Thursday 26th January - Luke 19

Today’s chapter is Luke 19

Tom writes:

This is where we can peer inside the head of Jesus and see how he understood himself. By giving himself the title “Son of Man” Jesus was stepping into the prophetic tradition of Daniel 7, claiming to have divine authority to smash the corrupt kingdom that was ruining people’s lives. In Jesus day most people thought that meant Israel as a whole, or an individual representing them, overthrowing the Romans and reclaiming the land. Nobody - except for Jesus - thought the Son of Man would peer up trees to chat to short sinners and then go and eat at their house. Jesus demonstrated that the true enemy kingdom that needed defeating was not the Roman one but the Kingdom of Satan. And Jesus demonstrated that the authority of God to tear down that kingdom was not expressed through global warfare but through acts of love and invitation to broken individuals. In this way Jesus shows the authority of God in this Age does not look like Solomon; enthroned in glorious splendour, all his human enemies humbled before his extensive armies, receiving notable guests who are overwhelmed by his wisdom and greatness. No, the authority of God in this Age looks like the pre-coronation David, skirting around the edges of the land, welcoming odds and sods into his band of merry men and liberating people from their captivity to the enemy.

Jesus seeks and saves the lost. This is something I have to keep coming back to about Jesus. Yes he is more magnificent and powerful and glorious than I have ever glimpsed. Yes he is the center of all history, victorious, unshakable, the only big man in the Kingdom. But he doesn’t sit on a throne expecting people to always come to him. He doesn’t sit with a divining rod in his hand assessing our worth and only responding if we match up. Jesus seeks and saves. Jesus gets off his throne (not losing any of his authority or power in the process) and comes looking for us. He comes looking for you. And then when he finds us he peers up at us and asks us what we are doing. He asks if he can eat with us. He whispers such insightful, unexpected questions that it makes us want to repay everything, overpay everything, give back anything we owe just for the staggering joy of having him remain in our lives. I want my vision of Jesus to match his vision of himself; the One given All Authority to smash up Satan’s Kingdom who casually eats and chats with people no-one likes.  

Question for reflection

How much does your vision of Jesus see him both enthroned with all authority and sitting and eating with sinners?