27 May 2015 - he goes ahead of us

The disciples were on the way, going up to Jerusalem,

and Jesus went ahead of them.

They were amazed, and those who followed were afraid.

When we face uncertainty Jesus does for us what he does for the Twelve. He tells us in advance what is going to happen.

Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them

what was going to happen to him.

But it isn't necessarily easily to digest.

Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man

will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, 

and they will condemn him to death

and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him,

spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death,

There are hardships in the future. Jesus knows this. He tells us this. He tells us about hardships in advance so that we may have peace. How does it help us to know about them in advance? Doesn't that just contribute to our anxiety? It helps because it puts our trials in perspective.

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

He tells us this so we can see our afflictions for what they are: momentary and passing.

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison

The danger is that we hear about the threat and tune out the promise. We try to find other things to fixate on. We try to distract ourselves from the threat instead of focusing on the one who has already overcome all threats.

Grant that in your glory

we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.

It isn't about this. It isn't about building up our own egos. It isn't about giving our pride something to which to cling. Instead we are called to let the hard times empty us of our selfishness. We are to follow the one who comes to serve.

For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve

and to give his life as a ransom for many

It is this perspective, a perspective we can only have when we focus on the promise and not distractions, in which suffering is imbued with meaning.

When we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus he does "Give new signs and work new wonders." The power of his resurrection, the light of his kindness, transforms our fear into fearlessness.

Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,

will give thanks to you forever;

through all generations we will declare your praise.