So here we are with our last Sunday
in the series of change. We have had change of seasons, heart, circumstances,
habit, and today we here about change of plans. So how many of us have thought
about what we wanted to be when we grew up? Maybe a baseball player, football,
rocket scientist; so name some things that you wanted to be when you were growing
up? How many of us have had our lives planned out? Jobs, spouses, kids; and out
of that planning how many of us have had our lives change from what we planned?
Isn’t it amazing how much we want
things to be the way we want them? I mean, we want things a certain way. Our
opinions are formed when we are young by our parents and we understand that
things should be a certain way. We are conditioned to seeing things a certain
way as well. We like our athletes strong and hulky looking; we like them to be
powerhouses, yet sensitive. We want them to be role models and good stand up
people. We think the same thing about our heroes too, don’t we? We want them to
be chiseled and just the right height, weight, maybe blonde hair, and blue
eyes. That is what we see in the movies.
It is the same in Jesus’s time.
Maybe that is where we get our images of heroes. I mean look at Moses; he came
to save the Israelites from a life in slavery. He didn’t just walk in and say
let my people go. He had the Word of God with him, parted the seas, turned the
water to blood to convince Pharoah to let them go. Other heroes like David come
with armies and he is a king. Solomon is a king.
Now imagine what the people of
Jesus’ time expect when they hear that someone is coming to save the world. Imagine
a people that are under the rule of a government who is occupying their land.
So the prophets foretell of this person who is mighty and has brings the
promise of God, the power of God, and will rule over all the nations. It would
be easy to think that this savior that is coming would be strong, mighty, and
bring armies to bear on those who oppress God’s chosen people. It is quite a
build-up isn’t it? I could imagine that it would take a huge army to be able to free the Israelites
once again.
Yet what they get may not be what
they expected. They expect a King to be born, maybe a king born in a palace
with all the fine linens and the ceremony that comes with the birth of a King.
What they get is a king born in a stable; a child wrapped in cloth…common
cloth. A child in a stall born of a mother who was originally looking at shame
for being with child before being married.
This child…this king was not the
usual king. The information of his coming was not a public notice from the town
crier, but it was a private message that came to blessed Mary from the angel
Gabriel. The birth of Jesus was not for the Elite, but for the shepherds in the
field. The announcement of the birth of Jesus came from an army of angels
singing Hosanna in the highest! The angels came to those who were considered
lowly…the most unlikely of people.
The life of Jesus shows us, as well,
about a change of plans. Jesus went to the people on the fringes. He went to
the unclean and those who were considered unworthy of God’s love or God’s
grace. He walked with them, and healed them. He shared meals with tax
collectors, He taught people about the love of God. Rather than coming in and
brandishing swords and armies, Jesus comes into the world in a way that would
seem much calmer and tamer. He brings God’s message of loving our neighbor
rather than tearing down and judging.
This change of plans does not end
with a major battle like we might see in the movies. It ends, so we would like
to think at a wooden cross on a hill. It was at that cross for those of you who
might not remember or know but will hear next week in the reading of the
passion, the common criminal. It was shameful to be placed on that cross and
die that kind of death. That cross was used to send messages to others who
committed crimes and attempted to go against the people in power “Don’t even
think about it! Because, this is what will happen to you! It sent messages to
families and the public about the shameful actions by those hanging on that
cross. We know this by who was at Jesus’ left and right…two common criminals.
In
just a few short days, which might seem like a lifetime, we will see God’s
change of plans. God steps in to say that this will no longer be a symbol of
shame because MY SON will be on that cross…for us (you and me) and for the
forgiveness of our sins. At that moment, the cross will be the place where we
learn that we are valuable and loved…each and every one of us because of the
sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and that cross becomes the place of hope in
forgiveness, grace, and mercy from our creator God.
This
is one of those times where God’s plan is not what we would have ever thought
of yet God thought enough of us to give us the gift of Jesus in the world. So
how many of our plans didn’t come out the way we thought and how many times did
we say thanks God for guiding me down that different path. AMEN!
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