Standing Accused
In: Luke| christian living| christianity
22 Jun 2009I’m at the end of my read though Luke. I thought I would be blogging about the crucifixion today, but as I re-read chapters 22-24 this evening I was really taken by chapter 23 verse 5: “But they insisted, ‘He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.’”
Leading into this passage Jesus has been betrayed, arrested, abused, accused and convicted of blaspheming, and charged before the Sanhedrian. Now he is being brought before Pilate to be sentenced to death. In the first few verses of chapter 23, Jesus is being accused of all sort of things, but the accusation in the first part of verse 5 really stood out to me: “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching.” That is an amazing accusation! Jesus’ words and instruction have everyone stirred up. He has them excited, energized, motivated, taking action. As I read and re-read those words I’m not sure if I feel convicted, inspired or a little bit of both.
It makes me wonder what people are saying about me. Is the presence of Jesus undeniable in my life? I would hate to think that others view me as someone who ‘punches the clock’ so to speak on Sunday mornings, experiencing Jesus just as long as I am sitting in a church pew – nothing less, nothing more. Sometimes I live a stirred up life. Other times mine is a habitual faith.
I want to be stirred up the way the people of Judea were stirred up – everyday, all the time. I want my stirred up-ness to be evident to everyone around me. I want to live my life in a way that the crowds around me shout “There is something going on with her!” I long to have a passion for his teaching that shocks people. I want to be accused.
Are you stirred up? What are your thoughts on Luke 22 – 24?
4 Responses to Standing Accused
Ginger
June 23rd, 2009 at 7:58 am
Yes, there is definitely something going on with you missy! Love the post and the new blog!!
Ginger
Annalea
June 23rd, 2009 at 8:42 am
“I want to be accused”
I say I want the same and that I want to live my life that passionately. It would be better, to be able to say that I stood accused for Him, than to live afraid on the outskirts of the crowd hoping not to be noticed. But I find that’s often where I hang out.
Why is this?
Jesse
June 23rd, 2009 at 8:49 am
I sometimes find that I think I’m “stirred up” when all I am is cranky. Maybe there’s something going on at church I don’t like, or city council is doing something dumb and/or corrupt. So I get all riled up and carp about it a lot. I might even be right, but if all my rightness produces is crankiness and negative talk, I don’t think I’m stirred up the way it’s meant in this passage. John the Baptist urged the Pharisees to “bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance.” We can judge ourselves by our fruit. A good yardstick: if my reaction to some serious issue is in the same vein as my reaction when the Tigers make a bad off-season trade, it’s probably not the work of the Spirit in me. I think being “stirred up” is going to come more in response to the teaching of Jesus, not necessarily in response to something I don’t like going on in the world.
Heather
June 26th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
The Message version translates verse 5 as “He’s stirring up unrest among the people with his teaching, disturbing the peace everywhere, starting in Galilee and now all through Judea. He’s a dangerous man, endangering the peace.”
Disturbing the peace…makes me think about the kind of peace you have from becoming lazy in your bad habits. And how most times you need to be uncomfortable to make a change.