Jesus knew what fate awaited him in Jerusalem
JOE MILLER JR.

Luke 13:31-35

The greatest event of all time is the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. For 2000 years multitudes of people have received salvation and are receiving salvation. Multitudes of people have also puzzled over the awesome nature of this event. Can it be that God Incarnate really put on humanity, walked among us and actually died for us?

God defies human logic completely and totally. If we were gods (whatever that might mean) would any of us being wiling to be so humble as to suffer and die for sinners? After all, we sinners walked away from God, gave up the image that he created us in, and turned our back upon Him. Why should He be the one to reestablish a new covenant with us? But He did.

What can we say about this human being named Jesus of Nazareth? How did he get trapped into a crucifixion; a truly horrible and shameful way to die? He was tempted by the devil to go a different route, turned it down, and sent the devil scurrying off in defeat and searching for a more opportune time to do his evil work.

Perhaps Jesus thought that things would work out differently when he got to Jerusalem. He had huge crowds of people following him who seemed to believe in him. Was his crucifixion the revenge of the devil? Did the people of Jerusalem interfere with and circumvent God's plans? Was the resurrection God's way of overcoming the wrecking of His divine plans?

The answers to all of those questions are given in these verses. When the Pharisees came to warn Jesus about Herod, who had earned a reputation for cruelty, Jesus dismisses the threat completely, even though the threat was very real. The manner in which he dismisses the threat tells the story of the passion yet to come in Jerusalem.

Jesus knows that his own death will come, but it will come in Jerusalem, not in some small town or countryside in Galilee, which was Herod's domain. Jerusalem had a reputation of killing the prophets that God sent to her, and Jesus would be no exception.

"I must be on my way…" because the execution (and exaltation) must occur in the Holy City of God. How ironical that the death of the Son of God would occur in the city that was God's own special city.

We know the rest of the story; we hear it every year during the Lenten season as we approach Easter Sunday and the celebration of the empty tomb. But the awesome thing about Jesus' impending crucifixion is that he chose the nails himself. This was a crucial point in his ministry and history. He could have stopped on his journey and slipped away safely, but he set his face on Jerusalem knowing exactly what would happen when he got there. You know that. But at this time of year, we pause and remember that he chose the nails for you and me and the whole world. For all sinners… for all time…he chose the nails.

The best place to learn the way of Christ Jesus is in church. If you have a church, worship passionately. If you do not have a church, find one. East Texas is full of good churches. Email me at newtonumc@valornet.com with your thoughts.

Joe Miller Jr. is pastor of First United Methodist Church in Newton.