In this unprecedented Easter Sunday, churches across America have closed their doors. Some Christians are saying, “Hey! Wait a second. Hasn’t this Coronavirus pushed us too far? This is insanity that we can’t go to church on Easter Sunday?” And some real sanctimonious blowhards out there are trying to tell Christians that Jesus would have you stay at home, practice social distancing, wear a mask and do whatever it takes to take care that your neighbor doesn’t get sick. The What Would Jesus Do crowd claims that the Christian thing to do is forgo the assembling of ourselves as the manner as they have.
The problem is, trying to figure out what Jesus would do is kinda of an uncertain science. We don’t know what Jesus would do? It would just be guessing. I mean Jesus is God. There’s nothing novel about the Corona. God’s been sending plagues since the Exodus. Anyhow, Jesus was always confounding everybody anyway; doing and saying the unexpected. Nobody could ever pin him down. “What would you do Jesus? Taxes? Adultery? Commandments? Resurrection?” There was a point where they just plain gave up trying to figure him out. And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. (Matthew 22:46)
So I would think that asking and trying to answer What Would Jesus Do? could quite probably fall under that 2 Timothy 2:23 and Titus 3:9 category: foolish questions. Rather, it may be more helpful, on this unprecedented Easter Sunday, to ask What DID Jesus Do?
#1 Jesus put himself and his loved ones at risk.
Back in those days, the most dreaded disease was the disease of leprosy. Nobody touched a leper. Six feet was not good enough for a leper back then. They were shunned and exiled from society because nobody wanted to catch the Lepervirus. But what did Jesus do when he encountered a leper. And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. (Matthew 8:2) Hold on leper. Let me get my gloves on. Let me put on my N95. Hold on, let me slip on this face mask. No. Jesus was not particularly worried about catching leprosy. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. (Matthew 8:3) Oh goodness! He touched him!
Granted he is God. So what’s he worried about, right? Well, what about his disciples? Jesus might have been a carrier. Yet since he’s God, he’s asymptomatic. So he could pass it on to his disciples? I mean the law does say that anybody that a leper touched was unclean and you weren’t supposed to touch them. I guess Jesus didn’t love his disciples enough after all, huh?
#2 Jesus did not practice social distancing.
The Pharisees had a major problem that Jesus didn’t practice social distancing. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? (Matthew 9:11) Jesus was just very social. And the self-righteous Pharisees looked down upon Jesus because he didn’t socialize the the way they thought he should socialize. Today we got them today too. They would never go along with Jesus and the loaves and fishes, feeding 5000 men with their families. And Jesus touching all the food? They would call that a possible Super-Spreader. I can just hear them: Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. (Matthew 15:2)
I’m glad Jesus didn’t social distance himself from me. I’m glad he passed by my way. And I’m glad I caught what Jesus had. Oh thank God for the imputed righteousness of Christ! And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: (Philippins 3:9)
#3 Jesus did not prevent the death of a loved one.
Oh my! This is where the rubber meets the road. I mean Lazarus, one that the bible emphatically tells us that Jesus loved, was dying. And Jesus did not rush to prevent his death. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. (John 11:6) If Jesus loved Lazarus, shouldn’t he have rushed over there and healed him? That’s what Martha thought. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. (John 11:21) That’s what Mary thought. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. (John 11:32) They both shamed and blamed Jesus for the death of their brother.
What would Jesus do? Would anybody have thought Jesus would have done that? That’s why it’s important to ask What DID Jesus do? I’m reminded of Job. God was proving Job. And in doing so, he let Satan wipe out his entire family. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9)
#4 Jesus went to church.
It was Passover time, and Jesus was pretty adamant about going into Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Yet he knew it was going to be dangerous and that death was imminent. From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed… (Matthew 16:21) But the threat of death mattered not to Jesus. He was determined to go. And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem. (Luke 9:51) But Peter wouldn’t have it. He loved Jesus too much to risk him dying. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. (Matthew 16:22)
But then Jesus schooled Peter as to the real nature of his display of compassion. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. (Matthew 16:23) No. Jesus was going to Jerusalem. Nobody was going to stop him.
#5 Jesus did not shelter in place.
They tried to quarantine Jesus in the tomb. They didn’t want him getting out. They were afraid the disciples might catch something. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch. (Matthew27:66) The Pharisees, the chief priests, and Pilate thought that they could issue a Stay-at-home order for the dead body of Jesus. They thought they had the power to keep Jesus from breaking out of that tomb. They had no idea they were resisting the higher powers. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. (John 10:18) No power on earth or in heaven could stop Jesus from coming out of that tomb. Not even the dreaded Covid-19! Or the tough guy, Governor Brian Kemp, could keep that tomb closed! Jesus’ dead body was not subject to Stay-at-home orders. Absolutely not. God raised him from the dead! (Acts 13:30) And He rolled back the stone.
When Mary and Mary Magdeline went to the sepulchre on the Lord’s day. They thought Jesus’ dead body would be where it belongs, but were shocked to find the stone rolled back and the angel of the Lord sitting up on the stone. The women asked, “Why isn’t Jesus’ dead body abiding by the Stay-at-home order? And the angel said, “He practicing a little divine disobedience. He is not here: for he is risen.” (Matthew 28:6)
Happy Easter!
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11)
Leave a Reply