HAPPY EASTER HARVEST from Wellspring Charitable Gardens - April 17, 2025 - Maundy Thursday

Easter Harvest: Artichoke, Broccoli, Sweet Peas, White Table Turnips, Radishes, Onions, Red Butter Lettuce, Spring Mix, Chard, Rosemary & Cilantro

Metaphors of Soil and Soul…  

“Behold Your King!” - “Give Us Barabbas!”

Keith F Martin

At the beginning of Passover week, Jesus entered Jerusalem and was greeted by enthusiastic crowds and their joyous acclaim: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.” By the week’s end, though, the crowds had turned against Him and clamored for His death - “Crucify Him…. We have no king but Caesar” - choosing instead mercy for Barabbas, a condemned insurrectionist and murderer. How quickly their sentiment had changed! Jesus’ words to Judas at the Passover meal the night before His crucifixion foreshadowed this, “What you do, do quickly.”

Israel, once before, had publicly rejected God, their King. God ruled as Israel’s sovereign authority, providing commandments that, when willingly obeyed, ensured a just, safe, and prosperous life - a God-blessed life. Whenever Israel strayed from God’s life-sustaining laws, violence, chaos, tyranny, and suffering ensued. Once Israel’s suffering became unbearable, they would cry out to God for deliverance, and He would raise up a judge to restore justice and deliver them from both domestic and foreign oppressors. This oft repeated cycle came to an end with Samuel, the last judge God appointed. Samuel, not God, appointed Israel’s final two judges, his own sons. Unlike Samuel, though, they “turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice.” Once again Israel cried out for relief from their oppressors and pressed Samuel to appoint a king to rule over them. Samuel refused at first, but God intervened: “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day… they have forsaken Me…” 

Christ’s week of Passion exposed the raw, conflicting sentiment we have toward God, His authority, and our desperate need for law and justice. Ever defiant, we forsake God, concealing our enmity beneath pretense: “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” We reject God as king yet still concede our need for a robust authority to protect ourselves from each other.  We, therefore, choose kings to rule over our house divided - one king rules me, the others rule all others.  I want your king’s sword drawn; I want mine sheathed as I do what is right in my own eyes; I want mercy but demand all others face justice; I want the blessing but choose for you the curse: I want peace but do violence and seek revenge; I want life but choose death for you. Desperate and wanting, I need precisely what Jesus, the King, passionately prayed for and died for: “Forgive them, Father, they know not what they do.”

He is Risen!

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57