No matter who you are or where you are on lifes journey, you are welcome here!
It was a long road from Palm Sunday to Easter,
It was Uncomfortable – as Jesus turned over tables in the Temple and called out the religious leaders.
It was lonely – as his closest friends turned their backs on him to try and protect themselves.
It was terrifying as their leader was sentenced to death by the government and then strung up on a tree.
And through it all, they shouted “save us.”
And through it all, we shout “save us.”
I have never experienced a Lent like this year’s Lent. I have never walked so closely with the disciples in their distress and despair. I’ve never worried about when Lent will end and when Easter will come. But this year….
I do believe that Easter will come…but I’m pretty sure it’s not going to be on April 12.
I do believe that Easter will come but we have a lot more Lent to get through first.
I do believe that Easter will come. It will come on whatever Sunday we are able to physically gather together again and on that day we will celebrate the resurrection, we will bask in the glory of God and community, we will shout and sing Hallelujah.
Easter will come but it’s not on our timeline.
Apocalypse is a Greek word meaning “revelation”,
This crisis is revealing our God given gifts, revealing our strength and courage, revealing the love that we all share, revealing the ways that our love can be expressed.
God’s love has been revealed to us. Our love is being revealed in every moment. Thanks be to God.
It’s not the virus that God is sending, it’s the messengers –
It’s all of us when we…
Demonstrate compassion;
Choose knowledge over fear;
Use only what we need;
Understand each others fears;
Protect the vulnerable;
Lead with empathy.
From the ones who had much, Jesus asks for more. From the one in need, Jesus asks nothing
Our only foundation should be our God known to us through Jesus Christ. A God who disrupts human chaos through divine challenge. Jesus who invites us to a table where everyone has a seat and who feeds us even when the plates seem empty. Jesus who takes down corrupt systems of religious and government by laying down his own life instead of destroying others’.
Peter thinks he’s got it all figured out – Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the anointed, the Promised One who will save the people.
but then Peter gets angry when he finds out what that means.
What matters is not the religious label we claim for ourselves; what matters is what comes out of our hearts. What matters is how we treat others. What matters is how we care for others and for creation. We can say with your lips, “I follow Jesus.” What do our actions say? What comes out of our hearts that leads to action in this world?
My story and your stories may sometimes seem disconnected and disjointed. Our stories are still being written. The story of our partnership in ministry has been filled with tears of sadness and anger and happiness. It’s been filled with moments of joy and mourning and every emotion in between. It’s been filled with love and love and love. And I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Day by day his sweet voice soundeth, saying “Christian, follow me.”
Our leaders claim that we are a Christian nation but are we truly following Christ?
Can we call ourselves Christian or must we take on the name “Legion” as well?