Remember What He Said (blog)

"Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples..." (Luke 12:1)

I'm trying to picture that scene, with thousands of people stepping on and tripping over each other, all desperately trying to reach Jesus.It's hard, because I've never been in a crushing crowd of thousands, and lately I haven't been in any crowds as we're all self-quarantining.  What does it feel like again, I'm trying to remember, to have people so close all around?  To be jostled, to make direct eye contact with strangers, and to feel their breath on my face (and not panic) as they speak to me?You would think that in such an enormous crowd, anyone would lose concentration.But not Jesus.The clamor around him only sharpened his focus and determination.  Before attending to the crowd of people, Jesus turned to his disciples and began again to teach them.  There was an important object lesson he wanted to make use of.Jesus had just confronted some religious leaders about their hypocrisy, and because of that they "began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, waiting to catch him in something he might say." (Luke 11:53-4)I'm thinking Jesus used this current experience to recapture the disciples' attention, to ground and reorient them.  I imagine they needed help shifting their focus away from the chaos all around them and back onto what he was teaching them."...Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy..." he began (12:1).Jesus warned his disciples not just about the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, but also about the temptations of fear, greed and worry.  He talked with them about being watchful and interpreting the times, and about the eternal consequences for all who would not repent of their sins (Luke 12:1-13:9).The time was coming for Jesus to finish the work he came to do here, and there was so much more he wanted to teach his followers.  He was preparing them for a couple of unparalleled experiences - his death for the sins of the world and his glorious Resurrection to new life!Soon all who had believed in Jesus would be thrown into confusion, as they watched him die horribly on the Cross.Jesus had told his disciples, several times, about all that was about to happen (Luke 9:22, 9:44, 11:30, 22:37).  Even after telling them very clearly (18:31-33), the disciples still did not understand (18:34), so imagine their shock when the crowd that had once hailed Jesus suddenly called for his crucifixion! (Luke 23:13-21)After all of that time in crowds with Jesus, imagine their disorientation in seeing him alone, on the Cross."But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things." (Luke 23:49)It's easier for me, this year, to picture Jesus there alone, to imagine the imposed distance between him and those who had been so near and dear to him.It's also easier right now for me to imagine the disciples "together with the doors locked for fear" of other people (John 20:19), than it is for me to picture them "going out from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere" in Jesus' name (Luke 9:6).I'm connecting with the scene at the tomb on the morning of Jesus' Resurrection, with just those 3 women, grieving and yet trying to go on and do what they had to do, in a world turned upside down (Luke 24:1).I'm not sure when we will all feel comfortable in crowds again, or even comfortable thinking about them, and that concerns me.  I don't know what the world will be like after Covid-19.But notice what the angel, who surprised the women at the empty tomb, said to them early that morning:"He is not here; he has risen!  Remember how he told you..." (Luke 24:6).That's what we are celebrating now at Easter:  Jesus has Risen, He has Risen Indeed, Alleluia!!Forgive me for being a day early, but aren't we all desperate for the Good News this year?  We may be apart but spiritually we are one enormous crowd, spread all over the world but rejoicing together in our Savior Jesus Christ - who lives!  And who is near.Remember what Jesus said.That's what we can do now, cling to Jesus' promises, reminding each other of them, and trusting that God is turning our circumstances into opportunities to tell others, even remotely, about our new life and our hope for eternal life in Jesus.   We can continue on in his teachings, in God's Word to us, that comes to us in all of our current experiences and speaks to us in them, grounding and reorienting us, and directing us in how to move forward.   And we can love and help people, in all of the ways that Jesus is making possible.The angel at the empty tomb told the women to remember and believe before they even saw Jesus for themselves.  And then Mary Magdalene did see him, with her own eyes as Jesus spoke her name (John 20:16).  I love to close my eyes and picture that scene, because it gives me peace.Jesus said he will always be with us (Matthew 28:20), and that he will come again to take us to be with him (John 14:2-3).  He made many other promises (some of which you can read in John, chapters 14-16).At Easter we remember Jesus' words, how he kept them and will surely keep them.