Sermon 1st May 2022 – 3rd Sunday of Easter Text: Acts 9:1-20 – Called by name

 Sermon 1^st May 2022 – 3^rd Sunday of Easter

Text: Acts 9:1-20 – Called by name

2 weeks ago, on Easter Sunday morning, we heard about Mary Magdalene who went to the tomb a broken woman. The one in whom she had put her very life in was put to death in a gruesome and horrific manner by crucifixion on the cross. And to make matters worse it seemed to her that someone has stolen the body from the tomb. Could life get any worse for her. Not even speaking with Jesus, face to face. would take away that grief and pain until Jesus calls her name – Mary – and she becomes a new woman. Now she is empowered to go and tell the disciples all about her experience. She is a new woman.

Today we hear about a man by the name of Saul. He is on his way to arrest and persecute Christians in Damascus. On the way Jesus calls his name – Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me. Even though Saul is blinded. Even though Saul now relies on other people to help him. Saul is a changed man – he is now a Christian and goes and is baptised. His eyes are open, physically, but more importantly, like Mary, spiritually open to be able to see Jesus.

An encounter with Jesus opens our spiritual awareness of him to recognise him even in the most dire of situations. Like Mary who thought he was the gardener, who thought someone had stolen his body, who thought Jesus was dead. Like Saul who thought he was doing the right thing persecuting Christians and approving of the disciple Stephen’s death by stoning. An encounter with Jesus can also restore us when we feel broken and discarded. When life is meaningless and there seems nothing to live for – Jesus awakens us. It doesn’t mean life changes but the encounter with Jesus gives us strength to go on. In fact, Paul, who when his eyes were opened, realised his true brokenness before God even calling himself the worst of sinner for what he had done to Christians.

We also see that in Peter in his encounter with Jesus. Remember this was Peter, a broken man as he disowned Jesus in his time of need. As Jesus is being interrogated before his death Peter had 3 opportunities to proclaim his faith in Jesus but instead, 3 times denied even knowing him.

Have you ever been in that situation where you could have helped someone by sharing the gospel with them. By giving them an encounter with Jesus but kept silent? How did that make you feel? Guilty? Unworthy to call yourself a Christian? Imagine how Peter felt. But here, in his encounter with Jesus he discovers a loving and forgiving Jesus who wants to restore Peter and reassure Peter of his love for him despite Peter’s denials.

The same Jesus who despite objections by Ananias to welcome Saul - "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to thrown into prison all who call themselves Christian. But despite these objections – despite what Peter and Saul did to Jesus – he tells Ananias - "Go, for I have chosen him to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel;

Today Reuben has had an encounter with Jesus and he is a changed person. He might still wake you in the early hours of the morning for a feed or change of nappy and deprive you of sleep. But he now has the assurance of being a child of God and the assurance of Jesus promise – I am with you always till the end of the age. Does it mean that life won’t be without challenges for Reuben? No – in fact sometimes the challenges of being a Christian can intensify.

The first question we asked of Chris, Grace, Ben and Jess on behalf of Reuben – do you renounce the devil and all his works and all his ways – and you answered “Yes I do”.  Do you think that the devil just accepts that and says – oh well, I’ll just move on to someone else. No. Look what happened to Jesus at his baptism:

He was cast into the wilderness where he was tempted by the devil for 40 days and nights. Look what Jesus said about Saul’s baptised future - I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. Look what Jesus says to Peter earlier - Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Peter, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.

How comforting to know that Jesus is praying for Reuben and all of us. And this is what Baptism is about. It’s about knowing that Jesus is with you along your life journey. And that’s what he promised in Baptism – I am with you always till the end of the age. In fact, as we see from his comment to Peter, I am praying for you always till the end of the age.

Being baptised doesn’t mean life is not going to be without its struggles. Just like insuring your car doesn’t mean you won’t be in a car accident. But you’ll drive with that comfort and assurance that if something  happens you’re covered.

Baptism is about Jesus being with you along the journey and assuring that you will arrive at your destination – in Heaven. That’s why Jesus says, I’m with you always till the end of the age – till you’re reached your heavenly destination – and then you’re totally safe in Heaven where nothing evil can ever enter.

Baptism is an important part of the Christian life. That’s why Saul, who later becomes Paul, the very first thing he does is gets baptised – dealing with his spiritual needs even before he satisfies his physical needs. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Peter is asked by Jesus to feed his sheep – with spiritual food. So when he preaches his very first sermon it says - When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children.

So, Grace and Chris, what you are doing today is no small thing. You are continuing the work that Jesus gave to Peter to feed his sheep. You have fed Reuben with the spiritual food of salvation and accepted the promise for you and your children. And that assurance comes from the very mouth of Jesus who says – whoever believes and is baptised will be saved. Grant this Lord to us all.

I know you want the best for Reuben’s future – just as we all want the best for our own future. But there is no better assurance of our future and Reuben’s future than our future in God’s Kingdom and that comes to us through our Baptism.

Sermon 17th April 2022 – Easter Sunday Text John 20:1-18 – Passing the message on.

 Sermon 17^th April 2022 – Easter Sunday

Text John 20:1-18 – Passing the message on.

 

No one expected it  - not one single person. What we celebrate here today was totally outside of the realm of belief of every single disciple even though Jesus had told them over and over again that it would happen, that he would be killed and that on the third day he would be raised from the dead. It is now the 3rd day and not one of his disciples sat in waiting.

Not one of them believed it would happen. Not one of them took Jesus at his word.

 

On the day after the Sabbath – on that first Easter Sunday morning - while it was still dark Mary Magdalene and some other woman went to the tomb of Jesus with special spices to finish the process of preparing his body for burial – not to see if Jesus’ promise came true but to confirm his death by preparing it for burial.  Mary went out first - by herself - ahead of the others. She went ahead of them - not because she was expecting a surprise, but because she wanted to be alone for a while in the graveyard.   She went out alone because her dearest friend had been tortured and killed and because she wanted to grieve awhile before undergoing the ordeal of doing what needed to be done. She needed closure. She wanted to treat Jesus’ broken body with the dignity that the dead should receive. When she got to the tomb, something was different than it had been when she had been late Friday afternoon.   The huge boulder in front of the tomb had been rolled away. The entrance to the place where Jesus' body had been laid was now open for all to see. Mary is stunned by this, she is shocked. But she doesn’t for a moment believe that it was true after all - that Jesus said that he would rise from the dead  and at last believes it; No, she is shocked and grieving because now there can be no closure for her because she believes that someone has stolen Jesus’ body.

 

So Mary returns and she tells Simon Peter and John what she believes has happened. "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" she tells them. And so they return to the tomb with her and they look in the empty tomb and then they go away - back to their own homes because they have no idea what’s going on..   Things don’t add up. Why would someone steal Jesus’ body but  And why are the strips of linen laying there and the burial cloth for his head, folded neatly  Peter and John return home - still in mourning but Mary is again alone by the tomb - and she is weeping. The body of the one she loved is gone.   She cannot even do the little that she had come to do. She stands there weeping and finally gathers her courage  and she looks into the tomb.   And when she does she sees two angels dressed in white  seated on the ledge of the tomb where the body of Jesus was supposed to be.

 

But Mary still doesn’t get it – she doesn’t believe that Jesus has been raised from the dead. When they ask her why she is crying - she says to them: because "someone has taken the body of my Lord and I don't know where they have put it!" Mary turns around, and she sees Jesus standing there and she supposes he is the gardener. Mary doesn't expect to see Jesus walking about - fully alive  - and so she doesn't see him. She doesn't see Jesus and even when he talks to her she doesn’t recognise his voice. "Woman - why are you weeping?   Who are you looking for?"   Still thinking he is the gardener she asks him if he has moved the body.   "Tell me," she says, "where you have laid him, and I will take him away."

 

But then something different happens. She doesn’t recognise his appearance. She doesn’t recognise his voice.  But Jesus calls her by name, "Mary" - and then - suddenly - her eyes are opened - her heart opens - and she realizes that Jesus is alive - and standing in front of her.  And she grabs hold of him and embraces him - and clings to him but Jesus tells her to let him go –  Go and tell the others what you have seen - tell them that I have risen just as I said I would. And she does as Jesus has asked but still they do not believe her  

 

It is easy to sit here with 2000 years of hindsight and listen in disbelief. How did they not realise that Jesus rose from the dead as he promised. How did Peter and the other disciple miss the option that Jesus has risen. How did Mary not recognise Jesus appearance or voice. It’s easy to criticise But are we just like Mary, Peter and the other disciples in difficult times

 - the times of trial

 - the times of loss

 - the time of mourning,

 

Like Mary it can be hard to see Jesus and ask “where is God” even though God is right there with us. It can be very hard to believe in what Jesus has said about being raised on the third day when the reality of death, suffering, covid are staring directly at us. But today - Easter Sunday the tomb is empty, And while we can list innumerable reasons to weep like Mary there are even more great reasons to rejoice. Jesus was crucified, he died, and he was laid in the tomb, but that tomb could not hold him. Christ has risen. The grave could not hold Jesus and he has promised that neither can it hold us.

 

Notice the tense – he WAS dead – He IS risen. Death is in the past – new life is NOW. Death is not the end of the story of Jesus. Nor is it the end of our stories. The signs of God's love are all about us in the midst of our world's troubles and turmoil. Just as Jesus revealed himself by calling Mary’s name, the voice of the one who called Mary by name is here to speak to you and call your name. He first did that in your Baptism and continues to do that as he invites you to receive his risen body in Holy Communion. It is not over. If Christ was not raised - the church would never have come into existence.

Would the disciples have gone on in the face of the opposition including death to proclaim that God raised Jesus from the dead on the third day if it never happened? They would never have passed on to us their testimony because they would have had nothing to testify  As Paul says - If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.

 

And now Jesus needs us, like Mary to go and tell others so future generations can hear the Good News. People often say the church is one generation away from extinction. While I don’t believe God would allow that what it is saying is that the church needs us to pass on to others what has been passed on to us – the Good News of Jesus resurrection from the dead. We thank God for Mary - and for Peter and for all the other disciples who have passed on the message of Jesus’ resurrection even if they did not believe at first. Jesus rising from the grave means that there is hope for all of us when we weep; hope for us even when we find it hard to believe like Mary and Peter that Jesus will call our names; hope for us that when we or someone we love faces the gruesomeness of death and feels despair that we have the assurance of rising from the grave when Jesus calls us home.. We thank God today for the living Christ Jesus - God's anointed one - the one who was raised up on the third day and who - for me - and for you - has broken the power of sin and death to give us hope..

Sermon 15th April 2022 – Good Friday The 7 last words of Jesus

 Sermon 15^th April 2022 – Good Friday

The 7 last words of Jesus

 

Father forgive them for they know not what they do.

There is a lot going on in the world today that gets our anger to boiling point.

Whether it’s the war in the Ukraine, domestic violence, the looting that was going on in flood regions.

I’ve mentioned it before that people often will say that I hope they rot in hell for what they’ve done.

I even heard a comment recently that there’s a special place in hell for people who commit those sorts of crime. Even though the most heinous crime was committed against Jesus we do not hear those words come from his lips. Rather we hear those powerful words – forgive them Father for they know not what they are doing. Powerful words spoken towards those crucifying him. But let us remember that even though we weren’t there on that day we may as well have been because is it our sins for which Jesus was crucified. Those gracious words were spoken not just 2000 years ago but continue to be echoed today and until the day Christ returns – forgive them Father for they know not what they are doing.

Jesus is God’s word made flesh – the same word spoken at Creation – let there be light and there was light.

When Jesus speaks, it is created – when Jesus speaks forgiveness we are forgiven. Jesus death is all about forgiveness and not blame. What amazing words that come from our Lord to his heavenly Father – forgive them. The nature of God is to forgive – love keeps no record of wrongs. In fact the very nature of God is revealed as slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Let us also example God’s nature with one another and forgive as we have been forgiven. Father forgive them for they know not what they do.

 

Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.

A lot of people are worried about the future. Even though we have resumed almost to the point of what we might call Covid normal – we still live tentatively.  Will there be another strain? The numbers keep going up.

And now we are about to enter flu season with pleading for people to get their 4th vaccination along with the flu vaccination. We don’t know what the future holds. But for a thief on the cross he didn’t have to worry about the future because Jesus said to him “TODAY” you will be with me in paradise. A future promise is today’s reality when promised by Jesus

How could Jesus make that promise? Does he know what sort of life that thief had lived? Doesn’t he have to be punished for all the crimes he has committed? Jesus’ death today means that Jesus can assure the thief that TODAY – Jesus future promise is made a reality TODAY. What is comforting to know is that it is Jesus who decides. If we were standing at the foot of the cross looking up we probably would have said – he’s getting what he deserves. But not Jesus because Jesus doesn’t look at what we deserve but he looks at the heart and he sees in the heart of this person next to him that his heart has changed.

And so too, TODAY, you have the assurance of living in paradise with God. There is no future exam at the end you have to pass. Your future promise is brought to TODAY It doesn’t matter what anyone says to you – even Satan himself. Only Jesus judges. Let us also look for that small spark in other people and ask the Holy Spirit to kindle that spark into a flame. Jesus even promised – a smouldering wick he will not snuff out.

 

Woman behold your son. Then he said to the disciple – behold your mother.

Families are a gift of God to support us, and that includes or family of faith in the church.

From the beginning of time God saw that it was not good that Adam was alone so he created family – Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, Seth. His chosen people, Israel, came from family – Jacob and his sons. Jesus was born into a family and once he left his father and mother he formed around him a new family in his 12 disciples. Remember when Jesus was told your mother, brothers and sisters are here – and he looks around and says – whoever does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.

Today as one of his last acts he establishes a new family for his mother Mary by giving to her a new son in John – behold your son – behold your mother. But sadly it is often family that get neglected. Let us take an example of Jesus here and in this Easter period touch base with a family member who has become estranged.

In this day where family breakdown is seen all too often, here from the cross Jesus continues to care for his mother and family highlighting the many blessings that come to us through family and especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. As Paul says to the Galatians: Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

 

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Have you felt like crying this out over the past couple years? Maybe you still feel like yelling it at the top of your voice. My God – my God – why have you forsaken me. How interesting to even hear those words come out of Jesus’ mouth? It feels like God has abandoned him but reality will prove to show that God never abandoned him – and never will.. But Jesus is experiencing the full extent of sin and how it separates us from God much like Adam and Eve who hid from God. He is experiencing hell – the absence of God as God made him who had no sin to become our sin.. A pain that cannot be compared to anything we experience in this life time – the separation from God.

But God promised in our baptism that he would never abandon or separate himself from us – I am with you always till the end of the age. Maybe it feels like God has abandoned the world abandoned YOU at times

But that is not the reality. The reality is victory over death through Jesus Christ our Lord. God has NOT abandoned you and never will.

 

I thirst.

Jesus’ thirst on the cross reveals to us that he is truly human. He wasn’t just going through the motions waiting for God to resurrect him. He experienced all the pain and emotion of that day. Many times Jesus gave us that insight. With the Samaritan woman at the well he expressed his thirst and asked for a drink of water.

When appearing to the disciples on the beach after his resurrection he asked if they had anything to eat.

But there is also the spiritual thirst which we all crave that seeks Jesus who is the living water.

This is the thirst that we have that only Jesus can satisfy. There was a time in these past couple years where we longed for the precious body and blood of Jesus to eat and drink. We wondered how long it would be before we could gather together again around the Table of our Lord and have our thirst quenched.

But God was faithful and he kept us strong as he nourished our thirst through the living waters of our Baptism. And that’s why when Jesus was hungry and thirsty he resisted temptation to turn rocks into bread and feed himself trusting that God would feed him and now on the cross that God would quench his thirst. We too are to keep trusting in God in all things.

 

It is finished

“It is finished” is very different to “I give up”. In the Garden of Gethsemane that was Jesus’ temptation – this cup is too much – take it away – but not my will be done but yours. That same temptation came from the people looking up at Jesus on the cross– come down from the cross and we’ll believe in you. But that wasn’t Jesus aim – to have people believe in him by coming down from the cross or any other miracle but to defeat death by rising from the grave. And now as he nears that point – having resisted temptation to give up or come down – he can proclaim – it is finished. The battle is over – I have won.

Despite the pain, despite the abandonment, despite the betrayal, despite the denials – Jesus remained on the cross for you  and finished his mission of defeating Satan and death for you. It is finished.

It is truly finished – where O death is your victory – thanks be to God who gives US the victory over death through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Father into your hands I commit my spirit.

When all is said and done what more comforting place can we find than in our loving Father’s hands.

Just like the mother hen whose desire was to gather her little chicks under her wings but they were not willing – Jesus now places himself there – in his loving Father’s arms. With all the pain and hardships happening all around us today where can we find more comfort than in the loving hands of our Father in Heaven. When the prodigal son returns his Father throws his hands wide open to receive his lost son who was dead but is now alive. He placed himself into his father’s hands And now, thanks to the work of Jesus that is complete we too who were once lost and dead to sin can place our lives into God’s welcoming hands. Let us, like Jesus today, commit ourselves into our loving Father’s hands.

Sermon 14th April 2022 – Maundy Thursday Text: John 13:1-17, 31b-35 – From darkness to light

 Sermon 14^th April 2022 – Maundy Thursday

Text: John 13:1-17, 31b-35 – From darkness to light

 

Maundy Thursday begins our journey through the darkness of Good Friday to the light of Easter Sunday. Maundy Thursday is itself a night of sadness. When we celebrate Holy Communion which was first celebrated on that first Maundy Thursday the words preparing the bread and wine begin with the words – Our Lord Jesus Christ on the night when we was betrayed…

We sometimes gloss over those words as a historical marker – telling us when it happened without actually placing too much emphasis on it. But our Gospel reading shows just how dark that evening was also: Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him.

But even the reason that Jesus was meeting with his disciples is filled with origins of darkness that led to light. They were meeting to commemorate the Passover and that very first Passover is explained in our Old Testament reading:

It is the Passover of the Lord. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: but when I see the blood of the lamb you sacrifice and paint on your door frames - when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

For me this highlights the reality of the Christian story – that this is not a made up event but a reality playing out of Jesus battle against the forces of evil and the forces of darkness that surrounded him and continue to surround us

If this were made up I’m sure it would not be surrounded by the harsh details of the devil entering into the heart of one of Jesus’ friends or the gruesome image of the destroying angel of God killing every firstborn child and animal. But in this gruesome depiction Jesus is leading us on a journey from dark to light. It might sound gruesome but Jesus needs to reveal the extent of the darkness so he can reveal the full power of his light as John points out in the very beginning of his Gospel at Chapter one: In him was life, and that life was the light of all humankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it and cannot overcome it.

What we see leading up to the light of Easter Sunday is the full extent of darkness in the life of humankind including betrayal and death. And that’s why in Baptisms the first question we ask is – do you renounce the devil and all his works and all his ways. But Jesus establishes his light and it begins and ends with acts of love.

First he enacts love by washing his disciples feet to show them that love is not about dominating others.

Love is about servanthood – serving one another by loving one another. Again it is Peter who struggles with this path. Previously he said to Jesus about his suffering and death – never Lord, this will never happen to you.

And now when Jesus wants to wash his feel to show him how love is revealed he responds – You will never wash my feet.

But this is only the beginning of how light overcomes darkness. Next Jesus will show them the ultimate revelation of his light overcoming darkness by giving of his own life for them. So before he is arrested and executed he gives to them his body and blood that is about to be taken away and be crucified. And in an unbelievable act of love he even invites the one who will betray him to join them at his table.

This is now our greatest challenge that Jesus will leave with us as he gives us his new commandment to love one another as I have loved you. And that love is exampled by unconditional love – even of the one who betrayed him. And the challenge Jesus leaves with us is to example that love in our own lives even to love those we don’t love. And let’s be honest, even as Christians we might have people in our minds that we struggle with.

They might be people in our lives – people we work with, people we come across regularly – people we see on the news but have never met –  How could God possibly expect me to love that person. But he does as he says that a servant is not greater than his master.

And as Jesus loved even the one who betrayed him – the one who denied him – the ones who abandoned him and later even the ones who nailed his hands and feet to the cross – forgive them Father – this is how we overcome darkness. We overcome darkness by not participating in darkness and allowing light to reveal and overcome it. This is how light overcomes darkness – by revealing it.Which is why Jesus says to us – YOU are the light of the world. Let your light shine that. they may see your good works, and. glorify your Father in heaven.

Our journey to the light begins tonight and as dark as it is with betrayal by one of his own disciples it’s going to get darker. But as the saying goes – it is always the darkest before the dawn. And the dawn is coming when Mary will go out to Jesus tomb while it was still dark and discover that Jesus body was not stolen but had risen from the dead. Our lives also go through many dark moments but we are all on the same journey to our heavenly home. And until we are there Jesus has left us with his Body and Blood to strengthen our faith and to keep us moving forward out of darkness and into his light.

The journey begins tonight and we eat this bread and drink this cup, proclaiming the Lord’s death until he comes in his glory to finally and forever overcome the darkness of this world through our life in heaven where neither the sun or the moon will not shine  because the glory of God gives it light.

Sermon 10th April 2022 – Palm Sunday Text: Luke 19:28-40 – from involvement to commitment

 Sermon 10^th April 2022 – Palm Sunday

Text: Luke 19:28-40 – from involvement to commitment

 

The people today give Jesus a very warm welcome as he enters Jerusalem on a lowly colt.  His people expect a powerful King, yet he comes to show his power in a different way – through humility and by sacrificing himself.  His people were hoping to triumph over the Romans by the sword, but Jesus brings God’s triumph through the cross – through humility – through sacrifice. This different way of Jesus will see the people in a few days’ time moving from the shouts “Hosanna” to crying out “Crucify him”?

What happened – why this complete turnaround in attitude to Jesus? They had misunderstood God’s true power.  They were prepared to follow Jesus and uphold him as their King when he did amazing miracles but soon forget those miracles when he showed humility. Much like Israel forgot all God’s amazing miracles rescuing them from Egypt whenever they became hungry and thirsty in the wilderness.  They forgot their past – God’s rescue from slavery in Egypt – and they forgot their future – God leading them to the Promised Land – a land flowing with milk and honey. They lived for the now – we are hungry and thirsty NOW.

Fast forward thousands of years and nothing has changed. We are a people who live for the NOW. Today, there are many people who admire Jesus: he said beautiful things; he was filled with love and forgiveness; his example changed history.  They admire him, but their lives are focused on the here and now. They might believe God created everything that exists. They may even believe that Jesus died for my sins. But what has God done for me lately?

That’s the problem with the people of Jesus’ day. That’s the problem with Israel in the Old Testament. And sadly that is the problem with today’s generation. Palm Sunday is all about involvement and commitment – and the difference between the two.  The people today sing his praises – they were involved and caught up in the excitement of the moment. They liked him and the Gospel message of peace and reconciliation and considered him to be the promised Messiah. They got involved - they followed along with their presence and their voices on this momentous day.  They even lent him a colt to ride on and spread their cloaks before him. They were involved.

But when they began to hear what it meant to be a true follower – to pick up YOUR cross and follow me – to lay down YOUR life – to hear the cost of being a disciple – but we have mouths to feed and bills to pay. There was work to be done.  So by the time Good Friday arrives no one was left to lay down branches or cloaks for Jesus, much less cheer him on with hosannas. All, including his own disciples, had abandoned him.  Even Peter who said – even if everyone else leaves you – I never will. Even when earlier Jesus gave the disciples the option of leaving like so many others did – Peter, on behalf of the 12 disciples responded – where are we going to go – only YOU have the words of eternal life. But now, Jesus was on his own.

And as we look at the state of many of our churches today, is it this same shift that has seen many of our churches barely able to remain open when once they were overflowing with several services on a Sunday. Our own joyous hosannas have also been quietened as the shift from involvement to commitment makes many people reassess their participation..

The good news in all this is that God never wavers in his commitment to us – and to all humankind. Like the people of Israel on their journey to the Promised Land – like the people in our Palm Sunday procession, we may be fickle at times in our life of faith but Jesus never once fails us or lets us down. Even though Jesus is God with all the glory of Heaven and Earth, he emptied himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross.” There can be no greater commitment than that. God is not involved in our lives – he is totally committed to our lives

Palm Sunday is like no other day of the church year with its 2 extremes. The seemingly quick change of attitude of the crowds on Palm Sunday challenges us to reflect on the commitment that led Jesus to give his life for us – commitment even meaning his death on a cross.  It is easy and comfortable to get involved on Palm Sunday, to “let sweet hosannas ring,” to wave our palm fronds and leave and return on Easter Day. But Palm Sunday was only a step on the way to the Passion of Christ – his suffering and death. This is where involvement moves to commitment as it did for Jesus.

And that commitment isn’t easy as Jesus himself testifies – this cup is too much for me to bear – take it from me – but not my will be done but yours. Jesus’ in that Garden of Gethsemane moved from involvement to commitment. From “my will be done” to “your will be done”. But how many times do we get stuck on “my will be done” and when my will isn’t done that we move on like the crowd today. Jesus enters the Holy City of Jerusalem on a colt provided by a complete stranger.

But before long he will move from riding on a colt to walking to his death on foot carrying OUR cross. Paying for our redemption one painful step at a time. No matter where our life journey and its twists and turns may take us, as followers of Christ we must move from involvement to commitment.

Like Jesus himself, we too are called to walk the way of the cross. To pick up OUR cross and follow him. There is no other route to our Promised Land – our home in Heaven. The way of the cross moves our involvement to commitment  We are called and challenged not to follow the footsteps of the crowd that day but to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. To let ourselves be changed by him to have the same mind as Christ, as Paul calls us to have, and to trust him in times of suffering and death because that is what he came to defeat;

If we leave him when the commitment becomes too much just remember what would have happened if Jesus gave up when the commitment became too much. But thanks be to God he didn’t He humbled himself and became obedient unto death – even death on a cross. Jesus achieves glory through humiliation. Jesus achieves life through death. Jesus triumphs through his own suffering and death, things that we would rather avoid and not commit to. Just like Peter who when Jesus told him about the road he must take of suffering and death said – “never Lord, this shall never happen to you”. But what Peter was probably really saying was “never Lord, this shall never happen to ME”

Just ponder that the Almighty God emptied himself and became nothing. The Word who was with God in the beginning and was God through whom all things were made and who became flesh for us went to the cross for us. The God of the universe stripped of everything and crowned with thorns instead of glory. And as the song goes – hands that flung stars into space to cruel nails was sacrificed. And why did he go through this humiliation?  Why did he endure all this? Jesus did it for us.  To show, not his involvement in our life but his commitment to us.

In order to save us Jesus was lifted high on the cross – he descended to the depths of our suffering. He experienced our deepest sorrows: the loss of everything, betrayal by a friend, even abandonment by God. But in doing this he was able to overcome all that we were destined to experience by rising from the grave.  And by this commitment we know that we too shall rise from the grave on the last day: God is at our side in every affliction, in every fear; “I am with you always till the end of the age”Sin and death no longer have the final word.  God has won the victory, but the palm of victory passes through the wood of the cross.  And so we won’t experience the glory of Christ’s victory if we are only in it for the hossanas of Palm Sunday and avoid the suffering of the cross. The palm and the cross are inseparable.

During this Holy Week, let us lift our eyes to the cross, in order to receive the grace of God. Let us gaze again upon Jesus on the cross and consider the cost that Jesus underwent as we consider the cost of our discipleship.Let us join with the Centurion and confess - “You are truly the Son of God.