Palm Sunday! Yes, we have arrived at the last week of Lent and thus the beginning of Holy Week. One of the things that, through the ages, people have tried to do is separate Jesus from the Cross. What I mean by that is, Jesus is acceptable as a great teacher, or a miracle worker, or revolutionary; but Jesus as a savior––as in, the cross has saving virtue––that is too much. Gandhi says as much in his assessment of Jesus: I could accept Jesus as a martyr, and embodiment of sacrifice, and a divine teacher. His death on the cross was a great example to the world, but that there was anything like a mysterious or miraculous virtue in it, my heart could not accept.” (Gandhi, An Autobiography) Paul knew this too, and that is why he said the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing. He goes on to say, Christ crucified is a stumbling block to the Jews and folly to the Gentiles. (From I Corinthians 1)
And yet, as we follow Paul in the last fifth of the book of Acts, it is not his belief in Jesus as some great religious guru that gets him beaten, on trial, rejected, imprisoned and almost killed––it is the message of cross. The cross has infinite merit in achieving salvation for sinners––plus nothing. It seems that, just as the gospels are focused mostly on the death of Jesus, the book of Acts concludes with Paul, living under the same shadow of the cross.
As our text will testify, the cross is the wisdom of God for those who believe and a stumbling block to those who reject it. That, or something like that, is what we will talk about this Sunday. We also welcome some more folk into our family this week and taste again that, while many rail against the cross, there are many others who are caught up in the dance and laugher of the redeemed. I hope to see you on Sunday.
Blessings,
Jim