Wyoming Church of Christ Palm Sunday 16th March 2008
“He Wept” Lk 19:28-44 Cf Jn 12:12-50 Allan Blyth
Reading: Luke 19:28-44 Key Verse: Lk 19:41
You’ve heard the saying “stubborn as a mule”!
Staying in a friend’s villa in Italy a few years ago Julie and I had some first hand experience of donkeys. On a few acres surrounding the villa there were donkeys. Sometimes they got in the garden where they loved to chew the washing drying on the line. With their front feet fixed defiantly to the ground they weren’t easy to coax out into the olive grove.
Imagine riding one. Think for a moment about Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, on the foal of a donkey that’s never been ridden before! - palm branches being cut and strewn on the ground with a “red carpet” of clothes, and the improvised saddle of cloaks flung over its back!
Ever heard of animals shying?
Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem is sounding more like a fairy tale than a real story.
And it’s shrouded in other mysteries too, or at least to my mind! Like the donkey owner and the all powerful password “the Master needs it”, (Mk 11:2). Ever heard of a taxi driver giving up his new taxi to a group of total strangers, or a farmer giving up his tractor, a transport driver giving up his semi, because “the Master” has need of it?
And what’s your riding experience? Ever ridden an animal or tamed one—one that’s never been ridden before?
Or been to a rodeo? Maybe you’ve led an animal. Even the ones trained to parade at the Royal Easter are not always co-operative. And that’s a far cry from an unbroken colt with shouting and cheering, coats and tree braches being flung around. If ever anyone needed convincing that Jesus was divine, just get them to read this day in the life of Jesus. If they know anything about domesticating animals or rodeos they’ll know there was a divine presence here. Cf Zech 9:9; Ps118:26, 27b
I think the vital question for us today is as for Jerusalem then,
Are we aware of the divine presence?
God, Jesus, here, today - the 16th March 2008 at Wyoming - all over the Central Coast, and the whole world. Rom10:8-11
Some of us are quite convinced that this Jesus who rode the foal of a donkey into Jerusalem, this day nearly 2000 years ago is Lord, God, and present with us right now, present to comfort, to heal, to guide, to help, to provide and protect, to save, deliver, and to preserve our souls to eternity. Though maybe struggling with all kinds of strife, loss, grief and sadness or troubles, His presence gives us something to shout and wave branches about. So maybe there are two messages to draw from the Palm Sunday triumphal entry:
As we look to Jesus and wait for His coming let us aim to meet Jesus now. Jesus Emmanuel; in the weak and the sick, the despised and ostracised, the foreigner and the parentless, the lonely and the powerless, as well as in the triumphant, lest we miss the ones he sends to us His Church, to show His love, grace & salvation, and,
Like the crowds on the first Palm Sunday, let’s beware the thrill of singing Hosannas to a Jesus of our own making - the Jesus we’ve designed to fit our needs, only to give up on Him and crucify Him when it turns out that His vision for me and His creation, is different to mine!
(Philip Yancey “The Jesus I never knew” 1995)
A good prayer for today might be “Lord don’t let me cause you more pain and tears. Jesus, help me to see you, to follow you, to reflect you to others in a way that they too may sing your praises, eternally!”
Perhaps we could pray this prayer as a Church. Lord, don’t let us cause you more pain and tears. Fill us with your Spirit, help us to see you, to follow you, to reflect you to all, that they too may sing your praises, eternally!”
As I mentioned last week, the visible Church of Jesus Christ has not always done very well in reflecting Christ’s love and salvation. Often over focussed on doctrines, creeds, personal preferences and cultural biases, we have not always been, set apart, lovingly and forgivingly united, mission-minded, disciple making people. ie we haven’t lived out well the “holy, catholic and apostolic” church that Christians affirm the Church to be.
Knowing that He wept humbles me. Many of the teachers of Jesus day knew the scriptures, including the prophecies concerning the Messiah, off by heart. Yet they missed Him when He came. What does this say to us?
This “donkey procession” His betrayal, death & resurrection were all foretold. Zech 9:9-12, Is 53:4-12, Ps16:10 Ps22
The religious simply expressed indignation at his fleeting popularity, the crowds greeted him like a warlord as they had greeted other political deliverers in the past - perhaps hoping for freedom from Rome.
Surely the Bible believing church in our time would not fail to recognize Him? Could present day crowds who get excited about the popular word Jesus, fail to recognize Him?
Jesus wept.
I suspect it wasn’t only failure to recognize Him. He knew the consequences Cf Mt 26:39ff. Principally his human death at their (and our) hands. And in addition the destruction of the city which he’d visited with family and friends every year of His life. A horrible destruction just 40 years later when Titus sacked the city and its people were annihilated by 4 legions of Roman warriors. Lk 19:43
“How many times have I wanted to put my arms around you Jerusalem, Jerusalem, but you kill the prophets and stone the messengers God has sent. Mt 23:37
That first Palm Sunday, He looked over the city and wept.
“If you only knew today what is needed for peace!” V.42a
Jesus, the Prince of peace, came to Jerusalem, to Israel, as their long hoped for Messiah, to Israel whom God had called as His own to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation
But Jerusalem failed to recognize the Saviour. Lk 19:44.
As His Church, Jesus has made us a Kingdom of priests, a Holy nation, a people belonging to God to show others the goodness of God, being called out of darkness into His wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9) to be salt and light in the world. (Mt 5:13-16) even as He had called Israel from the darkness of slavery in Egypt. Ex 19:6 a light for all nations. Ps66:7,8;67:7
Will we be the cause of more tears for Jesus?
Or will he recognize us as the ones who have heard him knock and received Him into our hearts and lives to eat at our table. Rev 3:20 Will He recognize us as subjects of the Servant King, who saw Him hungry and fed Him? Or thirsty and give Him something to drink? Or as a stranger and showed Him hospitality? Or naked and give Him clothing? … sick or in prison and visited Him?’ Cf Mt 25:37-39
May we have the joy that passes all understanding as we receive the embrace of His outstretched arms & hear Him say, “Well done, good & faithful servant. ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. Mt 25:23a & 34
Songs for reflection: CoC486 Have you any room for Jesus?
SS110 He is here (Jesus is here) He is here. My heart tells me He is here.
He is Lord (Jesus is Lord) He is Lord. I will praise Him. He is Lord.
Prayer:
Benediction: Mt 5:16 Jesus said… “ let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” AMEN
Abbreviations: Cf. = Compare; ff = forwards, ie and verses following
