Reversal of Fortune

We have no idea...

The lessons my church will hear this coming Sunday share images of God reversing fortunes, culminating in Jesus’ invocation of Psalm 118:22 to describe the coming resurrection reversal of his rejection by those who seemed powerful and in control,

The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone (Luke 20:17)

The Prophet Isaiah uses imagery from Israel’s suffering under foreign empires to foretell a great reversal,

…they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick… (Isaiah 43:17) reverses, a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. (42:3)

Those who were at the mercy of the unjust will not be snuffed out, but those who are agents of oppressive empires (chariot and horse, army and warrior) will be.

Not only will God reverse the fortunes of tormented and tormentors, He will be reversing histories of bad news with amazing good news and direct help into the future,

“Remember not the former things,
nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.” (43:18)

Sunday’s lessons celebrate reversal of fortune lyrically with Psalm 126,

Those who sow in tears shall reap with songs of joy. He who goes on his way weeping and bears good seed shall doubtless come again with joy, and bring his sheaves with him. (vv. 6-7)

Tears will be reversed with joy.

St. Paul shares his personal experience of reversal, by which his many religious credentials are counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith… (Philippians 3:7-9)

All of these reversals are summed up and opened up by Christ, the rejected stone who becomes the cornerstone. Be it history, situations, or individual souls, all can be reversed from descent into sin and death toward ever ascending life in Christ’s resurrection.

This Jesus who endures the injustice and agony of his Passion is indeed a very strange man, because we have no idea of the magnitude of the reversal he is accomplishing for all that we know and all that we are.

Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of this world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (The Collect of Passion Sunday)