How about them Rangers! Friday night’s game was wonderful to watch as our Rangers won a close and exciting game.  Of course, I don’t expect Arizona fans felt the same way.  The game is always better when your team wins. It’s a matter of perspective I suppose.  We all want to see our side win and certainly affects the way we see the game.

Could this kind of perspective someway relate to how we see the coming of the kingdom of heaven and even our image of Jesus?  In Matthew 22 Jesus has had several long conversations with the religious leaders of the time.  He tries to explain how things are different than they are expecting them to be.  It has a lot more to do with how we treat one another, and love God and love others than a sword swinging Messiah who will destroy all their enemies and put them up as the great winners of humanity.  Considering the way some big events, like the Exodus, have occurred in their nations past, it is not so far fetched an idea.  So Jesus tries another tactic, by asking them who the Messiah will be, who’s son will he be?  The traditional and reasonable answer is the Son of David.  A basic reading of Ezekiel 34 could point to the Messiah as the Good Shepherd, son of King David, a former shepherd.  One who will put the enemies of Israel under their foot in a mighty act of war.  But Jesus disagrees.  I think he greatly wants the leaders of Israel to see him for who he is, but expectation and desire has a way of clouding our vision.  They wanted to be the winners as they understood life.  Likewise, we want to be the winners as we understand life.  So if we have to dress Jesus up to look and think like ourselves then that’s okay.  Right?  Or maybe Jesus has his own way of seeing things.  Maybe Jesus understands more about this existence of ours than we do. 

It may be time to let Jesus and the Holy Spirit tell us who he is and what his kingdom is about.  Join us Sunday and we will talk more about this, it’s good news!

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Pastor Rick