Luke 18:31-34
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Take a moment to settle into your surroundings and then begin to recognize your breath. As you breathe in, call on the name of Jesus and become aware of his presence with you. As you breathe out, open your mind and heart to receive whatever Jesus has for you today.
Recall our last meditation on Luke 18:24-30 in which Jesus promises that anyone who gives up earthly gain for God’s Kingdom will receive much more in return. Then read Luke 18:31-34 noting any thoughts that arise as you read.
Jesus doesn’t ever teach anything that he doesn’t live out in his own life. Peter and the disciples gave up their homes, their jobs, their ways of life to follow Jesus, but soon Jesus will give up his very life to open the way for anyone who believes in him to enter the Kingdom of God. But this will not be his first sacrifice.
Take some time to meditate on these words written by the Apostle Paul to the church at Philippi:
“Though [Jesus] was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” - Philippians 2:6-8
Share any thoughts or feelings you have about this with Jesus.
Read Luke 18:31-34 again with this in mind.
Jesus left the comforts and joys of heaven to rescue humanity from the consequences of rebellion against God’s good and perfect ways. Rebellion takes the things of God and distorts them so that they become destructive rather than life-giving. And when the effects of rebellion are full-blown, the consequences are deadly.
On the cross, Jesus will take upon himself the rebellion of all humanity and willingly suffer the entirety of the consequence. He will allow all of the brokenness and destruction to be poured out on him so that evil is emptied of its power to enslave humanity.
And he is able to do this because he knows what God has in store for him.
For the final moments of this time of reflection, meditate on these words from the author of the letter to the Hebrews:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” - Hebrews 12:1-2
What might Jesus be inviting you to do today?
What will you do about that?
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