The Mountaintop

 John 12:20-33 (Jeremiah 31:31-34) is the lectionary text for next Sunday, March 21

I always think of Dr. King's "Mountaintop" speech on April 23, 1968 when I read this text.  It was the day before he was assassinated, and he said, "I may not get there with you... but mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord..." Like Moses, he got to look over, but could not go... we are still wandering in that wilderness, looking over, not yet there, I am afraid.

For Jesus, to be glorified meant to be wrong accused, falsely tried and convicted and lynched.  That story is all to familiar.  Jesus died for all of us, regardless of the religious, political and economic corruptions that led to His death.  In Jesus' lynching, I find redemption.

Whether or not the death of George Floyd, Brianna Taylor and countless others brings us to redemption as a nation is yet to be seen.  I am thankful that it is bringing some to repent and strive to be redeemed from our nation's original sin.  We are still wandering in that wilderness as a nation, looking over, not yet there.

There are strong indications in the Gospels of Jesus' lack of desire to die.  But there is also witness to Jesus' resolve to fulfill the mission of redemption.  Jesus here expresses both.  Jesus acknowledged that unless a grain falls into the earth and dies, there is no growth.  Jesus spoke openly about His reason for being here.  It was to take our sin to its death with Him on the Cross - our redemption in His sacrifice.

It is, as I have pointed out ad nauseum for years, all about Agape Love and Grace.

As Jeremiah points out, this love of God, God's Word is to be etched on our hearts.  Jesus put it bluntly in a command to love God and Neighbor as we love our selves.  Jesus then died out of that love, as an example.

Jesus did the elusive "ONCE AND FOR ALL."  Rarely do we get those.  

So, if Jesus' sacrifice means anything to folk who claim to follow Jesus, would it not naturally follow that we would actively speak, write and demonstrate against all senseless death at one another's hands?

Would we not truly advocate for justice?  Would we not demand Shalom for all?  Would we not speak truth to power and expose the works of darkness in injustice and corruption in the church, government, economics and society that senselessly and needlessly leads to people dying of starvation, depression, illness, (un)natural disasters and violence?

"Those who love their life (more than others) lose it, and those who hate their life in this world (selfish, greedy, hateful, power hungry, status-driven life under empire) will keep it (a life of Agape and Grace) for eternal life."

"Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also."

Among the marginalized and disenfranchised.  In the Frey.  On the Cross.

We are still wandering in that wilderness as a nation, looking over, not yet there.

Are we redeemable?

Pastor Jamie