Not a Circus Act

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So, this family shot made us look like a circus! Many
years ago -- enjoying a day in Rome. 

Scripture:

Luke 22:63   Now the men who were holding Jesus began to mock him and beat him; 64 they also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” 65 They kept heaping many other insults on him.

Observation:

This little scene from the night of Jesus’ capture is hard to read. Jesus had just glanced at Peter who had responded with conviction and weeping, feeling guilty for his denial. These men had no respect for Jesus. They mocked him, making fun of the words that he had spoken. They moved from words to physical beatings. These are people who should have had respect for a prophet, but now they don’t even give him an ounce of honor. Instead, they teased him, making fun of his prophetic skills, wanting him to respond as if he were a magic act in a circus. Evidently Luke runs out of descriptors and finally just announces that they “kept heaping may other insults on him.”

Application:

It is relatively easy to complain about the guards and their behavior. As followers of Jesus Christ, we certainly wouldn’t find ourselves heaping insults upon Jesus, or expecting him to respond as if he were a magic act in a circus. Or would we? There are times when we go to the Lord in prayer and instead of soaking in that presence and using that opportunity to learn, we come with our list of “requests.” Those are all well and good, and we are told to bring our requests to the Lord in prayer, but if we only come in prayer when we want something, then we have to consider whether we are any worse than these mocking men. 

At times, we want Jesus to respond with his “magic” — to answer our request with a miracle! When he doesn’t do what we want him to, we are angry and disappointed, heaping insults on him and all of Christianity. The insults go on and on— “the church doesn’t care about me,” -- “Jesus doesn’t really love me — if he did, he would give me what I want,” — “this isn’t fair,” — etc. And we keep heaping insults on him. 

If watching the behavior of Jesus’ captors is unsettling, then at times, our own behavior ought to bother us. The next time we go to the Lord demanding answers, may we be checked in our own hearts. We are invited into a relationship with Jesus, to love him more and more, not to demand magic tricks. 

Prayer:

Lord, may this be a day in which I know you more. Amen. 

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