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    Mar 29, 2015

    The God Story 6: Waiting for Resolution

    The God Story 6: Waiting for Resolution

    Passage: John 12:12-19

    Speaker: Rev. Vivian McCarthy, Pastor

    Series: The God Story

    Category: God's Relationship with You

    Keywords: god story, resolution, waiting

    Waiting for resolution isn't always easy.

    It’s the last week of our study – the last week of looking at the best story of all – the God Story and how our stories are part of the God Story.  And where does Jacob Alexander leave us in our study?  Waiting – waiting for resolution. 

    For those of you who have not been with us through this whole series, I just want to let you know that in order to help the whole congregation engage with this study more fully, we have offered a few questions during the sermon time for everyone to answer by Tweeting either on your phones or using a 3x5 card found in the pew rack.  Even if this is your first time visiting with us, feel free to join in the responding.  Phone Tweets will show up live on the video screens.

     So, the Tweet question for today is this:

    What are you waiting for? 

    In every good story, the tension – the action – those defining moments – keep us reading, may keep us reading long after we should turn off the light.  There is a longing, a pull.

    There’s one writer that I have had to stop reading.  In his stories when he gets to this part, the stories are so intense that I can feel my heart race until the story reaches its resolution and the main characters are safely home.

    Isn’t that what happens when we have to wait?  The tension rises.  Our blood pressure often climbs.

    • When you get to an appointment on time and the doctor or mechanic or public servant makes you wait 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 45 minutes? 
    • When your teenager doesn't return by his 11 pm curfew?  Now it’s 11:30 – midnight – 12:30? 
    • When you can’t reach the elderly parent or aunt?  Third call….fourth call…the next day.  That is one long car ride to get to their home to check on them! 
    • When the test results take 3 days…a week…two weeks?

    What are you waiting for?  Where do you need resolution?

    Jesus had been preaching and teaching, showing the world a new way.  Much of his teaching was at odds with the established religious leaders of the day, and the people were drawn to his message of hope and new life – the healing and the feeding and the freeing.  He was breaking destructive patterns, and there were many who benefitted from his ministry.  There were also many whose ideas or power were threatened.  The tension had risen to a fever pitch.

    So on this day, just as thousands gathered for Passover in the Holy City, he rode into town on the back of a small, young donkey, the picture of a king on a donkey just adding to the hubbub.  People got excited.  They thought that resolution was just around the corner.

    Hosanna!  Save Us.  Or, more likely they were crying Save NOW!  They had waited for centuries.  Beaten down.  Oppressed.  Sick – body and spirit.  Broken.  Save NOW!

    From our study book:

    To all broken communities of people, He comes.  To broken marriages, He comes.  To broken finances, He comes.  To broken churches, He comes.  To broken nations, He comes.  He comes and by the end of the week we have forgotten and we cry out, “Crucify!”  And you know what?

    He comes again.

    Join me now in lifting our brokenness to God – our need for resolution and rescue – our pain and our hope.  Pray with me:

    God, I am still waiting for Resolution in some areas of my life.  Remind me that you wait with me.  Remind me that you have good in store for me.  Help me to trust in you as the author of the story and to wait faithfully.  I wait expectantly to see the beautiful things you want to do in my story.  In the name of Jesus our Savior, we pray.