March 11, 2001

Second Sunday in Lent

Pastor Ole Amund Gillebo

The Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard wrote in his famous book "Provocations": "Christianity entered the world not to be understood but to be existed in".

His point is that it is not so important to understand everything intellectually, it is not the point to get Christianity inside the head, but what counts is to live and to have the experience of Christianity. The Christian life in faith is like a walk inside a cathedral or through a huge landscape.

The Danish Christian thinker continues: "Christ’s entire life must supply the norm for the Christian life and for the life of the whole Church. One has to take every particular aspect of Christ’s life straight from his baptism to his resurrection and show correspondence. What else does it mean to be a Christian?"

He is talking about following Christ and imitating Christ!

"Nor the kind of imitation consisting of fasting and flagellation-, no, imitation means following the example, being willing to witness for the truth and against untruth, and to do so without seeking any support whatsoever from any external power, neither attaching oneself to any power nor forming a party".

The Dane does follow up his provocation: "There are this many children baptized every year, that many confirmed, and how many become theological professors and Bible teachers? There are thousands of pastors-.

Everything is in place - if only following Christ existed".

This theme fits very much into the Lenten season and is very close to the Gospel reading today about Jesus rejecting both the religious and the political establishment in order to complete the course set for him by the Father. Regardless of religious pressure and political threats to silence him, Jesus continued to speak and to act with authority, courage and conviction.

Jesus was a provocation.

Therefore the King of Galilee wanted to stop Jesus, and if necessary, to kill him. Jesus responded and called the reigning king a "fox"!

To the Jews the fox was the symbol of three things.

First it was regarded as the slyest of animals. Second, it was regarded as the most destructive of animals. Third, it was the symbol of a worthless and insignificant person.

It takes a brave man to call the current king a fox. It takes a prophet with authority from God. Jesus would not shorten his work by one day to pleasure or to escape the political power. He was a true prophet sent from God.

Jesus also mentions another animal in this text. He is talking about a hen as a symbol.

It is to be found in verse 34, which presents the main message for today:

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets. You stone the messengers God has sent you! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!"

When does the hen gather her chicks under her wings? When they are in danger!

Jesus visited Jerusalem several times. He offered love to this city and to the people living there. He wept over this city. He wanted to gather them and take care of them. But they refused.

Nothing hurts as much as to go to someone and offer love and have that offer spurned. It is life’s most bitter tragedy to give one’s heart to someone only to have it broken!

That is what happened to Jesus in Jerusalem. He offered love. He called them to repent and receive the Kingdom of God, but they refused. What Jesus said was a provocation to the people and their leaders. They killed him. But some years later Jerusalem was destroyed as foretold.

Jesus offers love to all of us. Still he comes to men, and still men reject him.

But the fact is that to reject God’s love is in the end to be in peril of his wrath.

A provocation?

Yes, but remember what Jesus said: "My teaching is not mine but his who sent me. Whoever is willing to do what God wants will know whether what I teach comes from God or whether I speak on my own authority",

John 7:16-17.

As Christians and as a Church we are called to rise from our baptism to follow Jesus Christ and to witness for the truth and against the untruth in our time, regardless of political and religious disagreement and opposition.

We are challenged to open up ourselves for Christ and his word and to allow his light to shine in our life.

For with him is the fountain of life, and in his light we see light.

The Lenten Season and Easter reveal to us a greater Christ!

Let us follow his example!

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

Amen.

The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church ·  924 E. 21st St, Minneapolis, MN 55404-2952 ·  (612)874-0716