Holy Week Reflections (order of service here)

Monday - a shock at the temple. 

As we approach the cross, we start to see Jesus’ character in technicolour. We start to get a picture of his heart; what moves him, what hurts him, what breaks him…. And today we see a glimpse of what angers him… A just, ever-loving, anger.

As we follow his steps towards sacrifice we contemplate how we follow Jesus. We think of his kindness, his graciousness, his loving words and action and we seek to mirror those out to the world around us. But today we are challenged to look at another side of following Jesus. A side where we need to stand up for what is right, a side where we need to challenge behaviour… a side that needs bravery, courage and justice at its centre. Today is a day where we cry Make our hearts mirror yours…break our hearts for what breaks yours….

I wonder where your mind was drawn then? Often we think of the big picture of justice… food supplies failing to reach starving communities, refugees, water aid, those displaced by climate change, big co-orporations not paying tax or pillaging Gods planet but today I wonder if we’re challenged to look inwards. Where have we walked away and kept quiet instead of challenging and changing? Where are we letting people around us hurt, take advantage of, or damage others. Where do we need to turn over the tables of our own lives? Because, make no mistake how we think and act matters to Jesus we need only to turn to our reading to see this.

Jesus asks us to follow him. It’s not a picture book of ease -its real, its honest, its hard work. Following Jesus is a journey of authenticity and integrity. We see it today on our first step towards the cross. Yet it’s a side of this journey we often shy away from. I love listening to Christian Music as many of you know & this song popped up today…

We want our coffee in the lobby
We watch our worship on a screen
We got a Rockstar preacher
Who can’t wake us from our dreams
We want our blessings in our pocket
We keep our missions overseas
But for the hurting in our cities
Would we even cross the street?

We wanna see the heart set free and the tyrants kneel
The walls fall down and our land be healed
But church if we want to see a change in the world out there

It's got to start right here
It's got to start right now

We cannot profess to follow Jesus if we only do so at surface level. If we keep our faith at arm’s length.

We’ll spend some time now praying; where may we need God’s help to let go of things where we, like the temple dwellers have lost our way. Call to mind sometimes where we haven’t acted with integrity or authenticity… and bring them to God… leave them with him. And ask Jesus to walk with you into a new day - feast on the bravery of Christ, to live more with more integrity as People of God in this world. Afterall, Christ has no body now but ours… how will we do his work?

Suggested Music

Appropriate Prayers

God of steadfast love, light of the blind and liberator of the oppressed, we see your holy purpose in the tender compassion of Jesus, who calls us into new and living friendship with you. May we, who take shelter in the shadow of your wings, be filled with the grace of his tender caring; may we, who stumble in selfish darkness, see your glory in the light of his self-giving. We ask this through him whose suffering is victorious, Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

 Gracious God, the hope of all in need, pour your Spirit upon us, that we may be instruments of your justice and compassion, a light to the nations, and a living promise of your new heaven and new earth. Amen.