Incomplete Narratives - The Rev. Philip DeVaul

 I have this idea of who we are.  A narrative that I've been raised with that is deep in my bones and my blood and I hold it sacred.  The people of Israel that we hear in the story that we hear week in and week out about Jesus and his interaction, it's with his own people. They have a story too. They have this narrative and today we see Jesus attacking that narrative Directly,  I'm not sure if you saw it.

We almost miss it because it's right in front of us,  but he says Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it. Jerusalem is not just a city. Jerusalem is a symbol and a promise. Jerusalem stands for all that God has promised God's people. Jerusalem is the embodiment of the promise that God made to Israel.

Jerusalem is the realization of that promise.  Jerusalem is their hopes and their dreams. of freedom and uniqueness and power. Jerusalem is where the temple is, where God dwells. Jerusalem is their spiritual identity as a people. And Jesus says, Oh, I know Jerusalem. That's where all the truthtellers go to die.