ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET!
Palm Sunday, also called "the Triumphal Entry". The day remembers Jesus' entry to Jerusalem, on a donkey, in the midst of the crowds of Passover pilgrims, to the shouts of the people welcoming Jesus as their savior. Hopes and expectations are at a climax as the people lay down their coats and palm branches to create a "red carpet" for their Messiah.
Before the week is up, Jesus will be tried and found guilty by the Jewish leaders. He will be teased and mistreated, scourged and crucified. People are fickle. Doubts arise. Hope is abandoned and disappointment sets in as the story takes an ugly turn.
We certainly understand the influential power of culture. We have watched it happen in our own day. If you say the right things -- if you stick to the popular script -- you can stay alive. But if you challenge power structures and corruption with a message that begins with a sovereign God who rules from Heaven, you might lose some popularity. One minute you are a darling, the next minute you are deleted.
Is it worth the risk? Shouldn't people just keep their mouths shut and go with the flow to stay safe?
I have been scanning the Gospel of John and praying about the passage for tomorrow. Sure, we could read over the account of the "triumphal entry", the borrowed donkey, the shouts of the people, and so on. But I have been continually drawn to one of the messages that Jesus shares with his disciples during the time before His crucifixion.
What is that passage? Will God redirect my focus yet again? What does the Spirit of God want to communicate to us during Passion Week 2021?
View and see!
Steve
Palm Sunday
March 28, 2021 • Pastor Steve Feden
Jesus - "For Such a Time as This!"
December 24, 2023 • Pastor Steve Feden • John 3
"For Such a Time as This - Jesus" - John 3 What did we do before we had cellphones with a flashlight option!? That is the handiest little gadget since someone put an eraser on the top of a pencil! I use it often when I am finding the right key, getting in the car, or looking for something I dropped! But of course I only need it when the current light is insufficient to see with clarity! When our eyes receive the benefit of full light, a flashlight adds nothing to my efforts. But when I am in the dark... In keeping with our theme, there is no better time for light than when we are in the dark. That handy little flashlight function on the phone has proven, over and over again, to be "for such a time as this"...such times of darkness, confusion, uncertainty, lack of clarity. It was God who spoke into the darkness and said, "Let there be light". I think the light of Jesus is still needed for our world, don't you. But what exactly does that mean? John 3 will be our topic of discussion if you can find a way to... ...VIEW and SEE Steve
Mary - "For Such a Time as This!" - Luke 1:26-38
December 20, 2023 • Pastor Steve Feden • Luke 1:26–38
"For Such a Time as This -- Mary" - Luke 1:26-38 As part of the continuing story, we will take a look at Mary and her turning point as we are thinking about the Christmas story. For Joseph, the turning point that allowed God to use him for the special role of "fathering" Jesus, was his willingness to stay with Mary despite the social and cultural challenges, and the confusion. For Joseph, his obedience involved sacrifice -- multiple moves to protect the Son of God, gossip, loss of reputation in the community. Mary's story is a little different. Her obedience involves all of the same sacrificial things, but she must go a step further. It is total commitment of her will and....her body! Is that just for Mary? Maybe that is for women in general? Certainly not for men, though, right? Of course no one can replicate what God did in using the young virgin, Mary, to birth Jesus. But, there is much in scripture about our bodies, and Romans 12:1-2 is just one example! Did I mention that Luke 1:27 is one of those verses I never tire of reflecting on or encouraging others with? Did I mention that I get a chance to tell the story of the chicken and the pig? Why is that verse encouraging? What does this have to do with a chicken and a pig? Hahaha!!! You have to... ..VIEW AND SEE! Steve