Jesus Christ comes to us as the one who serves and leads us into lives of service and love. 

Vicar Andrea Bonneville
Sunday of the Passion, year C 
Texts: Philippians 2: 5-11; Luke 22:12–23:56

Beloved in Christ, grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

“But I am among you as one who serves.”

Jesus tells his disciples at their final meal together. It is what his mother, Mary, sang before he was born. It is what he showed and told them throughout his entire ministry. “I am the one who came to bring good news to the poor, who proclaims release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, who lets the oppressed go free, and who proclaims the year of the Lord’s favor.”

“But I am among you as one who serves.”

Jesus exemplifies to the crowd and the powers that be as they mock him, torture him, and brutally execute him by nailing him on a cross. Using his very last breath to overcome evil with unconditional love. “Forgive them”, he says, “for they do not know what they are doing.”

“But I am among you as one who serves.”

Jesus reminds you today as we remember his death on the cross and his going to the grave. The Christ of God emptied himself of divine power and control. Christ humbled himself and served us and took on our humanity and everything that comes with living in human skin: pain, sin, suffering, violence, destruction, and death.  

Jesus shows us self-giving, vulnerable, and unconditional love. Love that cannot be contained by the evil of the world. Love that doesn’t stay buried in the ground.

This love that we hear about today has already taken root in our world.  It’s rooted in compassion and healing, forgiveness and service.  Rooted in speaking truth to power and advocating for the oppressed. Rooted in prayer and lament and praise. Rooted in the water and bread and wine.  Rooted in you, and me, and all of God’s creation.

And it is just waiting to sprout and bring forth the newness of life.

But love, and healing, and forgiveness, and compassion, and service cannot and will not sprout without you, without this community, without all of God’s beloved carrying our spices and ointments, our tears and our hearts, to the graves of our world with minds and hearts open to see what can heal and transform.

We turn toward our neighbors, our friends, and our enemies. We turn toward the brokenness and pain of the world, with the same mind and heart that was in Christ when he ate with his disciples and washed their feet.  The same heart that healed sick, welcomed the outcasted, and loved without limits. The same heart that was on that cross. The same heart that breaks from the pain and heals with kindness and love.

Because the love and forgiveness that they tried to kill on the cross and bury. The love that challenged power and evil, and brings forth a new way of life is the love that is waiting to sprout in your heart and mind.

This week, this Holy week, we open our ears and hearts and minds to listen to the one among us who serves.  We listen to the one who heals and transform. The one who loves and forgives. We listen to the one who says “do this in remembrance of me.”

And we wait and watch for the one who comes in peace, blooming love and forgiveness that continues to transform lives and heal our world.  Christ Jesus whose Spirit is in you among you as one who serves.  

Amen.