What Bothers Jesus? (Part 1)

 

 

Read:  Luke 11:37-53

 

As Christians, we too often “major in the minors”.  This means we become focused on less important matters, neglecting things that are priority.  Like Pharisees of old we focus on rules, ideas, preferences, etc. all while neglecting the more important matters…justice, peace, and faith (Matthew 23:23).  

 

We become distracted and begin to focus on things of lesser importance.  I would argue that Jesus is much more concerned about issues like racism, exclusion of LGBTQ+ persons, poverty and violence than he is about things like worship times, music styles, paint colors, etc.  So, how do I align my life with the things that Jesus is concerned about?

 

With this question in mind, I wanted to go deeper into what should be our focus as Christians, as the church/Church, so I asked the question, “What is it that truly bothers/concerns Jesus?”  In essence, what are the “majors” we should give attention to?  What troubles Jesus the most?  What should be our focus as individuals, as a church/the Church?  

 

To find answers I turned to the Gospel of Luke, the gospel aimed specifically at the intersection (maybe collision) between Jewish and Roman life, culture and religion.  You could search the other three gospels, as well, and the answers would be similar.  

 

However, searching for the things that concern Jesus became a more daunting task than I first realized.  There are quite a few things that trouble Jesus.  So much so that I quickly realized this would need to be a two-part article so as not to overwhelm the reader.  It was illuminating, though, to see firsthand that things that upset or concerned him; the things that were Jesus’ priorities.

 

So, I begin by offering a list of things that seem to really concern Jesus in the first half of the Gospel of Luke.  Next week’s article will be those from the second half of the gospel.

 

20 Things that bother or concern Jesus (from the first half of Luke):

 

1.      People who limit God’s work exclusively to one religion or one group of people (Luke 4:24-30).

 

2.     The suffering of people who feel diminished or less than human because of some exterior power or force.  Those who were hurting as a result of illness or what was understood in the day as “demons” (there are many healing stories spread throughout the Gospel).

 

3.     People who wanted to keep Jesus all for themselves (Luke 4:42-43).

 

4.     The threat of attracting so much attention and popularity that one would become disconnected from God (Luke 5:15-16).

 

5.     Religious authorities/experts that don’t trust new movements of God’s Spirit (Luke 5:21-22). 

 

6.     Those who question why Jesus associates with tax collectors, sinners, and others rejected as “unholy” (Luke 5:27-32).

 

7.     Those who are more concerned with keeping the letter of the Law than the spirit behind it (Luke 6:1-11).

 

8.     Those who live for privilege and power (Luke 6:24-26 and 9:23-25).

 

9.     People who love only those who love them (Luke 6:32).

 

10.  People who judge others (Luke 6:37).

 

11.  Those who call Jesus, “Lord”, but don’t actually do what he teaches (Luke 6:46).

 

12.  Those who refuse to see God working beyond their own ideas of God (Luke 7:31-35).

 

13.  Those who are stingy with mercy (Luke 7:36-50).

 

14.  Those who have long known Jesus, but still doubt his care and presence with them in the storms and challenges of life (Luke 9:41).

 

15.  People who are only trying to build up their own status/greatness (Luke 9:46-48).

 

16.  Those who want to be an “inner” group, at the exclusion of others (Luke 9:49-50).

 

17.  Jesus’ followers who desire taking revenge on opponents (Luke 9:51-55). 

 

18.  People who too readily agree to follow Jesus without considering the cost, as well as those who always have an excuse for putting it off. (Luke 9:57-62).

 

19.  When people have too small a definition of one’s “neighbor” (Luke 10:25-37).

 

20.  When life gets so busy with tasks and duties that there is no time or energy left to pay attention to the things of God (Luke 10:38-42)

 

 

Reflect and meditate on this list.  What does is say to you about Jesus’ priorities?  What does it say about your own priorities?