Sunday, April 2nd, Palm/Passion Sunday - "Seeking: Where are you headed?"
First United Presbyterian Church
“Seeking: Where Are You Headed?”
Rev. Amy Morgan
April 2, 2023
Philippians 2:5-11
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Matthew 21:1-11
When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2saying to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. 3If anyone says anything to you, just say this, “The Lord needs them.” And he will send them immediately.’ 4This took place to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,
5 ‘Tell the daughter of Zion,
Look, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’
6The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; 7they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,
‘Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!’
10When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, ‘Who is this?’ 11The crowds were saying, ‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.’
He had never heard of Elvis, but he was looking for the King. He’d never heard of the Beatles, but he knew a rock star was coming into town. He’d never heard of social media, but he knew an influencer when he saw one.
Eleazar saw the men untying his donkey and her colt, and he ran over to them. “What are you doing?” he asked. “These are mine!” The men replied, “The Lord needs them.” Immediately, Eleazar knew who they were talking about. Their Galilean accent gave them away as followers of Jesus of Nazareth, the prophet who had been teaching and healing and stirring up excitement all over the region. He’d just heard through the grapevine that just days ago, he had even raised a man from the dead. He was a Lord indeed, more powerful, perhaps, than the puppet ruler parading into town through the western gate today, with all his show of force in horses and armor. If his donkey and her colt could in any way aid this up and coming zealot, he would be elated.
Immediately, he sent the disciples of Jesus along with his animals.
And then he waited by the roadside. Not many other people were around. Some were busy making preparations for the Passover. Others had gone to the western gate of the city to watch the hoopla surrounding the governor’s entrance. A good showing had to be made there to assure Rome that the Jews still knew who was boss.
But Eleazar waited near the eastern gate for a different processional. One he knew was coming. One that would be even more exciting. He remembered the prophesy of Zechariah: a king who would come riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey…to bring peace to the nations. This was his king. And he would be ready to greet him.
As he caught sight of his animals coming down the rocky slope from Bethphage, and the man riding atop them, his heart raced and he clapped his hands. The humble rabbi was surrounded by adoring disciples, ready to obey his command and fight to the death for him. Eleazar was so excited to welcome this humble, yet powerful, king. He began to shout, “Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna to the Son of David!”
The few people on the street looked at him, startled by his outburst. Then they, too, saw Jesus and his disciples parading toward the city. They asked Eleazar who this man was, and he told them it was Jesus, the one they had heard so much about. Word started to spread, and people came out of their homes and shops to see what was going on.
Then Eleazar had an idea. He took off his cloak and spread it on the road before Jesus. Others in the growing crowd started doing the same. He ran back under the shade of a tree to wait for Jesus to arrive. Then he had another idea. He grabbed one of the tree’s branches and yanked, hard. He took the branch that came off and moved closer to the road. Before Jesus and his disciples passed through the gate into the city, Eleazar stepped into the road in front of them, waving the tree branch and shouting again, “Hosanna! Hosanna! Praise God in the highest heaven! Make way for your king, the Son of David!”
This excited some in the crowd even more, and they grabbed tree branches and joined in the parade. Eleazar proudly ushered his king into Jerusalem, filled with joy, hope, and expectation for this day when God’s people would finally be released from the yoke of Rome. He didn’t know how this humble, donkey-riding rabbi was going to do it, but he knew he could, and would. And he, Eleazar, had helped. He, Eleazar, celebrated this magnificent moment. He, Eleazar, would be rewarded in the coming kingdom of Jesus.
There was shouting in the street. Dina looked up from the dough she had been preparing and looked out the window. People were beginning to crowd into the street. Some were laying their cloaks on the ground and waving branches in the air. She heard cries of “Hosanna!” and the name Jesus.
Dina quickly dusted the flour from her hands and ran out the door. She had heard about the healings, the rumors of a resurrection even. She had heard the prophet Jesus knew everything about everyone. And that he showed kindness even to those who were sinners.
Dina did not know if she was a sinner. The priests would say so. And her late husband’s brother, Eli, would agree. She could not bear a child for her husband. When he died, Eli should have married her. But he had refused, saying she was barren because she had sinned against God, and she deserved to be cast out.
She did not know what she had done, why God was punishing her. But she knew she was desperate. Eli had allowed her to live with his family for a little while, but her time was running out. She did not know what she would do – a widow with no sons. Her father would not take her back because he would not be able to marry her off again. She would soon be destitute. She needed a savior.
If this Jesus knew all about her life, if he showed kindness even to sinners, perhaps he could save her. She did not know how, but he was her only hope. She pushed her way into the parade, trying to get closer to the rabbi. When she came near, she shouted “Hosanna!” On the lips of those waving branches and spreading their cloaks on the ground, the shouts expressed praise and excitement. But Dina knew the older meaning of the word they shouted. “Hosanna,” save us. Her shout was one of desperation. “Hosanna!” she shouted at Jesus. “Son of David, save us!”
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They were in Jerusalem for the Passover, as they had been every year for as long as they could remember. Asher and Abigail had come as children with their parents, as a young newlywed couple. They’d brough their own children, and now they came together, moving more slowly, careful to avoid the rambunctious youngsters racing around their knees, threatening to topple their delicate balance.
They had made all their preparations earlier in the day and were now just biding their time until the festivities began, reminiscing about celebrations of the past. But it appeared that the festival was beginning early, and with a new ritual. Down the road came a procession of people waving palm fronds in the air and chanting praises to God. In the middle of the procession was a solemn man with kind, sad eyes, riding on a donkey. Abigail asked Asher what part of the Passover story this might represent. Asher wasn’t certain, but he would be sure to ask the rabbi later. In the meantime, he thought it best if they join in the ritual. They wanted to be sure to participate fully in all the Passover activities. It had been such an important part of their lives. If a new ritual was to be observed, they would observe it. Abigail helped Asher pull some branches off a nearby tree, and they joined the end of the parade.
Troublemakers. It seemed like they were everywhere these days. Charlatans impressing the masses with parlor tricks. Zealots imitating prophets. Would-be messiah’s riling up crowds from Bethsaida to Bethel.
And now it seemed they were bringing their trouble right into the heart of the holy city, Jerusalem. And during the holy festival of the Passover. And, just to make the point, they were parading a clown on a donkey to thumb their noses at Rome, poking fun at the governor’s show of force on the other side of town.
Yishmael had planned to attend the governor’s parade, show that the Jewish leadership was committed to peace with Rome. But now he wasn’t sure if it was more important for him to make sure this silly side show didn’t cause a commotion. As the parade grew closer, the crowd grew larger. He could hear their shouts of “Hosanna.” And then, the voices calling the donkey-rider the Son of David! They were welcoming him as a king, a new ruler over Israel in the line of David, practically pronouncing him God’s promise Messiah.
This was not good. Much more dangerous than Yishmael had suspected. He grabbed the arm of one of the parade-goers as he passed by. “Who is this man?” he asked. The man shouted something joyfully, but his words were lost in the din of the shouting crowd. He continued asking others: “Who is this man?” Some said, “he is a prophet,” others claimed he was God’s new king. Some said he was a rabbi, a healer, a miracle-worker. Over and over, though, he heard the name Jesus. Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.
With this name, Yishmael ran toward the temple, determined to warn the others that something must be done, and quickly, to quell the uprising this Jesus was bringing into the city.
“Who is this man?”
Jesus came to fulfill God’s expectations, not ours. But that hasn’t kept us from imposing our expectations of Jesus onto the truth of who he is. Jesus entered Jerusalem at the beginning of the Passover festival, in a time of high tension and high expectation and excitement. In a time of oppression and suffering and violence. He entered the city as a prophet, a healer, a king. He entered the city as a nuisance, a curiosity, a rabble-rouser.
But the only expectations he would come to fulfill would be God’s expectations. He would surprise and disappoint. He would frighten and confuse.
And he still does. We still expect Jesus to parade into our world and fulfill our expectations. To right what is wrong, to heal what is broken, to lead us to victory. Or we expect him to upset apple carts and disturb the status quo.
Jesus may do any and all of these things. But his sole purpose is, as it always has been, to fulfill the expectations of God, to bring about the reign of God on earth. And that work continues to surprise and disappoint, frighten and confuse us.
As we find our place in the parade today, may we set aside our expectations, and look for what God is doing in this time and place. As we travel with Jesus through the coming week, may we allow ourselves to feel uneasy, leaving space for the unexpected to occur. Whether we shout “Hosanna” in praise or desperation, whether we worship with ritual dedication or watch from the sidelines with suspicion, may we know that our expectations do not define the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
I want to close today with a poem by Malcolm Guite (GITE)
“Palm Sunday”
Now to the gate of my Jerusalem,
The seething holy city of my heart,
The saviour comes. But will I welcome him?
Oh crowds of easy feelings make a start;
They raise their hands, get caught up in the singing,
And think the battle won. Too soon they’ll find
The challenge, the reversal he is bringing
Changes their tune. I know what lies behind
The surface flourish that so quickly fades;
Self-interest, and fearful guardedness,
The hardness of the heart, its barricades,
And at the core, the dreadful emptiness
Of a perverted temple. Jesus come
Break my resistance and make me your home.
Amen.
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