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Dreaming of Peace

"Blessed is the king
 who comes in the 
name of the Lord!"
 
A modern version of a very ancient Palm Sunday tradition begins with gathering outside the church. The pastor reads the scriptures about Jesus entering Jerusalem. 

With palm branches in hand, people walk to the church entrance.

The pastor knocks on the door, there's a dialog between people in the procession and those seated in the sanctuary.  

 People enter and take their seats singing "All glory laud and honor ". 

The service continues with scripture, prayer, and preaching. 

Holy Communion follows the sermon, the lights are turned off, the altar is "cleansed" by removing the communion elements, candles, and cloth. 

The final hymn is "Where you there?"

Where do you see yourself in this drama? 
    In the crowd cheering Jesus entering Jerusalem? 
    At the table of cup and loaf with him? 
    Standing faithfully at the foot of the cross?

As for me, with the atrocities I see in Ukraine, the bombed-out buildings, the refugee crowded trains and buses escaping air raids, I stand in the crowd.

I, like the crowd, dream of peace beyond that of tanks, fighter planes, drones and missiles.

I dream of a peace that changes human hearts by overturning the old order of sin, evil, and death.

Sin, evil and death are the enemies breaking our hearts, twisting our souls, and taking our loved ones from us.

As I watch this drama unfold, I see the bigger story of salvation. 

From palms to table to cross, I see the bigger story of salvation by hoping in Jesus.

For no matter where you are, in the cheering crowd, seated at the table, or beneath the cross, hope in Jesus. 

No matter what part of the old order weighs you down, hope in Jesus.

Hope in Jesus.

This is the bigger story.
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