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Lenten Lesson 6 -- 'For this reason I have come to this hour.'
"It is for this reason that I have come to this hour."
And 2,000 years later, men continue to contemplate "this hour" and find in that contemplation the hope that was born in that hour and the hope that continues to live in the resurrected Christ.
A game of "burn-out" catch, in a church gymnasium, almost ended in tragedy because a youngster, becoming the man the Rev. Eddie McElhannon would one day be, flipped out the lights, thrusting three young men into utter darkness.
"I simply wasn't paying attention," McElhannon, pastor at First Assembly of God, admitted. "Just as I flipped the lights out, the pitcher hurled a baseball with all of his might straight at my best friend. All I heard when the lights went out was, 'Ow, ow, ow!"
When the lights came back on, his best friend was holding his head with both hands. The baseball had hit him so hard the stitching was imprinted on his forehead.
"I should have thought it out," McElhannon said. "I never would have thrown those switches if I'd known what was coming."
McElhannon, preaching minister at the Friday afternoon Community Lenten service at St. Alban's Episcopal Church, read from John 12:20-33:
"Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
Notice how the story unfolds, McElhannon said. "Sir, we would like to see Jesus."
Some 2,000 years later, that desire is still a part of the human experience -- a burning desire, a deep yearning, a hope that has not been extinguished by the passage of time.
When Andrew and Philip told Jesus that these Greek gentiles were seeking him, Jesus knew that his time had indeed come, McElhannon explained. Everyone within earshot heard his statement: "'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.'"
After the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Christ, Peter and the other apostles are still following him and are brought before the Sanhedrin, as recorded in Acts 5, to be questioned by the high priest, who upbraids them for continuing to teach in Jesus' name.
Their reply is a central tenet of the Gospel. "Peter and the other apostles replied: 'We must obey God rather than human beings! The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead--whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.'"
Such a bold statement made the teachers of the law furious and they wanted to see the apostles put to death.
"But," McElhannon continued, "there was a Pharisee named Gamaliel who cautioned the Jewish leaders, reminding them that false Messiahs were nothing new, saying 'Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.'"
Gamaliel had done what McElhannon had failed to do during that innocent game of catch so many years before. He thought it through and diffused the situation, Peter and the apostles continued to obey God rather than men and continued to glorify the one who said, "'Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!'"
"Then a voice came from heaven, 'I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.' The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
"Jesus said, 'This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.' He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die."
"This was the beginning of the end for Satan," McElhannon said. "And it is left for us to choose whom we will follow, today -- the Christ or the enemy."
The leaders of Israel continued their fight against God. The fight continues, in that arena and around the entire world. But Satan's rule "over this ball of mud" is coming to an end and there is no better time for us to consider our lives, McElhannon advised.
"Is it as it should be? If not, turn to Jesus. If you aren't serving him, turn to him. We never know what tomorrow will bring," McElhannon said in closing. "But we know who holds tomorrow."
The Rev. Jason VanPelt, assistant pastor at McCook Christian Church, served as worship leader and accompanied himself on the guitar as he sang Chris Tomlin's song "Jesus, Messiah." Cheryl Havens continued in her role as organist and the congregation from First Assembly of God served a choice of hot entrees, salads and desserts in the Parish House.
The 2012 Community Lenten services, produced by the Red Willow County Ministerial Association, conclude Friday with the reading of the Passion of the Christ from the Gospel of John, beginning at 12:05 p.m., at St. Alban's Episcopal Church. That somber reading is preceded by the Cross Walk, which leaves First Congregational Church, 212 East E, at 11:15 a.m., and proceeds through downtown McCook, arriving at St. Alban's in time for the reading.