Following Jesus?

Nathan Nettleton, creator of LaughingBird worship website, offers the following thoughts from a sermon he preached in his native Australia in the late 90s. They seem very fitting as we move from Palm Sunday toward Easter. I hope you find them to be God-breathed and focusing as Holy Week begins for us all.

“…some wise philosopher once said, “Today’s rooster is tomorrow’s feather duster.” One day you’re riding the crest of the public opinion wave; the next day the wave is well and truly broken and you’re the wipeout. Public opinion can be remarkably fickle…….

it’s easy to cheer for Jesus, to wave palm branches and to sing praises in the gathered assembly. It’s not difficult to join in the singing here each Sunday morning and honour Jesus as Messiah and King of the Universe. But there’s a lot more to following Jesus than just cheering from the sidelines.

What do those praises mean when (we are) behind closed doors and away from the public eye? (We) can sing in here “I want you more than gold or silver,” but how do those words affect (us) when (we) get to work, and love and justice don’t turn a profit or put (us) in line for a promotion? Do (we) honor him with (our) actions or capitulate and crucify him? What do all the words of commitment mean when it comes to working out how (we) commit (our) time and (our) money? What do those words mean when (we) find yourself in a group of sophisticated and successful people who are discussing what a loser and a fraud Jesus Christ was and how his followers have only ever caused misery and bigotry in the world? Do (we) praise him with (our) lips or crucify him with (our) compliant silence? “

Still In ONE Peace,

Jon(the methodist)