“Faith In Between”

Holy Week is bracketed by shouting crowds. On the front end of Holy Week is Palm Sunday when we remember the day Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem. Luke tells us that the crowd that welcomed him that day “praised God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen” (19:37). Their shouts were grounded in past events that had shaped their expectations of what would soon be. Jesus, the miracle worker, was also their long-awaited King. 

By the time we get to the end of the week these expectations are thoroughly shattered. This celebrated King has failed to deliver, and now the crowds are shouting something different. “Hosanna” has morphed into “Crucify.” Even Jesus’ closest followers will struggle as he is arrested, and by Friday afternoon, all of the disciples will have scattered to the wind.   

That gap between what we expect and what we actually experience is the place where faith wavers. But, it can also be the place where our faith strengthens and grows!  

So, when the tension between what we hoped for and what we’ve received feels unbearable, please hear the invitation of Jesus Christ. Stay with him. Draw near to him. Listen carefully to his words. Watch and see what he’s doing. Don’t get swept up in the noisy demands and expectations of our culture. Remember, God is at work. And even in the times when it doesn’t look like anything is happening, God is still working. 

See you Sunday, 

 Pastor John

 Quote of the Week

“Palm Sunday is like a glimpse of Easter. It's a little bit joyful after being somber during Lent."

Laura Gale