There are times when following Jesus…being a part of the church….feels so right. You feel that genuine warmth of love deep inside as you look at around at the people around you. And you have a sense of peace, knowing that this is God’s world. And despite all that is wrong…we can trust that Jesus IS King of Kings and Lord of Lords….and everything will be alright. Because God is Good. All the time.
Those are the days when we just are wavin’ our palm branches with joy…with gratitude…for Jesus. For one another. For the awesome grace and mercy of God.
And then…somebody says something…..does something. You know…they make a thoughtless remark during coffee hour. Or they change the way you used to do things. Maybe it happened at council…or in the parking lot…or at Bible Study. It might have been somebody elderly …or somebody new….or a kid…or maybe it was the pastor. But, just like that…it’s gone. I mean….all that good feeling disappears and anger and resentment seeps into every nook and cranny until we feel like just walking away. Turning our backs on it all.
Tell me it doesn’t happen like that. I dare you. The truth is…it happens all the time. These beautiful children of God around you….they’re sinners. It’s true. But here’s the rub……I am too…and so are you. Every one of us….has been hurt….but we have also been the person , at some time or another, who has hurt or alienated or angered someone else in this community. We are not without sin, not one of us.
Doggone it….we’re so human. And yet this is the humanity God loves…..and Jesus comes to save. The humanity in us that will wave palm branches of joy and gratitude one day….only to bitterly yell “Kill him”…the next.
This is our story. This holy week….is the story of Jesus….who loves us…as we are. Broken. Petty. Resentful. Weak in faith.
Jesus….who loves us. Even when we turn our backs on him. Even when we turn our backs on one another.
Jesus Who loves us….even at our worst…who never gives up on us….and who drags us back from death and despair again and again…. To teach us to forgive. To teach us to be humble. to teach us to love. To teach us to live. Really live.
To live a Life that has meaning beyond the petty and small, the up and down emotions and hurt feelings…..to live a life that is born in eternity. A life that flows from the spirit of the living God.
A life which nothing…..nothing that anyone else can do….can ever shake. You know, we’re not here because the people here are so great. I mean, some days…it might feel that way, when we’re having such a good time together. But, if that’s why we’re here….we’re in trouble. Because inevitably, we will drop the ball on one another at some point….we can’t help it.
No, we’re here….because we need the grace and forgiveness and love of God to make sense of our lives. We’re here, because in a world where we all screw up over and over again…where nations opt for war and children starve ….we need to know Jesus. We need to know Jesus — who comes into this messed up world…and declares victory. Hanging from a cross, executed, rejected and scorned – taking the worst that nations can do people, the worst that religious and church people can do to people…and the worst that individuals and even friends and family can do to each other…. And He says….this is nothing….compared to the love and power of the God of all creation. This can be forgiven. This can be redeemed. This can be resurrected.
Because God’s love wins.
And that is why we’re here. Never forget. You can stake the farm on it. You can stake your life on it. ….in fact, you should. Whatever this world and its nations may do….whatever church people may do…whatever even our own friends and family may do….God’s love wins. And that will never change.
Listen now…to the story of Jesus…and his love.
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