"Love the Lord your God...Love your neighbor as yourself" ~ Mark 12:30-31
What are you afraid of? We all have fears. Some of them very real and some of them irrational, but I have yet to meet or hear of anyone who was truly fearless. I even think, as he crouched in the garden - head bowed and knee bent - praying to God, that Jesus was afraid of what was to come: the betrayal, the denial, the abandonment by his followers and friends, the turning of the crowds, the whips, the nails and the cross. Jesus was no idiot- he was afraid too.
On the Tuesday of Holy Week the religious leaders were afraid. Afraid of losing their power and privilege, afraid of having their hypocrisy revealed, afraid of change, afraid of the end of all things, afraid of the crowds and rebellion. Jesus does not respond to their fears with ridicule, but with love. While we often cal these the two great commandments- there are actually three here: 1) Love God, 2) Love you neighbor 3) Love yourself. Jesus responded to their fear with love. Even when Jesus was afraid he did not let his fear control him to be vengeful, violent or to strike out at those who persecuted him. Love may not make our fears go away, but when we respond out of love and not out of fear - as Jesus would do even unto death on the cross - we find that love always wins.
~Pastor Eric
What are you afraid of? We all have fears. Some of them very real and some of them irrational, but I have yet to meet or hear of anyone who was truly fearless. I even think, as he crouched in the garden - head bowed and knee bent - praying to God, that Jesus was afraid of what was to come: the betrayal, the denial, the abandonment by his followers and friends, the turning of the crowds, the whips, the nails and the cross. Jesus was no idiot- he was afraid too.
On the Tuesday of Holy Week the religious leaders were afraid. Afraid of losing their power and privilege, afraid of having their hypocrisy revealed, afraid of change, afraid of the end of all things, afraid of the crowds and rebellion. Jesus does not respond to their fears with ridicule, but with love. While we often cal these the two great commandments- there are actually three here: 1) Love God, 2) Love you neighbor 3) Love yourself. Jesus responded to their fear with love. Even when Jesus was afraid he did not let his fear control him to be vengeful, violent or to strike out at those who persecuted him. Love may not make our fears go away, but when we respond out of love and not out of fear - as Jesus would do even unto death on the cross - we find that love always wins.
~Pastor Eric
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