Matthew 16 v 13-20
You are walking through the streets of first century Judea when you notice a series of posters advertising a party conference. You can’t quite make out who’s in the picture, but the date of the event is clearly visible. Come to a meeting next week at 3.00pm in the Town Square. ‘Who’s in the picture, I’m sure I recognise him,’ you quietly think to yourself.
The first to get up is a man called Mark, he looks rather young, perhaps he will speak about youth issues or the need for greater involvement and action. In no time at all he’s into his stride, his exuberance, enthusiasm, and delivery are breathtaking. This man, Jesus, the one he is presenting rushes from place to place, no sooner has he been baptised than he’s off calling others to follow him. He travels from one town to another, healing, driving out demons, and teaching large crowds by the seaside. Almost as if he’s on a mission with a short time span, things need to be done, and done quickly. For Mark, his key point and overriding message, is Jesus, ‘The man of Action,’ characterised by a succession of mighty works, signs and wonders of God’s presence and power. Let me leave you, he says, with some of Jesus’ words, “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10 v 45.
What a fantastic start, the crowds are in raptures, more! more! they cry. With that, Mark appears to hand his text to two other speakers, one of them appears to be a local man, apparently, he’s called Matthew, a former tax-collector known in the early days before Jesus called him as Levi, he will be the main speaker this afternoon. He presents Jesus as ‘The Teacher’, the man with a message.
The other recipient of the text, or at least part of it, is Luke, he’s a doctor and no doubt will present a picture of Jesus as being available to all. You can instantly tell from his style and delivery that Luke is well educated, his culture and diction well informed, he moves from formal Greek to a native language of the local area. He begins to set forth the message of Jesus as the divine-human Saviour, whose compassion and tenderness extends to those who were needy. The picture of Jesus that Luke presents has a universal mission.
Samaritans receive some good press, women appear to have to new place of importance among the followers of Jesus. Even Gentiles would have an opportunity to hear and accept the gospel.
Just before the mid-morning break Luke leaves us a word to consider before what appears to be his change in emphasis and the next stage in his story about Jesus, ‘When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.’ Luke 9 v 51.
Leading on from the key text offered as a turning point in the gospel, Luke goes on to include some exciting episodes in Jesus’ life as he makes his journey toward Jerusalem and the cross. As with so many of the disciples’ experiences at the time, the events of the cross and resurrection prove to be a painful memory. Luke pauses to reflect and gather his thoughts, he is prompted by a man at the side who informs the crowd of the Easter conference taking place next year, that will focus upon the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, when each of the speakers will once again recall the horror and brutality of those events. In sharp contrast to the Sunday morning and following Jesus’ death, came a remarkable change in outlook for the disciples that resulted in their Easter faith. Luke will return later today, at the beginning of the afternoon session with his second address, the Book of Acts. Later we will catch up with the disciple called John...
For now, reflect upon the events of the coming week, the experience of Palm Sunday into Good Friday and Easter Day, what picture of Jesus will you see ?
Lord, as we begin our journey into Palm Sunday and Easter week, allow us the opportunity to discover afresh the sacrifice you make for us and the world, and offer us a picture that draws us closer to you. Amen.
Peter Thomas
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