The Entire Story

Luke 9.51 (NRSV)

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.

We are heading into the final days of Lent. And in one week we go from high to low. Beginning with the enthusiastic entrance into Jerusalem, we will find ourselves at the table with Jesus as he talks about love. We will witness Jesus’ betrayal, trial, and crucifixion. We will find ourselves outside the tomb dumbfounded by all of it even as we know the final outcome.

Jesus’ death is a hard one to get our heads around. For some the death of Jesus is about paying some ultimate price. For others it is simply because Jesus was seen as a threat, and to get rid of a threat you have to kill it.

So what are we to do in order for us to live faithfully believing that Jesus brings us into a right relationship with God, or atonement, for us all? We listen to the scriptures that remind us that God pursues us. It is God who makes God’s self known to us so much so that God came to be with us in Jesus saving us all. We remember the experiences that we have of God’s activity in our own lives like in baptisms and the welcome to the Lord’s Table. We recall our traditions and the voices of those who have helped shape our faith and held the faith until we can. And we use our God given minds to reason and know that God is love as lived in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. By using all of these: scripture, experience, tradition, and reason, we strengthen the part of us that has faith in the God who is love.

Sunday we are going with Jesus in word, deed and song and we will hear again the final days of Jesus life knowing that through God’s power, resurrection and right relationship happens again and again!