The Amazing Holy Week Equation
Sermon
Sermons On The Second Readings
For Sundays In Advent, Christmas, And Epiphany
One of the typical difficulties of days like today is connecting the ritual and annual stories of Palm Sunday with the stuff you came in here today worrying about!
Okay, so Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey 2,000 years ago. Hey, that's cool. But, you say, I'm worried about paying for repairs to my Chevy so I can ride into Buffalo to go to work!
Okay, so the people were all excited about Jesus and waved palm branches at him. That's a neat image, you say, but I'm more concerned about whether the insurance company will wave the deductible!
I believe, in fact, that Palm Sunday, maybe even this Palm Sunday, has a message for us all. In fact, I am hoping that this Palm Sunday may be the one you look back on as having been decisive in your life.
You see, Palm Sunday meant one thing for those shouting, "Hosanna!" and something very different for Jesus. The disciples and bystanders were caught up in the excitement and thrill of the beginning of Passover and the potential new leader Jesus, who might free them from Roman rule.
For Jesus, on the other hand, his entry into Jerusalem was the beginning of a go-for-broke divine plan to break the back of an understanding of God which was keeping people from God and keeping them stuck in their sin. It was the first step in his final course of action to reconcile humanity with their Creator. From the time of his childhood when his relationship with God began to dawn he had been inexorably moving toward this day. Palm Sunday. The die was cast. As the Gospel writer Luke put it, " ...he set his face to go to Jerusalem" (9:51). It was Palm Sunday. The time had arrived.
Palm Sunday was the day when a long-percolating vision of obedience began to take its final form. Palm Sunday was the day when a string of events began that would change Jesus' life and the life of the world. Palm Sunday was the day when obedience won out over any hesitation or doubt, though there may well have been lingering, human fear of what obedience might bring in pain or suffering. But it would be worth it, to say the least.
Jesus was unique in his relationship with God and with his sacrifice for all of humanity. However, Jesus also was part of a long line of splendor of those who have been obedient to the call of God on their lives.
Abraham heard the call of God (Genesis 12:1 RSV): "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you." Surely he had been feeling nudges and wondering if this was really God. But finally it was Palm Sunday, and obedience was the only way. And he went, not knowing where he was going, totally depending on the Lord.
The prophet Isaiah had an overwhelming experience of the power and majesty and glory of God while worshiping. At the end of that experience he uttered those words which have been said in a variety of ways by countless faithful people of God over the centuries. "And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me' " (Isaiah 6:8 RSV). And he went. For him, it was Palm Sunday.
We Protestants tend to ignore one of the most faithful persons in our religious history, the mother of Jesus, Mary. After she was told she was going to have a baby, out of wedlock and by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, even with all the questions lingering in her mind, Luke reports: "And Mary said, 'Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word' " (1:38 RSV). It was Palm Sunday for Mary.
Then there were others who were faithful but needed a little more encouragement. Remember Jonah, the reluctant prophet. Called by God to speak words of warning to the sinful city of Nineveh, he instead fled by ship, found himself in the belly of a whale, and was rerouted to -- you guessed it -- Nineveh. It was Palm Sunday, with a watery circuitous route on the way to his obedience.
And there was Saint Paul. Before he became Saint Paul he was Saul, the Christian hater. But to Paul's credit, he really was trying to do the will of God. He thought this Jesus was a blasphemer and his followers heretics. He had a mid-course correction, however, and his Palm Sunday occurred on the way to Damascus, in the northern part of Palestine.
Paul's conversion must be an important story because Luke tells it three times in the book of Acts. Acts 9, Acts 22 and finally, listen to how he quotes Paul as Paul tells his story to King Agrippa.
Thus I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining round me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It hurts you to kick against the goads." -- Acts 26:12-14 (RSV)
It was Palm Sunday for Paul, and he became the first and greatest missionary of the gospel who ever lived.
And then there is you. And there is me. And there is today, Palm Sunday. Anything perking in your life that you feel God has been calling you to do or to be, perhaps for years -- perhaps for a few months, or weeks or days?
This could be your Palm Sunday. It could be mine.
Listen to Saint Paul again. The scripture we read today helps to put Jesus' actions on Palm Sunday into context.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. -- Philippians 2:5-8 (RSV)
The amazing Holy Week equation that we see in Jesus is that, when it comes to doing the will of God, less is more. Jesus, writes Saint Paul, "emptied himself" and thereby became obedient. Jesus did not fill himself up with pride and drive and determination. Rather, Jesus emptied himself, and allowed his spirit and mind to be filled with God.
Here is the meeting place of Palm Sunday, A.D. 33 and Palm Sunday 2003. It is in the conscious making room in our minds for the Mind of Christ in order that we might be eager to do the will of God. It is in the emptying of all that would get in the way of God so that it becomes possible to think thoughts that lead us to paths of righteousness and holiness and joy.
Think how important that is. Remember the words of the prophet Isaiah:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. -- Isaiah 55:8-9 (RSV)
Saint Paul wrote to the church at Rome. "Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind ..." (Romans 12:2 RSV).
To have the mind of Christ is to have an empty head -- well, sort of. At least there is the intent of leaving room, the intent of filling it, or making it available for God's thoughts, not just our own.
So what is it for you today? If we stay in A.D. 33 and wave palm branches, but don't make the connection of our obedience to God's will today, then this will have been a hollow event, an empty diversion on a gorgeous day.
You've thought about it. You've prayed about it. You intend to do it for God. It's Palm Sunday. For you and for me. It could be the most important day of our lives.
Okay, so Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey 2,000 years ago. Hey, that's cool. But, you say, I'm worried about paying for repairs to my Chevy so I can ride into Buffalo to go to work!
Okay, so the people were all excited about Jesus and waved palm branches at him. That's a neat image, you say, but I'm more concerned about whether the insurance company will wave the deductible!
I believe, in fact, that Palm Sunday, maybe even this Palm Sunday, has a message for us all. In fact, I am hoping that this Palm Sunday may be the one you look back on as having been decisive in your life.
You see, Palm Sunday meant one thing for those shouting, "Hosanna!" and something very different for Jesus. The disciples and bystanders were caught up in the excitement and thrill of the beginning of Passover and the potential new leader Jesus, who might free them from Roman rule.
For Jesus, on the other hand, his entry into Jerusalem was the beginning of a go-for-broke divine plan to break the back of an understanding of God which was keeping people from God and keeping them stuck in their sin. It was the first step in his final course of action to reconcile humanity with their Creator. From the time of his childhood when his relationship with God began to dawn he had been inexorably moving toward this day. Palm Sunday. The die was cast. As the Gospel writer Luke put it, " ...he set his face to go to Jerusalem" (9:51). It was Palm Sunday. The time had arrived.
Palm Sunday was the day when a long-percolating vision of obedience began to take its final form. Palm Sunday was the day when a string of events began that would change Jesus' life and the life of the world. Palm Sunday was the day when obedience won out over any hesitation or doubt, though there may well have been lingering, human fear of what obedience might bring in pain or suffering. But it would be worth it, to say the least.
Jesus was unique in his relationship with God and with his sacrifice for all of humanity. However, Jesus also was part of a long line of splendor of those who have been obedient to the call of God on their lives.
Abraham heard the call of God (Genesis 12:1 RSV): "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you." Surely he had been feeling nudges and wondering if this was really God. But finally it was Palm Sunday, and obedience was the only way. And he went, not knowing where he was going, totally depending on the Lord.
The prophet Isaiah had an overwhelming experience of the power and majesty and glory of God while worshiping. At the end of that experience he uttered those words which have been said in a variety of ways by countless faithful people of God over the centuries. "And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me' " (Isaiah 6:8 RSV). And he went. For him, it was Palm Sunday.
We Protestants tend to ignore one of the most faithful persons in our religious history, the mother of Jesus, Mary. After she was told she was going to have a baby, out of wedlock and by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, even with all the questions lingering in her mind, Luke reports: "And Mary said, 'Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word' " (1:38 RSV). It was Palm Sunday for Mary.
Then there were others who were faithful but needed a little more encouragement. Remember Jonah, the reluctant prophet. Called by God to speak words of warning to the sinful city of Nineveh, he instead fled by ship, found himself in the belly of a whale, and was rerouted to -- you guessed it -- Nineveh. It was Palm Sunday, with a watery circuitous route on the way to his obedience.
And there was Saint Paul. Before he became Saint Paul he was Saul, the Christian hater. But to Paul's credit, he really was trying to do the will of God. He thought this Jesus was a blasphemer and his followers heretics. He had a mid-course correction, however, and his Palm Sunday occurred on the way to Damascus, in the northern part of Palestine.
Paul's conversion must be an important story because Luke tells it three times in the book of Acts. Acts 9, Acts 22 and finally, listen to how he quotes Paul as Paul tells his story to King Agrippa.
Thus I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining round me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It hurts you to kick against the goads." -- Acts 26:12-14 (RSV)
It was Palm Sunday for Paul, and he became the first and greatest missionary of the gospel who ever lived.
And then there is you. And there is me. And there is today, Palm Sunday. Anything perking in your life that you feel God has been calling you to do or to be, perhaps for years -- perhaps for a few months, or weeks or days?
This could be your Palm Sunday. It could be mine.
Listen to Saint Paul again. The scripture we read today helps to put Jesus' actions on Palm Sunday into context.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. -- Philippians 2:5-8 (RSV)
The amazing Holy Week equation that we see in Jesus is that, when it comes to doing the will of God, less is more. Jesus, writes Saint Paul, "emptied himself" and thereby became obedient. Jesus did not fill himself up with pride and drive and determination. Rather, Jesus emptied himself, and allowed his spirit and mind to be filled with God.
Here is the meeting place of Palm Sunday, A.D. 33 and Palm Sunday 2003. It is in the conscious making room in our minds for the Mind of Christ in order that we might be eager to do the will of God. It is in the emptying of all that would get in the way of God so that it becomes possible to think thoughts that lead us to paths of righteousness and holiness and joy.
Think how important that is. Remember the words of the prophet Isaiah:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. -- Isaiah 55:8-9 (RSV)
Saint Paul wrote to the church at Rome. "Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind ..." (Romans 12:2 RSV).
To have the mind of Christ is to have an empty head -- well, sort of. At least there is the intent of leaving room, the intent of filling it, or making it available for God's thoughts, not just our own.
So what is it for you today? If we stay in A.D. 33 and wave palm branches, but don't make the connection of our obedience to God's will today, then this will have been a hollow event, an empty diversion on a gorgeous day.
You've thought about it. You've prayed about it. You intend to do it for God. It's Palm Sunday. For you and for me. It could be the most important day of our lives.
