Bret Hammond18 Sep 2022

This Is Us: A Community of Transformation; Revelation 21:1-5

Tucked in the middle of the movie, The Passion of the Christ is a scene that I find my mind going back to again and again. Jesus has been beaten bloody and carries his cross through the streets of Jerusalem. The weight of the wood, the exhaustion of the beating, and the blood in his eyes from the crown of thorns suddenly become too much for him. He collapses to the ground, the cross pinning him there. His mother watches on, and like any mother who sees her child fall, she runs to comfort him, saying, “I’m here.” Jesus turns to her, cups her cheek, and says, “See, mother, I make all things new.” It’s a line you won’t find in any of the Gospels or their passion narratives. Instead, it comes from the throne of heaven in Revelation 21:5. “Behold, I am making all things new.” I love that promise there at the culmination of all things, but I’m moved by how the Passion of the Christ reminds me of the price of the promise. The chaos of this world is conquered by the cross. Humanity’s final union with the Father is delivered by the one who was rejected. The promise of the end of mourning and pain was accomplished through the man of sorrows. The transformation of the sufferings of Jesus into the glory to be revealed in us is beyond my comprehension today. Still, it is the hope we share and extend to the hurting around us.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(500)

Abounding in Love; Romans 12:9-13

Some mornings, coffee isn’t enough. A few years ago, after a late night and an early morning, I sat down at breakfast with friends and announced, “Listen . . . I’m barely functioning. If you have anyt...

20 Mai 20min

The Open Door; Revelation 3:7-13

The key was missing, and the door wouldn’t open. There weren’t many options for getting in. I suppose I could have tried to break down the door, but that would have been expensive (and probably painfu...

2 Apr 24min

Give Thanks; Psalm 136

Some weeks, the loudest voice in your life isn’t God’s—it’s the one telling you what you’re not. It whispers before you’re fully awake. It follows you into the car, into the office, into the quiet mo...

26 Nov 202521min

Toto: The Spirit Has a Soft Side

In John 14:15–27, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit as our Advocate, Comforter, and Friend—the one who steadies our hearts and keeps us focused on him. Using imagery from The Wizard of Oz, Bret compares ...

6 Okt 202526min

Why Do You Worry? Matthew 6:25-34

Are you having a good morning? Let’s see if we can fix that. Did you know crocodiles can gallop like horses? They’re crazy fast! Did you know there are approximately 40 supervolwcanoes worldwide, and...

25 Jul 202522min

What Is Your Name? Mark 5:1-20

"Who was that masked man?" I must have heard that line a hundred times growing up, watching reruns of The Lone Ranger. At the end of every episode, the townspeople would stand around in awe as the str...

12 Jul 202522min

How Can I Give You Up? Hosea 11:1-11

Hosea laments Israel's lusts for idols, but never loses sight of God's unfailing love and compassion. In Hosea 11, we hear God's constant call for his people to return to him. This sermon follows the...

5 Apr 202527min

Show Up Together; Exodus 4:10-17

Jerry Seinfeld once noted that most people's number one fear is public speaking, and number two is death. This means that the average funeral attendee would feel more comfortable being the person in t...

7 Mai 202421min