Have you ever seen the movie or the play “The Music Man?” In that story a quiet and peaceful little town has a visit from a stranger who at first seems very friendly and nice, but brings something to the little town it had never had before: the game of pool. And with pool came gambling, and with gambling came that dreaded “T” word, trouble. The story is told as a musical and the signature line of the theme song goes like this,
“You got trouble, folks, right here in River City, trouble with a capital ‘T’ and that rhymes with ‘P’ and that stands for pool.”
The music man brought trouble to River City, and it was never the same. Our text this Sunday shows us that there is not only trouble in River City, there is trouble in this world. The passage context is the night before the crucifixion and that would bring a whole new level of trouble for the disciples. In the backdrop of that impending trouble, Jesus promises that trouble will be turned to joy. And we know that was true for the disciples. The passion of Christ was full of trouble, but just a few days later it all turned to incredible, indescribable joy because of the resurrection. As long as we live in this world we will have trouble, but that trouble is the catalyst that brings people to the cross of Jesus where that trouble can be turned into great joy.
Do you have trouble in your life? You are not alone. Join me this Sunday as we examine how Jesus brings peace over trouble.