Jesus Does Not Avoid Death – March 16, 2022

At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.” He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!”
Luke 13:31-33

Jesus Does Not Avoid Death

I know a man who heard from his national government that a local mob was coming for him and that the government couldn’t protect him. That man’s brother-in-law had already been kidnapped by a mob, so the man knew that he should take the warning seriously. He decided to leave temporarily. It is still not safe for him to return.

Jesus had a similar situation, only in his case, it was the national government that was wanting to kill him. Instead of running away, Jesus chose to go toward the seat of the national government and continue his work on the way. Why would he make a choice like that?

Jesus gives a hint to his motives when he talks about reaching his goal in three days. Jesus knew that the only way he would fulfill the prophecies about him would be to die and then rise to life again on the third day. Jesus did not avoid death. He walked right into it because he knew that by his death and resurrection, he would provide eternal life to everyone who believes in him.

One day we will all come face to face with death. Thankfully, Jesus has done everything in his power to give us eternal life when our time for death eventually comes.

Prayer:
Jesus, give me the confidence to face death and enter eternal life with you. Amen.