Author: Pastor Heidi Youngquist
As we wrap up our study of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and as we bring our Lenten Journey to an end, today’s devotion offers an invitation to reflection.
In many ways, the events of this week continue to highlight the character of love and compassion that Jesus lifts up throughout the Sermon on the Mount. As Jesus willingly stoops before his disciples to wash their feet, as he surrenders himself to the accusations and injustice that lead to his crucifixion, as he mercifully invites the criminal on the cross to join him in paradise, and as he releases his grasp on life and gives up his spirit, Jesus continues to turn our expectations upside down as he embodies the central themes of his teaching. From his blessing of the meek and merciful, his promotion of humility and forgiveness, and the clarity of his call to faithfulness and love, Jesus takes each and every sermon point and puts them in action.
As we near the end of this Lenten season, I wanted to share a few quotes with you that speak of the lessons we have learned, and ways they connect with the greater scope of Jesus’ ministry. I invite you to read each quote and pause to consider how it reflects the character and nature of the Upside-Down Kingdom and how it gives shape to the role we play as citizens of the Kingdom.
“The Cross is the word through which God has responded to evil in the world. Sometimes it may seem as though God does not react to evil, as if [God] is silent. And yet, God has spoken, [God] has replied, and [God’s] answer is the Cross of Christ: a word which is love, mercy, forgiveness. It also reveals a judgment, namely that God, in judging us, loves us. Remember this: God, in judging us, loves us. If I embrace [God’s] love then I am saved, if I refuse it, then I am condemned, not by [God], but my own self, because God never condemns, [God] only loves and saves.” – Pope Francis
“Lent is a time for discipline, for confession, for honesty, not because God is mean or fault-finding or finger-pointing but because [God] wants us to know the joy of being cleaned out, ready for all the good things [God] now has in store.” – N.T. Wright
“Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may go to heaven.” – St. Rose of Lima
“Lent stimulates us to let the word of God penetrate our life and in this way to know the fundamental truth: who we are, where we come from, where we must go, what path we must take in life.” – Pope Benedict XVI
“The kingdom of God ought to reshape our vision of what matters.” – Russell D. Moore
“What we see in Christ is sacrificial love. Merciful love. Love that values the well-being of others above itself. Love that will generously and fully pour itself out, whatever the cost, in order that the beloved might benefit, flourish, and thrive.” – Krish Kandiah
“In order to know the good news about Jesus holistically, beyond something that we work out in our brains like a word problem, we try to enter into this story with our bodies.” – Tish Harrison Warren
As we turn in our Lenten Journey to gather at the Lord’s Table, to bear witness to the cross, to experience the grief and sadness of the wait, and finally, the joyous discovery of the empty tomb, it is my hope and prayer that Jesus’ teaching will continue to resonate in your hearts and minds and that you will be open to experiencing the truth, power, and significance of these holy days. In doing so, it is my hope that you will encounter the beauty of God’s Upside-Down Kingdom and the freedom and joy that it promises.
Let us pray:
Good and gracious God, we give you thanks for the ways Jesus made your power and your love known, even when it turned our expectations upside-down. In the coming days, help us to hear the story of your love anew, that we might pick up details we may have missed or never considered before. Open our eyes to see your love in action and help us to follow your example. In Jesus’ name, Amen.