Tuesday, March 26, 2013

And Another Thing . . . Passion week.






Jesus replied, "Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.  I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone.  But its death will produce many new kernels--a plentiful harvest of new lives.  Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.  Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am.  And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.  John 12:23-26



Jesus most likely said this the day before his big deal entry into Jerusalem. He is about to ride in to the city knowing he will lose his life. The city is full of stories, as the film noir movies say. Most in the city are trying desperately to keep, horde, survive, preserve, stabilize, improve, or win in their stories. Jesus was going to the city to die and be the kernel that would produce a “harvest” of life.

I wonder, though, if most people in the city were too busy to notice.

This is the week of Jesus’ passion, as it is called. Perhaps it should be called the week of his crazy love. This is the week his love drove him to do crazy things to save the ones he loved. This is the week when for love’s sake he decided to intentionally walk into pain, shame and death. He loved us so much that he “despised the shame and endured the cross.” He loved us so much that he allowed himself to be abandoned by everyone . . . even God.

You probably know the story.

I woke up this morning thinking about how busy I am. And then, “oh yeah, this Sunday is Easter.”  Now I have been thinking about my Easter sermon, but that is different than thinking about Easter. So I am sending out this little note to encourage us to notice what God did in this week all those years ago.

I am frequently haunted by the thought of missing God. Not in terms of going to hell, but in terms of just missing what he is doing all around me. I wonder if the people two of three streets over from Jesus’ “Palm Frond” entry into their city had any clue that the messiah was just a few blocks over. Maybe they were invited to the parade but felt like they were too busy. So they kept doing their small things and missed a really big one.

Don’t miss Easter this year.

Don’t miss it right now.

Take a moment and notice God.

Think about what He did in that ancient Spring.

Think about what he is doing right now.

And that is all I have to say about that . . . for now.

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