Holy Week 2

   Welcome to Holy Week part two.How do you feel when people accuse you falsely of doing or not doing what they thought you should do? Jesus is confronted with being accused of wrongdoing, only they couldn't agree on what his problem was. But suddenly, Jesus is enduring the same things we go through when we are misunderstood or accused. This whole story of Holy Week, is a reminder that in Jesus we have God with us, Emmanuel. And that when we need to cry out in prayer, we have someone who has been through whatever it is that we might suffer and he can give us comfort in that.


   He remains silent through most of this. He doesn't get into a shouting match or try to out maneuver them. Most of our modern day leaders seem to make the mistake sometime of saying something they shouldn't and getting into big trouble for the utterance. Maybe they thought it wasn't being recorded? Maybe they thought no one would be offended by a little joke? Mel Gibson and Charlie Sheen and their rants come to mind about now. We could use a lesson in self control and in silence from Jesus about now.


   The other issue that this trial brings up for me is that we misunderstand what God is trying to do for us. Jesus didn't meet the expectations that some of the people had for a Messiah. He didn't run the Romans out of town and re-establish the kingdom of Israel. He didn't stay away from offensive people, but actually welcomed some not-so-nice types, into his inner circle. He was accused of eating with sinners, as if there are some who aren't? He didn't seem like the mean old God of judgment and condemnation that good people want God to do to others. Jesus was a loving creature, who was showing us the essence of God, and asking us to accept that God can do what God wants, on God's terms without our getting too bent out of shape. That is hard for me to do. I try really hard to do all the right things so that I will be found to be good enough. But since I'm not really good enough, I'm sure glad we have grace because we would deserve far worse for what we have actually thought and done.


   Easter is coming, it's a sign that we are back in with God as we should be, when we accept God's love took care of the judgment we owe, on Jesus on the cross. His resurrection means all is forgiven, come on home.


Blessings on your pilgrimage


Pastor Jeff