Eternity Justifies the Living – Genesis 23 & 25
When Things Have To Die
On the traditional church calendar, this Sunday is Palm Sunday -- the day we remember Jesus' triumphal ride into Jerusalem before his death. That story, told in all four gospel accounts, is a rich mix of celebration and death. People greeting Jesus as he rides into town are caught up in the thrill of the moment, having no idea that in a matter of days, this same man will be hung on a cross and left to die. They don't know him as a supernatural king, even if he has told them so. It is a scene full of irony.
Meanwhile, back in Genesis, this Sunday we encounter the deaths of Sarah and Abraham. Like Jesus, their deaths are underrated and their legacy stories not yet fully appreciated. And like Jesus, their deaths usher in a new generation of God's people. What Abraham lived into and hoped for by faith, Jesus accomplished by the saving power of God. The faith we have now, we have because of these lives -- both mortal and immortal.
Thanks be to God.
