Lament and Action

Scripture Passage

Luke 19:41–48 (NLT)

41 But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. 42 “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. 43 Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. 44 They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.” 45 Then Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people selling animals for sacrifices. 46 He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” 47 After that, he taught daily in the Temple, but the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders of the people began planning how to kill him. 48 But they could think of nothing, because all the people hung on every word he said.

Focus Statement

While facing reality can sometimes cause us great pain and sorrow,

Jesus shows us how this important step can lead us to necessary, God-seeking action.

Point of Relation

In the crowded alleyways of Calcutta,

amidst the cries of the destitute,

stood a woman whose small stature belied her immense courage and compassion – Mother Teresa.

Born Anjezë Gonxha Bojaxhiu (Anyez Gonjay Boyazhoo) in the Ottoman Empire in 1910,

she embarked on a journey of service that led her to the slums of India,

where she founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950.

Yet, her path was not without challenges.

Within the Church, some questioned her unorthodox methods

and criticized her for focusing on the material needs of the poor

rather than solely on spiritual matters.

Despite facing resistance from certain quarters,

Mother Teresa remained steadfast in her belief that serving the poor was an essential expression of faith.

Outside the Church, societal norms posed another set of challenges. \

Mother Teresa defied the caste system by embracing the "untouchables",…or Dalit’s as they are known in India…

and treating them with dignity and respect.

In doing so, she challenged deeply ingrained prejudices and

faced harsh opposition from those who sought to maintain the status quo.

Yet, amidst these threats and challenges,

Mother Teresa's commitment to love and compassion never wavered.

She continued to serve the poor with unwavering dedication,

shining a light in the darkest corners of society and inspiring others to join her in the fight against injustice.

Things to Consider

Sometimes our commitments,

even in church,

do not reflect Jesus’ ways and leadership.

What would Jesus lament if he came to our church today?

What would he do if he came to our community?

What Scripture Says

Today’s passage:

comes immediately after Jesus’ “triumphal entry” into Jerusalem (verses 29-40),

the classic “Palm Sunday” reading.

Friends, on Palm Sunday, we see a contrast between Jesus and Pontius Pilate/Roman leaders,

between two kingdoms and two leadership styles.

The lament in verses 41-45 reveal Jesus’ priorities and the true condition of the city.

Jesus values the true peace (v. 42) that comes from recognizing God and following in God’s ways (v.44)

(e.g., prioritizing prayer (v.46)

Jesus laments the absence of this true peace in the city

and especially in the temple.

Let’s contrast this with what we now call

the “Pax Romana” or “Roman peace” of the time which,

though “peaceful” and “orderly” (in terms of conflict/war and the economy),

was the result of Rome’s oppressive empirical power, often enforced through violence.

What do I mean by that. Let’s look at Jesus. In five days, Jesus will be crucified…

Why…because he was seen as disrupting the peace.

That is how the Roman Peace…the Pax Romana…was enforced.

As with all the lament we have encountered over the last several weeks,

Jesus’ lament here is truth-telling.

By telling the difficult truth,

Jesus moves to a turning point, a time of decision that leads to action.

The lament of verses 41-44 leads to the righteous action of verses 45-46.

(The words “but” in verse 42 and “because” in verse 44

signal this turning point and the connection between what Jesus sees and says in v. 41-44 and his actions in v. 45-46).

The righteous action that follows from Jesus’ lament is a disruption or cleansing of the temple.

In fact, according to John Dominic Crossan,

the “cleansing” could be seen more of a symbolic destruction of the Temple.

Now, it is not Jesus’ purpose to harm or destroy the people.

Jesus is condemning the actions, not the people;

he is lamenting their self-destruction.

As a visionary, Jesus sees and knows what the people cannot/do not see and know –

that by allowing the temple to become a marketplace,

they are on a path to self-destruction and doing harm to their relationship with God.

It might seem like Jesus’ action here contrasts with the peace of which he speaks in verse 32.

However, disruption/action is NOT the opposite of peace.

Sometimes, it is necessary for the sake of real peace.

Notice Jesus’ intention was to restore their prayer lives (vs 45).

After Jesus cleanses the temple,

he is able to start teaching the people (v. 47).

While we don’t know exactly what he was teaching,

we do know that people were drawn to what he had to say (v. 48).

When the people are informed and empowered,

those conspiring against Jesus couldn’t do anything (v. 48).

For those of us in leadership, visionary roles,

that is often the role –

to create a space where people can learn and be empowered.

The cleansing of the temple had to happen for that kind of space to be created.

THIS IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER:

Jesus didn’t come as a new political leader.

He came to speak of a different kingdom, God’s kingdom.

His power was transformative.

He wanted that transformation to happen deep within,

rather than for people to just blindly follow authority.

The transformation/cleansing was first and foresmost of the religious space,

where people thought they knew what God wanted.

ALSO NOTE:

the Romans still did what Jesus said they would do (as a matter of fact, they completely destroyed the temple in 70 A.D.

Jesus’ lament and righteous action (temple-cleansing)

didn’t prevent the destruction of the temple,

nor did it prevent Jesus’ death.

But it was about making a point about who people were spiritually…

about their spiritual lives.

Some questions this could lead us to ask include:

Who are we in the midst of our lament?

Pause

Does our lament (truth-telling) lead us to righteous (godly) action and if so, what is it?

Pause

How does it serve or empower people?

And, will we have the courage to take righteous action even as we face powerful forces…

Even though we may not “win” in the eyes of the world or in opposition to those forces?

Pause

What This Means for You

The story shared earlier reflects the transformative power of courageous action in the face of lamentable injustice.

It portrays Mother Teresa who,

despite facing immense challenges and threats,

chose to confront oppression with unwavering courage and compassion.

Her actions not only alleviated suffering but also inspired others to join in the fight for justice and equality.

When I visited the Tomb of St. Thomas, there was a statue of Mother Teresa…next to Pope John Paul II…

the church had finally embraced her and her service to the poor, acknowledging the importance of social justice in Christian mission and ministry.

Reflecting on this story prompts us to consider how it affects us personally and as a community of believers.

It challenges us to examine our own responses to injustice

and to reflect on the ways in which we can emulate

the courage and compassion demonstrated by those who have gone before us…those such as Mother Teresa.

As individuals, it encourages us to step out of our comfort zones, to speak truth to power, and to take action in solidarity with the marginalized and oppressed.

As your pastor,

I am challenged to embody the spirit of courageous action in my own life and ministry.

I am called to speak truth to power,

to advocate for those who are marginalized,

and to lead by example in the pursuit of justice and reconciliation.

I hope that I have lived that example out for you…even if imperfectly.

Courageous action leads to a space of healing, peace, and learning

such as Jesus created by challenging systems of oppression and fostering reconciliation and restoration with neighbor and with God.

Just as Jesus confronted injustice and stood in solidarity with the marginalized,

so too are we called to follow in his footsteps,

working towards a future marked by healing, peace, and justice for all.

In my own life and ministry,

I have lamented the prevalence of poverty, inequality, and discrimination in our world.

This lamentation inspires me to action,

driving me to advocate for systemic change,

to support marginalized communities,

and to work towards building a more just and compassionate society.

I have done this here in the church and also out in the community wherever I serve…

In Rotary, at municipal meetings, or other community partnerships I have been a part of.

Friends, both new and seasoned disciples may be tempted to skip over lament,

since popular culture emphasizes instant self-fulfillment and quick fixes.

But in lament, we can more clearly define the problem and the pain it causes.

Understanding the problem, especially on an emotional level, is a necessary first step to action.

Let me emphasize that once we understand the problem, we can first lament it and second,

we can envision a future marked by healing and peace.

What This Means for Us

There are times we don’t want to address situations that are destructive

or we don’t even see them as destructive (even in church).

Friends,

how can we shift from destruction/defensiveness/insisting on our own way to lamenting alongside Jesus?

To listening to the truth he makes clear to us?

How can we face and name the truth,

not just to name it but to make needed change or take needed action?

Remember it is one step at a time –

we cannot change everything at once, but we can do something.

We can take one step, trusting in Jesus to help us each step of the way. Amen? Amen.