Religion & Spirituality
Josh steps out of Ephesians to continue the discussion of "equipping the saints" by looking at the Palm Sunday narrative from Mark 11. The context of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem illustrates some of the misperceptions we hold about Jesus and what He wants to do in and through us. When Jesus is entering Jerusalem on a donkey from one end, the Roman governor is entering another side of the city with his legions -- displaying Rome's military might and engendering fear in the people. Often, we cry out to Jesus to save us, expecting a display of might and force to make things right or to deal with our enemy. Maybe Jesus isn't interested in saving us from our enemy, but rather, saving us from ourselves. Mark 11:1-11; Philippians 2:5-11. Josh shared a quote from Debie Thomas today: "These paradoxes are what give Jesus’s story its shape, weight, and texture, calling us at every moment to hold together truths that seem bizarre, counter-intuitive, and irreconcilable. On good days, I understand that these paradoxes are precisely what grant my religion its credibility. If I live in a world that's full of pain, mystery, and contradiction, then I need a religion robust enough to bear the weight of that messy world. But the question is: will I choose the humble and the real? Or will I insist on the delusions of empire? Will I accompany Jesus on his ridiculous donkey, honoring the precarious path he has chosen? Or will my impatience and pessimism undermine my journey?"