Center for Creative Ministry A research organization and research center for Seventh-day Adventist pastors and their congregations
Jerusalem Controversies
As Faith-Ann McGarrell recounts the story, Mahatma Gandhi was boarding a train when one of his sandals fell from his foot. Immediately, Gandhi slipped off his other sandal and threw it as close as possible to the first. Of course, people were puzzled by his actions. He explained that one sandal does no one any good, but whoever finds the first sandal will be happy to find the second. McGarrell, writing for the Journal of Adventist Education, recounts that another author states that this sandal incident didn’t just demonstrate the charity that Gandhi lived by, but it showed that he understood when it was necessary to let go of something.
To accomplish His mission, Jesus, the King of kings, let go of things that He would have enjoyed. Jesus was willing to forgo comfort, the camaraderie He enjoyed as He trained His disciples, in order to move forward to what had been prophesied. His purpose was not to invoke controversy, but rather to provide us with the ability to see and understand God.
Yet Jesus, who lived a perfect life, a selfless life, a life of serving and healing others, was the center of controversies. Sometimes it was when He acted out of righteous anger, like when He cleansed the temple. But usually, it was when he healed, forgave, and preached, revealing who He was and why He came to Earth.
The religious leaders listened to His Scripture-filled messages, and watched Him give mobility to the lame and sight to the blind. One might believe that these scholars should have realized that the prophecy in Zechariah 9 was being fulfilled. After all, they were knowledgeable when it came to the Scriptures.
But instead of being convinced that they were seeing the embodiment of these prophecies come to life, they sought to disbelieve, discount, and discredit. They scrutinized every word and action to find fault with Jesus’ faultlessness.
Offended that their lifestyles, beliefs, and power were condemned by Jesus, they attempted to thwart His mission. They cleverly crafted their stories to make Him appear as the most controversial figure to Rome, the then seat of world power.
Even today the world we live in is fraught with controversies. Controversies over political candidates. Controversies over taxes and how budgets are allocated. Controversies over how our food is grown and produced. Controversies over how we worship.
Controversies.
While we might be tempted to think these controversial theories have recently become a part of society, they are not new. Not even Jesus could avoid people trying (and failing) to ensnare Him.
We see in Jesus’ actions that what draws one to His teaching, forgiveness, and freedom, can be viewed by another as controversy not worthy of belief.
Where do we stand?
For Reflection
Connecting: Have you ever been a part of a crowd celebrating an event? Maybe a candidate you supported was elected. Or perhaps a local team or music organization had won the state championship. Share your experience of this exciting event.
Sharing: Read Mark 12:28-34, Deuteronomy 6:4-5, and Leviticus 19:18. These verses state that we should love God with our whole being—heart, soul, mind, and strength. Then the next part implores us to love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves. What aspects of our lives will this impact?
- It means that I will be concerned about how my choices impact the health of others, and the health of our Earth.
- It means that I might forgo something I really want in order to help others in need.
- It means that I will evaluate all my resources including time, monetary resources, and talents to allow God to lead me to best utilize them.
- It means that I should probably not do things or purchase things I enjoy because others may not have the same opportunities.
- It means that I will be concerned, to the point of action, about the well-being of those who are food insufficient or housing insecure.
- Other
Applying: As you studied the stories told by Jesus in this week’s Sharing Scripture, is there one that is difficult for you to understand? Reread the story, prayerfully asking God to give you a clearer understanding.
Valuing: Mark 11:25 reminds us of the importance of forgiveness. As you pray for forgiveness, are there people you need to forgive or those you need to ask for forgiveness?
~ Joy Veverka
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