Sermon Ko

5th Friday of Lent

Jeremiah 20:10-13; John 10:31-42 April 7, 2006

We have heard several times this week from the Gospel of John different situations when Jesus finds himself in conflict with the hostile Jews of his time.

In the Gospel last Monday, Jesus defended an adulterous woman from being stoned to death at the hands of the Jews. Last Tuesday, Jesus declared to the Pharisees that he is the Son Man whom will be lifted up by them. In the Gospel last Wednesday, Jesus told openly to the Jewish people that he can liberate them from their slavery to sin. Yesterday, we heard about Jesus inflicting serious insult to the Jews as he proclaims himself greater than Abraham.

Today, once again, John tells us another encounter of Jesus with Jews that would increase their fury and indignation against him. This time Jesus explicitly tells them his equality with the Father, declaring himself as the Son of God. The Jews were seriously insulted so they reach rocks to stone him. In this situation, Jesus finds himself defenseless, ironically similar to the adulterous woman whom he saved from stoning.

The claim of Jesus as the Son of God, in today’s Gospel, challenges the very cornerstone of the Jewish faith. The Jews couldn’t just tolerate listening to his testimonies. How can this man be the “Son of God?” How, this man, an ordinary human being like them, a fellow Jew, can be “working with the Father” the God of Israel?

The Jewish leaders couldn’t stand any longer his blasphemies. They want to get rid of him. But Jesus never gives up, he wants them to believe what he says is the truth. So he reminds them of his good works. But, like him the Jews would never give up either. For them his blasphemies deserve stoning. They tried to arrest to Jesus, but he managed to escape them.

Jesus’ failure to win over his enemies mirrors the first reading.

The reading from Jeremiah is disheartening, discouraging, and yet it is worded not just with anguish but with conviction and power. Bishop Coleridge mentioned in his talk last Wednesday that a false prophet never suffers. Jeremiah endured too much suffering from enemies and even from his friends. Jeremiah being a true a prophet knows the faithfulness of his God, who is “like a mighty champion.” Like Jesus, Jeremiah believes that in the end, his persecutors will stumble themselves and will not triumph over him.

The psalm response, “In my distress I called upon the Lord and he heard my voice,” is the prayer of those who resist evil, who refuse to be overcome by own weaknesses or by enemies’ threats. Psalm 18 describes God: our rock, our fortress, our deliverer, our refuge, our strength. It must have been the prayer of Jesus himself, when he finally succumbs to the threats of his enemies and allows his own destruction at their hands.

As we reflect upon the Gospel readings this week, they tend to put the Jewish people of Jesus’ time in a bad light. How could they be so stubborn not to believe Jesus’ powerful testimonies? How could they not accept the fullness of God’s revelation in Jesus?

It’s a pity, isn’t it, how they fail to recognise Jesus, as the Messiah, the Son of God.

But, then we must be careful not to condemn the Jews of Jesus’ time. We are not really in a position to think ourselves superior to the enemies of Jesus or more holy than they were.

We have long been privileged to know Jesus and the Father in the power of the Spirit. Our seminary formation, our prayer life and formal study, allow us more access to know Jesus as the Son of God.

So, as we continue our vocational journey together in this place, may we open our hearts in generosity to the Spirit of God, so he may form Jesus, the Son of God, in our lives.