Passion Sunday 21.3.10 Recognizing the Messiah
In the wake of a state election we might debate the merits or demerits of a democratic system. Democracy is supposed to give us a chance to elect those whom we want, but we see there are many rough edges to how it works. In the end we may not have much choice.
Some things are too important to offer a choice, and one of these is the place of God in our world.
He is not up for re-election. He does not preside over a democracy; He is absolute Monarch. He does not ask for our opinion on any issue, and He expects our instant obedience at all times. Does this sound oppressive? Many would say so, in the current permissive climate.
But if the King is good and knows what is best, then what is there to debate? His will must always be the best thing for us, even if it is not initially to our liking.
So we acknowledge that and, with His help, come to adopt this view into our lives. We come to respect and love the will of God... Thy will be done... and live it day by day.
We do have one choice and that is whether or not to obey the one true God. In that sense we do get a vote after all, but the choice is between life and death, heaven and hell.
This absolute authority which belongs to God alone explains why Our Lord was so forceful in His teachings and actions. He spoke with the authority of God, and this disconcerted a lot of people.
How can a carpenter’s son, who grew up in Nazareth, and is only a young man - talk with such authority? Where did He get it all?
He got it from God; He was Himself God, as He made progressively clearer. It was a stunningly new revelation, but true all the same; and the sooner people believed Him the better it was.
We can sympathise with some early incredulity on the part of the people. After all if someone from a remote town or village in Australia claimed to be somebody important we might say: who could come from that place?
Yet God, in His humility, and desiring to teach us some humility, has often chosen the lowly places and people to do His bidding. The rich and famous, meanwhile, take longer to catch on.
The Messiah was rejected in His time, and He did not entirely mind that because it gave Him a chance to make Himself a sacrificial victim for sins. The very hatred which His enemies poured out upon Him, He was able to transform into a love-offering to His Father on behalf of all sinners.
The more they hated Him the more He loved them in return and the object of their hate (which was to destroy Him) was frustrated. Everything they did to Him only made Him more precious in the sight of His Father and made more certain His triumph over sin and death.
The Messiah is still rejected in our time. Many have not recognized Him and take no account of Him. He has saved them; they say they do not need saving; or want it.
We also, who have accepted Him in general terms at least, do not give Him our full unconditional loyalty.
Sometimes we want to argue with Him; we want to exercise our democratic ‘right’ to dispute His will! It is never going to happen that we know more about something than He does.
As much as it hurts we must always bow down before Him when there is any difference of opinion.
The Messiah has come but He is still waiting for recognition. We must drop all ambiguity, all hesitation from our response and give Him all we have; entrust everything to Him. He is Messiah; He is King. Let His reign take effect.
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