The Sword and the Stone

What comes to mind when you think of King Arthur? Most know the legend. A young Arthur pulls his sword, Excalibur, from a stone that was enchanted in such a way that only the rightful king could possess it.

What comes to mind when you think of Jesus?

Some view Jesus as a peaceful, mild-mannered, wish-granting type. I wonder if our modern-day Easter traditions reinforce this image. Easter baskets presented to children, layered with shredded green cellophane, and piled high with marshmallow chicks, jelly beans, and chocolate rabbits. Sugary symbols rooted in worship of an ancient pagan fertility goddess bear no resemblance to what a first-century Christian would know of Jesus and his life.

Jesus spoke of Himself in this way,

Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to turn

“‘a man against his father,
    a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
³⁶     a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

³⁷ “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸ Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10: 34-37

Jesus knew that devotion to Him would tear families apart. He knew this from first-hand knowledge.

A week before Easter Sunday is what is known as Palm Sunday – when Jesus entered Jerusalem and was worshipped and adored by crowds waving palm branches.

“They took branches of palm trees and went forth to meet him, and cried “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” John 12:13

Modern-day sports fans wave big foam fingers to show their loyalty to their team. Think of the palm branches like that.

Not everyone was on #TeamJesus, just as He predicted. There were those in the crowd, known as the Pharisees, who really didn’t like Jesus. Pharisees were essentially Jews of Jesus’ time who gave themselves tennis elbow patting themselves on the back for keeping rules that THEY had made up to make themselves look holy, while secretly harboring really wicked thoughts and doing some super shady deeds.

So the sinful Pharisees were rightfully insecure compared to sinless Jesus. They even went so far as to command Jesus to tell his disciples to pipe down and stop worshipping Him.

³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

⁴⁰ “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Luke 19:39-40

Can you imagine the ego it took to attempt to boss around Jesus? That alone is ridiculous to me. But the response from Jesus is chilling. He doesn’t even hesitate before he tells the Pharisees that even if the crowds were to be quiet, the stones would cry out.

Jesus was right, of course. On the day of His crucifixion, there was an earthquake. And another on the day of His resurrection.

“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.  Matthew 28:1-2

Jesus is the Sword that made the Stones cry out. The rightful King has RISEN.

2 comments