April 9, 2017 — Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday

Matthew 21: 1-11 – The Triumphal Entry

1 And when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Beth′phage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. 3 If any one says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and he will send them immediately.” 4 This took place to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

5 “Tell the daughter of Zion,
Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on an ass,
and on a colt, the foal of an ass.”

6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; 7 they brought the ass and the colt, and put their garments on them, and he sat thereon. 8 Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee.”

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A letter from Nancy Dimmock – Malawi

God’s Amazing Grace

Tap, tap,tap --- tap, tap, tap --- tap, tap,tap

The persistent knocking at the gate was driving me crazy. Frank and I both were on our computers trying to answer emails and complete a report. I had responded to the last several knocks at the gate, so Frank took a turn and went to see who it was.

I returned to the computer, but couldn’t help wondering what they needed this time – medicine, food, travel money? There is a terrible desperation among the very poor in a big city like Lilongwe, Malawi. With no social safety net, where can they turn for help? People get stranded or abandoned in the city. They are sick or dying and want to go home. They are hungry.

The sign on our gate only says “Dimmock #129,” but the markings on our car say CCAP/PCUSA. And so people come with the hope that the “people of the church” at 129 will help.

This particular day it was getting to be a bit much. Six different problems so far, and I was fed up with helping!

Frank answered this summons at the gate and found a young man maybe mid-20s standing there looking very healthy but rather forlorn. The young man’s name was Charles. He was from Salima, a town about 115 kilometers east of the city. His mother had been very ill, so he accompanied her to the central hospital in Lilongwe. She had died that morning and he was suddenly left with the urgent and costly need to get her body home to Salima. He didn’t know anyone in the city. Could we help?

“Sure,” Frank said, and gave him the money needed for the transport of his mom’s body and himself home, and a little extra for food. He also gave Charles his business card, in case he had any trouble at the bus station.

Frank related all of this to me when he came back inside, and I was frankly skeptical. We have been conned by many a sob story. But Frank was convinced that Charles’ story was genuine. A phone call during dinner that evening seemed to confirm Frank’s confidence. Charles phoned from the bus station to say “Thank you!”

Several weeks later Charles called again to say all was well. They had arrived safely and his mother had been properly buried. He asked if he could come to see Frank to thank him once again, and he asked if he could get a Bible. Frank said, “Sure. Come any time.” He hung up, and I said, “What are you getting yourself into? He will only take advantage of you.”

Sure enough, Charles showed up on another very busy day, just as Frank was heading out the gate to run some errands. There was no time for conversation, so Frank decided to take Charles with him and drop him at the Life Ministries’ office downtown (an international branch of Campus Crusade for Christ). This he did, leaving him with enough money to buy a Bible, a bus ticket and some lunch. He said goodbye and wished him well.

Two frustrating hours of waiting in lines at the bank and the post office passed. Frank walked out of the building feeling fairly sour, only to be met by a broadly grinning Charles who grabbed his hand and shook it vigorously. “I have been waiting to thank you. Thank you for saving me! Thank you for showing me the way to Christ!”

Frank came home that afternoon shaking his head in wonder. A staff member at Life Ministries had shared the Good News of Christ with Charles and he had accepted the free gift of salvation. He credited Frank with making it all possible.

The Lord knows the truth of our reluctance and irritation and cynicism. I was personally left with spiritual “egg” all over my face! But we marvel at God’s amazing grace—using even us, just as we were—to help to bring a new brother into the Kingdom. What inexpressible joy. “The Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad” (Ps. 118: 23,24).

In Christ,

Nancy Dimmock