The answer is NO, He is not!

Reflecting on Mark 14:43-52

"Am I leading a rebellion?” said Jesus." (Mark 14:48)

There are times when I feel the need to pull out a sword.
Not an actual sword, but the sword of my tongue.
Though sometimes even a more physical weapon, to defend.
I’ve never wanted to kill anyone myself with a weapon.
But some people are so cruel and mean, someone needs to stop them.
My usual go to, when dealing with such people is sharp and cutting words.

Imagine for a moment how the God of love might feel.
Imagine God’s frustration, God’s sorrow, God’s anger.

“The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.” (Genesis 6:5-6)

That quote is from the beginning of the flood story.
The flood story speaks of God’s response to evil and wickedness.
Yet that catastrophe does not succeed in changing the human heart.
It shows us that violence does not end violence.
Wrath and punishment do not make us better people.

Instead of sending a final flood of judgment, God enters into it.
God in Jesus steps into the flood of human depravity.
He comes healing, teaching, blessing, serving, pleading.
He comes in love, not in wrath; in mercy, not in judgment.
God does not instigate a rebellion; God turns evil on itself.
God overcomes evil with goodness and grace, and evil cannot overcome it.
In Jesus we see the God Way of making this world ‘very good’ again.

The disciples were as human as all of us; they first tried force.
They used what they had, a sword, to try to fend off the threat.
But one sword against others only leads to more violence and death.
“For all who draw the sword will die by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52)
Fighting with our words or with our hands does not win the fight.

Jesus was not leading a rebellion; overturning force with force.
Jesus came armed only with the fruit of the Spirit.
He refuses to join the serpent in the way of rebellion.
And this is how He overcomes, and how we are all saved.

Christians today, including myself, need to be reminded of this.
We do not win by gathering a moral majority.
We do not win by electing the most officials who can change the law.
We do not win by carrying guns, and using them for self-defence.
We do not win by out-arguing our opponents.
We do not win by driving the ‘other’ out of our churches or countries.
We do not win by cutting words posted on social media.
We do not win by aligning ourselves with the a political party.
Jesus is not fighting in this world with worldly weapons.
If we try to overpower the devil, we will lose.
The only way to overcome evil is the God Way, the Jesus Way.
It may seem weak and foolish, it may seem ineffective.
It may even get us arrested, persecuted or killed (ask Jesus).

The Jesus Way is love, joy and peace.
The Jesus Way is patience, kindness and goodness.
The Jesus Way faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Notice that last one: the Jesus Way is NOT other-control.
We control our own anger, our own desire for revenge or power.
We control our responses, by allowing the Spirit to produce something different.
We surrender to the Spirit of Jesus who urges us to bear good fruit.

I cannot align myself with modern churchianity.
I cannot align myself with any political party.
I cannot defend or promote any form of christian nationalism.
For the Jesus I follow is not leading a rebellion.
He does not storm the capitol, or organize a protest convoy.
He does not boycott or gather signatures or stage sit-ins.
Jesus leads the way of humble, gracious love.
Jesus is like God, generous and gracious to all people.

“I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:44-45)

“Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:35-36)

Pulling out our swords will not help, neither will fleeing in fear.
Jesus followers join with Jesus in public places.
Demonstrating and declaring the good news of the kingdom.
Being good news to all those around us, that they may experience it too.
Generous, gracious love is God’s Way, the Jesus Way, of overcoming evil.
This is our calling as Jesus-followers!

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, Your Way seems weak, yet it wins. Our ways seem stronger, yet they only magnify the problem. May Your rhetorical question 'am I leading a rebellion?' so stick in my heart and mind that it silences the sinful spirit within me that wants to use words and actions like a sword.

Help me to be merciful, just as God is merciful, that I may live like the Father, like You, in this sad broken world.