Sunday, March 16, 2025

Second Sunday in Lent
Jeremiah 26:8-15
Psalm 4
Philippians 3:17-4:1
Luke 13:31-35

Stand in awe, and don’t sin. Search your own heart on your bed, and be still. Selah.

Jeremiah is known as “the weeping prophet” and it is no wonder when you think about the life he lived. At the beginning of the book of Jeremiah, in his call story, God says, “They will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you; for I am with you”, says Yahweh, ‘to rescue you.’” And fight him, they did, but they never prevailed. He was attacked by his own brothers, beaten by a false prophet, imprisoned by a king, threatened with death, thrown into a cistern, opposed by another false prophet. He was in prison when Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem, and he was freed. He eventually escaped to Egypt.

Despite the threats and the horrific acts against Jeremiah, the biblical record does not tell us when, where or how he died. Jewish tradition holds that he was stoned to death in Egypt. Other traditions suggest that he died naturally in Babylon. Yet other sources insist that Jeremiah spent time in Ireland, though this is not likely. Whatever happened to Jeremiah in history, in the biblical record we see that God’s promise held true: though they fought him, they never prevailed.

It is hard to juxtapose the life of Jeremiah to the Gospel lesson for today where Jesus says, “...for it can’t be that a prophet would perish outside of Jerusalem.” Jeremiah was a prophet, one who remained obedient despite his frustration continued to speak the Word of God. It was not good news. He lived and preached during the decline of the Judean kingdom. His message screamed repentance, but the priests and prophets did not want to hear what he had to say especially since the others were preaching peace. Jeremiah was unmoved by the threat of death. He said, “I am in your hand: do with me as is good and right in your eyes.”

They didn’t kill him. In verse 16, which follows our lectionary text, the princes and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets, “This man is not worthy of death; for he has spoken to us in the name of Yahweh our God.” Jeremiah’s words hit their mark; they saw the truth of his warning. The priests and prophets changed their mind because they realized that if they killed him, they would have innocent blood on their hands. They accepted that Jeremiah was speaking God’s word and so they did not turn him over to be stoned. God remained faithful to His promise; they fought Jeremiah, but they did not prevail. Ultimately it didn’t change the course of events. They fell under the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, but those who accepted it survived as God promised.

Jeremiah may have spoken words like those in today’s psalm. Under the surface of his frustration, self-doubt, and depression, he had an unwavering faith. He trusted in God’s promise that his enemies would never prevail. He had peace that is beyond understanding. Just like the psalmist, Jeremiah called the people to a life of faithfulness so that they might live in that peace, too. He spoke God’s word because He wanted the best for his people, just as God always wants the best for us.

Jeremiah’s story shows us that God is faithful. I’m sure he probably hoped for better times, but he also knew that God put gladness in his heart. He could lie down in peace and sleep easy because God is his help and refuge. We don’t know what happened at the end of his life. Jeremiah certainly died but we do not know when, where, or how. Tradition holds that Jeremiah was stoned to death in Egypt by frustrated Jews. Whatever happened to Jeremiah, we know that God keeps His promises, so we can trust that God will be faithful to us.

The princes and all the people believed the word Jeremiah spoke and saved his life, but ultimately it was God who turned the hearts of the priests and prophets. His word and promise saved Jeremiah, just as His word and promise saves us.

Whenever I read the passage from Luke, I think about the story that has circulated on the Internet for years about a mother bird in Yellowstone. The post claims that an article in National Geographic describes an incident following a major forest fire in which a forest ranger found a scorched bird in the fire zone. He knocked over the bird with a stick and discovered three tiny chicks beneath their dead mother’s wings.

This story has been used as an inspiration in many sermons and devotions. It is a parabolic image of Jesus the mother hen protecting His chicks. We are awed by the overwhelming love of a mother bird who gives her life for her babies. Unfortunately, the story is not true. National Geographic hates to debunk inspirational stories like this, but they repeatedly report that they have never published it. The rangers of Yellowstone have no record of such an event; some of the rangers were present at the time of the fire and none of them knew it to be true. Ornithologists say that it is impossible, that the bird’s body could never protect the chicks through such intense heat.

There is another story about a mother bird’s sacrificial love that has been shared by Indian evangelist Sundar Singh who was traveling through the Himalayas when they were trying to put out the fire. Along with a group of men he noticed a bird circling above a nest in a tree. She was frantic, knowing it was impossible to save her babies from the fire and yet unwilling to leave them alone. When the nest began to burn, the mother swooped in on top of the chicks and covered them with her wings. Everything was gone in seconds.

We prefer the first story because it has a happy ending, even if it isn’t true. It ends with the babies saved from death and the mother bird is a hero who willingly sacrificed her life for her chicks. There is no winner in the second story. The chicks are dead, the mother is dead, and the nest is gone. We are amazed at her sacrifice, but find it foolish because we know that if she had stayed away, she would have survived for another day. She could have built a new nest and hatched more chicks. The story has an ending with no new beginning.

Yet, the second story is more truly the story of the work of Christ in our lives. Yes, Jesus covers us with His wings and He dies in our stead, but in Christian faith we are called to die also, to share in His death to share in His glory. Our death is not like His: we do not die a horrific death on a Roman cross. We aren’t burned to ashes like the birds. However, in baptism we enter into His death into new life through water and the Word.

Jesus mourned the unbelief of Jerusalem. He wanted the best of God’s Kingdom for them; He wanted them to experience hope, peace, and joy. He wanted to gather them under His wings, to give them fully and freely the gift He has to give. Perhaps He even wants all this without having to face the cross. Wouldn’t it have been better if Jerusalem had repented like Ninevah? That was not how it would be. He knew He was destined for the cross, for death. Salvation had to happen according to God’s time, in God’s way. Jesus refused to be moved from the path that would lead to true life for all those who would believe in Him.

In the passage immediately before our Gospel lesson, someone asked Jesus, “Lord, are they few that are saved?” (Luke 13:23b) Jesus answered that many would try to enter into the kingdom of God in their own way, and they would wait until it was too late. The only way in is by faith in Jesus Christ. We might think that we can fulfill the covenant on our own, with our own strength and abilities. Self-righteousness has always been a problem for human beings; it is only those who realize that it is in relationship with God that we are made citizens of heaven. Faith in Christ is the open door to enter into God’s Kingdom. And faith does not come from our actions but from God’s grace.

We don’t know very much about the Pharisees who went to see Jesus in today’s Gospel lesson. Were they friends concerned about Jesus? Or were they enemies who just didn’t want to deal with Jesus? Perhaps Jesus’ teaching didn’t bother them, but they just wanted Him to go somewhere else to do it. By sending Jesus away from Jerusalem, they would not have to deal with questions and accusations. They wanted Jesus to quietly disappear into the wilderness to teach and preach to the animals. Outside Jerusalem, He would not rock so many boats. Jesus was unwilling to submit to the temptation. He knew His task took Him to Jerusalem. The covenant that God made with Abram in Genesis 15 was broken; it was time to pay the price.

Jesus called Herod a fox. Foxes are not trustworthy, and that was certainly true of Herod. But the word “fox” is understood among the religious leaders as being someone who was worthless and insignificant. Herod Antipas might have been the ruler, but he was a puppet prince with no authority, a pretentious pretender, doing someone else’s bidding. Herod might have seen himself as a lion, a king, but in reality, he was just a fox, an insignificant flunky.

Herod would try to kill Jesus, but it wouldn’t be his will but God’s. Jesus had no need to fear, He was in a right relationship with His Father. He dwelt in the Temple, lived daily in His presence. He knew His purpose and knew that it was necessary to finish His journey to Jerusalem and the cross. The promise to Abraham depended upon it. Our future depended upon it.

It made Jesus sad.

His death must happen, but it was not what He wanted. It pained Him to see that they did not understand. He cried out to them that He was the shelter where they could live in peace. Living under the Law did not ensure God’s faithfulness. God is faithful without our works. He is faithful to His promises and calls us to believe and trust in Him, which leads to a life of obedience.

You can almost hear Jesus echoing the words of Jeremiah, “Do with me as seems good and right to you.” He knew that He would die at their hands, but He also knew that it would come at the right time. He answered them, “I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” Jesus dwelt in God’s presence and willingly submitted Himself to His plan; they could do nothing to stop Him until God allowed it to happen.

Unlike Jeremiah, we know exactly when, where, and how Jesus died. The promise for Jesus was not that He would prevail against the world. The promise for us was that He would prevail against sin and death. He died and was raised so that we might live. We join in His death and in His resurrection. We join in His glory. His life, death and resurrection has made an impact on our lives forever, and this is the purpose for which He came.

This does not mean that His teachings were unimportant or that we should ignore them. We have seen throughout history that ideas and people can impact the world. In the right circumstances, one person can change the course of an entire nation. One designer can design clothing that millions of people will wear. One reporter can introduce an idea that will become a standard of policy and practice for many. One politician can set the agenda for the entire government. Good or bad, right or wrong, we can easily be led down a path of achievement or destruction by someone whom we look to as a role model.

It is not that we are blind or ignorant followers; it is simply that the human flesh looks for someone to emulate. Even the most powerful, intelligent people look to someone to help them become the person they hope to be. Based on that ideal, we grasp onto ideas, policies, or practices that seem right, and we use them to change the world. Sometimes, unfortunately, we grasp onto ideas that are not good, right, and true. With all good intention, we sometimes follow examples that are not centered in Christ.

Jesus is our ultimate role model, although it is impossible for us to live or die as He did. We can look to the people whom God has put in our life, to emulate how they lived in trust that God will be faithful. Paul encourages us to emulate those who hold firm to the Gospel of grace. Some people in Philippi were enemies of the cross. They did not mean to destroy Christians or Christianity, they chased the things of the world. They chose to live a life of self-fulfillment. Some chose to live out their faith by continuing to satisfy their earthly lusts, trusting in God’s forgiveness. Others chose to satisfy the Law, thinking that obedience would bring blessing. Both were concerned with the flesh; they trusted in themselves rather than God.

We are not created or saved to live in either extreme which do not reflect the life which Christ lived as an example for us. Paul reminds us not to get stuck in a pattern of self-indulgence or self-righteousness. We can follow the example of people who have come before us that were, and are, transformed daily into the image of Christ. According to Jesus, the world will not prevail against us. Like Jeremiah we can be at peace as we go forth in faith doing what God has called us to do, even when we are faced with threats and our own imperfection because we know that God will be faithful. We do not know when, where or how we will die, but we can know that it will be according to God’s good purpose for us.

Lent may seem to be a depressing time to some folk because it is a time of self-examination, self-control, and self-sacrifice. It is a time for looking at our sin, for understanding our sinfulness and for being transformed into something new. This is a strange perspective in our world which focuses on the self in much different ways. We tend to be more self-centered and selfish. We spent at least a generation raising our children to be narcissistic by focusing on creating strong self-esteem. We taught our children to see themselves as special, good, and gifted, but we erred by not teaching them what they needed to do about their inevitable failures. We need to know when we are wrong so we can grow and transform. To many people have learned to blame others for their faults.

Don’t get me wrong: it is important that we uplift our children to help them to be the best they can be by encouraging them in their gifts and talents. It is ok to tell a child that they are special, good, and gifted. However, we have gone overboard by training the children that they deserve whatever they want. This leads to the hedonism we see so often on reality television. Bridezillas think they deserve the wedding of their dreams even when it is impossible. Cooking show contestants think that the judges are wrong because they believe that no one could beat their food. Competitors on other shows are willing to lie, cheat, and steal to get the win that they are certain they deserve.

You’ve seen it on American Idol and other performance shows. There are always some auditioners that do not belong on the stage. They are awful. The audience knows that they are there for the laugh, but they believe they were the best. They think that it isn’t fair. The cameras show their family comforting them and agreeing with their delusion. Other reality television shows claim to give average people the chance to be extraordinary, but most reality shows use paid actors or expect the contestants to fit a character the producers think will make the show a hit. Too many reality show contestants do whatever is necessary their own self-interest.

We point fingers at those who are on television, but do we ever consider how we are living in self-centered and selfish ways? What do we think we deserve? What are we willing to do to our neighbors to ensure we get what we want? These are some of the questions we are meant to be asking during this season of Lent. This is the kind of self-examination that leads to repentance, confession, and forgiveness. It isn’t very uplifting to realize our own sinfulness, especially if we don’t understand that this self-examination leads to a realization of God’s mercy and grace.

Lent is also a time to test our self-control. I haven’t given up sweets for Lent, but I am trying to moderate my sugar intake. The store shelves are covered in hundreds of special candies for Easter, even though Easter is many weeks away. I love white chocolate, which is very common during this season, and I have been craving white chocolate covered Reese’s eggs. I found them on the shelf the other day, but didn’t buy because it was a multipack. I wanted one, just for the taste, but knew if I bought more than one I would eat them all. Every trip to the grocery store is filled with temptation.

We are dealing with so much stress these days, and some folks often give up the things they use to deal with stress like coffee or video games. Do we have the self-control to continue our fast even when the world tempts us to do the very things we are fasting? As we examine our lives during Lent, it is helpful to consider what is motivating our fasting and why we can’t control ourselves. We need to pray for God to help us. He will, if we let Him.

Self-sacrifice seems almost impossible. How can I give to others when I barely have enough for myself. We know that there are others at home and around the world who are dealing with much harsher problems, but if I can’t afford to fill my car, I can’t get to work, and then I can’t feed my kids. Those who have difficulty living a Lenten fast are not just those who are selfish and self-centered. We all struggle because we are facing tough times. How do we give up everything when it seems like we have nothing? Our self-examination should lead us to the reality that we are greatly blessed even when we struggle, and that God will help us through the bad times if we trust in Him.

Paul writes, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself.” The cross and its benefits are ours today, but they will not be fully realized until the Day of the Lord.

As we journey through Lent, we are reminded that we are meant to be examining ourselves, controlling our bodies, and sacrificing for the sake of others. We are meant to consider our own sinfulness and trust that God can transform us into what He has created and redeemed us to be. Though we have been transformed by the Gospel of grace, there is still work to be done. We continue to be transformed daily through our prayer, study, worship, and devotions. Though we share in His glory, there will come a day when that promise will be fully realized. For now, we have to wait and remember that we are dust and to dust we shall return. Though this might be a depressing point of view to the people of this world, for those of us who have our citizenship in heaven, it is the very foundation of our hope and our faith.

During Lent, search your heart. We will never be expected to give our lives the way Jesus gave His for us, but we are called to examine our hearts and live our faith while we wait for that day God promised. We live that life of faith by building relationships with people, living not for ourselves but for others. We begin in the heart of God, following Jesus, and then sharing His grace with the world.