This coming Sunday is what’s known as ‘Palm Sunday’. Christians all around the world, from different denominations, will begin celebrating the ‘Passion Week’ of Jesus. I’ll get to that in a moment, but first I want to ask you something: What happened the week before? It’s the week before His final week of public ministry. This time frame is ended in Matthew 21.1; Mark 11.1; and John 11.55 when He draws near to Jerusalem, in Bethany.
I want to focus on what happens just before that. He is in Jericho, walks the Wadi Qelt trail to Jerusalem. This trail, with little interruption and a nights camp, is about a two day hike. Today this trail is a hiking journey for tourists, one of which I would love to take. He’s in Jericho in Luke 18 and 19, then departs on His way to Jerusalem in Matthew 20 and Mark 10.
Why am I bringing this up? We are one week out from the Passion week and in need of spiritual revival. The combination of these two facts are haunting. The need of revival and why so many ‘christians’ only come around at Easter? Why is this and Christmas the only special days some gather? I can’t answer that exactly. What I can say is the truth. The truth is, we need each other, and much more as we approach our eventual end here on Earth (Hebrews 10.15). I can also tell you the truth of the Gospel. Pure and simple, the Gospel is: Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. In His sacrificial offering on the cross and the subsequent conquering of death, hell, and the grave, I can be saved. The week before all this happens, is what I’m focused on.
Three things happen when entering, while in, and while leaving from Jericho that capture my attention. Some of my favorite events in Jesus’ story happen here. The first is the story of a blind man healed. The second is of Zacchaeus being saved, and the last is about two more blind men healed.
Let’s begin with Luke 18.35-43. This blind man heard the crowd rustle as Jesus passed by. As soon as he experienced this he asked what was happening. They told him it was Jesus and he immediately started crying out for Jesus to heal him. The strange thing, after three years of ministry, is that these so-called followers scolded the man. They practically told him to simmer down. So he cried out even more! Jesus hears him and has him brought to Himself. At this point Jesus asks him what he would want, and he replies for healing of his eyes. Jesus did it. Jesus told him he did it based upon his faith in Jesus. At this point the man followed Jesus and glorified Him (so did the others with them) on the way to Jericho.
The second scene is while in Jericho. Here in Luke 19.1-10 we find the story of Zacchaeus. This man wronged a lot of people in business dealings. He was the chief of the tax collectors. Remember Matthew, who was Levi, was a publican or ‘Portitore’ in the Roman system. Zacchaeus was a Sub Magistri who would have supervised Matthew a ‘Portitore’. So this “chief of publicans” is a chief dirt bag. He stole to pay the Roman syndicate, the ’Publicani’. He was a tax-gathering syndicate member. His response to the encounter of Christ and the words He spake: “And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.” This man was changed. Jesus wanted to go to this man’s house. Can you imagine? He wanted to come to your house today?! Amazing. Zacchaeus received Jesus joyfully in his house and his heart.
Now Jesus is leaving Jericho for Jerusalem. We are now in Matthew 20.29-34 and Mark 10.46-52. Comparing the two together we see there are two men, one named Bartimaeus. They, like the one before, sat and heard the rush of people. Once they knew it was Jesus, they cried out for healing. Again, the crowd hushed them. Jesus though, as always, stopped and asked them what they needed, to which they said a healing of sight. It says that Jesus had compassion on them, and healed them. Just Jesus being Jesus. Then it says they got up and immediately followed Him in the way.
Taking all of this into account, ponder on this— In less that a week Jesus is going to be arrested, brutally and cruelly abused, tortured, humiliated, and beat nearly to death. He would then be shredded by Roman scourging. Followed by more public humiliation and crucifixion. Jesus knew exactly what was coming His way. He was aware of the worst of the worst. He knew it better than us, including what we still can’t comprehend; the taking of sin upon Himself. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin…” (2 Corinthians 5.21a). He knew this, but still took the time to heal a few people and go to a very sinful man’s house. When no one else would take the time to even hear the blind men, Jesus did! And when no one would step foot in that man’s house, Jesus did!
Jesus took time, out of a heart of compassion, for others. He did so with intentionality. Do we? We make all the same excuses for taking time for ministry with and for others. I’m so blessed to have people in my life who took the time out of their busy lives to have compassion on me. If we love, I mean really love people (compassion) would we take the time to go to their home? Would we have enough compassion to have them to our house? Would we help them in practical ways?
No one ever had more on their mind, more burden in their heart, or more excuses; to instead love anyway. Jesus focused on others as a true servant, and not on Himself. If only we had the compassion for others as He did. If only we would allow this to overwhelm our selfish tendencies. Love, real love is what I see the week before the passion of Jesus. He never stopped, even then. He went on and sacrificed Himself for me the very next week… out of love. As John said— “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”