Introduction
In the movie “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” characters experience some incredibly bizarre situations and versions of reality and themselves. The main characters are the ones who are “chosen” to make sure the “multiverse” doesn’t collapse, but to do this, they have to jump between different versions of the universe by doing ridiculous things, like dramatically giving themselves papercuts or nosebleeds or eating a tube of chapstick. All these take place in public, so the characters (and the audience) feel absurd, awkward, and even shame in some of the more chaotic scenes. Have you ever been in a situation where it so awkward by association that you wanted to look away? Or it was so awkward that you felt like you had to double-down with desperate justification for doing something so strange? In some ways, this was the response of some Jews when watching Jesus’ ministry and the Triumphal Entry. Compared to the normal triumphant entries that kings and emperors rode into town with, this was, at best, countercultural, and at worst, downright embarrassing. But that’s the thing about Jesus and his ministry—it was never what anyone expected. We’re going to take another look at this story to understand the implications then and now for us, a small church living again in the times of competing empires.
Jennifer Acuff and the teaching team.
Text:
Communal Confession for Vine and Branch
Rejoice, Grace Church this time culminates our Sabbath day, our gift of rest and renewal.
We rejoice in this time for worship and wonder.
God gives us Sabbath as freedom from and freedom for.
God is worthy of worship, our Creator, Healer, and Inspiration.
Hang on Grace Church, we were never promised an easy road.
Jesus bids each and all of us to take up our cross and follow Him.
We have the promises and person of Jesus with us every step of the way.
Because we have this we will endure, even though we struggle.
We have the testimony of those who have gone before us to encourage and enlighten us.
Because we have this we will follow their example and receive their encouragement.
We have been given each other to rejoice with, grieve with, grow with and work with.
Because we have this community and all these things we will not lose heart or be forever discouraged.
Grace be to you now and forever in the Name of our Lord Jesus
Lord’s Prayer
Christ, who taught us to pray saying:
Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who’ve sinned against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory forever. Amen.
