‘God with us.’ For Luke, God’s effective presence in history goes beyond Jesus’ birth and the natural creation. He shows God engaged in the present and everyday. Jesus’ preaching, performing miracles, preparing and sending the disciples for missions changes the dynamic of the time and neighborhood.
Within this, the wonderful ministry is perceived as the fulfillment of Scripture, Jesus is the Messiah implementing God’s plan for salvation. Now, Jesus celebrates a last Passover with his followers. His parting message is the commission to go forth as they had before with the good news about God’s saving presence in every life, ‘the Kingdom.’ Jesus makes clear that his own mission, his earthly role, must now end. Throughout his ministry Jesus pointed to the role of servant rather than master as the key to his activities. Now Jesus’ death must be understood as fulfilling his mission as God’s Servant heralded in Isaiah 53. Here God is ‘with us’ in the basest humanity and history.
With the impact of these verses, we become aware again that facing the ordeal of the Passion, Jesus sends his followers, ourselves, into the world on his continuing business. That is, to engage and interact for good with community, individuals and happenings. Our personal involvement in nasty and challenging situations specifically makes God’s redemptive way present and transforming.
Why the swords? We are to take common sense precautions!
As prayer, read Isaiah 42 vs.1-4 and 53 vs.1-12, especially vs. 12.
Lilias Morrison
No comments:
Post a Comment