Jericho
Jesus visits Jericho as we read in Luke, chapters 18-19.
I am guessing that Jericho was a pretty cool vacation spot. Have you ever visited an historic battlefield, like Gettysburg? It’s pretty cool to see the place where these amazing, history making events took place.
Jericho probably had a neat visitor center. First you watched the video in the little theatre and learned the real story of the collapsing walls, and the life of the prostitute, Rahab, and some background on the two spies who scoped out Jericho. Then you listened to an old guy portraying Joshua and giving a dramatic monologue about the difficulties in trusting God and leading His people. Then you went outside and took a walk on the raised, fully accessible walkway through a section of ruins of the original walls. These piles of stone were all that was left of the ancient walls of Jericho that had collapsed and allowed the Israelites to overrun the city. (see the Old Testament book of Joshua)
There would be a noticeable pride in the people of Jericho regarding their history. The street names and business titles would reflect an understandable sense of municipal importance. Streets such as Victory Avenue, and El Shaddai Boulevard led to the bustling downtown area where you would find the Trumpet Blast band shell and Seven Times Around consignment shop.
Jesus came to town, and the citizens of Jericho were excited to show off their prominent position in the history and culture of Israel. But…Jesus seemed intent on spending time with the nobodies and rascals of Jericho. He stops for a blind beggar. He invites himself to dinner at the home of Zacchaeus, a corrupt, antisocial tax collector. Didn’t Jesus know they were prepared to give him the key to the city? The Jericho ladies guild was ready to present him with a monogrammed leather bound book titled, Jericho, a short history of fallen walls and freed people. The people rebuked the blind beggar, they tried to prevent Zacchaeus from getting close to Jesus, they muttered, “Jesus seems bent on spending time with sinners”.
Jesus didn’t fit into their plans. Jesus had his own plan. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” Do I try to impress Jesus? Or am I ready to love the “least of these”?
Pastor Jay
