Agendas

He was alone in the mountains of northern Israel at night in April. He had a retreat planned but it was interrupted by work. People were sick and ignorant and this drove Jesus' change of plans. He healed and taught, and then they got hungry and He had to take time out to do a small miracle we call the feeding of the 5000, no less than an act of creation. Perhaps this was what tipped the balance for some who now devised a plan, an agenda, to take Him by force and make Him king. Jesus had one year left on earth. What would I do if I knew this were my final year? Perhaps I should see what Jesus does with His and then live each of my final years according to His plan.

Being alone in the mountains at night in April would mean it was at least chilly. Matthew's words  "He was there alone" seem mysterious, sad yet spiritual. As the old folk song says, "You gotta walk that lonesome valley; you gotta walk it by yourself." His disciples were in a boat trying to make a short trip to Capernaum. Their agenda was being interrupted by a storm. Jesus will get to it later. For now He needs to pray. He knows that the people are hatching a plot to come take Him by force to make Him a king. Everyone has their plans. The wolf of John 10 has a plan to snatch the sheep. The devil has a plan to snatch the word from people's hearts (Matt.13). Paul was taken away by force for his own protection (Acts 23:10). Jude 23 tells us our agenda is to snatch sinners from the fire. And violent men try to take the kingdom by force (Matt.11:12).

Jesus knows that the way of the world is to get into God's business. People are fickled. At the beginning of Jesus' last year they are drafting Him as their king. At the end they will be putting this same "king" on a cross with an inscription over his head. They want a king, but they also want to tell the king what to do. And if he doesn't solve their problems their way they don't want him. Instead of asking Jesus what God's will is and what his agenda for them is, they make their plan. They conspire to push their own agenda.

This is the clash of two systems: The world and heaven. Jesus' view is "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Their view is "Our will be done on earth regardless of God's will in heaven." Perhaps God might even change His agenda and conform His will to ours. Perhaps, but not likely. Our earthly desires drive our politics and heaven's plan is stuffed in a drawer to gather dust. Or is it? Maybe it is in our drawer, but not His. Instead of a new year's resolution, perhaps we need a new year's agenda. But whose agenda?

Rod