Single Mindedness

(Judgment)

Luke 23:26-31

 

My wife and I recently watched the remake of the 1977 TV miniseries Roots. Like the original, it depicted the atrocities of American slavery. However, about half way through the series I found myself getting quite emotional.

 

For me, there was an even greater message than the abuse of slavery. It was the commitment and single mindedness of Kunta Kinte, and those who followed him, to remember their African heritage; to be a great Mandingo warrior; but mostly to make their forefathers proud.

 

Jesus was truly single minded. He obeyed his Father even to the humiliating and painful death of the cross. In today’s passage he reminds the grieving “daughters of Jerusalem” of God’s judgement on Israel by quoting the prophet Hosea.

 

The high places of wickedness will be destroyed—
    it is the sin of Israel.
Thorns and thistles will grow up
    and cover their altars.
Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!”
    and to the hills, “Fall on us!”    NIV

 

Jesus was intricately involved in God’s judgement and in God’s plan of redemption. Without his sacrifice, you and I would suffer judgement; there would be no redemption. Jesus was single minded in his desire to do his Father’s will; to fulfill the prophet’s warnings; to make His Father proud; to please Him.

 

There is a powerful scene in Roots when Kunta Kinte is being whipped until he will say his slave name of Toby. It is painful to watch. Time and time again as the lash, laced with nails, tears his flesh, he says, “My name is Kunta Kinte”. I found myself whispering, “Just say Toby”. But he was single minded in his commitment to his African ways.

 

The single mindedness of Jesus suffered God’s judgment for you and for me. If only we

could be single minded like that. What great things we could accomplish for our Heavenly Father who sacrificed everything for us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=LUKE%2023%3A26-31&version=NIV;TLB
https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/niv/Luke.23.26-Luke.23.31

 

 

 

Tales from the Family Tree

There was a popular book and mini-series many years ago titled, "Roots." This story was viewed by millions of households. The sweeping saga spanned generations and followed a family from its 'roots' in Africa to North America. The story followed the struggles, pain, injustices and also their triumphs and joys and victories.  Roots is a bold tale of love and hate, good and evil which held its audience mesmerized from start to finish.

Our roots are important, our history - family history - is handed down over and over again.  We all love to hear about great-grandfather's journey from his early days until this day when we are seated at his feet. Who doesn't want to learn about the early days or compare our parent's first date with ours? History matters, our roots are important.

Never forget where you came from, where you had your start.  That story is part of who you are, of whose you are. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)

How many of us remember our roots, our lives before Jesus set his seal of ownership on us?  We should never forget where we came from, what our life was like before and after Jesus entered our lives.

Were we to remember this, our mission would naturally rise out of those memories. We would want to share our story and encourage others to embrace the new way of life. We would create our own mini-series and tell and re-tell the story of our roots.

2 Corinthians 1:12-22