Matthew 21, 22, 23

January 10, 2011

Matthew 21, 22, 23

Overview:  Palm Sunday triumphal entry story and then a couple of chapters of jousting with the Pharisees.

Jesus tells several parables in these chapters that seem to target the religiuos leadership pretty specifically.  Jesus more than once refers to them as "blind guides".  He speaks of how they prefer the trappings of their office to the actual call of being servant leaders.  He indicates that whether it was John or himself, the Pharisees miss the message while tax collectors and prostitutes understand and respond enthusiastically.  Chapter 23 has a number of teachings that begin with a pronouncment of woes on the religious leaders. 
A couple of thoughts then.  First, it's not hard to imagine why Jesus had enemies amongst the Pharisees.  They, as he said, missed much of his message and what they did hear of it they experienced as attacks on their leadership.  The critiques, of course, are right on the mark, but that makes them no more comfortable.
Second, for those of us in positions of leadership in congregations (ordained and lay) these words of Jesus must be instructive and if we are honest they must, at least at times, make us uncomfortable.  In almost any expression of leadership there is the potential for becoming enamored of the perks of the position.  Jesus worked with his own disciples around these issues in our readings from yesterday.  Remember when the mother of James and John came to Jesus asking for special preference for her sons.  And remember that the other ten reacted poorly to the request.  If there are twelve there is a point where you would be rather five then six, rather be four than eight, rather be one then twelve.  Jesus works constantly both with his followers and in his teachings aimed at the Pharisees to reframe the idea of leader as one who serves without concern to position instead of one who is superior in the set apartness.
Also want to take a quick look at Matthew 21:22.  "Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive."  This is one of those passages that has been regularly abused by folks associated with prosperity gospel ideas and messages.  I don't find the message here to be to ask for whatever you want and God will give it to you if you believe strongly enough.  I think that ignores the words "in prayer with faith".  I believe there is a filter there that is often overlooked.  There are things that we might indeed ask God for if we were simply viewing God as a gift dispensing machine.  They are not things we would ask for were we asking "in prayer with faith".  The words "in faith" suggest that the things being asked for are things that by nature of their being "in faith" are things that are within the framework of God's will.  Asking for a pure heart.  Asking for a heart to serve.  Asking for our eyes to be open to God's will.  These, I believe, are things that we might be likely to ask for which could be characterized as "in faith".  Tickets to the Super Bowl, a new car and a home entertainment system, conversely, while not bad things might miss the cut as the kinds of things we would make a priority when we are approaching God "in prayer with faith".