Theme verses:
Philippians 2:5-11 - Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. |
Meditation:
 Several years ago there was a national billboard campaign that sought to confront viewers with the urgency of the Christian message. There were no pictures on the billboards, no logos, nothing like that… just a coal black background, with large white letters.
Here is the text written on one of them: “Don’t make me come down there.” (Signed) God.
Today on Palm/Passion Sunday we can say very clearly: This is not the God we see in Jesus Christ. St. Paul puts it this way, “Though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited.” Again and again Jesus resists the temptation to exploit his status by forcing us to do things his way. Even when framed by the religious leaders, Jesus chooses restraint, suffering, and death rather than make us obey him.
As a nation… as a parent… as a boss, and in other ways, each of us is at one time or another one up on another person or group. Either we are physically stronger, more intelligent, older, or in a position of authority… at any event, we are able to exploit our advantage to get our way, if we wish. It is one of the hardest of life’s learnings that to do so involves us in a power struggle without end, while to give up our advantage and not impose our will is to follow God’s way.
“Don’t make me come down here,” the billboard quotes God as warning. The fact is that God has come down, in the person of Jesus Christ, not to threaten or coerce us into goodness, but to suffer and die rather than do anything to compromise our freedom. May we in this Holy Week learn his kind of patience and restraint, which will always be vindicated by God.
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Prayer:
Almighty God, your Son our Savior suffered at human hands and endured the shame of the cross. Grant that we may walk in the way of the cross and find it the way of life and peace, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. (ELW) |
