Year A Proper 17 WED 2023 Not Picking Jesus

 Year A Proper 17 WEDNESDAY, 6 September 2023

St. James the Less Episcopal, Ashland, VA

“Not Picking Jesus”

Collect: Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

Mark 15:1-11 

As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ He answered him, ‘You say so.’ Then the chief priests accused him of many things. Pilate asked him again, ‘Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you.’ But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed. 

Now at the festival he used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked. Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom. Then he answered them, ‘Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?’ For he realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. 

We all get to times and places where we think about how we will be remembered. I love seeing lists of movie critics who panned now famous or classic films. They focus on such minor things, missing the bigger picture far too often. Or sometimes they are just plain wrong. It happens more than we might want to admit.

Michael Jordan did not make his high school basketball team. Think how that coach feels! The Greatest of All Time, the GOAT. And he was not even allowed on the bench.

Hindsight is 20/20, they say. I often think back on hard situations, and think of what I could have said or done differently. Maybe you do, too. But think on this, how would you like to be the ones who were remembered for not picking Jesus.

Now the religious leaders were doing the politically appropriate thing. They were making sure that the status quo, which was precarious, was maintained. They had brokered a deal with the Roman Empire, where they did not have to swear allegiance to the Emperor yearly by paying their tax and stating, “Caesar is Lord.” If they just would ante up their share of the taxes, this “Caesar is Lord.” stuff could be forgotten. But then Jesus comes along.  They needed to have the upstart that people were paying attention to to go away. Now, Barabbas was not good. An insurrectionist and rebel, Barabbas was not a good choice. No one thought he was. But he was known, and could make a great foil to Jesus. So they called for him to be released, not Jesus.

No one thought that Jesus was guilty of anything, except maybe upsetting the religious leaders. And that was not guilt producing, really, and said more about them than it did about him.

Looking back, we see them in horror. How could they?

But then I think about the times when I did not choose Jesus, either.

It comes when I do not take up my cross.

It comes when I choose my way instead of his way.

It comes when I worry more about what people think than what God would have me do.

It comes when I stay silent when I should speak up.

It comes when I go with the crowd, even though the road the crowd is on is paved with good intentions instead of goodness.

I choose something other than Jesus all the time. You may, too.

When do I cry, “Barabbas! Barabbas! Barabbas!”?

Lord, help us choose Jesus more and more every day. Amen