Luke 20: 41 - 47

 Luke 20: 41 - 47

What if the greatest thing we can imagine sets our expectations too low? This is exactly what happened in Jesus's day. The Jews were looking for a Messiah who would be the son of David. In their minds the Messiah was to be a warrior-king, someone to restore Israel's political, economic, and military fortunes. They had taken a Biblical phrase and applied it to their own “wish dream”. Jesus is the Son of David, but not in their puny little conception. He is more than their wildest dreams come true. His role as Son of David is greater than what they think it means, plus He is more than just the Son of David He is David’s Lord. The Jewish leadership wanted a Messiah on their terms. We often have the same tendency. But when we do that we miss the real Messiah who is infinitely greater than even our greatest and most magnificent fantasy.

Jesus turns the conversation at this point. Having completely dismantled all their arguments and attacks and having shown that their concept of Messiah is too weak Jesus then undermines the religious leadership itself. The practices of the religious elite reflects a collection of arrogant, egotistical, narcissistic, religious pirates. There would have been some exceptions, but for the most part they had made religious function into a fine art by which they ran a scam and con. They had developed a system that allowed them to appear to be vital for the well being of the faithful and at the same time parasite off of these same people. This became a self-feeding system. They appeared to be great, wise, important and dynamic which in turn allowed them to garner resources, money for nothing and taking homes of the most vulnerable.  They used this  ill gotten prosperity as evidence of and to support their claims of greatness. Not unlike some unscrupulous religious leaders of our day.

The condemnation of those who use religious practice as a way to exploit people and enrich themselves will be severe.  One gets the idea that there is little that angers God more than when that which He intends to draw men to Himself, is used by charlatans for their benefit and actually creates barriers between God and man. 

“Lord, never allow me to use Your Kingdom for my own agenda. AMEN”