pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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Divine and Human

Reading: Mark 11: 1-11

Verse Two: “You will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden”.

Today is Palm Sunday, the day of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem amidst a cheering and excited crowd of supporters. It is a proclamation of hope and longing by the people. They so want someone to free them from the Romans. For the most part, over the past three years, they have clearly missed seeing the type of kingdom that Jesus is building. It is not a kingdom of might and military power but one of grace and love and mercy and forgiveness and community.

Today’s first clue comes in the mode of transportation. Jesus does not select a fine warhorse to ride into the city. Instead He gives these instructions to the disciples: “You will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden”. Jesus chooses a meek and young animal. That He is able to ride the colt amidst all the noise and celebration testifies to His quiet power. But at the time only His inner circle of disciples would marvel at this. The masses ignored the colt because they wanted and could only see one thing – a possible Messiah to save them from the Romans.

As Jesus enters Jerusalem, He goes to the temple. Many probably followed His there, presuming that He would raise His hands to quiet the crowd before giving a rousing speech to stir up the people even more. But Jesus enters the temple and simply looks around. He then quietly exits the city. Perhaps Jesus was just taking stock of the state of the temple and beginning to formulate a plan for His last week.

Jesus and His disciples quietly clip out of town and go to Bethany for the night. No crowds follow, eager to see what is next. We know that Jesus and company often take rest when they visit Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, so we assume this is where they went to spend the night. Their home is a place that is special to Jesus. It is a place where He finds rest, peace, and community, surrounded by people He loves and that love Him. With the week that lies ahead it is a good place to be for a night.

In the small details of the passage today we get a glimpse into both Jesus’ obedience to God’s plan and into His humanity in needing to surround Himself with a loving community. One shows His strength and true power and the second shows a humble need to be loved and to belong. The divine and the human in one. Thanks be to God. Amen.


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Among Us

Reading: John 1: 1-6 and 19-28

Verse 26: “Among you stands one you do not know”.

John’s gospel begins in the beginning – literally – stating that Jesus was there at the beginning of it all.  Jesus is the creator, the giver of all life.  Jesus is the light that shines into the darkness.  Jesus has been present to mankind since the beginning of time.  For the Israelites, it feels almost that long that they have been waiting for the Messiah.  Their collective journey of faith has been long and winding, filled with ups and downs for a long time now.  And for a long time, hundreds of year now, they have been waiting for, longing for, anticipating the coming of the One.  It has been 400 years since the last prophet of God even spoke, so John the Baptist draws a crowd when he begins to preach and baptize out in the wilderness.

As a little buzz begins to grow around John, the religious leaders send out some investigators to find out just who John the Baptist really is.  It sort of sounds like he could be the One.  In response to the investigators initial question, John responds clearly, “I am not the Christ”.  For all real purposes, they quit listening.  But then they remember they were sent to find out, so they continue to ask who he is.  Okay then, who are you?  John tells them he is not Elijah returned or any other prophet that they know.  He simply tells them that he is the messenger that Isaiah prophesied.  John quotes from Isaiah 40, saying, “I am the voice of one calling out in the desert, ‘Make straight paths for the Lord'”.  Instead of hearing that the Messiah is about to emerge, they turn to other questioning, giving evidence that they did not really hear this answer either.  The religious leaders miss the point of why John is here.  It is not about John or what he is doing, it is about what is about to happen.  You’d think that for a people waiting hundreds of years for the Messiah, they’d be all over John’s news.

Many people are right here today, just where the religious leaders are.  They sense there must be more to life, they want more for their life, they sense the possibilities.  John says to the religious leaders, “Among you stands one you do not know”.  This remains true today.  Jesus is still right here, right now.  He stands among us.  May we, like John the Baptist, be the voices calling out in the wilderness today, helping others to know the One who stands among us, Jesus Christ.


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The Parade

Reading: Luke 19: 28-40

Most of life is routine.  We settle into our daily schedules and we prioritize so we can accomplish all we need to get done.  We sometimes experience a blip but we can usually push through and get back on track.  As Jesus began the journey to Jerusalem, He knew the journey would end at the cross.  Not many journeys end this way.  But even Jesus kept on track – He taught and healed along the way as He neared the city.

Then came the parade.  He sent two disciples ahead to find a vehicle for the guest of honor but that was all Jesus did in terms of organizing the parade.  Note that He did not send two disciples to this town and two to this village to drum up a big crowd.  Jesus simply got on a donkey and headed towards Jerusalem.  As the parade continued it picked up momentum on its own.  After all, the guest of honor was someone lots of people had heard about and wanted to see.  By word of mouth the parade route filled up and energy grew.

Clip-clop after clip-clop excitement built and pretty soon the crowd began to sing and shout and cheer.  The people who came out to see Jesus, this simple man who taught and healed in powerful ways, were suddenly cheering for a King who could raise up a powerful army to defeat the Romans.

I think Jesus knew where the building emotions would lead to as the parade continued.  The idea of a King to lead by power and might is just so juxtaposed to who Jesus was.  He never used the power and might that was surely His to use.  Jesus’ power came in how He loved others, in how He built relationships, and in how He humbly served.  The parade served to show the world who Jesus was not.  He lived to show us who He was so that as His disciples we would follow His example.  May we go forth into the world to love, to build relationships, and to serve others humbly, all for His glory and all for His kingdom.


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Expect God

Expectations.  We all have them.  When someone you know and love is struggling with something, what do you expect?  When life throws you a curve ball, what us it that you expect?  For most of us, we expect to make it through, to be okay in the end.

A large crowd had gathered to hear Jesus teach that day.  They were spellbound with His words.  The day grew long.  Jesus tossed a problem to the disciples – feed them.  We’ve been there – maybe just not quite this extreme.  Boss or teacher or parent tosses us an assignment, project, or task that is due yesterday.  After the panic passes, we set to it and somehow get it done.  Sound familiar?

The disciples also panic.  They utter out loud what we usually only think.  What?!  Do you know what you are asking?  There are thousands here!  Can you see Jesus watching, arms folded, slight grin on His face?  Without being asked He steps in.  Just moments later thousands have eaten their fill and 12 baskets of leftovers are gathered up.  All from two fish and  five loaves of bread.  A miracle has happened.  All are amazed at His power.

Do you think they all expected to be fed?  Surely they could see there was no caravan of wagons laden with food.  Do you think any of the disciples’ first thought was to turn to Jesus when He handed out this impossible task?  Neither is mine.  It should be.  I read all about the miracles.  I believe them.  I hear of miracles in the world today.  I believe they happen all the time.  I just don’t expect them in my life.  I should.  Lord God, open my eyes and heart to the expectation of miracles in my life and in my world.  Help my unbelief.

Scripture reference: John 6: 1-15


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The Parade

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday.  Many children in many churches will parade into places of worship waving palm branches and singing songs.  It will be festive.  It will be joyful.  It will be like a good parade.

Parades usually accompany a special holiday or a special event.  It can range from a holiday like St. Patrick’s Day to an event like winning a big championship.  Parades are a celebration of something or someone.  The folks along the route cheer, encourage, and support those in the parade.  The folks in the parade wave, smile, thank people for coming, and maybe pass out candy.

On that first Palm Sunday, there certainly was a parade, although it was kind of an accidental parade.  The Jewish people were gathered to celebrate the Passover, a remembrance of great significance in the Jewish faith.  The spontaneous parade that broke out was for this prophet Jesus.  He too was born and raised a Jew so many in the crowd would assume He was also coming to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.  And partly He was.  Even the disciples and followers who went along with Jesus did not really know what was about to unfold in the week ahead.

As Jesus rode along He must have smiled and waved to the crowd – you know, the parade wave.  Upon entering the city He went to the temple.  He took it all in and then went out to Bethany for the night.  He would return to the temple the next day, but, for now, He was just observing.

For us, Palm Sunday is a little like that.  We see and observe but know what is coming too.  Tomorrow may we celebrate with Jesus, the King.  May we be a part of the parade and may we celebrate His willingness to walk into the week ahead.

Scripture reference: Mark 11: 8-11 and 15-18