by Pastor Douglas Brauner

Holy Tuesday

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”
Matthew 10:34 English Standard Version

The church recognizes today as Holy Tuesday, the day that Jesus faced opposition from the religious authorities. He got into it with some Pharisees about paying taxes to Caesar, battled it out with Sadducees over the resurrection, and avoided a trap when asked which is the greatest commandment.

Are you seeing a theme? The religious elite weren’t happy with Jesus. He challenged their position, power, and prestige in the community. Over the past three years they saw the people listening to Jesus and following him. The throngs had spread their garments on the road waving leafy branches on Sunday. The leaders heard the antiphonal singing of the psalms praising Jesus as the King.

They couldn’t stand it. They needed to do something about this radical rabbi.

Many of us have struggled with Jesus’ words that he came to bring a sword. We would love for those words to somehow be scrubbed from the Bible. Wasn’t it Jesus who spoke of love, God’s love for the whole world?

It’s funny how the Pharisees and Sadducees react to love. Jesus is God’s love in human flesh. Yet, like an animal caught in a trap that attacks its rescuer, the religious leaders scorn Jesus who has come to save them. We can’t blame Jesus for the reaction of these leaders or our response to his teachings. He did not reject us or the religious leaders. In our broken, sinful condition we rejected him.

Though we experience the sword on Holy Tuesday, we will experience the peace that Jesus alone can bring. In a few days we will once again hear Jesus say to his disciples in the upper room, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27 ESV)

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado