“Storm Warnings” (Mark 11:1-11)

 

The sun is slowly sinkin'

The day's almost gone

Still darkness falls around us

And we must journey on

The darkest hour is just before dawn

The narrow way leads home

Lay down your soul at Jesus' feet

The darkest hour is just before dawn

(Ralph Stanley)

 

It is common knowledge with spiritual directors that the sojourner must get through the darkness before discovering the light.  The phrase, “the darkest hour is just before the dawn”, has long been a metaphor for those who make this spiritual journey.  This morning I content that this is such a time being described in our scripture reading despite the celebratory mood we are hearing.

 

Storm warnings are something that all of us are familiar with here in Montana . . . especially as we are weaning ourselves off the winter months.  For several months we have endured the warnings of the local and national weather authorities concerning impending bad weather.  These serve as a prelude to the actual storms allowing for a time of preparation and readiness for the storm . . . a time for bracing ourselves for what is to come.  I know ranchers and farmers are grateful for these warnings especially during the calving season.  Preparation and readiness take a little of the sting out of the impact of the storms.

 

Thankfully those warnings are fewer and farther between lately.  Yet, we know that we are not out of the woods yet.  Spring’s transition from winter brings lots of unstable weather conditions . . . there are still storms lurking out there.  There is still the possibility of spring blizzards, and the new addition of tornadoes!  During this transition the warning of storms will be appreciated.  We will get through them to enter the much-anticipated summer.

 

Having said all of that . . . how does this celebratory parade in our scripture reading signify a “storm warning”?  Primarily because it wasn’t the only parade happening that day.  Jerusalem is buzzing with activity as the faithful are gathering for the celebration of the Passover as they are coming from near and far.  Thousands are gathering to remember and celebrate the Passover.  This is a concern for those who are in power . . . especially the Romans.  With the influx of people comes and increase in opportunities for all sorts of things, including rebellion.  So, what better way to show power and control than to put one’s might on display.  As the simple parade of Jesus enters Jerusalem from the east, Pontius Pilate—the Roman governor—stages his own parade from the west entrance.  Brandishing weapons and proclaiming the power of the empire a stern message was delivered . . . sedition, treason, and rebellion will not be tolerated.  The punishment for such activity would be death.

 

The storm warning has been issued.  Like most storm warnings it is issued when the weather seems to be great . . . surely the prognosticators don’t know what they are talking about!  Unfortunately, this is one time they get it right. 

 

As the followers of Jesus, Palm Sunday marks the start of the end of the journey . . . it is the last stretch of the Lenten journey.  There is a lot to be hopeful for as we are mere days from celebrating the gift of Easter . . . the promise of new life.  Yet, we must be mindful of the warning . . . there is an impending storm yet to come.  The darkness is about to immerse us into a chaotic and difficult time . . . the crescendoing frenzy of Holy Week . . . the darkest hour just before the dawn.

 

As much as we would like to, we cannot leapfrog Palm Sunday to Easter morning.  No, we must find our way through the darkness of Holy Week.  But, thankfully, we have been warned.

 

Palm Sunday represents a nice lull before the storm . . . a bright spot before the darkness.  There is much to celebrate . . . much to look forward to . . . reason to shout out “Hosanna!”  The end is near . . . redemption is nearly fulfilled . . . the Kingdom is about to happen.  The coming of freedom is worth shouting about . . . worth throwing a parade.  Yet, we cannot let our optimism overshadow the reality . . . there is a storm warning!

 

Things are not going to go as smoothly as hoped for.  What starts the week with a bang ends with an explosion . . . things go down hill quickly.  Expectations are dashed.  What is expected is just extinguished, it is crushed.  It is crushed in the movement of betrayal, abandonment, trial, beatings, and eventually being nailed to a cross to die.  The darkness creeps slowly through the week until it envelopes all in complete darkness.  The spark of hope celebrated at the start is put out.

 

But let us not panic.  We have been warned.  Let us put on our mudders and enter the darkness of the storm . . . let us trudge ever onward and finish this Lenten journey.  Holy Week is never easy, and it definitely is no fun, but it is necessary.  With perfect 20/20 hindsight we know how the story ends . . . after all, next Sunday we celebrate Easter with all of its promise.  Still we must get through the storm . . . get through the darkness.

 

Darkness and storms are a part of the spiritual journey.  The mystics and spiritual directors have always known this as being a part of growth into the individual’s relationship with God and others.  It is what makes the individual stronger in his or her faith.  Having been warned . . . let us step into the darkness of the storm to receive the light on the other side.  As Ralph Stanley sang in his song, The Darkest Hour is Just Before the Dawn:

 

The darkest hour is just before dawn

The narrow way leads home

Lay down your soul

Let Jesus in

The darkest hour is just before dawn

The darkest hour is just before dawn

 

And, all of God’s children said, Amen!

“The Heart Knows” (Jeremiah 31:27-34)

 

The consequences of living life can be a tough pill to swallow at times.  Ask the people in our scripture reading this morning—the people of Judah and Israel.  Here is a group of shattered people who have failed to live up to their covenant with God.  In their unwillingness to honor the covenant they face the destruction of their nation and a long, bitter exile.  The situation stinks, but the prophet Jeremiah has been telling them that they had it coming . . . and, they know it.  Basically, they have broken every covenant God ever made with them.  They have failed to be faithful to God, and to one another.  The consequences will be tough to swallow and the people have no one to blame except themselves.

 

This is the prelude to the Babylonian Exile.  The unfaithfulness of the people leading to this consequence was their unfaithfulness to God . . . their worshipping of other Gods . . . their disregard for God’s will and presence in their lives.  The unfaithfulness of the people towards one another . . . especially the least of these.  Enough is enough.  The frustration of God with the stubbornness of the people to honor the covenant leads to this invasion from the Babylonians.  To put it in simple terms that most people can understand . . . the people screwed up and now they were paying the price for that screw-up . . . and, they know it.

 

The writer tells us, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children teeth are set on edge.”  Not only did the people blow it, but they are imprisoned by their past . . . imprisoned by the seemingly fatality of their choices and the guilt of having made those choices.  The weight of the chains binding them to their past mistakes was stifling . . . how could they ever be worthy considering all the mistakes and messes they had created on their own?  They had squandered their blessings and now feared that they had blown their birthright as the children of God.  They had blown it and the end did not look promising.

 

As I stated earlier, the consequences of living life can sometimes be the toughest pill to swallow.  Especially when those consequences are harsh and punishing because of the choices we have made . . . choices that were wrong, choices that hurt others, choices that turned our backs against God . . . stupid choices.  Consequences that carry guilt and remorse.  Consequences we believe signaling that we have blown it and destroyed relationships that we can never get back.  Consequences that stymie us and our relationship with God and others.  Freeze us in our tracks making us believe that we are unworthy of love . . . from others and God.

 

Sometimes the greatest barrier between us and God . . . us and others . . . is ourselves.  When we believe that we are unworthy of God and others, it is difficult to grow in who God created us to be, to grow in relation to God, and to love and relate to others.  It is tough to be faithful.  Think about it . . . we are called upon to do two things: to love God and to love others as we love ourselves.  If we cannot find it in ourselves to be worthy of love, how will we ever love God or others?  We can’t.  

 

That would be sad.

 

Fortunately, there is a lot of “good news” in our reading this morning.  Yes, the people are on the eve of destruction for their mistaken choices.  Yet, at the same time, despite their screw-up, there is hope.  There is hope in the form of a new covenant offered by God to the people. God presents a seed of hope and assurance of restoration.  But, mind you, this is a new covenant and with it comes differences from those old covenants.

 

Walter Brueggemann, noted biblical and theological scholar, points out three elements of this new covenant.  First, there will be a new “solidarity”.  The division within the kingdom—Judah and Israel, will end and they will once again be one people under the one true God.  Second, there will be a new “knowledge” of God.  The people will become aware of God’s saving nature—God’s grace, and the need to be obedient to God’s work.  And, third, this new relationship will no longer be characterized by intermediation and a distance maintained between God and the majority of the people.  No longer will there be those people with special knowledge and access of God who mediate the relationships between God and the people.  From here on out, everyone will have access to God . . . from the poorest to the richest, the youngest to the oldest . . . all will have access to God.  “They will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. 

 

And, it all happens because of grace . . . God’s forgiveness.

 

God forgives the people of their sin . . . forgives them of their past.  In doing so God breaks the vicious cycle of sin and punishment that had trapped the people for so long.  God will no longer bring their sin to mind.  The people are released from all debts and in doing so, restores hope.  All because God forgives them.  God declares: “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

 

This is big stuff . . . especially the part that takes away the intermediates—people like priests and scholars and opens access to God to all.  Suddenly from a secondary relationship with God through others, the people now have a one-to-one relationship with God.  As wonderful as that sounds, there comes great responsibility.  The people no longer have an excuse when they mess up because it is all in their hands now.  This comes about because God has now put the “laws” within each individual person.  God declares: “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.  I will be their God, and they will be my people.”   So, when they screw-up now they will know . . . they will know because the heart will know.  Their heart.

 

Well, with perfect 20/20 hindsight, I am not sure they ever succeeded in honoring this new covenant.  We know it took quite some time before they exited Babylon . . . some time to restore the kingdom back from its split . . . and, well I am not too sure they were successful in following and being obedient to God’s will.  If we are going to be honest, as we look around the world today, we are not quite living up to God’s call to love God or one another.  We are still a way from realizing the Kingdom of God in all of its promise and glory.

 

And, it makes a person wonder . . . why?

 

Now this is my opinion, but I think that it comes down to a sense of worthiness and belief . . . that which the people were struggling with as they sat facing the consequences of their unfaithfulness in our reading this morning.  They had a difficult time believing God would forgive them—after all, they had been really bad.  They did not feel worthy of God’s forgiveness.  Then they had a hard time of accepting that they were forgiven . . . that the slate had been wiped clean.  Because of this they could not honor the new covenant . . . they were imprisoned by their inability to accept God’s grace of forgiveness.

 

And, like those people of old, I think that we also get caught up in this trap.  I think that there are moments in our journey of faith and life that we feel unworthy of God’s love and grace . . . or God’s forgiveness.  This impedes our growth as the children of God . . . impedes the development of God’s Kingdom . . . and, most importantly keeps us separated from God and one another.  In the season of Lent as we journey through this time of examination of our faith, we discover this.  We discover that we have not always been perfect and good . . . discover that we have not always believed . . . not always loved.  We discover that we have not always been as close to God as we should be.  We discover it because the heart lets us know and it bleeds out freezing our movement and growth because we do not feel worthy of God’s grace and love.  And, if we cannot love ourselves, how are we going to love anyone else?

 

Consequences are a hard pill to swallow . . . especially when it comes to our faith.  Yet, God promises to forgive us of our past . . . to wipe the slate clean . . . and, to set us down the path as a new creation in God.  We know that this is true as we slowly trudge toward the gift of Easter and all that it represents through Jesus.  The past is gone, tomorrow looks bright . . . all we must do is to get through today.  In order to do that we have to believe . . . believe that God loves us, forgives us, and restores us.  God tells us we are worthy in words and action . . . we are loved.  The heart will know . . . believe!  Amen.