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I am a Lutheran Pastor offering reflections on what it means to be faithful in a changing world.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Good Friday: He was more afraid than ever...

"We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has claimed to be the Son of God." Now when Pilate heard this, he was more afraid than ever. (John 19:7-8)

When reading the passion according to St. John it certainly is obvious that Pilate does not take this Jesus threat seriously. In fact, he does not want to be bothered with a problem that he believes could be easily sorted out among the Jewish authorities. Perhaps Pilate believes that he should not be engaged with "internal affairs" among the Jewish people.

Pilate is not concerned with reports of Jesus being King of the Jewish people. However, when it is reported that he is the Son of God we suddenly have a problem. Pilate was "more afraid than ever." Why? Is Pilate afraid because it might be true or that enough people could believe its true. Either way it is a threat to the empire, a threat to the status quo, a threat to their power and authority.

On Easter Sunday, Mark's gospel ends with the women being afraid at the discovery of the empty tomb. Here, Pilate is afraid when discovering something about Jesus. The woman at the tomb and Pilate before the crucifixion are afraid because they encountered the truth about Jesus. They learned something about his identity and what that means for their lives.

Are we afraid when we discover the truth about the living God and what that means and exposes about ourselves? On Good Friday, we know that, through the death of Christ, the world is forever changed. We are afraid, because we do not want the Old Adam in ourselves to die. We pray that the Easter proclamation can fill our hearts with the gift of faith so that we may live with joy in the new creation we are in Christ!

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Maundy Thursday

Jesus commands us to love one another. He gives us the gift of the community of believers we call the church. What does this command mean in a society that values individualism? What does this command mean when popular versions of Christianity seek to emphasize a personal relationship with Jesus, as opposed to a communal relationship with Jesus Christ?

The world knows Jesus through the love that exists in and through the community of believers known as the body of Christ, the church.

How do we faithfully live out this command of Christ in our society today? Particularly in a context that seeks to preserve and survive rather than give and be vulnerable enough to receive.