The Biggest Renegade of Them All

Tuesday of Holy Week


Matthew 26:20-23

When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?” He answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.”

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The jig is up the news is out they've finally found me
The renegade who had it made retrieved for a bounty

"Renegade" by Styx

The Son of God and the Son of Man as the Renegade, it makes a lot more sense than you might think. The subject of the faith, the holiest of the holy, he stayed with tax collectors. He let a woman (that's bad enough) of ill repute (even worse) tend to his feet at dinner. He called as disciples the impetuous, the short tempered, the "Sons of Thunder," a Roman collaborator, and a Zealot. He would even call the one who would betray him. For one who is so holy you'd think he would spend his time in the with a better class of people.

Au contraire...

Jesus had his harshest words for those who were supposed to be taking care of the God's temple and doing God's work. He was gentle with those who were suffering. He stood with and for those on the fringes.

He was a renegade, his teaching, his work, and his faith were a challenge to the leaders, both the temple and civil leaders. Something had to be done, and it was done. The renegade who had it made retrieved for a bounty.

The Good News is that nothing could contain the Christ. Not the expectations of the people, the betrayal of his disciple, the conspiracies of the leaders, or even Pilate washing his hands.

What's better is that if God can defeat this, what can't we do through him? God is doing a new thing in our lives and in all life. This weekend, we may think the jig is up, but by Easter, the old jig is going to be shattered.