“Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.” Mark 14.1-2
This is the beginning of the end for Jesus’ earthly ministry. He’s in Jerusalem for Passover, the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and people are continuing to conspire against him. The Jewish religious leaders are seeking his arrest and death. Jesus was a massive threat to their way of life and religiosity. He was turning their entire system upside down, and they certainly could not tolerate any change to how they interpreted and practiced the Law.
His arrest and death would come soon enough, but not during the festival, for they said, “The people may riot.” The religious leaders certainly could not risk a riot. They were in power, sort of. The Romans really controlled the government, even if the Jews held sway over the people. The Jews were already a people in captivity, even in their own land.
And then Jesus came onto the scene, working within the religious system, calling for the people to return to the Lord, to repent, and to seek the heart of God through the Law, not just obedience to it. The Jews had become a people of ritual and religious doctrine, but Jesus wanted them to know and love the Creator, not merely the idea of Him.
How often do we go through the motions of following God? Some of us claim to be Christians, but how much has culture influenced how we practice? Are we any better than the Jews two thousand years ago? What have we lost in our own idea of religion, seeking God, and obeying his commands?
Like any loving father, our Heavenly Father wants us to know, love, and experience Him in a personal relationship. This can also be enjoyed collectively as His people in community worship, service, and practice. But let’s not forget about the personal experience and encounter with Christ.
Jesus was accomplishing what he came to earth to complete – to open up an avenue for people to know and love God. His final act of sacrifice would tear the veil that separates us from God. He would atone for our sins and give us access to a great and mighty and holy God.
Our response must be genuine and heartfelt. It’s not our level of faith that saves us but our awareness of our need and our willingness to admit our brokenness. We need a Savior, and Jesus came to offer the gift of salvation. It’s really that simple.
So come to Christ this day — find him willing and waiting. Find him able to answer your deepest need of sin and shame. Open the gift of eternal life and begin a love affair with God’s Son, who came down to save us.
What are you waiting for? Just as Jesus was at the beginning of the end, so are we. Our lives will not last forever. Draw near to God now and He will draw near to you.
“O Lord God, another day in Italy but now on the coastline of the Mediterranean. The same sea that shares the shore with your Promised Land. And although I’m hundreds if not thousands of miles away, I am in the ancient world. A world in which your gospel first came through Paul and the first Christian missionaries. Thank you for your message of grace to a world which you created. Come now, Holy Spirit, fall upon me, I pray. Fill me with power and love and allow me to be your hands and feet. For you are good and your love endures forever.” Amen.