“The Movement of Palm Sunday to Easter”  April 5, 2009
“Telling The Story…From Beginning to Ending…Back To The Future”

Scripture  Mark 15: 16-22, 33-34, 37-41, 47  
  “The Crucifixion and Burial”
Reflection:  “The Gift of Vigil”    Looking on from a distance were the women who had traveled with him and provided for him…..following him in word and deed.   How terrifying and gruesome that scene must have been!  His pain must have been as palpable as the morning dew or the noon day’s darkness.  How unbearable….and yet they stayed!  They stood vigil with him right through his pain.  What a gift to him their presence must have been!  I can only imagine how their hearts held his in those hours….how they were moved…their inward movement in that moment...holding him!    And I wonder what gift their vigil brought to them as well.  There is a gift in standing vigil through someone’s pain…..a deep gift that goes beyond the moment and changes lives….just as our pain is transformative…God standing vigil with us in our lives.  And it’s your turn.  How are you being called to stand vigil to someone’s pain….the pain of the world….moving it from physical limitation to soul-ful, faith-filled transformation? As we sing, “Were You There?,” #102, please receive a piece of purple ribbon to tie on your finger…remember…your vigil

Scripture:  Mark 15: 1-15  “The Release of Barabbas”
Reflection:  “Given A Second Chance”
            As we hear this part of the story, our thoughts are usually drawn to the jealousy of the priests and the fickleness of the crowd and the deepening betrayal.  But this morning, I ask you to be with Barabbas.  What must have been going on within him as he heard Pilate’s words and the shouts of the crowd?  If he were indeed guilty of the crimes of which he was accused, how must he have felt to be released to a second chance for life….especially when the one taking his place was the Holy One of Israel….King of the Jews?  Have you ever wanted a second chance thinking “I would do better if I only had a second chance?  If I knew then what I know now, I would have done it differently?”  You have wanted a second chance, and….like Barabbas….you are receiving one even as we worship together this morning.  Given a second chance, how will you use it? As we sing, “There Is A Balm In Gilead” first verse and refrain, please receive bead of baptismal waters symbolizing the new beginning each of us receives each day through the grace/gift of God.

Scripture:  Mark 14: 26-32, 43-45, 50   “The Betrayal and Denial”
Call to Confession:
            Often truth is twisted and justice denied...not only in the big sweeps of the world, but in the small strokes of our lives.  In our betrayal and denial we are called to confess…to share our humanness to our God.  This is a small thing, yet of great courage.  It is a huge movement within drawing us out.  Any and all movement is challenging.  And so we have this time set aside for us this morning to name our challenge with God…our humanness with our God…and to listen for God’s support found deep within the movements of each of our souls.  In our common voice, let us lift our individual, passion-stirred, hope-full stories, praying

Prayer of Confession: (Based upon Mark 11: 1-11, 26-50)
            Lord, so many times I have lived my life like the bystanders who asked, "Why are you doing this?"  Even though they were not able to understand, they followed you waving their palms excitedly.  It seems much harder for me to do the same.  You see, I haven't always felt enough confidence in you to really trust you....that's why I don't follow.  Lord, I betray you because I'm afraid to do the things I know you would have me do.  I deny you as life passes me by.  You see, I am like those bystanders....wishing you were a king who would just do something magnificent to change the world, instead of me.  Yet you still believe in me and want me to follow you.  O, Lord!  Will you lead me to a better life....really?  Lord, move me through the unpretty parts of my life's stories to a really good ending like in yours.  Help me believe in such endings.     

(You may wish to name with God what it is you don't understand in your life that pushes you into "denial"; or you may share how it feels to be unable to trust; or you may simply invite Jesus to come sit beside you in the pew this morning shining his healing light all around and through you.)

Scripture Mark: 14: 22-25  “The Communion Meal”
Reflection:  “Sacred Sharing”
            Even in the midst of the betrayal of his friends, Jesus stays invested in the lives of each of those gathered around him…indeed the lives of all the world’s people.  He shares a meal with them….he shares his last supper and the first communion with them offering them a new vision of the covenant with God.  In the bread symbolized, our brokenness and our basic needs met.  In the wine symbolized, the value, depth, fullness of life received.  Jesus is about to be broken and pour himself out….share of himself with them and the world in ways no one could even begin to imagine ….this sacred sharing pours out endless possibilities for new life for each of us.  Our God loves us enough to do this depth sacred sharing with each one of us.  It’s personal.  It’s for everyone!  Praise be to our God! As we sing, “Let Us Break Bread Together, #513, let us pass the basket of bread and grapes, remembering Jesus and sharing sacred meal.
                                          

Scripture:  Mark 14: 3-9  "The Anointing"
Reflection:  "Celebrating Extravagance"
            Just the smell of the nard must have been in stark contrast to the dusty smell of life out in the streets.  And how special, she would not only have come to anoint him with her loving faith, but move close to him....was amazingly personal with him.  In her anointing was not only the extravagance of the expense of the gift, but the extravagance of her love....despite what was going on in her life, despite the poverty of the world….and just throwing money at unjust situations won’t help anyways…that’s why the poor are always with us!  Only justice can help. Oh…she was extravagant!  Despite the conservative wisdom of the world to save for a rainy day....she let her love rain down on Jesus.  We can only imagine how Jesus benefited by the extravagance of her love...what shifted/moved within him...opened within him allowing him to move closer to Passion Week.  And this is the question this story asks each of us:  Is there someone who needs your extravagant love now?  The story invites us to anoint them not only with nard...our riches....but with our love. As we sing “Love Divine, All Love Excelling”, #376, verse 1, anoint yourself, the back of your hand, with a modern adaptation of nard.  As you do, think consciously of another whom you anoint as well.

Scripture Mark 11: 1-10  "The Procession"
Reflection:  The Paradox of His Entrance and Our Expectations
            Just like the crowds that gathered that day long ago, Christians all over the world gather today waving palms and celebrating the long awaited arrival of our new King into the city of Jerusalem.  Excited, for Jesus came to right what was wrong with the world.  Just like those gathered nearly 2000 years ago, we still expect our King to fix what is wrong with the world with some magnificent stroke of action....we still fail to realize that he came to make this world magnificent by offering to heal what is broken within each of us...God knowing this healing would empower us to change the world and powerfully! The only way the world can be changed…one person at a time.     And so we start this week as a celebration, but we get something quite different than we might expect from the unfolding stories of Passion Week.  What a paradox! The Kin-dom Jesus offers us is found in resisting what is wrong in this world even unto our own demise.  And the paradox is that in our resistance and apparent defeat, we win over our souls and begin to create our longed for kin-dom one person at a time....and powerfully so!               This morning as we worshiped you felt all the feelings of the week as the lectionary honored the whole of the story.  We end in a much different feel tone than we began....and realize the story doesn't end until we move through Easter morning....but there is no way to the resurrection without going through the cross first!  But for now, palms in hand, we parade.