Come Sail Away - But Don't lose Your Head
Matthew 14:12-14
"John the Baptist's disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick."
It seems like every one of any importance and authority in Israel were requiring that Jesus, and John the Baptist by virtue of his being the God-appointed herald of the kingdom, must submit to their sinful expectations and demands. These religious and political leaders were sold out on the idea that human traditions trumped the word of God. This is why they demanded that Jesus should give them a sign.
The corrupt king Herod executes John, the Pharisees reject Jesus' teachings, and the people are fickle when he teaches something they aren't comfortable with. All this is happening because there seems to be an issue with people believing that Jesus is indeed the Messiah. In general, the people see him as a prophet, and a "good teacher". And so, Jesus withdraws from them, boards a boat alone and sails away for a time. From our perspective it seems as if he just needs some space. Probably because he's frustrated. His cousin John has been beheaded, he's proclaimed the word of God, and he's debated, unsuccessfully, with the church committees. And now he needs some time alone.
Or does he?
He jumps in a boat and sails off and makes landing at a place where immediately he's put upon by large crowds of people who must have been following him on the shores. You could say that these people were literally "walking with the Lord". And the minister Jesus, the shepherd Jesus, the Messiah, begins to heal their sicknesses. He doesn't reject them.
Though the religious authorities have rejected him, his followers have gone to wherever he has gone. Though the political class murders his friend, the people who love God and who hear his voice come to where he is. And having compassion on them, he heals them.
Do you think this would have qualified as the sign the authorities demanded from him?
I don't think so. I think they wanted to see the heavens explode and rain down fire upon Israel's enemies. I don't think they want to be made well. I don't think they want to be shepherded. I think they liked their values and principles just as they are, and they weren't interested in rethinking how they went about their ways. They wanted a show of power, not a servant King.
Think about all the personalities that were involved in these happenings at that time. Herod the tetrarch is now famous for executing John the Baptist. The Pharisees are famous for being the best example of religious hypocrisy. The crowds are indicative of the world that chases around looking for the next great idol to follow and worship. And the disciples are us...the followers of Jesus, and all its ugliness. And we're just like them, we're pointed toward Jesus but nothing good is going to come from that until we've gone through whatever God needs us to go through.
Think about these people, it was a real game of thrones kind of story.
Herodias, the incestuous wife of king Herod, was a schemer and she hated John the Baptist because he spoke the truth about her and her game of thrones character. Her daughter Salome was a very young and foolish girl who was being used by probably everyone in her life. And used in very perverse ways. And Herod is weak when it comes to her. He was also weak in regard to John, he saw him as a prophet and he knew the people loved him, and Herod was afraid of the people of Judea.
And then there's John the Baptist, he literally lived and died for the kingdom. He was God's bullhorn, a real religious radical, heralding “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” He pointed to the kingdom, and he pointed to Jesus rather than himself.
Now think about all these people we've witnessed in today's word from God. The schemer, the weakling king, the sensually provocative daughter of the queen, the Pharisees and the fickled crowds. John the bullhorn. And finally the often confused disciples of Jesus. We'll leave Jesus out of this question for now because it's probably a bad idea to think of yourself as Jesus, although being Christlike is definitely a good thing.
If you could pick only one from these, which one would you pick to be the most like? Who would you want to be remembered as being most like that?
It's a good thing to think about. I mean, if you want to move on from being a person who simply gives lip service to Jesus, and grow in your walk with him, you need to truly examine what or who you are really all about.
Take a close and honest look at yourself. Who are you really in regard to Jesus. Are you following or leading Jesus around like the Pharisees tried to do. Are you a schemer, a liar, a cheat and a traitor? Jesus had one of those among his twelve. Are you God's bullhorn or maybe you're among the crowds, somewhere in the back trying not to be noticed much. Who are you really?
It's a good thing to do because it'll help you understand the next time we get together as we try to understand who people say Jesus is.
For now, pray on it.
God bless you and keep you.
#JesusIsKing