“The message about the cross is foolishness” proclaims Paul (1 Corinthians 1.18, NRSV) . Today, 4-22, we looked at the travelers making their trek away from Jerusalem toward Emmaus (Luke 24.13-35). They’d seen enough. Even though there were reports that Jesus is alive, they’re leaving, not so sure they want a crucified Lord. (Remember, the resurrection doesn’t erase the suffering of Christ; instead it validates it.) One interpretive clue that I failed to mention is the journey motif. Did you notice all the references to a journey—they’re traveling, they’re on the way, as they’re going along (24.13, 15, 17, 32, 35)? This is an important metaphor for Luke. In Luke 9.51, Jesus begins his journey to the cross. Then over the next several chapters, Jesus makes frequent references to where he’s going (10.38, 13.22, 33; 14.25; 17.11; 18.31, 35; 19.11). You get the point: Jesus is taking the disciples to the cross. Now these two disciples are walking away from the cross. They’re not ready to embrace the message of the cross. Why? I offered two guesses. First, the cross tells us we have a need. Make no mistake, the cross speaks grace; it yells grace, announcing that we’re accepted and loved. But it also says, there’s a problem, and the problem is not all the other people in the world, the problem is sin, the sin in my heart. The cross reminds us that we need a savior. You can’t look at the cross and conclude, “I’m okay, you’re okay.” No, look at the great lengths God had to go to deal with sin. We have a need. We can’t find our way to God on our own merits. God had to make a way; and make a way he did, not with reluctance but with great love. Secondly, the cross for Jesus is a symbol for sacrificial love. Jesus’ entire life could be described as one of sacrificial love. And he calls us to embrace the way of the cross. He came to establish a unique kingdom with a very odd king (odd too many, at least). He calls us to love enemies, to forgive, to be quick in reconciling with others. It is a kingdom shaped by the cross. Even Paul calls us to embrace the cross as a way of life (Philippians 2.5-11). We’re called to be agents of God’s sacrificial love. That’s a hard pill to swallow at times. We all resist it, I’m sure. So, like these two travelers, we need to be shaped by the word, and we need to partake of communion to be reminded how beautiful the cross really is (Luke 24.24, 30). Any thoughts? Peace.
P.S. The cross is one of our core values. As a church, we value primarily these three things: community, cross, new-creation (Richard Hays, The Moral Vision of the New Testament).
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1 comment:
The danger is to over analyze this. How can we deal with the sin in our heart? Simple answer, to accept God's gift of salvation on our sins, he has already dealt with it, all we need to do is embrace that gift and cry for our old nature and say goodbye, we are now declared as a new-creation, enabled to do good works... please see Ephesians 2:1-10. I miss you folks.
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