Awkward times at Brat Fest. Someone drops their brat in the dirt. Just keep walking. A young couple has a loud argument. Just keep walking. Somebody’s child loses it. Just keep walking.
Heartland church pastor Jon McNary said that Jesus told a story about such an awkward event when he was asked how to get to heaven.
Once again, McNary’s Sun Prairie church hosted the Sunday morning community worship service at Brat Fest, Madison’s annual Memorial Day weekend celebration at Alliant Energy Center’s Willow Island. Only this year they shared hosting with Madison’s Lighthouse Church.
It was a bilingual service, with Lighthouse pastor Marcio Sierra providing Spanish translation. And the estimated 500 person turnout was much larger than previous years.
McNary read the story of the Good Samaritan from Luke’s Gospel. Two religious leaders just kept walking when confronted with a robbed and beaten traveler. “Both of them thought that God’s highest priority for them was to stay clean,” he said. “Too many of us love our own perfectly clean lives but God calls us to love hurting people.”
Noting that Jesus made the hero of the story a Samaritan, people hated by the Jews, McNary said, “Jesus was teaching us that God’s love crosses boundaries and touches people who don’t look like us.”
Driving the point home further, he said, “Not everyone here voted the same way but we should be known not for what we are against but for what we love. Not just people who are easy to love or who we agree with but everybody.
“We were like that man lying in the road, unable to save ourselves, and Jesus didn’t walk past. He saw us and he gave his life for us and we are able to live in victory.”
Following the community worship service the Main Stage of Brat Fest continued to feature Christian music artists, including Hip Hop singer/songwriter Sean Rodriguez, and ending the day with Grammy-nominated singer Rhett Walker.
At the same time, local ministries were set up adjacent to the area in the Ministry Marketplace coordinated by United Madison Christian Givers, offering attendees the opportunity to find out how they can help meet needs in the Madison community.
