Skip to main content

This Hour: Remarks from the Georgia Senate Floor

Thank you President Pro Temp Butch Miller and Senator Ellis Black and all of you senators here today. It is an honor to be here today.

Did you know that many of the first Christian churches were built in an octagonal shape to remember the eight days of Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday? Sunday, we celebrated Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. This week is Holy Week, and we remember the last week of Jesus’ life. Monday, we celebrated Mary anointing Jesus’ body. Today, we hear Jesus say his hour has come. Wednesday, Jesus will say he must leave so the Holy Spirit can come. Maundy Thursday we remember the Last Supper. Good Friday is the day Jesus died. Holy Saturday is the day Jesus spent in the tomb. And Easter is Resurrection Sunday.

The reading for today comes from John 12:23-26 (NIV).

Jesus replied, “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 . . .”

Since it’s Holy Week, let’s start with Jesus. Let’s start with his remarkable acceptance of people. He accepted people even when they used him. And, let’s be honest, Jesus was used—incredibly used. He was even exploited by those who should have loved him the most, by the ones who knew him best, his disciples.

When Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem to die, two of his disciples came to him saying, “Let one of us sit at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory.” They were trying to use their positions of closeness to Jesus for their own personal gain.

Do you remember when Jesus healed the ten lepers?  Do you remember how only one came back to give thanks? The amazing thing isn’t that Jesus healed. The amazing thing is that Jesus kept on healing in spite of all the ingratitude.

From time to time, Jesus had to climb into a boat to give a sermon. He didn’t do that to pose for a photo-op like some politicians do. He did it because the crush of the crowd was so great. The crowds always came with their hands out—never wanting to give anything, but always wanting something.

Those demands were constant and never ending. Jesus couldn’t even die a demand-free death. Even while he was on the cross, there was that one thief who yelled, “Don’t die yet, save me!”

The truth is, Jesus was exploited. But we don’t see him as a victim. He’s our Savior.

It’s no small detail that Jesus prayed that God would use him. Jesus’ joy was found in God using him. What’s our position on being used by God? Because I truly believe that nothing significant will happen in our hearts, in our souls, in our lives, until we give up our self-protecting, self-serving, self-seeking attitudes towards life.

Senator Ellis Black making the opening introduction. 

Addressing the senators.

After the devotional, I had the privilege of shaking every senator's hand as Senator Black stood beside me.
Our wonderful and charming tour guide, Mrs. Aletha Black.

A photo of the capitol from the building where Senator Black's office is located.

Today was a historic day. Former Governor Zell Miller's body was brought into the capitol.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Grand Tour: Repentance, Justification, and Sanctification

Eventually, in life, we will all wonder if there is more to life than what we do, what we see, and what we feel. Even after we accept Jesus into our heart, we will still feel a longing. We don't believe that accepting Jesus is the final step. Accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior is only the beginning of our faith. The Holy Spirit continues to work in our lives. John Wesley used the illustration of a house to describe this work. When you're beginning to feel that there has to be more to life than this, you take a look at the house. Then, you’re moved to take a risk and step up on the porch of repentance. There you find new life. After that, you walk into the living room through the front door of justification. Justification is when God makes right what we never can; God, through Christ, makes things right. Wesley ended by saying that sanctification is the exploration of the rest of the house. How sad would it be to live your entire life in the living room? That would b...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ash Wednesday 2019

Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your hearts, with fasting, with weeping, and with sorrow; tear your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, very patient, full of faithful love, and ready to forgive (Joel 2:12-13 CEB) Today is a new beginning. A new season. And anytime we step into something new, we can feel vulnerable. We know our own brokenness. This is a season where we journey through the wilderness of our hearts and souls to the heart of God. This is a time that calls for us to walk carefully and to think deeply. And if we are to make progress on our pilgrim's path, then we must be willing to lay bare all that is hidden, buried, or repressed inside of ourselves. This path is uncomfortable. But if we want to move closer to God, then it is a path we must take. Lent doesn't make sense. It's counter-intuitive. We begin with death and move towards life. Today, many Christians will go to chu...
Post a Comment
Read more

From Anxiety to Hope

In the early winter of AD 28, an extraordinary rumor spread across the shores of Galilee. A new prophet is on the scene. God had been silent for so long. Believers had longed for a new word from God. The last prophet to speak about the Messiah lived nearly 400 years ago. Some thought prophecy was dead. Others hoped it would be revived. Many longed for a movement which would bring them a new kind of freedom. Then John appears. Crowds come to hear this voice in the wilderness. It may helpful to remember the Exodus story: When Israel left Egypt, they were ed through the Red Sea, through the wilderness of Sinai, and, finally, through the Jordan into the promised land. People were desperate for a new exodus, a new freedom. Then John appears. He tells people to turn their lives around. He calls for people to change their hearts and lives. He's not calling for a one-time event. Instead, this is a radical change of life. John is preparing the road for the Lord to return. He...
Post a Comment
Read more