Message: Way to Jerusalem / Luke 13:31-35

At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’ Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’ ” 

Immature people see the world through a me-centred lens. They put their desires first, judging, criticizing, and looking down on others. They sow division with arrogance and hatred, justify violence against the vulnerable, and destroy the environment. They try to rise higher by pushing others down.

Mature people, on the other hand, see the world through a God-centred lens. This does not mean they place any one religion or church at the centre. Instead, it means seeing others and all creation through God’s eyes - through the endless mystery of love, revealed in countless ways across the vast universe and throughout history. For them, every person is precious, and every creature is a gift from God.

Paul describes this difference as the “old self” and the “new self.” Christian faith allows us to turn from a me-centred view to a God-centred one. Paul says: “You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22–24).

Today's Gospel reading highlights the contrast between the old self and the new self. This story unfolds as Jesus makes his way to Jerusalem. He began his ministry in the region of Galilee, where he showed those considered worthless the love of God and challenged the unjust beliefs of those who lived solely for their profit. Jesus emphasized: "The one who wants to be first will be last, and the one who wants to be last will be first."

Oppressors convince the oppressed that their suffering is destiny. When people accept their suffering as fate, the power of oppression grows stronger. But Jesus awakened people from this hopelessness, calling them to see the world through a God-centred lens. He revealed the truth that all people are worthy. For this reason, those who gained power through oppression saw Jesus as a troublemaker. One such person was Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee. That is why some Pharisees came to Jesus, warning him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you” (13:31).

Herod Antipas was a tetrarch who ruled part of the Palestine region appointed by the Roman emperor. He was not a lion, but a fox who needed to stay loyal to Rome. He wanted to be like his father, Herod the Great, who ruled over the entire country. So, he heavily taxed his people to support the Roman Empire, which needed more money for war. He also built Romanized cities like Sepphoris and Tiberias. Since Herod was immature and saw the world through a me-centred lens, trapped by the old self, he did not listen to others. He silenced his critics, like John the Baptist, who was executed for challenging Herod’s immorality. Now, Herod saw Jesus as another threat because Jesus proclaimed God’s reign of love and peace, the opposite of Rome’s rule of violence and discrimination. Reports of Jesus’ ministry made Herod fear, thinking Jesus might be John the Baptist returned from the dead.

Despite the threat from Herod, Jesus was not afraid. He had no fear of a fox maintaining his power through lies and arrogance. Jesus did not give in to the demands of those who cried, "Rome first," driving the world into chaos. He remained focused on his purpose: to go to Jerusalem. Today, tomorrow, and the next day, he would stay on the way to Jerusalem. This was not driven by fear, powerlessness, or frustration - but by God’s love.

Jerusalem was originally seen as the City (jeru) of Peace (salem), where God’s hope would be realized. When God freed the Hebrews from Egypt, God had a dream for them: to build a new society where no one would be oppressed. God stressed that they must remember God's mercy toward them so they would care for the vulnerable in their community. The covenant God gave them stated: “You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt. You shall not abuse any widow or orphan. If you do abuse them, when they cry out to me, I will surely heed their cry; my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children orphans. If you lend money to my people, to the poor among you, you shall not deal with them as a creditor; you shall not exact interest from them. If you take your neighbour’s cloak in pawn, you shall restore it before the sun goes down; for it may be your neighbour’s only clothing to use as cover; in what else shall that person sleep? And if your neighbour cries out to me, I will listen, for I am compassionate.” (Exodus 22:21-27). 

However, the leaders of Israel often broke this covenant. Instead of building God’s kingdom for the oppressed, they sought to create an empire for the oppressors. The rulers no longer saw the world through a God-centred lens. Prophets who reminded the Israelites of God’s covenant were seen as troublemakers. The rulers only sought their power, killing the prophets again and again, which eventually led to Israel’s destruction. Nevertheless, God never gave up on the people. Like a mother hen sheltering her young, God kept gathering them in love.

Jesus' destination was Jerusalem. More specifically, it was Golgotha. Rev. Jinha Koh, one of my teachers at the seminary in Korea and a poet, compares Golgotha to the cosmic navel in one of his poems. Every person has a navel, a sign that we were physically connected to our mother when we were in her womb. With patience, sacrifice, and love, the mother sustains the child through the umbilical cord until birth.

Koh writes that Golgotha, where Jesus was crucified, represents God’s patience, sacrifice, and love. The cross is the sign of God’s labour of love to bring forth a new heaven and a new earth, where the old self dies and the new self is born. Jesus knew he would suffer at Golgotha, but he continued toward Jerusalem, trusting in God’s hope. There, he became not a fox seeking power, but a mother hen offering love.

Then, where is our Jerusalem today? Where is the place that desperately needs the love of God, like a mother hen sheltering her chicks? 

On a personal level, our Jerusalem may be our inner hearts. It may be the wounded souls shaped by the many difficulties and hardships we have encountered. It may be the pain of past disappointments, fears, and brokenness in our relationships. But living under the weight of these wounds is not our destiny. We are not people of fate, but people of faith. We believe that Jesus is coming to our hearts to free us from the old self, embracing our weaknesses, limitations, vulnerabilities, and mistakes. 

On a broader level, Jerusalem may be the places destroyed by those who claim they must be first, striving to be the greatest at the expense of others. It may be Palestine and Ukraine, torn apart by war. It may be Greenland, where their sovereignty is threatened by a powerful nation. It may be the habitats of endangered species facing extinction due to the environmental crisis. It may even be the United States, where a thirst for power threatens not only the world but its own people.

Jesus is still on the way to Jerusalem. He walks toward our wounded hearts. He walks toward places distorted by violence and injustice. And he invites us to walk with him. It will not be easy, but it will be the most meaningful journey, one that brings us true happiness. We do not need to be afraid. God is our mother hen.

Today, tomorrow, and the next day, we will walk the way of love with Christ. At the end of the way, there will be a cosmic navel. At the end of the way, the old self will pass away, and the new self will be born. At the end of the way, there will be a beautiful resurrection. At the end of the way, there will be the kingdom of God.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Rev. Min Hwang

South Stormont Pastoral Charge