Unimpressed

Jesus seemed unimpressed with what empire considers to be greatness.
The beauty of the Temple building itself, with all its grandeur did not receive Jesus' adulation.
False teachers, regardless of their achievements or wonders got no love.
Paying the Temple tax, dietary codes, purity codes and other religious protocols seemed like a mere nuisance to the Son of Man.
Certainly the Temple fiscal practices, though seen as quite normative and necessary, drew disdain from Jesus, exhibited in a mighty way.
The "righteous" stoning of women caught in adultery elicited fierce opposition from the Son of God.
The Powerful Herod and Pilate, along with other "officials" did not impress Jesus.
The Sanhedrin - Pharisees, Scribes, Sadducees, Chief Priests, Elders did not receive much collegial consideration from Jesus, regardless of their status in society, but indeed drew a lot of Jesus' most extreme criticism.
The wealthy and how they got to be wealthy made them examples of immorality in the moral lessons of Jesus.
The Roman Empire itself seemed to draw more disdain than fear, awe or admiration from Jesus.


What empire values in displays of wealth, power and prestige/status did not impress Jesus.
In fact, they seemed to draw from within Jesus criticism, disdain and opposition from the one sent by God to teach, command and model Kingdom values in Agape Love and Grace.


So, why are we so impressed with such things today, we who claim to follow Jesus?
Grand temples, modern day elders prancing around in thousand dollar suits, mega anything, wonders and signs, and other displays of wealth, power and status, along with any concern for self purity or holiness draw the dedication of many,  rather than making those who claim Jesus question what is at the heart of them or why Jesus in the Gospels does not lift them up as something to be lived.


What impressed Jesus was people living Agape Love with one another.
Lifted up by Jesus were the most vulnerable and the downtrodden by a society dominated by those who benefitted from adopting and living empire values:
The Good Samaritan, the Owner of the Vineyard hiring those overlooked, The Poor Widow, children, Lepers, the Blind, four friends of a paralytic, Syrophonecian woman, Samaritan woman at the well, etc., etc., etc..


What does that tell us?
What is great in the Kingdom of God is humility and the living of Agape Love and Grace in the world.
What is valued by God and modeled by Jesus is the lifting up of those beaten down by empire values and those who have chosen NOT to live those values in their lives here and now, in THIS PART of God's Kingdom.


The movement of believers who are the People of the Way of Jesus live these values, shedding light on what is truly unrighteous and striving to live the Agape Love and Grace with Neighbor that are faithful expressions of our Love for God.


The grandest, greatest, richest, most powerful, most full of bravado and most admired in empire are those with whom Jesus seems to be least impressed.
The greatest are the most humble and giving servants to those most vulnerable, downtrodden and excluded by empire.  For Jesus, they seem to be quite impressive.


With empire and its values, and those who represent them Jesus seems most UNIMPRESSED.


Pastor Jamie