Read Mark 10:13-16, Luke 13:10-17, Luke 11:37-54, and Luke 15:1-7
Jesus, although kind and compassionate was not afraid to confront those in power. He was direct and confrontational and often scolded those whose actions He viewed as causing injustice to the powerless. He called out both his friends and his enemies. He reprimanded His disciples for turning little children away from Him (Mark 10:13-16). He called the synagogue leaders hypocrites for condemning Him for healing on the Sabbath (Luke 13:10-17). He called the Pharisees foolish for their focus on outside appearances instead of inside motivations (Luke 11:37-43).
He rebuked the experts in religious law for crushing people with unbearable religious demands and for not teaching the truth (Luke 11: 44-54). He admonished the Pharisees and scribes for their attitude towards sinners and made it clear that they should not ignore sinners, but minister to them (Luke 15:1-7). Jesus’ words and actions did not endear Him to those in power. In fact, they caused the powerful to feel threatened by Jesus and hate Him and eventually nail Him to the cross.
Today the powerful may be called by a different name, but their characteristics and motivations have not changed: they still are unjust to the powerless. Even after His death, Jesus, through His followers continues to confront the powerful and the powerful continue to feel threatened by Jesus. Although those in power may not want to nail Jesus to a cross, they want to suppress His ideas and His teachings; they want to relegate Him to an after-thought; they want Him out of their government, out of their schools, and out of their media. This makes you ask, just who is this Jesus that the powerful, even after 2,000 years, still feel threatened by Him?
Discussion
Jesus hated hypocrisy and often opposed those he thought were being hypocrites. Is there hypocrisy in the church today? If so, in what way? How does this turn people away from Jesus?
Jesus ate with sinners and ministered to them. He said “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.” Like the Pharisees of Jesus’ time, does the church today reject sinners? If so, how?
The powerful have many names. Who exercises power in our country today? Do Christian values threaten some in power? If so, how?
Prayer Focus: Thank you Father for showing me the real Jesus; the Jesus who is kind and compassionate and who loves me, but also the Jesus who stands up for me. Thank you that Jesus is more powerful than the powerful and that He will always fight for me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
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Making Him Known August 13, 2025 4:20 pm