As humans, when we come face to face with birth or death we instinctively stop. It’s like there’s a universal recognition of the sacred in such moments. And in moments of birth and death we re-engage our sense of touch. In modern, western, culture we’re funny about touch. And, sure, other cultures are funny about touch too, of course. But we, in particular, don’t generally like to be touched or to touch others unless the […]
This is the overarching story of the scriptures. Over and over and over again God looks like he's been defeated. Over and over again it looks like the story is over. It appears that God had a good run, but the Cindarella story has to come to an end. And each time, God prevails. Seeming defeat turns into amazing victory. That is the story of God.
In other words, whatever it was that motivated Jesus to lower himself for the incarnation and crucifixion should motivate us. So, the passion of Jesus is meant to be a model - a paradigm - for our passion. If Jesus was a passionate Messiah, we're to be passionate people. And, if we want know what that looks like we don't have to go much further beyond Bethlehem or Golgotha.