Sunday, March 25
A Voice of Change
Narrative Lectionary Daily Devotions written by Kace Leetch from Clergy Stuff.
It is March, 2018. Ironically, today’s preaching theme is being written on November 9, 2016 – the day following the US presidential election that ushered in a new president. This was such a contentious election – clearly people felt their voices hadn’t been heard and they were ready for a change. The entire experience made the US grapple with what it means to be a leader.
People long for a voice – someone to speak for them in a world loathe to listen. People long for change – someone who can see not only where we have been, but also a path toward a better future. People long for a leader – someone who respects the responsibility entrusted to them and puts their very lives on the line for them.
Jesus entered Jerusalem as a leader for the people – a long oppressed people, weary and frustrated. Jesus became the voice of people without a voice – the poor, disabled, working class, marginalized, women, children, men, sick, imprisoned. Jesus said hard words that other leaders did not want to hear, but they were words of truth and action.
Jesus flipped the entire world on its head – lifting up the oppressed and bringing down the lofty. Jesus challenged the system and stuck a wrench into it so that change became necessary and unstoppable.
Jesus held the responsibility of leadership close to his heart. He never stopped fighting for the people, even when the fight threatened – and took – his very life.
Rarely have we seen leaders willing to give their lives for what they believe. Never have we seen leaders in our world as committed as Jesus to turn the tide toward real, lasting change. The people were right to claim Jesus as king, even if they had no idea what kind of king Jesus truly was. At this point in Jesus’ story, before his death and resurrection, the kingship of Jesus was everything the people wanted and needed for it to be – a voice, a change, and a leader willing to give everything to gain everything.
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We came across this article that talks about the subversive nature of the procession. It's a must-read!
Narrative Lectionary Text: John 19:16b-22
So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them.
Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”