a week later……

 

Good grief where did the days fly off to?……what has just happened?……..

7 days ago, you picked up a crunched palm (victory) branch. Crunched that

day when you first saw the donkey Jesus Christ rode into Jerusalem, the

promised Messiah. The initial crunching was your spirit, as you had other

visions, other expectations of what and how the promised Savior would

enter into HIS glory. The glory of Christ that is ushering the NEW

promise, the NEW covenant…the NEW agreement that would and is beneficial

for all who believe. But on that day-just 7 days ago-you weren’t quite

sure. Most of your buddies did not sway on that day. As a matter of fact

they grew in their zest as Jesus trod by along with the men and women who

have been following HIM for 3 years. As the week progressed and you took

in the various scenes where Jesus would teach and have some of the most

incredible answers to questions that were meant to trip HIM up, it was if

you HE knew their heart before they spoke. He knew the Word and you were

hearing references of HIM being called the living Word, the bread of life,

and living water.

As tensions started building and the crowd’s zeal for the Savior started

to turn when the crowds noticed the religious leaders of the day were not

convinced. Their mood, in fact, was quite the opposite, as they operated

in what seemed to be fear-laced, totally insecure as they (religious

leaders) would incite the crowds to furious levels. Some of your buddies

who, 7 days ago, were laying down palm (victory) branches were second

guessing themselves, others quite furious and were joining others in

wanting this so-called messiah’s neck. You continue to take the events in

as Thursday rolls in and out with rumors of this new mandate (maundy) when

Jesus celebrated the Passover meal with his disciples. It was quite

intriguing to hear that He desired, actually commanded that “we are to

love one another”…actually that we are to “love one another as He has

loved them/us)”……that’s it? No strategy on how to takeover the positions?

No distributing power out to ones who have been following thus creating a

new hierarchy here on earth?  no?…..we are receiving who? when? a

helper?……..what in the world is happening?

You recall the first part of the weekend (Friday, Saturday) when the

crowds reached record levels of euphoria as Jesus was bounced around

through the made up court system at the time in order to have a verdict of

guilty placed on HIM….guilty of what? Only to see HIM (Jesus) standing

side by side with a murderer…and the crowd releases the murderer and the

echos of CRUCIFY still echo in your head….yet the only thing that will

drown the echos of crucify, the only thing that is replacing the visual of

HIM standing battered on the steps awaiting our verdict is knowing that IT

IS FINISHED!

Yes, you can see the Temple curtain still on the ground as it is ripped in

two, people are scurrying about to pull in…the town is abuzz as people are

trying to “figure” out where and how Jesus escaped the tomb. YOU know how,

you beLIeVE ….HE is the Son of God. He has conquered death so we would not

taste it…He has provided himself through the Holy Spirit, as you hear of

the disciples NEW found confidence, this NEW WAY of beLIeVING is

visible…..the palm (VICTORY) branch you wave high with a reNEWed Spirit

knowing that this is just the beginning. Making the statement that you

have decided to follow Jesus and there is ‘no turning back, no turning

back.’

It’s Monday, gang, and the stone is still rolled away and has been for

over 2000 years. This week we will begin a new series that will take us

through the letter of Hebrews. Its an incredible journey as we will learn

why God, through Jesus, fulFILLED the old and ushered in the NEW…look

forward to seeing everyone there this Saturday at Siegel High. This is a

cool time to ask folks to join as Easter is somewhat like a benchmark for

some folks who have been disengaged to reignite themselves into joining a

group. Keep on lovin em in the barn.

love em up!