Sermon - 2014-04-13- Palm Sunday

This Sunday, we gather together for Palm Sunday.  We celebrate the fact that the Messiah, the Christ, the Chosen One of God, is living among us.  On this day,  the people were shouting, celebrating, and so hopeful wondering what was to come.  They were thinking that at long last, the Messiah had come.  With as much fanfare as when we celebrate Christmas, these people now celebrate the arrival of God’s Chosen One among them.    Have you ever stopped to think about how Jesus will return for the second coming?  Remember, Jesus was a poor man who wandered through the wilderness with a group of people who by past and modern times were the working poor.  They were not successful.  They would have put in long hours to barely make it.  They were not the sharpest tools in the shed, nor were they really able to understand what it meant that the Messiah had come.  Jesus did not live in a great house, nor was he even popular.  Yes, thousands knew of the miracles he had performed in the communities that he visited.  However, the message that Jesus brought was not a message that the people always wanted to hear.  They wanted Jesus to help them achieve the greatness of this world.  Yet, Jesus came to give them the Word of God, the message God wanted the people to hear.  

Word about Jesus had been spreading like wildfire. The people had heard of the miracles.  Jesus had healed many who others could not cure. Jesus fed thousands with very little. Perhaps more importantly, Jesus spoke with an authority about Scripture and an understanding that lifted the very spirits of all who were listening. People were captivated and enthralled that Jesus was here. Many people who heard Jesus were pilgrims. They were traveling from their homes to the big city. Something the people would not do except for special occasions. Now, seeing Jesus was truly special.  The man Jesus, who was a local celebrity was right in front of them.  They could see him. Today, it would be seeing everyone’s facebook status, tweets, and foursquare messages all being about Jesus showing up in Jerusalem.  

When Jesus enters into Jerusalem, he had no wealth, he had no land, even the colt that he is rode on is not his own.  What he has is the respect of the people.  He has their faith because of the works that he has done.  He has given them in the hope the future that he brings. He has their attention.  However, with their attention comes with it their expectations of what he will be and do for them.  They begin to wonder, what will the world be like when the Messiah is King, and they are his subjects? It will be great not having Rome around or serving other nations.  Instead they would be on top like they were when David was king.  

Now,  many of you know that the good old days are just that, in the past.  However on this Palm Sunday, I want to stop and take some time to look at the future.  What do you hope would happen if Jesus came to our church today?  I mean actually came here.  Many of us have the understanding that Jesus will return filled with power to crush the oppressive nations and rulers within the world just as those of Jesus time on earth two thousand years ago did.  There will be a great leveling and a final judgment in which all will be cast down from their position.  The position for which they have worked so hard and it will all be taken away from them.  It will no longer matter if you are rich or poor, black or white, we shall all stand in the presence of God.  

But Jesus already did that when he came the first time.  Jesus got rid of the nationalistic tendencies of people.  You should not care more about your country, or your people, but instead you should care more about God. For you are children of the Kingdom of God.  You are united with God’s people around you because of your baptism.    The old kingdoms and nations are not as important and we have one nation with God. We are pilgrims living in a place that is not our own country.  We should care about all people not caring about their nation or color of skin.  

Through that great leveling which Jesus did. He did through your Baptism too.  No longer is there a greater and lesser within the Kingdom of God for we are all God’s children.  We are the ones who perpetuate and sustain that false understanding that some are better Christians.  For if you are a baptized child of God, it means that you are fully and completely a Christian.  NO ifs, ands, and buts, you are a full member of the Kingdom. No one is greater than the next.  What truly tries to separate us are false teachings and our own expectations.

Jesus entered into Jerusalem not to enter into the world to fulfill our expectations, but to meet the needs for which we so desperately longed but never knew existed. Jesus did not come to slay our foes and lift us high.  He came to serve and give his life as a ransom for sin.  At the root of this matter is the  real heart of the human dilemma.  It is not our political problems that are important but our sickness and brokenness in sin. The truth is, Jesus didn’t come to be that kind of king.  Jesus did not come to run the Romans out of town.  He came to die on a cross even for the sins of the enemies of Israel.  Still to this day, we have a very difficult time understanding this message.  Still to this day, we tend to think that military solutions to our problems are the ‘final answer’.  The last week of Jesus’ life tells us— this is not so.

Christ was born to be the Messiah.  All who believe this and live listening to the Messiah can follow the path that is laid out before us.  They can live out their baptismal promise.  We can deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus, all the way to Golgotha.  We can leave our sins at the cross of Christ.  For it is here at the cross, that we bear witness to the full work that is done for us.  We bear witness to the love that God has for us.  We bear witness to the life to which Jesus is calling us. And it is here, we gather together to celebrate.  I hope you will come this week and join in the celebration of worship to this Messiah.