When you watch Jesus closely, you will quickly find that he is watching you. This is not a bad thing. But it can be decidedly unsettling — when you watch Jesus closely, you may end up finding more than you were looking for. That is what the religious leaders — religious leaders both lay and clergy, religious leaders both self-styled and appropriately styled — learn in today’s passage.

            Jesus is going to a Sabbath meal at the house of one of those religious leaders. Why? Was he invited? Why was he invited? Did this religious leader invite Jesus simply to offer this overworked and underpaid, struggling young rabbi a meal, along with some fellowship and relaxation amongst some like-minded people in the midst of his hurried and overburdened life? Apparently not. Jesus was invited to give these religious leaders a chance to watch him closely.

            And why do they want to watch him so closely? Because they feel moved to sit humbly at his feet and learn from him? Apparently not. They are watching him closely because, to put it bluntly, they are waiting, just waiting, for him to mess up.

            What are they looking for, these religious leaders, these authorities both self-styled and officially styled? They are watching and waiting for this pretentious young hotshot to mess up, so they can denounce him, so they can expose him as a fraud and so raise themselves up as the true leaders with the true faith.

            Jesus responds by watching ...approximately 1,080 words remaining. You are not logged in. Please see options at the top of this page to view complete sermon.