Preparing the Way: Palm Sunday Triumphal Entry Worship

What foolish person would draw attention in such a meek, easily mocked way? It's a bit of mystery afoot there. As we begin to understand that Jesus never protects his own dignity, but is ready to fling it aside to love anybody, everybody. And why are we on that road shouting, hosanna? After all, we are there. We are probably among that crowd. We know that before this week ends, the palm branches will be drying on the roadside. The joyful crowd will become an angry mob, and Jesus will replace the robes of victory with a crown of thorns. [00:46:55] (56 seconds)  #HumbleKing

For Palm Sunday, we feel the jubilation and yet the painful ironies, the dawning realization on them and on us of impending doom and what's at stake. It's actually really important to understand this. The shout of hosanna isn't, yay, cheering in church, but rather it is a prayer. It is a cry for help, meaning save us now. Mark alludes to the obscure Zechariah who had given up on human rulers, and he had prophesied that on that day, the Lord God will save them. Low, your king comes humble and riding on a donkey. [00:46:00] (54 seconds)  #HosannaPrayer

It is a drama in which you might find yourself. The question is, which character are you? Well, there are those who deny their faith because of fear. Peter thought that he would never betray Jesus, but he discounted his own fear. His actions betrayed his true belief. Peter feared judgment by the Sanhedrin or the Romans more than judgment by God. Fear is our greatest enemy. It keeps us from sharing fully of what we have. We are afraid that we will not have enough if we give some away, or we are afraid that someone, some friend or acquaintance will turn away from us. [00:48:40] (56 seconds)  #FaithOrFear

Well, doing all of that is pretty courageous, especially since Pilate had just marched his legions from Caesarea on the coast to Jerusalem to intimidate and to secure this overcrowded city at Passover. His stomping regiments with arms clattering and banners wide right. Excuse me. Banners waving high heading east into the city could not have found a greater contrast than Jesus. Donkey hooves clomping on the stone, children holding leafy branches in the air heading west into the city. The perpetual clash of good and evil is coming to its climax. [00:44:09] (46 seconds)  #PowerVsPeace

I wonder what was moving through the mind of the master as he jogged along on the back of that faithful donkey. The ones following him that day weren't armed. They weren't rich. They weren't influential. They were dreamers. Most likely, even the recently hill healed Bartimaeus was probably he was in the crowd. Martin Luther noticed that Jesus rode on an animal of peace fit for only burden and labor. He indicates by this that he has not come to frighten anyone nor to drive or crush anyone, but to help him and carry his burdens. Quite a piece of insight, that. [00:43:24] (45 seconds)  #ServantKing

Judas had other expectations of Jesus. Judas' frustration and disappointment led him to betray the one for whom he had been waiting. Judas wanted the Messiah to come on his, Judas', own terms. Most of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and those of the Sanhedrin the Sanhedrin, in case you weren't sure, that that's like the Jewish council. Most of those people looked for a messiah who believed as they did. They wanted to make their own messiah. They expected God to meet their criteria instead of the other way around. God's kingdom needed to fit their mold of what was law. Though convinced that they were right, they actually decided to prudently wait until after the festival to make their move. [00:50:28] (60 seconds)  #MessiahOnOurTerms

The gospel text of Jesus' passion, which we will explore a bit today as well as in our Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services, is a moving narrative with all of the elements of a powerful drama. After all, Jesus is the object of a sinister plot involving betrayal and murder. The woman who later anoints him at Bethany demonstrates the devotion of his disciples. Jesus transforms the traditional Passover meal into the sacred mystery of the Lord's Supper. Christ is the only character in this drama who fully understands the plot and has already anticipated the ending. [00:47:51] (50 seconds)  #PassionDrama

Some people saw Jesus as a threat to established religion, a manipulator of men and women, a purveyor of trickery. They shouted, crucify him. Today, some people see Jesus the way they see the church, with skepticism. Some folks wonder if Jesus can really do anything to save them from injustice, poverty, or a lifestyle of unhappiness. Some people, they see Jesus as a good luck charm. Christ is a Saint Christopher medal, which not only protects but saves us from sin. Some people see Jesus as a demanding lord whose expectations are great and whose love we must earn. The notion of grace is foreign to these folks. [00:52:31] (59 seconds)  #JesusMisunderstood

there are those unwilling to accept the radical nature of the kingdom of God. Here's the thing. Christianity can never be faith on our own terms. It is not about building the church as we like it, but it is about building the kingdom, the realm, the kingdom that God desires. When we insist on being in control, we are unable to give God the control. Some people saw Jesus as someone to save them from tyranny and oppression. For them, he was a miracle worker and a mystical prophet. He awed them, and they shouted, hosanna. [00:51:47] (43 seconds)  #KingdomNotOurTerms

Palm Sunday is such a joyful occasion. The decorations are festive, and we eagerly look forward to the coming Easter celebration. You know, we've made Jesus' entry to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday admirable, joyous, and cute. Yeah. Cute. Missing how laughable and even ridiculous it is it had to have been at the time. I mean, a king on a little donkey, not even a full grown donkey, a colt, not a war stallion like Bucephalus Alexander the Great's mount. [00:41:41] (36 seconds)  #UnexpectedKing

But some people some people see Jesus as the son of God, a friend and a companion, a savior, and a lord who is worthy of a lifetime of commitment. The question is, which one are you? Amen. Amen. [00:53:29] (28 seconds)  #WhichJesusAreYou

Fear robs us of the power God brings to our life. When we live by faith, we can do all things through Christ. When we live in fear, our timidity robs us and others of the blessing of faithful living. Then there are those who will only accept God on their terms. Fear is involved here as well. Fear of change, fear of God acting in new and different ways, fear of things not being the way they've always been, fear of life not being predictable, fear of being challenged to grow and to mature, fear of being moved outside of our comfort zones. [00:49:36] (52 seconds)  #FaithOverFear

The nights ahead will be long. It will not be easy, and we may fear that nothing will ever change. We go now together into the unknown. Do not be afraid. Love will carry us. We go to offer and to live God's love and peace to all. Go in peace. Amen. [01:05:09] (22 seconds)  #LoveCarriesUs

We go now in joy, love, and peace. Remember the day of celebration when Jesus boldly and humbly rode into the city of fear and anger. May we have courage as we move into the unknown that awaits us. We do not go alone. Do not fear. Love will carry us. We go ready to proclaim with our lives that we are disciples, that Jesus is Lord and savior. [01:04:38] (31 seconds)  #ProclaimDiscipleship

And not only was it a colt, it was a borrowed donkey. He didn't even have his own donkey, crying out loud. Anyway, I wonder what was at work in the mind of Jesus of Nazareth as he jogged along the back of that faithful donkey. Perhaps his mind was far away, the scenes of his childhood feeling sawdust between his toes and his father's shop. He might have been remembering the high holy days in the synagogue with his whole body quickened by the echo of the ram's horn, or perhaps he was thinking of his mother, how deeply he loved her and how he wished that there had not been laid upon him this great necessity that sent him out onto the open road to proclaim the truth, leaving her side forever. [00:42:18] (50 seconds)  #JourneyOfSacrifice

You know, I can even understand the Pharisees who urged Jesus to quiet the chants of the people crowding the way that Sunday as he came down the Mount Of Olives riding on a donkey. Hosanna to the son of David. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. This was fiery stuff, the sort of thing that rebellions are made of. You know, it's it's actually pretty hard to beat the wisdom inside Jesus Christ superstars. Hosanna, haze, and a zanas, and a ho. You know, the crowd's escalating appeals to Jesus. Hey, JC. JC, won't you smile for me? Santa, Santa, hey, superstar. [00:44:54] (44 seconds)  #RebelliousPraise

God opens your ears. God speaks when you are silent. God approaches you in the parade and at table, in your denial, and in your praise to be your help. Now and always, amen. Amen. [01:00:24] (16 seconds)  #GodSpeaksAlways