So, Jesus Rides Into Jerusalem And...
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Palm Sunday coincides this year with April Fool's Day -- and while there might be a temptation to indulge in a few practical jokes with the congregation, team member Thom Shuman suggests in this week's installment of The Immediate Word that this accident of the calendar also offers a significant opportunity to look more closely at the events we recall on Palm Sunday. In his ride into Jerusalem, Jesus plays the court jester and engages in a bit of revolutionary street theater -- by going through the motions of a kingly entrance while lacking the wealth or power associated with such a parade, he lampoons the pomp and circumstance of the secular powers and their all-too-eager religious allies. Of course, the authorities -- seeing the harsh truth behind this seemingly lighthearted display -- are not amused, and crucify him. Team member Scott Suskovic explores the Passion narrative and wonders just who is really on trial, discussing how very little is as it appears on the surface. From the mock enthronement, to the trial where the defendant is more in charge than the judge, to the innocent man who redeems the true criminal, much of what happens is a comically skewed reversal of expectations -- but a reversal with cosmic implications.
So, Jesus Rides Into Jerusalem and...
by Thom M. Shuman
Luke 22:14--23:56; Philippians 2:5-11
"So, a guy walks into a bar and..."
"There was a rabbi, a priest, and a minister..."
"Knock, knock. Who's there?"
When we hear these phrases, we know what will happen next -- we are going to be told a joke; we are going to have a chance to exercise our lungs with great guffaws; we are going to have a chance to have some of our stress reduced, and perhaps have some restoration take place, as we give in to the healing power of laughter and humor.
But what's your reaction when you hear phrases like "as he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road" or "Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!" We don't think of these as humorous bits, do we? When Paul writes to the Philippians "[Jesus] emptied himself, taking the form of a slave," we don't hear a joke being told, do we?
THE WORLD
This year, Palm/Passion Sunday happens to fall on April Fool's Day (or is it the other way around?). And in the world in which we live -- with the constant arguing about global warming and its effects, when young people continue to be sent to fight and die in wars, when our obsession with celebrities is even greater than our obsession with the self -- one has to wonder if this conjunction of days is not but providential. As we look at Luke's account of the entry into Jerusalem, and Paul's quoting of what many consider to be an early hymn of the church, let's reflect on whether or not this day is a precursor to the great cosmic joke God plays on sin and death on Easter.
THE WORD
This is one of those days, for both preacher and layperson, when our familiarity with the story may keep us from paying close attention to what is being said, and implied. We are used to grand parades, children running back and forth between their parents, palm branches being cut down and joyously waved in the air, as Jesus makes his triumphal entry into the city. So in all our excitement we might miss the more subdued account that Luke gives to us. There are no palm branches (as there were when the Maccabees were welcomed); there are no shouts that the Messiah ("David's Son") has arrived. There is just a man of peace, bringing peace and hope even as he faces violence and despair in his own life. He comes so quietly, and so gently, that if it weren't for the disciples singing the song the angels sang at Jesus' birth, folks might have missed his arrival.
For Paul, Jesus is like the fellow who follows the circus animals in a parade with his broom and pail in his hands. Folks are so focused on what excites them that they overlook the one who serves them by cleaning up the mess that we want to turn up our noses at. In Christ, Paul tells us, we encounter that reality which is beyond history, place, or time. We encounter the One whose act of humble service provides the central act in salvation. And we are encouraged to have the same mind as this person, to have the same compassion, to have the same willingness to serve as Jesus.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
Can we see beyond the picture we expect and glimpse the humor in the scene Luke provides to us? This is no conquering general leading his victorious troops; this is not a hero riding in on a white horse. According to Luke, Jesus chooses to come into town in a very particular (and peculiar) way, riding on the back of a donkey. No thoroughbred racehorse for Jesus -- he chooses a draft animal so humble, so common, so ordinary that we can almost see a smile dancing on Jesus' lips as he is escorted into town. Here is God's Fool, arriving on a foolish looking animal, coming to turn the world upside-down.
And the people? Luke doesn't say so, but don't you think that there were some folks standing at the back of the crowd who could barely restrain their laughter? This is the king we were expecting; this is the person who was going to lead us to overthrow the oppressive Romans; this is the One people think God has sent? Yet others, in an almost comical act, take off their cloaks (which for some would have symbolized their status, their role, their place in society) and lay them on the ground to cushion the ride of the fellow willing to make a fool of himself by such an entrance.
Paul emphasizes this unheard-of, and foolish, role which Jesus has claimed as his own. He quotes a hymn that presents us with a most unusual picture. We can almost see God and the Spirit watching as Jesus takes off his garments of glory, puts them in the closet, and puts on the garb of ordinary humans, those who have resisted and refused all of God's entreaties to be loved and served. Jesus bends down and ties on those oversized and outlandish shoes of One who will walk the dusty road of death with us, until he continues on by himself to that place we hate to think about. Unlike clowns who will paint tears on their faces, Jesus needs no make-up -- for his cheeks are lined with God's tears which run down and puddle in the streets of the kingdom. And instead of being sprayed in the face with seltzer water, Jesus will be struck and spat upon; instead of being cheered and applauded, he will be jeered and cursed as he journeys through the week to that day we strangely call Good.
There have been wonderful hymns, anthems, cantatas written about this day of palms, of parades, of triumph. And we know how powerful, moving human drama can put us in touch with the depths of the human condition each of us experience. Yet we also know that comedy -- with its sort of sideways look at fear, joy, sorrow, greed, pain, confusion, and hope -- can do the same.
Can we see this day as one of great humor?
ANOTHER VIEW
Who Is Really On Trial?
by Scott Suskovic
It is appropriate that that the tables are turned on this April Fool's Day -- for as we look at the story of the Passion of Jesus, no one is who they seem to be. Like a Hollywood blockbuster movie, the story of Jesus' death is filled with twists and turns that leave you wondering until the very end. Consider doing this sermon in several acts, with each section calling into question "Who is really on trial?"
The Entrance into Jerusalem (Luke 19:28-40)
A donkey instead of a white steed? Waving branches and strewn clothing? A crowd shouting out, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" Is this the humility of Jesus ushering in a new kingdom, or an act of civil disobedience? Is it Jesus calling attention to the Messiah, or poking fun at the sitting rulers? Either way, it sets the stage on this April Fool's Day for you to know that something is amiss, something is up, something is in the works.
The Trial (John 18:12-27)
Nothing is as it seems to be. As Jesus enters through the back door at midnight into the kangaroo court of Annas, oddly enough Peter finds himself at a trial of his own. A rough fisherman with a weathered face and calloused hands, speaking with a distinct, foreign Galilean accent just doesn't blend well in the court of the high priest. You just can't fake it. Peter stuck out. Naturally he drew attention. So just when Jesus' mock trial commences, where they are trying to uncover his true identity, Peter is under cross-examination as well -- only not by some high-powered big-ticket lawyer, not in front of TV cameras and reporters. Rough and tough Peter's heartless interrogator is some young girl who was making a passing comment: "Aren't you one of them?" Three times he swears, "I AM NOT." You have to ask: "Who's on trial?" Is it Jesus who stands firm and cross-examines Annas, or is it Peter who wilts at the first question from a little girl?
Alas, on this April Fool's Day we see that nothing is as it seems to be. At his trial, Peter doesn't fare well. He is caught red-handed by a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off: "You, you're the one. Didn't I see you in the garden with him?" Peter explodes, "I am not, I am not, I am not."
At that moment, the cock crows and all is silent. It makes you wonder "Was Peter lying?" Sure he was scared, sure he worried what might happen to him -- but was he lying. Probably not... for by his actions and his denial, at that moment, he was not a disciple of Jesus. "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples." That's what Jesus said. At that moment, Peter was telling the truth -- he was not a disciple of Jesus... and Peter's trial was over. But Jesus' trial continues.
The Charge (John 18:28-38a)
Hypocrites. Two-faced. It is amazing that these priests who brought Jesus before Pilate refused to enter Pilate's arena because they might become ritually unclean in this Gentile's home, thus preventing them from celebrating the Passover. They are sticklers for details, making sure all is proper and good. But at the same time, they think it is nothing to silence an innocent man by railroading him through a mock trial.
Nothing is as it seems to be. Religious leaders... but actually sheep led astray. Proper and pure etiquette... but actually they defile themselves with innocent blood. Even the most powerful man in the land, Pilate, finds himself on trial before this young rabbi. It is Jesus who turns the tables and cross-examines him, until Pilate is left with the question "What is truth?"
If he were sincere, if Pilate really was a seeker, then no one on this April Fool's Day is who they seem to be. Instead of interrogating this criminal, Pilate listens to him. Instead of being the all-powerful, capricious Roman official, he becomes a seeker of truth. Instead of the one condemning Jesus, he is the one who pronounces the truth -- Jesus is innocent.
Justice? (John 18:38b-40)
Barabbas! What a joke! He wasn't some cat burglar or petty thief -- Barabbas was a terrorist. If he were living today, he would be strapping explosives on his body and walking into the marketplace.
The charge that the Jews brought against Jesus was treason. He was a threat to Rome. He was plotting a revolution. And he must be stopped -- permanently!
But if the issue were Roman security, if the charges against Jesus were that he was leading a rebellion against Rome and was therefore a dangerous man, who is the real threat? A dagger-wielding, bomb-strapping terrorist, or one who heals the sick, forgives sins, and teaches with authority? Who should I release? And they cried out again, "Not this man, but Barabbas!"
Who's on trial? It's not Jesus but rather the Jewish leaders, because by releasing a terrorist they actually convict themselves of the very charge they level against Jesus. And not just any man, but one who claims to be the Son of God. Which is interesting, isn't it, that they condemn the Son of God and release Barabbas, a name that means "Son of the Father." Nothing is as it seems today.
Justice (John 19:1-16)
Who has the power?
Because the Jewish leaders could not put a person to death under Roman law, they had to defer this case to the highest court of the land, before the most powerful person -- Pilate. Pilate knows the truth, and three times he tries to release Jesus. But for some reason he can't. Maybe he's not the most powerful man. Jesus said, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above." Maybe he's not the governor of Judea, but just a pawn in the divine drama that is unfolding before our eyes. Maybe he, like everyone else in this story, is not who he seems to be. Maybe he is standing on trial also.
We have no king but Caesar! The Roman kings were not just competent men who worked their way up the political ladder. The Roman people deified their kings. They were gods. "We have no king but Caesar," cry the Jews. And with that admission of guilt, the case is closed. Their trial is over. The chief priests are guilty of the most heinous violation of God's law -- You shall have no other gods before me -- the very crime they level against Jesus.
Who Is On Trial?
No one is who they seem to be:
* Peter, the Rock on whom Christ will build his Church, is no disciple.
* The chief priests and the elders who are pure and upright and given the task of religious purity are guilty of the very crimes they trump up against Jesus. They assist a terrorist and worship Caesar.
* Pilate, the most powerful man in the country, actually has no power at all and cannot seem to release Jesus, even when he is convinced that Jesus is innocent.
* And Jesus, an accused criminal brought before the highest secular and religious court, ends up not being the victim. He's not even on trial. He is the Jury, the Attorney, and the Judge. On this April Fool's Day, Jesus has turned the tables on everyone else, putting them on trial:
* Peter, and all who give lip service to being Jesus' disciples -- guilty
* The chief priests and elders, and all those high and mighty religious leaders -- guilty
* Pilate, and all the political powers that display their might -- guilty
Anyone else?
Who's on trial here? It's not Jesus.
And then, after the verdict is given and all are found guilty, it is Jesus who takes up his cross and makes his way to the garbage heap outside the city to carry out the sentence -- until "it is finished." No one puts Jesus to death. "No greater love has anyone than this, than to lay down his life for another." After all, it was Caiaphas himself, the high priest who tried to silence Jesus, who said: "It was expedient that one man should die for the people." On this April Fool's Day, he had no way of knowing just how true that was.
ILLUSTRATIONS
I love a parade. Don't you? How many kinds of parades can you think of? There are Fourth of July parades that leave our hearts swelling with patriotism. There are county fair parades with local high school bands and teenage beauties riding in open cars celebrating their reign as queen or duchess or princess of this or that. There are football bowl game parades with fabulous floats. There are Mardi Gras parades with wealthy people riding on floats and going through the ancient rituals of aristocracy, tossing trinkets to the people in the crowd. There are Christmas parades with floats and bands that come to a climax with the arrival of Santa Claus. If you have been to Disney World lately, you may have seen several parades a day, all orchestrated to make you believe that if you wish upon a star your dreams will come true, and ending either with the arrival of Mickey Mouse or Tinkerbell, and maybe even followed by a fireworks display. There are lots of kinds of parades. There is a story of a parade in today's scripture lesson. But it was a different kind of a parade -- a very different kind of parade.
***
A motto on the letterhead of a certain church named "Calvary Church" said: "Come to Calvary, the end of your search for a friendly church." That can be read in two different ways. It was probably meant to say, "Calvary church is such a friendly church that if that is what you are looking for, you need look no further." But it could also be read to mean that if you come to an experience of Calvary -- the place, the event, the meaning that are pivotal for the whole Christian faith -- you will find something much bigger to think about than looking for a friendly church.
Everything that happened during those last days of Jesus' life finds its meaning in that it was part of a drama played out in the shadow of the cross. What all might it mean for us to live out our lives in the shadow of the cross?
***
A number of years ago, there was a popular musical revue titled "For Heaven's Sake" that shined the light of the Christian faith on several aspects of life in our culture. One number ("He Was a Flop at 33") was a comic bit in which three successful young executives at "happy hour" were musing on the irony of the life of Christ. They started by saying:
His whole career was one of failure and of loss.
But the thing that's so distressful
Is he could have been successful,
But instead of climbing up, he climbed a cross.
He was a flop at 33.
They went on with a tongue-in-cheek comparison of the life of Christ with the life required of anyone who wants to be upwardly mobile in our culture. The irony makes us look again at the motions we so often go through. They ended by saying:
We fought our way to the top.
We're established men of worth.
But the thing that puzzles me,
Is why that flop at 33
Is called the most successful man to live on earth.
(Complete lyrics can be found at http://langkilde.users.50megs.com/flopat33.htm)
***
Imagine a childless fellow, well up in years, gazing at the stars one night. In his heart he heard a conversation suggesting that his descendents would be as numerous as the spangled firmament above. Mind you, he had to use the twinkle in his own eye to talk his elderly wife into a very long walk, perhaps 300 miles or more, to some "promised land." Then he had to tell her what they were going to do when they got there. At which point she may have asked him who he'd been talking to. This whole story was so preposterous, and in fact so uproariously hilarious, that she called the name of the boy that was born to them "Isaac" -- literally "he laughs"!
***
The fool for Christ holds a prophetic role in Christianity, from the early church to Russian Orthodox "pilgrims" and such later fools as Luther, Kierkegaard, and Dostoevsky, who were seekers after the true, the good, the holy, the beautiful. They were insane -- not in a clinical sense, but in the madness of the Holy, an insanity which ordinary sanity refuses to admit.
-- David Kirk
***
Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly. Never forget that the devil fell by force of gravity. He who has the faith has the fun.
-- G. K. Chesterton
***
After the Transfiguration (as we heard six Sundays ago), Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem -- to finish his life's work.
Jesus had shown three of his disciples -- Peter, James, and John -- that life does not shine until it faces its cross. They were trying to shine by self-assertion, but Jesus showed them that they would shine only by self-sacrifice.
Then, as he went before them toward Jerusalem, certain that he was to meet his death, "his disciples were amazed" -- amazed that he could go before them eager to meet that which human nature most shrinks from. Jesus stops only to heal, to teach, to inspire as he presses on his eager way.
-- E. Stanley Jones, Christ and Human Suffering, pp. 79-80
***
The good news of Palm Sunday is that:
A. Our Lord is humble and approachable.
B. Our Lord, in his great love, is determined to do what needs to be done for us.
E. Stanley Jones writes:
We know now that God is like this that we have seen in Jesus. He is Christ-like. And if he is, he is a good God and trustable. If the Heart that is back of the universe is like this Gentle Heart that broke upon the cross, he can have my heart without qualification and without reservation.
-- E. Stanley Jones, The Christ of Every Road, p. 67
***
Dietrich Bonhoeffer reminds us that Jesus tried to help his disciples understand that the Son of Man must suffer and be rejected, and be killed, and on the third day rise again.
Jesus must therefore make it clear beyond all doubt that the "must" of suffering applies to his disciples no less than to himself. Just as Christ is Christ only in virtue of his suffering and rejection, so the disciple is a disciple only insofar as he shares his Lord's suffering and rejection and crucifixion.
-- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, p. 96
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
Leader: On this day of palms and celebration,
Jesus continues his journey with God.
People: We will go with him, for a while,
until he turns towards Calvary.
Leader: From the top of Olive Mountain,
Jesus prepares to travel through the valley of heartache and loss.
People: We will follow Jesus, for a while,
cradling hope in our hearts.
Leader: In the streets of Jerusalem,
Jesus hears the cries of those who adore him.
People: We will shout Jesus' name, for a while,
until we cry out, "Crucify him!"
Prayer of the Day
Holy God, Architect of our grace:
from your house we praise you.
Your love is never taken from us;
your goodness is the constant in our lives.
We worship you.
Jesus Christ, Sorrow of our salvation:
you dared to listen to God
instead of the cheers of the crowd and the jeers of your enemies.
We walk with you.
Holy Spirit, Glory of God:
you give us light, so we might see the One who comes;
you open our ears, so we might hear the whispers of hope;
you sustain the weary, so we might journey through this week.
We welcome you.
God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us as we pray as Jesus taught,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Petty squabbles don't belong in such a story of high drama and sacrifice,
but they are there, just as in our lives,
along with the other ways we fail to be the disciples of Christ.
Please join me as we pray...
(Unison) Prayer of Confession
Sustainer of the weary, we know how we sang for joy when Christ came into our lives,
and how we have not followed him when he leads us on this journey.
We have hidden our faces from the pain and suffering of our world.
We have turned a deaf ear to the cries of the poor, the hungry, the oppressed.
We trust in the slick promotions of the world,
and not in your words that can transform our lives.
Forgive us, Steadfast God, and shine your face upon us.
Help us to have the same mind as Christ, so we would know your promises;
help us to have the same heart as Christ, so we might serve your children;
help us to have the same Spirit as Christ, so we might go wherever you lead us.
(silent prayers may be offered)
Assurance of Pardon
Leader: God does not turn away when we fail to be faithful.
God does not reject us when we do not trust fully.
God continues to love us, to forgive us, to restore us.
People: It is God who helps us; it is God who saves us.
It is all we need or ever will need.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
Leader: The Lord is coming to be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: People of God, lay down your coats and lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them to the One who comes in God's name.
Leader: Let us praise God for the mighty works we have witnessed.
People: It is right that we praise our God.
It is our highest joy to praise you, God of enduring love.
All that is good and beautiful, all this is just and true, is your doing.
Morning by morning, you whispered your dreams and hopes into our hearts.
But we chose to listen to different voices,
turning our backs on you in rebellion and sin.
You sent the prophets to waken our ears to your songs of grace,
but we rejected them as adversaries to our desires.
But you would not turn your face from us, and sent the One who is named Salvation.
Therefore, we join our voices in thanksgiving,
with those in this place, and in every place,
with those in every moment, and in this moment,
singing with all creation to your glory:
Sanctus
Holy are you, God of goodness,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, who comes in your name.
When he could have remained with you,
he poured himself into the emptiness of our souls;
casting aside his unity with you,
he gathered up our brokenness to make us whole;
proclaimed by the choirs of heaven,
he humbled himself as a servant, so we might be raised to glory;
faithful to the point of death, even shameful death,
you exalted him to new life so we might stand with him in eternity with you.
Remembering the One who came for us,
remembering the words he taught,
remembering his passion and his resurrection,
we proclaim the One who is the Bread of Life:
Memorial Acclamation
Holy Spirit,
as we come to this Table,
bless the gifts of the bread and the cup
that they might be the sustenance of grace.
Strengthen us with the Bread of life,
so we would not turn our backs on those who hunger;
nourish us with the Cup of hope,
so we might sustain the weary;
so fill us with the good news that we dare not remain silent,
but must shout out God's desire of justice and peace for all people.
Through Jesus Christ,
all glory and honor are yours, God our Father,
with the Holy Spirit, in your holy church,
this day and forevermore. Amen.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
The Shouting Stones
Luke 19:28-40
Object: enough small stones so that each child may receive one
Good morning, boys and girls. Today is Palm Sunday and it is one of the very biggest days in our church year. Can you imagine how excited you would have been if you had been one of Jesus' disciples and walked beside him while he rode a small donkey into the great city of Jerusalem? (let them answer) The crowds were cheering and waving their palm branches, and throwing their coats on the road so that the road looked like it had been carpeted. You would have loved it.
Of course, not everyone was happy about Jesus coming into Jerusalem. There were some of the people who called themselves the leaders of the Jews, who thought Jesus was dangerous and working against them. They wanted Jesus to go away and be silent. If Jesus would become king like the people wanted, then they knew that they could no longer be the leaders.
But the people kept shouting and waving their banners. Everywhere you went you could hear things being said like, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord." Those were dangerous words and frightening words to the people who disliked Jesus. These men told Jesus to tell his disciples to be quiet. But they would not be quiet. The disciples had waited a long time for a day like this and they loved it. Other people who had only heard of Jesus began to shout and sing the same things that the disciples were shouting.
Now the leaders were really angry, and they commanded Jesus to quiet the disciples. But Jesus was not afraid of these men, and he knew that this day belonged to God. He looked at the men who were angry with him, and told them that even if they could make his disciples silent, the stones on the ground would begin singing and shouting the same things that the disciples were singing and shouting. Stones just like these stones were all over the road, and they would have made a mighty sound if they could have spoken. The leaders knew that there was nothing they could do that day. It was the day for Jesus and for the people who believed in him.
I want each of you to have one of these stones, so that you will remember Palm Sunday as the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem and his disciples made a great chorus, proclaiming Jesus as "the king who comes in the name of the Lord." It will also help you to remember that even if not one human voice said that Jesus was the Christ, God would make sure that we still would know it -- even if he had to make the stones shout that Christ was the King.
(From The Giant Book of Children's Sermons, by Wesley T. Runk, CSS Publishing Co., 2003)
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, April 1, 2007, issue.
Copyright 2007 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
So, Jesus Rides Into Jerusalem and...
by Thom M. Shuman
Luke 22:14--23:56; Philippians 2:5-11
"So, a guy walks into a bar and..."
"There was a rabbi, a priest, and a minister..."
"Knock, knock. Who's there?"
When we hear these phrases, we know what will happen next -- we are going to be told a joke; we are going to have a chance to exercise our lungs with great guffaws; we are going to have a chance to have some of our stress reduced, and perhaps have some restoration take place, as we give in to the healing power of laughter and humor.
But what's your reaction when you hear phrases like "as he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road" or "Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!" We don't think of these as humorous bits, do we? When Paul writes to the Philippians "[Jesus] emptied himself, taking the form of a slave," we don't hear a joke being told, do we?
THE WORLD
This year, Palm/Passion Sunday happens to fall on April Fool's Day (or is it the other way around?). And in the world in which we live -- with the constant arguing about global warming and its effects, when young people continue to be sent to fight and die in wars, when our obsession with celebrities is even greater than our obsession with the self -- one has to wonder if this conjunction of days is not but providential. As we look at Luke's account of the entry into Jerusalem, and Paul's quoting of what many consider to be an early hymn of the church, let's reflect on whether or not this day is a precursor to the great cosmic joke God plays on sin and death on Easter.
THE WORD
This is one of those days, for both preacher and layperson, when our familiarity with the story may keep us from paying close attention to what is being said, and implied. We are used to grand parades, children running back and forth between their parents, palm branches being cut down and joyously waved in the air, as Jesus makes his triumphal entry into the city. So in all our excitement we might miss the more subdued account that Luke gives to us. There are no palm branches (as there were when the Maccabees were welcomed); there are no shouts that the Messiah ("David's Son") has arrived. There is just a man of peace, bringing peace and hope even as he faces violence and despair in his own life. He comes so quietly, and so gently, that if it weren't for the disciples singing the song the angels sang at Jesus' birth, folks might have missed his arrival.
For Paul, Jesus is like the fellow who follows the circus animals in a parade with his broom and pail in his hands. Folks are so focused on what excites them that they overlook the one who serves them by cleaning up the mess that we want to turn up our noses at. In Christ, Paul tells us, we encounter that reality which is beyond history, place, or time. We encounter the One whose act of humble service provides the central act in salvation. And we are encouraged to have the same mind as this person, to have the same compassion, to have the same willingness to serve as Jesus.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
Can we see beyond the picture we expect and glimpse the humor in the scene Luke provides to us? This is no conquering general leading his victorious troops; this is not a hero riding in on a white horse. According to Luke, Jesus chooses to come into town in a very particular (and peculiar) way, riding on the back of a donkey. No thoroughbred racehorse for Jesus -- he chooses a draft animal so humble, so common, so ordinary that we can almost see a smile dancing on Jesus' lips as he is escorted into town. Here is God's Fool, arriving on a foolish looking animal, coming to turn the world upside-down.
And the people? Luke doesn't say so, but don't you think that there were some folks standing at the back of the crowd who could barely restrain their laughter? This is the king we were expecting; this is the person who was going to lead us to overthrow the oppressive Romans; this is the One people think God has sent? Yet others, in an almost comical act, take off their cloaks (which for some would have symbolized their status, their role, their place in society) and lay them on the ground to cushion the ride of the fellow willing to make a fool of himself by such an entrance.
Paul emphasizes this unheard-of, and foolish, role which Jesus has claimed as his own. He quotes a hymn that presents us with a most unusual picture. We can almost see God and the Spirit watching as Jesus takes off his garments of glory, puts them in the closet, and puts on the garb of ordinary humans, those who have resisted and refused all of God's entreaties to be loved and served. Jesus bends down and ties on those oversized and outlandish shoes of One who will walk the dusty road of death with us, until he continues on by himself to that place we hate to think about. Unlike clowns who will paint tears on their faces, Jesus needs no make-up -- for his cheeks are lined with God's tears which run down and puddle in the streets of the kingdom. And instead of being sprayed in the face with seltzer water, Jesus will be struck and spat upon; instead of being cheered and applauded, he will be jeered and cursed as he journeys through the week to that day we strangely call Good.
There have been wonderful hymns, anthems, cantatas written about this day of palms, of parades, of triumph. And we know how powerful, moving human drama can put us in touch with the depths of the human condition each of us experience. Yet we also know that comedy -- with its sort of sideways look at fear, joy, sorrow, greed, pain, confusion, and hope -- can do the same.
Can we see this day as one of great humor?
ANOTHER VIEW
Who Is Really On Trial?
by Scott Suskovic
It is appropriate that that the tables are turned on this April Fool's Day -- for as we look at the story of the Passion of Jesus, no one is who they seem to be. Like a Hollywood blockbuster movie, the story of Jesus' death is filled with twists and turns that leave you wondering until the very end. Consider doing this sermon in several acts, with each section calling into question "Who is really on trial?"
The Entrance into Jerusalem (Luke 19:28-40)
A donkey instead of a white steed? Waving branches and strewn clothing? A crowd shouting out, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" Is this the humility of Jesus ushering in a new kingdom, or an act of civil disobedience? Is it Jesus calling attention to the Messiah, or poking fun at the sitting rulers? Either way, it sets the stage on this April Fool's Day for you to know that something is amiss, something is up, something is in the works.
The Trial (John 18:12-27)
Nothing is as it seems to be. As Jesus enters through the back door at midnight into the kangaroo court of Annas, oddly enough Peter finds himself at a trial of his own. A rough fisherman with a weathered face and calloused hands, speaking with a distinct, foreign Galilean accent just doesn't blend well in the court of the high priest. You just can't fake it. Peter stuck out. Naturally he drew attention. So just when Jesus' mock trial commences, where they are trying to uncover his true identity, Peter is under cross-examination as well -- only not by some high-powered big-ticket lawyer, not in front of TV cameras and reporters. Rough and tough Peter's heartless interrogator is some young girl who was making a passing comment: "Aren't you one of them?" Three times he swears, "I AM NOT." You have to ask: "Who's on trial?" Is it Jesus who stands firm and cross-examines Annas, or is it Peter who wilts at the first question from a little girl?
Alas, on this April Fool's Day we see that nothing is as it seems to be. At his trial, Peter doesn't fare well. He is caught red-handed by a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off: "You, you're the one. Didn't I see you in the garden with him?" Peter explodes, "I am not, I am not, I am not."
At that moment, the cock crows and all is silent. It makes you wonder "Was Peter lying?" Sure he was scared, sure he worried what might happen to him -- but was he lying. Probably not... for by his actions and his denial, at that moment, he was not a disciple of Jesus. "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples." That's what Jesus said. At that moment, Peter was telling the truth -- he was not a disciple of Jesus... and Peter's trial was over. But Jesus' trial continues.
The Charge (John 18:28-38a)
Hypocrites. Two-faced. It is amazing that these priests who brought Jesus before Pilate refused to enter Pilate's arena because they might become ritually unclean in this Gentile's home, thus preventing them from celebrating the Passover. They are sticklers for details, making sure all is proper and good. But at the same time, they think it is nothing to silence an innocent man by railroading him through a mock trial.
Nothing is as it seems to be. Religious leaders... but actually sheep led astray. Proper and pure etiquette... but actually they defile themselves with innocent blood. Even the most powerful man in the land, Pilate, finds himself on trial before this young rabbi. It is Jesus who turns the tables and cross-examines him, until Pilate is left with the question "What is truth?"
If he were sincere, if Pilate really was a seeker, then no one on this April Fool's Day is who they seem to be. Instead of interrogating this criminal, Pilate listens to him. Instead of being the all-powerful, capricious Roman official, he becomes a seeker of truth. Instead of the one condemning Jesus, he is the one who pronounces the truth -- Jesus is innocent.
Justice? (John 18:38b-40)
Barabbas! What a joke! He wasn't some cat burglar or petty thief -- Barabbas was a terrorist. If he were living today, he would be strapping explosives on his body and walking into the marketplace.
The charge that the Jews brought against Jesus was treason. He was a threat to Rome. He was plotting a revolution. And he must be stopped -- permanently!
But if the issue were Roman security, if the charges against Jesus were that he was leading a rebellion against Rome and was therefore a dangerous man, who is the real threat? A dagger-wielding, bomb-strapping terrorist, or one who heals the sick, forgives sins, and teaches with authority? Who should I release? And they cried out again, "Not this man, but Barabbas!"
Who's on trial? It's not Jesus but rather the Jewish leaders, because by releasing a terrorist they actually convict themselves of the very charge they level against Jesus. And not just any man, but one who claims to be the Son of God. Which is interesting, isn't it, that they condemn the Son of God and release Barabbas, a name that means "Son of the Father." Nothing is as it seems today.
Justice (John 19:1-16)
Who has the power?
Because the Jewish leaders could not put a person to death under Roman law, they had to defer this case to the highest court of the land, before the most powerful person -- Pilate. Pilate knows the truth, and three times he tries to release Jesus. But for some reason he can't. Maybe he's not the most powerful man. Jesus said, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above." Maybe he's not the governor of Judea, but just a pawn in the divine drama that is unfolding before our eyes. Maybe he, like everyone else in this story, is not who he seems to be. Maybe he is standing on trial also.
We have no king but Caesar! The Roman kings were not just competent men who worked their way up the political ladder. The Roman people deified their kings. They were gods. "We have no king but Caesar," cry the Jews. And with that admission of guilt, the case is closed. Their trial is over. The chief priests are guilty of the most heinous violation of God's law -- You shall have no other gods before me -- the very crime they level against Jesus.
Who Is On Trial?
No one is who they seem to be:
* Peter, the Rock on whom Christ will build his Church, is no disciple.
* The chief priests and the elders who are pure and upright and given the task of religious purity are guilty of the very crimes they trump up against Jesus. They assist a terrorist and worship Caesar.
* Pilate, the most powerful man in the country, actually has no power at all and cannot seem to release Jesus, even when he is convinced that Jesus is innocent.
* And Jesus, an accused criminal brought before the highest secular and religious court, ends up not being the victim. He's not even on trial. He is the Jury, the Attorney, and the Judge. On this April Fool's Day, Jesus has turned the tables on everyone else, putting them on trial:
* Peter, and all who give lip service to being Jesus' disciples -- guilty
* The chief priests and elders, and all those high and mighty religious leaders -- guilty
* Pilate, and all the political powers that display their might -- guilty
Anyone else?
Who's on trial here? It's not Jesus.
And then, after the verdict is given and all are found guilty, it is Jesus who takes up his cross and makes his way to the garbage heap outside the city to carry out the sentence -- until "it is finished." No one puts Jesus to death. "No greater love has anyone than this, than to lay down his life for another." After all, it was Caiaphas himself, the high priest who tried to silence Jesus, who said: "It was expedient that one man should die for the people." On this April Fool's Day, he had no way of knowing just how true that was.
ILLUSTRATIONS
I love a parade. Don't you? How many kinds of parades can you think of? There are Fourth of July parades that leave our hearts swelling with patriotism. There are county fair parades with local high school bands and teenage beauties riding in open cars celebrating their reign as queen or duchess or princess of this or that. There are football bowl game parades with fabulous floats. There are Mardi Gras parades with wealthy people riding on floats and going through the ancient rituals of aristocracy, tossing trinkets to the people in the crowd. There are Christmas parades with floats and bands that come to a climax with the arrival of Santa Claus. If you have been to Disney World lately, you may have seen several parades a day, all orchestrated to make you believe that if you wish upon a star your dreams will come true, and ending either with the arrival of Mickey Mouse or Tinkerbell, and maybe even followed by a fireworks display. There are lots of kinds of parades. There is a story of a parade in today's scripture lesson. But it was a different kind of a parade -- a very different kind of parade.
***
A motto on the letterhead of a certain church named "Calvary Church" said: "Come to Calvary, the end of your search for a friendly church." That can be read in two different ways. It was probably meant to say, "Calvary church is such a friendly church that if that is what you are looking for, you need look no further." But it could also be read to mean that if you come to an experience of Calvary -- the place, the event, the meaning that are pivotal for the whole Christian faith -- you will find something much bigger to think about than looking for a friendly church.
Everything that happened during those last days of Jesus' life finds its meaning in that it was part of a drama played out in the shadow of the cross. What all might it mean for us to live out our lives in the shadow of the cross?
***
A number of years ago, there was a popular musical revue titled "For Heaven's Sake" that shined the light of the Christian faith on several aspects of life in our culture. One number ("He Was a Flop at 33") was a comic bit in which three successful young executives at "happy hour" were musing on the irony of the life of Christ. They started by saying:
His whole career was one of failure and of loss.
But the thing that's so distressful
Is he could have been successful,
But instead of climbing up, he climbed a cross.
He was a flop at 33.
They went on with a tongue-in-cheek comparison of the life of Christ with the life required of anyone who wants to be upwardly mobile in our culture. The irony makes us look again at the motions we so often go through. They ended by saying:
We fought our way to the top.
We're established men of worth.
But the thing that puzzles me,
Is why that flop at 33
Is called the most successful man to live on earth.
(Complete lyrics can be found at http://langkilde.users.50megs.com/flopat33.htm)
***
Imagine a childless fellow, well up in years, gazing at the stars one night. In his heart he heard a conversation suggesting that his descendents would be as numerous as the spangled firmament above. Mind you, he had to use the twinkle in his own eye to talk his elderly wife into a very long walk, perhaps 300 miles or more, to some "promised land." Then he had to tell her what they were going to do when they got there. At which point she may have asked him who he'd been talking to. This whole story was so preposterous, and in fact so uproariously hilarious, that she called the name of the boy that was born to them "Isaac" -- literally "he laughs"!
***
The fool for Christ holds a prophetic role in Christianity, from the early church to Russian Orthodox "pilgrims" and such later fools as Luther, Kierkegaard, and Dostoevsky, who were seekers after the true, the good, the holy, the beautiful. They were insane -- not in a clinical sense, but in the madness of the Holy, an insanity which ordinary sanity refuses to admit.
-- David Kirk
***
Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly. Never forget that the devil fell by force of gravity. He who has the faith has the fun.
-- G. K. Chesterton
***
After the Transfiguration (as we heard six Sundays ago), Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem -- to finish his life's work.
Jesus had shown three of his disciples -- Peter, James, and John -- that life does not shine until it faces its cross. They were trying to shine by self-assertion, but Jesus showed them that they would shine only by self-sacrifice.
Then, as he went before them toward Jerusalem, certain that he was to meet his death, "his disciples were amazed" -- amazed that he could go before them eager to meet that which human nature most shrinks from. Jesus stops only to heal, to teach, to inspire as he presses on his eager way.
-- E. Stanley Jones, Christ and Human Suffering, pp. 79-80
***
The good news of Palm Sunday is that:
A. Our Lord is humble and approachable.
B. Our Lord, in his great love, is determined to do what needs to be done for us.
E. Stanley Jones writes:
We know now that God is like this that we have seen in Jesus. He is Christ-like. And if he is, he is a good God and trustable. If the Heart that is back of the universe is like this Gentle Heart that broke upon the cross, he can have my heart without qualification and without reservation.
-- E. Stanley Jones, The Christ of Every Road, p. 67
***
Dietrich Bonhoeffer reminds us that Jesus tried to help his disciples understand that the Son of Man must suffer and be rejected, and be killed, and on the third day rise again.
Jesus must therefore make it clear beyond all doubt that the "must" of suffering applies to his disciples no less than to himself. Just as Christ is Christ only in virtue of his suffering and rejection, so the disciple is a disciple only insofar as he shares his Lord's suffering and rejection and crucifixion.
-- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, p. 96
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
Leader: On this day of palms and celebration,
Jesus continues his journey with God.
People: We will go with him, for a while,
until he turns towards Calvary.
Leader: From the top of Olive Mountain,
Jesus prepares to travel through the valley of heartache and loss.
People: We will follow Jesus, for a while,
cradling hope in our hearts.
Leader: In the streets of Jerusalem,
Jesus hears the cries of those who adore him.
People: We will shout Jesus' name, for a while,
until we cry out, "Crucify him!"
Prayer of the Day
Holy God, Architect of our grace:
from your house we praise you.
Your love is never taken from us;
your goodness is the constant in our lives.
We worship you.
Jesus Christ, Sorrow of our salvation:
you dared to listen to God
instead of the cheers of the crowd and the jeers of your enemies.
We walk with you.
Holy Spirit, Glory of God:
you give us light, so we might see the One who comes;
you open our ears, so we might hear the whispers of hope;
you sustain the weary, so we might journey through this week.
We welcome you.
God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us as we pray as Jesus taught,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Petty squabbles don't belong in such a story of high drama and sacrifice,
but they are there, just as in our lives,
along with the other ways we fail to be the disciples of Christ.
Please join me as we pray...
(Unison) Prayer of Confession
Sustainer of the weary, we know how we sang for joy when Christ came into our lives,
and how we have not followed him when he leads us on this journey.
We have hidden our faces from the pain and suffering of our world.
We have turned a deaf ear to the cries of the poor, the hungry, the oppressed.
We trust in the slick promotions of the world,
and not in your words that can transform our lives.
Forgive us, Steadfast God, and shine your face upon us.
Help us to have the same mind as Christ, so we would know your promises;
help us to have the same heart as Christ, so we might serve your children;
help us to have the same Spirit as Christ, so we might go wherever you lead us.
(silent prayers may be offered)
Assurance of Pardon
Leader: God does not turn away when we fail to be faithful.
God does not reject us when we do not trust fully.
God continues to love us, to forgive us, to restore us.
People: It is God who helps us; it is God who saves us.
It is all we need or ever will need.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
Leader: The Lord is coming to be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: People of God, lay down your coats and lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them to the One who comes in God's name.
Leader: Let us praise God for the mighty works we have witnessed.
People: It is right that we praise our God.
It is our highest joy to praise you, God of enduring love.
All that is good and beautiful, all this is just and true, is your doing.
Morning by morning, you whispered your dreams and hopes into our hearts.
But we chose to listen to different voices,
turning our backs on you in rebellion and sin.
You sent the prophets to waken our ears to your songs of grace,
but we rejected them as adversaries to our desires.
But you would not turn your face from us, and sent the One who is named Salvation.
Therefore, we join our voices in thanksgiving,
with those in this place, and in every place,
with those in every moment, and in this moment,
singing with all creation to your glory:
Sanctus
Holy are you, God of goodness,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, who comes in your name.
When he could have remained with you,
he poured himself into the emptiness of our souls;
casting aside his unity with you,
he gathered up our brokenness to make us whole;
proclaimed by the choirs of heaven,
he humbled himself as a servant, so we might be raised to glory;
faithful to the point of death, even shameful death,
you exalted him to new life so we might stand with him in eternity with you.
Remembering the One who came for us,
remembering the words he taught,
remembering his passion and his resurrection,
we proclaim the One who is the Bread of Life:
Memorial Acclamation
Holy Spirit,
as we come to this Table,
bless the gifts of the bread and the cup
that they might be the sustenance of grace.
Strengthen us with the Bread of life,
so we would not turn our backs on those who hunger;
nourish us with the Cup of hope,
so we might sustain the weary;
so fill us with the good news that we dare not remain silent,
but must shout out God's desire of justice and peace for all people.
Through Jesus Christ,
all glory and honor are yours, God our Father,
with the Holy Spirit, in your holy church,
this day and forevermore. Amen.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
The Shouting Stones
Luke 19:28-40
Object: enough small stones so that each child may receive one
Good morning, boys and girls. Today is Palm Sunday and it is one of the very biggest days in our church year. Can you imagine how excited you would have been if you had been one of Jesus' disciples and walked beside him while he rode a small donkey into the great city of Jerusalem? (let them answer) The crowds were cheering and waving their palm branches, and throwing their coats on the road so that the road looked like it had been carpeted. You would have loved it.
Of course, not everyone was happy about Jesus coming into Jerusalem. There were some of the people who called themselves the leaders of the Jews, who thought Jesus was dangerous and working against them. They wanted Jesus to go away and be silent. If Jesus would become king like the people wanted, then they knew that they could no longer be the leaders.
But the people kept shouting and waving their banners. Everywhere you went you could hear things being said like, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord." Those were dangerous words and frightening words to the people who disliked Jesus. These men told Jesus to tell his disciples to be quiet. But they would not be quiet. The disciples had waited a long time for a day like this and they loved it. Other people who had only heard of Jesus began to shout and sing the same things that the disciples were shouting.
Now the leaders were really angry, and they commanded Jesus to quiet the disciples. But Jesus was not afraid of these men, and he knew that this day belonged to God. He looked at the men who were angry with him, and told them that even if they could make his disciples silent, the stones on the ground would begin singing and shouting the same things that the disciples were singing and shouting. Stones just like these stones were all over the road, and they would have made a mighty sound if they could have spoken. The leaders knew that there was nothing they could do that day. It was the day for Jesus and for the people who believed in him.
I want each of you to have one of these stones, so that you will remember Palm Sunday as the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem and his disciples made a great chorus, proclaiming Jesus as "the king who comes in the name of the Lord." It will also help you to remember that even if not one human voice said that Jesus was the Christ, God would make sure that we still would know it -- even if he had to make the stones shout that Christ was the King.
(From The Giant Book of Children's Sermons, by Wesley T. Runk, CSS Publishing Co., 2003)
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, April 1, 2007, issue.
Copyright 2007 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
