Hosanna! God save us!

Hosanna!

It echoes through the ages. 2000 years ago as a crowd of people shouted a refrain written by King David a thousand years before. And even today we repeat these words.

Hosanna!  God save us!

The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

Matthew 21:9 NIV

The shouts sound out from an excited crowd that is slowly making it's way down the Mount of Olives and is entering the city of Jerusalem. 

Hosanna! 

People from all over the country have come up to the city to celebrate and today is the day they will be selecting their passover lamb.

Hosanna! 

Perhaps there are different people in the crowds,  parents concerned about their children and details of the holiday, rural folk overwhelmed with crowds and sort of chaos, some that are excited and anticipating all that is coming. 

Yet there is a tension, Jerusalem isn't exactly free. The Romans are still here and they are watching, making sure that things don't get out of control.

Hosanna! 

God save us!

Save us from this oppression as you saved Israel from Egypt so long ago.

Hosanna! 

God save us! 

Save us from our struggling, from the hardships, from the foriegn nations,  save us! 

Hosanna!  God save us! 

Perhaps we are crying this too. 

God save us! Save the vulnerable from sickness. Save our communities from this pandemic.  Save our nations from economic disasters. Save those who are working on the front lines. Save those who are grieving. Save those who feel like they are going crazy. 

Hosanna! God save us! 

But then Jesus pauses on his descent down the Mount of Olives and weeps.

As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.

Luke 19:41‭-‬42 NIV

Did the people understand what was happening? Did they think that this king, riding in on a donkey was going to save them from the Roman empire and heavy taxation? 

Did they think that this miracle worker was going to save the sick and suffering from their pain here on earth? 

Did any of them realize what he was coming to Jerusalem to do? 

Hosanna! God save us!

There was nothing else that could save us from the penalty and guilt of sin. Only God could do that and Jesus, being fully God, was the only one who could save us. 

Just as the passover lambs in Egypt saved those who were in each house, Jesus is the perfect passover lamb whose blood saves all.

Hosanna! God save us! 

As we cry out those same words this year. 

Do we realize what is real of importance? 

Are we crying out more for God to save us from a virus? God save us from chaos and need. God save us from uncertainty and loneliness. 

God, thank you that you have paid the price and saved us from sin. 

And through all of this chaos, need, uncertainty and loneliness I long for God's  redemption and trust that He can save us from all this, yet even through all this, I will praise His name, for through Jesus Christ we are saved!

Hosanna! God save us!

Psalms 118:22‭-‬29 NIV

The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 

the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.  

The Lord has done it this very day; 

let us rejoice today and be glad.   

Lord , save us!  Lord , grant us success!  

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord . 

From the house of the Lord we bless you.  

The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us. 

With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.  

You are my God, and I will praise you; 

you are my God, and I will exalt you.  

Give thanks to the Lord , for he is good; 

his love endures forever.

Have Peace - you will suffer

When we think of the resolutions we make, they are positive. We want to be better, stronger, greater, ect. Most of us don’t make resolutions like, I want to suffer more, or I want troubles, but in the Christian life, we are told that we will have troubles.

So how do we reconcile this idea that we should strive to better, that we should desire to the best that we can with the gifts and talents that God has given us and the fact that we are going to have trouble?

The burden of the resolution often results in failure sometime later. The gyms are full in January and by March…. They are almost back to the normal crowd. But Jesus told his disciples that all these troubles would come – so that they would have peace.

You’re going to suffer! Have peace… it doesn’t quite sound right….

Working at a Christian camp from time to time we were encouraged during difficult times that when God is working in such significant ways, we shouldn’t be surprised that the devil puts up a fight. So yes, if we are doing God’s will, we will have trouble! Take courage, you’re on the right path!

Perhaps the fact that we will suffer can help us shape our goals and resolutions better. I will strive to maintain a healthy body so that I  can glorify God and maybe learn better self-discipline in the process. But I know that I will age and my body will break and I look forward to the new body I will receive in heaven.  I commit to managing my money more wisely – so that I can be part of Christ’s Kingdom coming here on earth.  I commit to spending more time with family and friends instead of screens because God loves people, not pixels.

So how does your faith impact your resolutions?

Are the resolutions we make a way of once again dying to sin and picking up our cross and following Christ?

How will you react when you can’t keep your resolution? When we fail? When we grow old?

John 16:33

³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Grace for a Man like Barabbas

Matthew 27:26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

This story has been on my mind lately. A group of people that prefer to have a murder released to them in exchange to have teacher, the Messiah crucified. 

I realize for a long time I have seen this story as an example of how twisted and lost the people were, that they would be capable of asking for the release of a murder and exchange for Jesus. All the while I held to the knowledge that God is sovereign and this was all part of His plan to redeem His people, I glanced over the idea that maybe this story is also a picture of God's grace as well. 

From the story it appears that that Jesus and Barabbas were in the same place at the same time. Being presented to the people. Pilate, trying to convince them to let this innocent man free, chooses the worst of the criminals that he has available and offers a choice to the people.  

Jesus and Barabbas standing next to each other.  If there was a limit to God's grace - if there was one thing that Christ didn't die for - it would probably be this. Inciting protests and murder, setting the stage for continued violence and tensions between the ruling power and the people. (And although the specifics are different - I wonder if the current tensions in Israel and Jerusalem  may communicate some of the same emotions and tensions that existed then)
Jesus didn't say a word. Being the son of God he had every right to say something. To use this platform, to announce his purpose, to lay out the stipulation and details of the covenant he had come to renew. But he didn't say anything. 

If Barabbas was beyond Jesus' grace I imagine he would have said something. He could have said something like - "Ok, I came to offer grace to all people, but you, you have destroyed the lives and families of hundreds of people, you have disturbed the peace, at least you must realize the gravity of you actions before I extend my grace." or "My grace is for all - except the worst ones."  or even "Pilate - did you really have to go this far to bring out the worst?! I can extend grace to thieves and tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners - but this guy! he has murdered and probably doesn't even regret it!"

But Jesus didn't say anything. Maybe he didn't say anything, because the worst of sinner, the most despicable criminal is still within the limits of God's grace. Everyone, who  still has breath in their lungs is within those limits. Both the thieves on the crosses and the man name Barabbas in Pilate's court were enough for Jesus to go to the cross. 

I find that it is easy for me to say these things, to know in my head that God's grace is for all, no matter to what 'degree' of sinner they are (if there really is such a thing). But when it comes to real life it is much harder to wrestle with. In the past month there has been a string of attacks in Jerusalem carried out by Palestinian extremists.  Recent conversations have been around how sever ought their punishment be or what type of justice is needed. Most often the attacker has been killed so the punishment is against their family, who often celebrate the martyrdom of their family member.  

Justice is needed, if we want a  civil world, we can't just dismiss it  in the name of grace and pretend like it is all OK. But the question remains with me, how ought we act or respond in ways that recognize that the grace we received is also showed to the worst of us.  If we are it image bearers of God, how do we show the God's grace is also to them? We are the messengers of God's grace, simply carriers, we do not have the authority to change or alter the contents of the message we carry. We do not have the authority to place limits on it,  or fences to Barabbas' out. If we start to place limits on grace, we better be careful, because with our tendency to portray our lives better than they really are, likeliness is that the limits we place on it would exclude ourselves. 

I don't have answers yet, but I don't want to fall into the trap of using terms and language that clump all Palestinians or Arabs into the same group as the extremists, and on the hand I don't want to become so skeptical as to avoid the truth. Maybe it is the fine balance of speaking the truth in love and Paul talks about in Ephesians.  I haven't figured it out, and I feel that it may be a lengthy journey,  but by God's grace, may we learn how to show love to the Barabbas's.

'and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace'

I was reading this passage over, and in the light of recent news reports and conversation about peace, it stands out.

Peace. It seems that our world is anything but peaceful. It doesn't take long to find stories of how peace is shattered. Tensions are high, the attack in Ottawa, the light-rail attack in Jerusalem, the continuing devastating attacks in Syria, the uncertainty of ISIS, the spread of Ebola, and numerous other events, long-term and sudden crises that can shake up close to home or far away.

Stand your ground. It is a phrase that is used earlier in this passage. Soldier are ready before the battle even begins. They are familiar with their equipment, of which their shoes are an important part. They may have walked many miles in those shoes before they see anything. Just as in your favourite running shoes, you know when they start to loosen up in places, how to adjust or tighten the laces to make it feel 'fitted' again.

It seems that we often wait until a time of turmoil to think about and seek 'peace', but if we have a gospel of peace, should we not familiar it before? Should we not know where we stand and what this gospel require of us? Have our shoes become loose in ways that we don't know how to fix?

The other day I had a conversation with a group of fellow students about peace and what it looks like. As foreigners we don't have the ability to fight the local fight for peace. It isn't our fight, we are merely bystanders, who can encourage, but we can't solve it alone. And while this isn't our fight, we can't take a role of apathy either, our role is different.

In the conversation it came out that Christ didn't concern himself with the nationalistic vision of Israel - to get rid of the Romans, but rather many of his teachings are concerned with the relationship closer to you, making peace with a brother, loving a neighbor, respecting authority, or welcoming children.

When considering this - the turmoil that happens - it is within a large picture, it concerns people on a nationalistic level.  Yet it seems to impact us on a individual, all the while, think about yesterday, my relationship with people I came in contact with didn't change at all because of it. I was no more or no less at 'peace' with anyone I talked to, yet my mind was more consumed with thought and concerns of 'peace'.

What if this gospel of peace is more concerned with the relationships of the people around us than the lack of conflicts on a national level. What if we were more concerned about the persons who we came in contact with, that the big scary 'thing' 'out there'.

Feet fitted with the readiness.  Knowing where I stand before I try to fight. I know 'gospel' means good news, and I know that Christ is the Prince of Peace. The good news of peace. Peace on all levels. Paul reminds us that our sins have been paid for and we can be at peace with God. If we use that peace to define peace, just as we use the model of God's love to define real love.  (we love because he first loved us)

If we are at peace with God, we truly have little to worry about. We know the bigger picture. God will win the victory. Our Father knows what we need, and will provide it. Therefore if we are certain of this peace, it should show up throughout our lives. and just like ebola starts with one case and spreads, maybe peace should be the same way, starting with each person who fearlessly declares the mystery of the gospel to spread peace within their circles of contact.

I am not saying these things to belittle the events that are happening. We are commanded to 'pray on all occasion, with all kinds of prayers and request,'  but we also have access to the greatest peace and maybe in the times of turmoil, the greater the contrast, and the greater message.