What Do You Desire?
WHAT DO YOU DESIRE?
Psalm 27; Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 13:31-35
2nd Sunday in Lent, March 13, 2022
Pastor Ritva H Williams
This morning, we hear the Apostle Paul say, “Siblings, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us” (Philippians 3:17). Read on its own, without context, this may sound as if Paul is setting himself up as a role model for Christ-followers of all places and times. But that would be a serious misreading of Paul’s intent. These verses are a conclusion to a topic that begins in chapter 2, where Paul writes, “let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5). Paul defines the character of Christ’s mind as a refusal to exploit divine status for personal benefit. Instead Christ lays aside the privileges and power of divinity in order to lift up ordinary struggling human beings.
Paul presents his coworkers, Timothy and Epaphroditus, as examples of people who have Christ-like values (Philippians 2:19-29). Paul, too gave up inherited status and privilege to know Christ (Philippians 3:2-9). He writes, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection … Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own … (Philippians 3:10, 12).
Hear again Paul’s words, as translated by Eugene Petersen in The Message:
Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I’ve warned you of them many times; sadly, I’m having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ’s Cross. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites. But there’s far more to life…
In this Lenten season, we are invited to begin a journey of repenting and fasting from those things that pull us away from loving God and loving our neighbors. It is in this context that the apostle Paul urges us to focus on Christ’s values and goals. That means our Lenten journey requires us to make choices. Last Sunday we saw how Jesus rejected the devil’s story and chose God’s story to shape his life’s work. This morning our gospel lesson asks us to consider our desires.
The Greek word for desire appears three times in our reading. We hear that
Herod desired to kill Jesus.
Jesus desired to gather together the children of Jerusalem like a hen gathers her brood under her wings.
Jerusalem (representing the ruling political and religious authorities) did NOT desire to be gathered together like chicks beneath the wings of a mother hen.
Our gospel lesson begins with some Pharisees warning Jesus of Herod’s desire to kill him. We are not told what the Pharisees desire. They are often unfairly labeled as the “bad guys” in the gospel stories. In real life Pharisees founded synagogues across the land, and encouraged every Jewish person to participate in prayer, Bible study and worship. Jesus accepted invitations to dine with Pharisees, and often engaged them in the ancient and honored Jewish tradition of biblical debate. My hunch is that these Pharisees were genuinely concerned about Jesus’ safety and security. They knew Herod.
Please note: Jesus does not condemn the Pharisees, even though he dismisses Herod as a fox. This is no compliment. In the world of Jesus, foxes were depicted as crafty, sly, sinister tricksters driven entirely by self-interest. In the Bible, foxes ruin vineyards in blossom (Song of Solomon 2:15), and prey on the fallen like wild dogs and jackals (Psalm 63:10). There is an ancient fable about a sly fox who tries to coax a hen to leave her roost by declaring, “Your family and mine and all other animals have agreed to forget their differences and live in peace and friendship from now on forever. Just think of it! I simply cannot wait to embrace you! Do come down, dear friend, and let us celebrate the joyful event.” The hen cries out that a pack of dogs approaching. The fox takes off at a run excusing himself by saying the dogs have not yet heard the good news that all animals were now friends (fablesofaesop.com ). That is Jesus’ assessment of Herod.
Jesus’ commitment to his mission is greater than his natural human desire for safety and security. Jesus insists on healing and delivering people from their illnesses, every day (today and tomorrow). Jesus insists on carrying out his mission at inappropriate times like the Sabbath, in inappropriate places, like synagogues, even if it brings harsh criticism and death threats. Jesus says that only “on the third day” will his his work be finished, complete, and perfect. “The third day” is a prophetic word pointing to the resurrection. It is Jesus’ way of saying, my mission of healing and deliverance will not end with my death. The goal of my mission is resurrection — new life and new beginnings for all.
Besides, Jesus is already heading toward Jerusalem, the city that kills God’s prophets. Jesus goes there because he desires to gather all God’s people together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings. The image of God as a hen, as a mother bird, is deeply embedded in the Hebrew Scriptures. In the book of Ruth, Boaz blesses the foreigner Ruth by saying, “may you have full reward from the Lord, the God Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge” (Ruth 2:12). In the psalms God is described as a mother bird under whose wings God’s people find shelter, protection, and refuge from storms and enemies (Psalms 17:8-9; 57:1, 61:4; 91:4). On occasion God is specifically identified as an eagle-mother, nurturing her babies according to their needs until they can fly and hunt on their own (as in Deuteronomy 32:11-12). The mother hen protecting, sheltering, and nurturing her young is the image Jesus offers us of Christ’s mission. The mother hen is an image that is both fierce and vulnerable, courageous and tenacious. The mother hen stands for community and sacrificial service for the common good.
Jesus will go to Jerusalem — the seat of political and religious authority in his world — even though those in power do not desire to be gathered like chicks beneath God’s wings. Maybe they desire doing it all on their own, “doing it my way.” Knowing that he will be rejected, Jesus responds not with anger, but with sorrow and lament.
Today’s scriptures encourage us to examine ourselves. What do you desire for your life? Power? Fame? Wealth? Safety and security? To make a difference? How do you go about achieving your desires? Who are your role models in today’s scripture lessons — Herod? the Pharisees? the Jerusalem authorities? The apostle Paul, who longs to know Christ but is all too well aware that he still has a long way to go? Jesus — the pioneer and perfecter of our faith?
“The Shelter of Grace” by Pastor John van de Laar (www.sacredise.com)
Life can be tough to navigate, God,
so much that is uncertain,
so much that is unpredictable;
so many detours,
so many uncharted paths;
And yet, amazingly, you do not leave us to find our way alone;
In your grace we find a path, a compass, a guide;
Your grace is a shelter, open for anyone who wants in,
and it does offer protection
from the worst of whatever storms we may face.
And though we know we haven’t done anything to earn it,
we thank you that we can find rest,
in the midst of life’s turbulence,
in the shelter of your grace. Amen.
