The last sentence of Jesus in our gospel for today can be a real stumbler: “If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.”
The Light on the Ridge
The Light on the Ridge
Sermons on Love (Page 4)
If Jesus is the Good Shepherd, which most of us believe, you know that makes us sheep. Now sheep are not the brightest of domesticated animals – but we have some things to offer. But Jesus doesn’t focus on what we have to offer – Jesus focuses on what HE has to offer.
Just in case you feel a little short on faith, I have this word of encouragement: faith’s twin is doubt. Perhaps faith and doubt are even conjoined twins, what we used to call Siamese twins. It is next to impossible to have faith without doubt.
God’s heart is bigger than ours. For our God loves not just the person executed after committing no crime; our God loves the person executed after committing a horrendous crime.
In Matthew’s account of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, he mentions, in verse 10, that the whole “city was in turmoil – stirred – shaken to its foundations.”
Sometimes it is really hard to trust God. Like when you’ve been with a loved one for days in hospital or nursing home and no one knows when all the problems will end.
It is a tale as old as time, that wherever we humans are around, confusion and self-interest are active. Certainly, confusion and self-interest are primary actors in the gospel for today.
This encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman is the longest conversation between Jesus and one individual in the whole New Testament. That by itself should cause us to pay extra attention to this scripture.
Jesus say, “love your enemies.” Which is asking a lot. But Jesus goes farther than that.
But Jesus does congratulate these losers, these grievers ~ because of what God will do for them.