The Joshua Victor Theory

            In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Today in our Bible readings, we hear some dire warnings—first in the Old Testament reading, where the prophet Jeremiah is rejected by his own people because he spoke God’s word of judgment against the city of Jerusalem. This was some 600 years before Jesus was born. Then in our reading from Philippians, the apostle Paul writes, in the time after Jesus’ ministry, how many people still set themselves as enemies of the cross of Jesus Christ. Finally, in our Gospel reading, Jesus Himself is facing the rejection of His own people, and how they would not listen or receive God’s help. None of them sound particularly promising or hopeful. Time changes little about our willingness to listen to and hear God’s Word. Just like every generation of children goes through the same battles of disobedience and rebellion against the authority of their parents, so...

Grace, mercy, and peace to you, from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen. The Gospel reading from Luke 13, begins with some Pharisees giving Jesus a warning to get out of harms’ way. Herod, known to be a maniacal king, wants to kill Him, they say. By human expectations, Jesus response is strange here--He doesn’t thank the Pharisees for the warning, or accept their advice. Instead He makes a statement of defiance over against Herod, and affirms that He was going to “stay His course” and finish the work He had left. Then He follows with hard words for the city of Jerusalem--but sandwiched in the middle of them is a picture of the remarkable tenderness of God’s love for us. Did Jesus question the sincerity or the motives of their warning? Or was He just undeterred from the job that lay ahead of Him? Certainly before, Jesus had been able to make a safe exit when His life was in danger, but He was also no coward. When He knew His cross drew near, He didn’t run whe...