Have you ever heard the phrase, “You’re preaching to the choir.”? How about, “You’re preaching to the pulpit!”? On March 12, during the sermon, I made a passing comment about how the law to love our neighbors will mean that we will need to love hard neighbors, even neighbors who rear-end us. It was a quick application, one of many that we could all probably apply differently. Yet as I sat down to write this article, the Lord provided an opportunity for me to love a neighbor who rear-ended me (well technically, my wife). That afternoon, while pulling into a park, my wife was rear-ended by a driver who, admittedly, was speeding and looking down, not at the road. While speeding on St. Elmo Avenue, he not only hit our van but most likely totaled it. Glass was everywhere, bumpers and doors were bent out of shape, and the car was thrust into a metal post which appeared to have caused some significant engine damage. All of that is meaningless compared with the safety of my wife and our five children, all of whom emerged unscathed.
While in my office, working on a sermon, I got the call and immediately drove to the scene. The other driver appeared stunned. He knew he had made a mistake. He called the police; he took full responsibility. At that moment when I extended my hand to introduce myself, it was relatively easy to love this guilt-stricken neighbor. After all, everyone was healthy and stable. After exchanging information, I walked back to the broken, twisted van and wondered, “What if one of my kids was injured? Would I be able to love this neighbor if he had killed one of my sons or daughters? Would I be able to love this man then?”
In moments like those, Holy Week takes on a fresh meaning. The Lord Jesus, the Son of God, set His face upon Jerusalem. He entered the city to the cheering crowds shouting “Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” By the end of that week, the celebratory cheers died and were replaced with chants to “Crucify Him”. Those in the crowds were not in an accidental car crash. They didn’t make a bad decision to look down while driving. They were intentionally and proactively calling for the death of God’s beloved Son, the King of kings, their Messiah. At the scene of my wife’s accident, I didn’t face a man who had intentionally murdered my beloved child. Yet God did. God chose to love and save His enemies despite the betrayal, torture, and crucifixion of His beloved Son. The Father willingly allowed His Son to be bound and experience an excruciating death for those enemies. Why? Because through Jesus’ death, there would be healing and restoration. By His wounds, we are healed (Isaiah 53).
Remembering Holy Week provides ongoing moments of worship as we consider the immeasurable grace of our Lord to suffer and die in our place. Believing and resting in Christ’s love, especially when we were once His enemies, strengthens us to love our neighbors as ourselves.
