Dear Christian friends:

In our text Jesus says to His disciples: "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.” (Luke 18:31-33) This is a wonderful text for this Sunday because Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.

During Lent we give extra attention to Jesus' going up to Jerusalem to suffer and die. Always, daily during the whole year a true disciple of Jesus cannot forget that He went up to Jerusalem. That's why He was born and that is the prophecies of the Old Testament. That it was done was a very important goal of Jesus' life. Everything we hear and read about Jesus is really connected with His going up to Jerusalem.

But during Lent we give extra attention to that, and special midweek services each Wednesday so that we can in mind and spirit go with Him up to Jerusalem.

It is very important for us to go with Jesus to Jerusalem. If we don't go with Him there then all our other goings and places are for nothing, and a waste of our time and life.

So I ask you today:


When Jesus told His first disciples that they now were going up to Jerusalem so that He could suffer and die and then rise on the third day, "The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about." (Luke 18:34)

They understood what Jesus said that He would suffer and die and rise again on the third day. But they didn't understand why, the reason. They did not think it was necessary, and they did not understand or believe that they were involved in it. They did not believe that their life and salvation and happiness depended upon His dying in Jerusalem. They thought if that happens to Jesus our work is all wasted. His kingdom will surely collapse.

Many of us think these first disciples were very ignorant and dumb. We think that we understand better and have a stronger faith than the disciples. But do we really understand about Jesus' dying and rising better than the disciples. They were always quarreling and arguing about who was the best disciple and who would get the chief honor and glory in Jesus' Kingdom. They did not join with Jesus to serve and obey God, but chiefly to get a high place and some advantage.

Are you and I any better than they? We, too, are often quarreling and arguing about who is the best member. We are often proud and jealous of each other. If someone else gets the office or the honor then we are displeased and fed up and quit working and serving. We fail to see how we are connected with Jesus' suffering and dying at Jerusalem.

If we really understood and believed that our life, and salvation and our happiness depended on that, then we would never tire of reading about it or hearing about it. You know that only twenty or twenty-five members come for Wednesday Lenten Services and we who come often come because we feel trapped and can't escape. Yes, we are as blind and dumb and ignorant of Jesus' dying and resurrection as the first disciples.

That is why it is so very important for us to go with Jesus again up to Jerusalem to watch Him suffer and die and then rise. I know you saw Him do that before, but you are still very blind and weak in faith. Maybe if you go and watch once more the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to help you see how you are joined and involved in Jesus' death and resurrection.

Jesus does not suffer and die for His own sake. He does it for you and for me as our Substitute. He wasn't a law-breaker or sinner, but you are the law-breaker and you are the sinner. You and I are the ones who are worthy to suffer God's anger and be forsaken. He suffers for us in our place that we can have forgiveness of sins and rise from sin and walk in new and holy ways free from bad habits to joyfully serve God. Jesus suffers and dies as God the Father planned, as He said through the prophets of the Old Testament to free us from our pride, selfishness and jealousy, so that we will not always seek our own advantage and profit but rather seek to serve one another in love and kindness.

This Lenten Season Jesus says to you again, "We are going up to Jerusalem!" (Luke 18:31) I intend to go with Jesus again this year; I hope you will, too.

Amen.