends eternity with him.

I’ve often heard Christians lamenting about how it’s not fair that we who have followed Jesus our whole lives get the same reward (heaven) as do those who have been evil their whole life but then miraculously on their death beds claim Jesus as Lord and Savior. This is the perfect example given by Jesus. We need to stop grumbling. After all, we’ve enjoyed a life full of God’s blessings as followers of Christ.