If you are a fan of classic movies, check out the great western, Destry Rides Again. The town of Bottleneck is taken over by an evil rancher who kills the sheriff and replaces him with Washington Dimsdale, the town drunk. But in a wave of self respect, Dimsdale contacts the son of his old friend and famous lawman, Tom Destry, and asks him to come clean up the town. Rather than riding into town on a white horse with guns blazing, young Destry disappointingly arrives on the stagecoach without a gun. Instead, he plans to teach these people how to live together lawfully and in peace.
Shooting Up the Romans
Not unlike Bottleneck, the Jews were looking for their own deliverer to come riding in and save them. Their vision of the Messiah was one who would come in power and glory and shoot up the Roman bad guys. For most of the Jews, Jesus was surely as disappointing as the young Destry was to the citizens of Bottleneck. Sermons on loving one’s enemies were not what the people had in mind. Even John the Baptist seemed to struggle accepting Jesus as Messiah. He expected someone to come in wrath and judgment, winnowing fork in hand, separating the wheat from the chaff. Jesus chose a dinner fork instead, eating and drinking with sinners.
When Jesus asked his disciples who people thought he was, Peter excitedly proclaimed that Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus blessed Peter but the blessing was short-lived. Only a few verses later Jesus had to rebuke Peter for trying to impose his own nationalistic vision of the Messiah upon Jesus.
A Messiah Complex
Like the Jews and John and Peter, we all have our expectations about what we think Jesus should do for us, what we think will make our lives better. We all have our own Messiah complex. If we are not careful, we will be as disappointed with our Messiah as were those first disciples. Jesus does not always act as we might expect or hope. We must take care that we are not more in love with our vision of the Messiah than with the Messiah himself. |L
David Langford ministers with the Quaker Avenue Church of Christ in Lubbock, Texas. He and his wife Lisa have three children: Trent, Devon, and Abbey.
