Having just completed a series on fear, with lots of positive feedback, it seemed a good idea to stretch it out a little further, but in a different way. That is, let’s look at some of the dangerous situations Jesus walked through, and how they are echoed in our own faith-walk. He was fiercely tempted to abandon his faith in a 40 day spiritual conflict with the devil. King Herod, who’d assassinated John the Baptist, was now rumored to be plotting not only to resist Jesus but to kill him. Jesus taught lessons in response to immediate disasters that had killed local citizens. He also addressed the strife of family and the threat of alienation in the story of the prodigal son and his brother. As he drew closer to his own appointment with rejection and the cross, he called his followers to discern what really counts as precious. Finally, in his Palm Sunday entry into the royal city of Jerusalem to face intense danger and death, Jesus humbly enters the city encouraging people to rejoice and sing hosannas even in the shadow of suffering.
Clearly Jesus models and encourages a daring faith for dangerous times. Rather than shrink from dangers that threaten the life and ministry of his followers, Jesus seems to get more daring, and is willing to walk with courage in pursuit of God’s purposes trusting God to walk him through.
In our time, many real threats and dangers loom large on the horizon. The bad economy puts workers and families at risk. The confusion over health care reform still leaves tens of thousands without the security of insurance against potentially devastating costs of care. The strains between east and west, most clearly illustrated by the war against terrorism, fill our daily atmosphere with the scent of danger. The controversies plague the church in our post-modern world put the unity of the church and its mission in serious peril. And the lack of supports for families, stressed to the limit by a high demand culture, leave many a family in real jeopardy.
This is a time that calls for clear and bold faith. Not passive Christianity. Not confused faith. Not a ‘ we can rest on past blessings’ kind of church. This era of risk calls for a risk taking faith. Faith that is willing to get out there, feed itself, prepare itself, and express itself in adventurous acts love, mercy, evangelism, relief, politics, proclamation, and generosity. This series will be a challenge, calling people to let the Spirit who led Jesus into the desert lead us fearlessly wherever God will take us.
Pastor Frank