Marvel At Jesus' March To Jerusalem

But why Jerusalem? Why was Jesus so determined to march there? First of all he had prophesied that he would die in Jerusalem so he needed to keep his word (Matt. 16:21). Jerusalem was also the home of God’s temple and the place where all sacrifices were to be made. What better place for the Lamb of God to sacrifice his life for the sins of the world? No, it’s not surprising that Jesus would want to die in Jerusalem but it was ironic because Jerusalem means “City of Peace.” Jerusalem was anything but a city of peace when it came to the way it treated God’s messengers. In our Old Testament lesson we heard how Jeremiah was persecuted there for preaching the truth. Tradition tells us that the prophet Isaiah was killed in Jerusalem by being sawed in two. And now Jerusalem would put God’s own Son to death but in doing so would literally become a city of peace because Jesus’ death paid for our sins and gives us peace with God.

Although Jesus’ march to Jerusalem would bring peace to the whole world it was not appreciated by many during Jesus’ time. As you can imagine, that made Jesus very sad. He said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Lk. 13:34)

Like a hen that chases after her chicks to keep them from harm, Jesus had attempted to gather the people of Jerusalem under his protection but many refused. People like the Pharisees thought that they could get to heaven on their own terms. Others, like the unrepentant thief on the cross, thought that it was more fun to mock Jesus.

People haven’t changed have they? A couple weeks ago I asked a young salesmen what he would say when he stood before God’s judgment throne. He said that he wouldn’t say a thing. He figured that God would accept him the way he was because he had been a decent fellow. When I encouraged him to learn from the Bible what God would say to that, he declined saying that religion, especially Christianity, was too restrictive. He was afraid that if he became a Christian, or even studied the Bible that it would take all the fun out of life.

I wonder if that isn’t sometimes our take on God’s Word? When you hear that Jesus wants to gather you as a hen gathers her chicks is your first impulse to run the other way because you don’t want to be controlled? If so then you aren’t getting the picture. When Jesus describes himself as a hen that gathers her chicks under her wings he’s describing how he wants to protect, not restrict us. Perhaps the role Jesus plays as a hen can be best understood from this story. After a forest fire swept through Yellowstone National Park a few years ago a park ranger went out to survey the damage. As he walked through the woods he came across the charred carcass of a bird huddled at the base of a tree. It didn’t make sense. Why didn’t this bird fly away to freedom when the fire threatened? When he nudged the carcass with his boot three chicks came scurrying out from underneath it. Now it made sense. The hen had not flown away because that would have meant certain death for her chicks. Therefore in an act of love she stood over her chicks shielding them from the fire with her wings even though it meant a horrible death for her.