That sounds like what one of our kids would say when they're in a bad mood. Or maybe it's a little like some of the other statements we hear, "I don't care what you think", or "I'm not going to do that no matter what you say." These types of statements usually have a very negative connotation however, the statement "go away and leave me alone" is a rough translation of one of the statements of Jesus. Can you ever imagine the time or an event when Jesus would actually make such a statement? One thing I've learned from studying the words of Jesus is that sometimes what our Lord had to say might surprise us. He is kind and loving, but also strong and direct when He needs to be. His words are directed according to the need of the moment, which means they're not always soft and gentle. As we continue to look at the words of Jesus in our series on red letter sermons, we will look both at the gentleness and the directness of our Lord and Savior. Your challenge for Sunday morning when you first arrive at services is to tell me when and where Jesus might have said something similar to "go away and leave me alone". I'll be looking forward to seeing you Sunday morning.
Dean
