The Road To Easter
Pt. 3 - Heads Up
I. Introduction
It becomes the question that every parent loathes. It is the question that grates on your very last nerve. From the back seat, battling for every inch of real estate with your seat hogging sibling, when seconds feel like days and hours feel like centuries a constant cry would ring out . . . Are we there yet? Games are invented to mask the passing miles. Tape lines are placed on vinyl seats to mark off borders. Threats of "Don't make me come back there!" are uttered at varying levels of intensity. I wonder how many really cool moments we missed simply because we couldn't stop in the mad dash to get to the final destination long enough to pay attention to the ongoing journey? I wonder how many memorable sights were overlooked because we were so focused on the final destination that we became weary of the journey that was required to get there?
Jesus' journey to Easter is often overlooked. The destination holds so much meaning and hope for us that if we aren't careful we don't slow down long enough to understand how He got there. We are attempting to pause and reflect on the road Jesus took to get to the empty tomb. What happened on the Tuesday or Thursday before He is raised from the dead? Do you know? Does it matter? Let's walk this road together and see as we head to the Disneyland of our faith . . . Easter!
We have reviewed Palm Sunday and the Triumphal Entry. Last week we talked about Jesus' Monday when He cleansed the temple.
Now Jesus, after spending the night again with Mary, Martha and Lazarus, returns to the temple. On the way, He curses a fig tree because it promised sustenance and looked healthy but produced no fruit (Word - Jesus does more than just inspect fruit. He expects fruit when we are in an environment that is conducive to fruit production). He then goes to the Temple. He is confronted by the religious leaders and spends a large chunk of time telling parable after parable to highlight, expose and clearly call out their rejection of the Messiah. He finally calls them vipers and makes His way to the Mount of Olives and sits down. He begins talking to His disciples and something interesting takes place here.?
Tuesday - Hands Out Hope
Text: Luke 21:8-19, 25-28. 34-36 (MSG)
He said, “Watch out for the doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities claiming, ‘I’m the One,’ or, ‘The end is near.’ Don’t fall for any of that. When you hear of wars and uprisings, keep your head and don’t panic. This is routine history and no sign of the end.” He went on, “Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over. Huge earthquakes will occur in various places. There will be famines. You’ll think at times that the very sky is falling. “But before any of this happens, they’ll arrest you, hunt you down, and drag you to court and jail. It will go from bad to worse, dog-eat-dog, everyone at your throat because you carry my name. You’ll end up on the witness stand, called to testify. Make up your mind right now not to worry about it. I’ll give you the words and wisdom that will reduce all your accusers to stammers and stutters.
“You’ll even be turned in by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. Some of you will be killed. There’s no telling who will hate you because of me. Even so, every detail of your body and soul—even the hairs of your head!—is in my care; nothing of you will be lost. Staying with it—that’s what is required. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry; you’ll be saved.
Vs. 25-28 - It will seem like all hell has broken loose—sun, moon, stars, earth, sea, in an uproar and everyone all over the world in a panic, the wind knocked out of them by the threat of doom, the powers-that-be quaking. “And then—then!—they’ll see the Son of Man welcomed in grand style—a glorious welcome! When all this starts to happen, up on your feet. Stand tall with your heads high. Help is on the way!”
(NIV) When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.
Vs. 34-36 - But be on your guard. Don’t let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you by complete surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, for it’s going to come on everyone, everywhere, at once. So, whatever you do, don’t fall asleep at the wheel. Pray constantly that you will have the strength and wits to make it through everything that’s coming and end up on your feet before the Son of Man.”
Tuesday is an odd day on the Road to Easter. No parades. No outbursts of anger. No table throwing in the Temple. Jesus curses a tree. He curses religious leaders. Then He retreats to the mountain side and has a conversation with His followers. I want you to remember Jesus is now 48 hours away from being betrayed by one of His closest followers. He is now 48 hours away from agonizing in prayer until he sweats blood asking His Father for another way. He is now 48 hours away from being arrested and having false accusations hurled at Him in front of the High Priests. He is 48 hours away from Peter denying Him. And in the face of all of that. Knowing what He was facing. Facing His worst days. Facing separation from His closest friends. Facing separation from His beloved mother. Facing separation and even rejection from His heavenly Father. Facing His worst days and a switch takes place. In light of all that He is about to face, Jesus switches focus and looks ahead to our worst days. He describes what our worst days will look like and what they will feel like. Nation fighting nation. Ruler fighting ruler. Earthquakes. Men falling down dead. Famines. Betrayal. Powers that be shaken. The threat of doom. Panic. Men will lose heart. Believers persecuted. Hunted down for their belief. Imprisoned for their faith. Turned in and on by family. Ridiculed for faith. All hell breaking loose. Our worst days! Our current days!
And then He says, "When you see all of these things" look up! Get your head up. Perspective matters. Focus matters. Your gaze matters. Jesus teaches us that we must keep our eyes and our heads up. He warns us that in the middle of all of this we must be careful or our hearts will be weighed down. He tells us that if our head goes down, then our hope runs out!
He teaches us that heavy hearts are resolved by lifted heads.
He teaches us that the path to the cross has to be a journey through the cross.
The disciples wanted help, but Jesus leads them to hope and in the process . . .
Jesus teaches us that we are no help if we don't have hope!
If you are consumed and worried about what is happening around you, then you won't be able to point anyone to hope. If all you can do in an effort to not be overcome is to be distracted by shopping, drinking, partying then you can't help because you have taken eyes off of hope! So, Jesus tells us that we can't "let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled!"
Are we to help people here? Yes, but we must also have hope beyond here! Why? Jesus knew that help runs out. I can give you financial assistance, but the money will run out again. I can promise you healing, but healing gives away to other ailments. I can promise you a resurrected life, but the resurrected find their way back into a tomb eventually. So, rather than only giving us help in the middle of dire days, He gives us hope! The help I can give you will run out, but I can't let my hope run out. Our greatest asset and the greatest gift that we have to offer is hope!
We used to be surrounded by people that were so heavenly minded that they were no earthly good. "I'll Fly Away" became their escape anthem so that they didn't have to deal with the nasty now. However, Jesus knew that this day would come! The day we live in is the day in which the pendulum has swung too far the other way until we look around and those with THE GREATEST promise seem to have ducked their heads. Those who should have the highest hope are now overcome by the outlook and forecast of the broadcast news. We have come to talk like there is no way out. Destruction is around every turn! Sickness is rampant. Division is rampant. Destruction is daily! Disillusionment and disappointment are the daily dose. But it is time to remember that our worst day only gives birth to our best day! The darker it gets the closer His return gets!
Jesus looks beyond the cross and even beyond what we fixate on which is Easter and His resurrection and He says, "lift your hearts" and "lift your heads" and remember that our hope is fixed on His return.
Our hope isn't fixed on Joe Biden. Our hope isn't fixed on Donald Trump. Our hope isn't fixed on a political or economic system. Our hope isn't fixed on America. Our hope isn't fixed on our constitution. Am I thankful for it? Will I fight for it? Yes, but my hope isn't fixed on it. Our hope isn't fixed on Israel. Our hope isn't fixed on man's remedies. Why? If you attach your hope to those things, then your head will go down. Your heart will go down. You will be unable to provide anyone any help or hope!
Our hope must be firmly fixed and our gaze must be securely fastened to the heavens above for the day when our King will return with healing in His wings and power in His hands. Worry is a symptom of no hope! Anxiety is a symptom of lack of awareness of His approach. He is coming! He is coming! He is coming! Look up. Get your head up. Get your heart up. Get your eyes up. Get your hands up! Get your hope up! This isn't the end. It is the beginning! Don’t let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled! If we need an old song to sing, then let's sing this one . . .
What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms!
He is near! Get your head up! Get your heart up! Get your hope back!
Psalms 24:9 - Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
Psalms 42:11 - Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God—soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God.
Yes, the days may seem dark. Yes, the ground beneath us is shifting sand. Yes, folks have lost their minds. But the real question and the real issue today is have you lost your hope? Without hope you can't help!
