On the way to Easter Sunday . . . Choosing Sides

Last evening I watched the movie Valkyie for the first time. Okay, I admit I am not real current on my movie watching. Plus it seems a bit odd to be writing about Hitler and WW II during Holy Week. Nevertheless, here we are. The film depicts the July 20, 1944 plot by German army officers to assassinate Adolf Hitler and to use the Operation Valkyrie national emergency plan to take control of the country. As movies go it was okay, but it certainly provided a different view of the German people and many of the German soldiers.


As the attempted coup begins, I was fascinated by the courage that it took to choose a side. As one character puts it, "Choose carefully, you want to be on the winning side." Those that were found to be part of the coup (any part) were executed. In life and in war, it is rare that you can join the winning team after the fact. To be a part of the victory, you must declare before the war is over. That pretty much sums up much of our lives - in war or peace.

We like to be on the winning team. So we read the environment and we choose the side that is winning, but we usually wait until we know victory is in hand.

So, on Palm Sunday we grab a palm and join the parade. We cry out, "Hosanna! Make way for the King!" This guy looks like a winner.

Come Friday, we join another crowd and cry out, "Crucify!" Looks like this is a loser.

Choose carefully, you want to be on the winning team.

But despite how things looked, come Easter morning the tomb will be empty and victory will be won.

And here is the interesting part, Jesus doesn't ask which crowd you were part of ... He simply declares victory and asks, "Will you follow me?"

Good News! You can choose your side after the fight is over - after the victory is won.

Not sure, ask Saul. He use to fight against Christ and then changed teams. Ask Peter, he wavered and denied he even knew Christ this week. The disciples as whole scattered when opposition rose. But after Easter, they all came back to Jesus and became part of the history of the early church.

Jesus has won the victory! Join the team it is never too late.