Before we begin this morning I would like to share a little story with you.
A pastor was preaching in an unfamiliar church one Sunday morning. As he stood in the pulpit to begin the service, he tapped the microphone to make sure that it was on. He heard nothing, even though it was working fine. So he leaned closer to the microphone and quietly said; "There is something wrong with this thing." The congregation, being well trained church people immediately responded, "And also with you."
It’s Palm Sunday. What does this day mean to you? Just one more week until chocolate heaven? Does this mean that today is the day we get the leaf at church and the kids parade through the sanctuary with them? Actually, it’s the day they threw down the symbolic red carpet for Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Can you imagine what it must have been like on that day almost 2000 years ago?
Henry’s Commentary says this of the event:
Christ’s coming into Jerusalem thus remarkably shows that he was not afraid of the power and malice of his enemies. This would encourage his disciples who were full of fear. Also, that he was not disquieted at the thoughts of his approaching sufferings. But all marked his humiliation; and these matters teach us not to mind high things, but to condescend to those of low estate. How ill it becomes Christians to take state, when Christ was so far from claiming it! They welcomed his person; Blessed is he that cometh, the "He that should come," so often promised, so long expected; he comes in the name of the Lord. Let him have our best affections; he is a blessed Savior, and brings blessings to us, and blessed be He that sent him. Praises be to our God, who is in the highest heavens, over all, God blessed for ever.
In fact Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, on this day may have seemed to be the high point of his ministry. All of these people have come together to see and hear him preach. They are shouting Hosanna! Hosanna! Lord Save Us. He looked to be the hero, if not superstar of the day. However, within a week, these same people who were parading through the street, waving palm branches and shouting Hosanna to our Savior, would stand before him and Pilate and yell…Crucify him, Crucify him! Why?? You may have asked yourself numerous times, how could this have happened? What changed the hearts of these people that they literally went from one extreme to the other in regards to the life of Jesus? The people were living in a dream at that point, not in reality. You see, the reality of the situation was Jesus was not the kind of hero they hoped he would be. Jesus was not the kind of king to lead an earthly army. Jesus would not deliver the Jews from the Romans. Their dreams of who Jesus was turned into the reality of Jesus as a heavenly Messiah, which they could not understand. Even Jesus, as he rode into Jerusalem, wept for his beloved city, as it says in Luke’s gospel, for he knew the dreams of this day would turn into the reality of pain, death, and suffering.
During the week that followed this great triumphant ride into the city, Jesus spoke of the realities of who he was. Over this Lenten season, we have seen Jesus surrounded by people before. We have seen the crowds at Capernaum, and other places in his ministry. Satan had tempted him in the Wilderness with fame, fortune, and power. However, Jesus did not yield. Now after three and ½ years he is preparing to enter the city of Jerusalem, and the people are expecting a conquering hero. Will he submit to the will of the crowd, or is he here on a specific purpose?
Jesus had come to Jerusalem with a purpose. He was here to refocus the worshippers and the priests at the Temple.
If we read on in Mark we see the purpose that Jesus has for coming to town. Let me read from Mark v15- 18
On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: "`My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it `a den of robbers.’ "The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
Some people might have said this was definitely a publicity disaster. How could or why would Jesus do this among all those people at the temple. Jesus overturning tables and chasing money changers out of the temple is definitely not the image of Jesus that one would claim that he was about being a non-confrontational and non-judgmental. He told of the temple’s demise, he told of the coming of the Son of Man.
The crowds of Good Friday turned against Jesus for one reason……because he didn’t fulfill the dreams they had of him the Sunday before. Jesus had them see the reality of who he was, not an earthly king, but a heavenly king. He was not a warrior who would come to destroy the Romans. But Jesus was a warrior who would come to destroy death. Their dreams were snuffed out. He gave them a taste of reality and for that the people turned against him.
Jesus was painting a picture of a suffering Messiah. A Messiah who would suffer for the sins of the all people.
And the people cried crucify him because they could not understand that he was to be the suffering Messiah. They cried crucify him because Jesus did not fulfill their expectations. They cried crucify him because Jesus had let them down. They cried crucify him because they wanted a warrior king who would lead them into battle. They wanted another David, not another prophet.
Jesus was the lamb who was to be sacrificed!
The people missed the point and they were angry. They did not understand that they could be freed from the bondage to sin. They only wanted their physical freedom, not their spiritual freedom. Because of this misunderstanding they rejected the one man who could truly save them.
But guess what we all do this, how many of us ever become so caught up in the expectation that we lose sight of why it is happening or coming. Like I said before, they were disappointed and they in a sense wanted their money back.
The clergy used the people’s disappointment to their advantage. Where ever Jesus had gone he had caused much concern among them. His actions on this day totally incensed them. The people looked to Jesus as their savior, the clergy in Jerusalem hoped to use him to mobilize the people against the Romans. Instead Jesus turns on the clergy and their system which has held the Jewish people in bondage. Jesus’ outburst and demonstration in the temple cut right to their heart, and their wallets. You see the chief priests received kick backs from the money changers for the offerings. This is what incensed Jesus, and why he called them thieves. They were earning a living on the sins of others. Jesus had called them out on it, and they did not like in the least. By this Friday, they will think they have put to end to his following, and their rule is safe.
So is today the high point or just the beginning of something greater? Publicly wise, definitely. Spiritually, not even close. That day will be a week away when he overcomes death and rises from the grave.
The lesson to be learned from Palm Sunday is this, we as persons, Christians, etc. need to put away our preconceived notions to what or who our savior Jesus Christ is. Some people feel He should be like some Buddhist monk, who offers aloof words of wisdom for you to contemplate, some feel he is more like a social revolutionary along the lines of Lenin or Che Guevara who brings us some whacked out form of glorified Socialism and social justice, still others feel that he is just somebody to be emulated in order to bring your life out of its problems on your own. Generally speaking, we all have an idea of what we want out of a messiah, but we take little into account of what God wants out of us in return.
Dietrich Bonheoffer once asked this question of us,
"Do we understand that instead we get a messiah who gives us power all right, but it’s a whole new kind of power, it’s THE POWER OF SUFFERING LOVE!
It’s a power that looks me in the eye, forgives my sin, my fear, my anger, my resentment, my prejudice!
It’s a power that didn’t assert itself over and against me, but died for me!
It’s a power that sets me free from all of that which is within me that dehumanizes me and others!
It’s a power that loosens my grip on all of my expectations and even allows me to see Christ’s face in the least and most lowly on this planet!
It’s a power that relates in grace, and invites me to join with him in being one of his special grace givers.
It’s a power that assures me I don’t need to be afraid of suffering, self-giving love, because it’s the only way I will ever fulfill my humanity, and find my purpose, and experience true joy and peace."1
"God allows himself to be edged out of the world and on to the cross....and that is the way, the only way, in which he can be with us and help us....Only a suffering God can help."
One thousand nine hundred and seventy-six years ago and five days from now, Jesus sacrificed his life for our sins. Everyday he comes into our lives on that donkey, the Holy Spirit reveals our ills and cleanses us, making us again pure. Everyday we again crucify him, with our trespasses. However, He lifts us up because He has defeated sin and death. He gives us the hope and strength to carry on. So that we may march triumphantly through the gates of the New Jerusalem when he returns in glory.
