Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Cornerstone Save US

Psalm 118: 1-2, 19-29

Luke 19:28-40


 

We know the story so well. The people were enslaved in Egypt and God acted. This Psalm is about God acting and would have been an appropriate Psalm to sing at the Passover. The very Passover Jesus and his disciples came to Jerusalem to celebrate. Having seen "the deeds of power" people where excited to welcome a Messiah to the Holy City. It seems to me they were not aware of what type of Messiah Jesus was/is, for it would be latter that week that his closest followers would flee, and others who were perhaps part of the procession would watch him haul His cross to Golgotha. Some I am sure would even yell for Barabbas and yell "Crucify Him" for Jesus.

When I read "The stone the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone" I first thought of the foreman and architects, but knowing what happened, I realized not only did the powers reject the stone, everyone did. They did not understand the Love that Jesus embodied. They were happy to support Barabbas who wanted to free his people through violence.

God freed the chosen people and the last plague on Egypt was the death of first born sons. The Hebrew people were to mark their doorways with the blood of a sacrificial lamb so that they would be passed over, hence the term Passover. This is a debated translation and it seems to me that God is not passive but active in our salvation. God saved the chosen people from Egypt, thus I like the translation that God looked down with compassion. When God looked down on the cross and had compassion for humanity. Jesus is the last Passover Lamb, perfect Love, willing to take the violence and sin of the world, so that God would Passover, or better have compassion for the world. This is how humanity is saved and the resurrection confirms Love's power over death.

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