Parakalein

I am looking at this moment in the holy week experience very differently as I had a walking through hell experience  during the last year.  I shared some of this at the Epic Failure Pastor's Conference in PA last week.

What was going through the mind and heart of Christ on Saturday as he was in the tomb, as he was in Hell?

I imagine he was thinking of the glory of heaven he had given up, sacrificed to come to earth.  He lived among us and died for us.  He was the "living sacrifice".  He sacrificed all power and authority and embraced the death he did not deserve to teach us to be a living sacrifice.  To teach us to sacrifice the things that we think count for the thing that counts more.

The quote from the Seder readings must have gripped and graced his gut.  "The willingness to sacrifice is the prelude to Freedom".  I first met this quote at a funeral home, then later at a military post.  It has ben used to encourage the young men and women who join the military to see their willingness to lay there if eon the line as what is necessary for freedom to ring over our nation.  If a part of you is thinking that is a bit machiavellian you would be right.  I researched its context which is the Seder.  God is willing to sacrifice his comfortable place in heaven, giving up his birthright like Essau of old, to come to earth to teach us the laws of heaven.  To teach us that freedom only comes when we are willing to give it all up!  to be alive and sacrificing simultaneously.  To be a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2).

Freedom is not having nothing left to lose (Janis Joplin) so you do not care anymore.  Freedom is not having enough power, popularity, or money to get what your ego wants and thinks it needs. Freedom is having all power in heaven and earth and being willing to "lay it all down", to not use it for your own benefit, or use it for your defense, or to use it to punish those who do not get it.  From the well of our own unloved hearts we act in unloving ways toward others.  From the eternal well within that is always springing up to everlasting living, those who are willing to sacrifice taking in any other substance drink of that well that never runs dry.  The well is the well of "sacrifice" and it leads to freedom from ever having to go to the "well of human" water ever again.  Catch the symbolism.

Freedom is the capacity and discipline to be "willing to sacrifice" all that seems to meet our needs for that which truly creates in us the loving heart of God toward all people.  It is to be willing to sacrifice all defensiveness, all protectors, all fear of loss , and all desire for gain.  This is the prelude to living freely from a "whole heart" to all people.  Give up getting loved and love with a whole heart and you will be loved.

The dark tunnel of the grave is the place that sets the pace for living free!