Palm Sunday 2018: Behold Your King

Have you ever found yourself having to reevaluate things that you believed and thought?  And in the midst of doing that, have you ever discovered that things that you once thought and said in front of folks may have been wrong?  And have you ever felt really embarrassed that you once believed as you did and were as outspoken as you once were?

I hate it when this happens. 

You know, for years, I rebelled against using a lot of technology in church.  I didn’t think it was a good idea to put my sermons online.  If folks wanted to hear the sermon, they needed to come to church.  We didn’t need screes in worship.  Folks have a bulletin and hymn books.  All of this stuff was just gimmicks anyway.  What really counted was the Word of God and its power to change hearts.  There was no need to dress things up. There was no need to put all of this extra stuff into it.  Technology was just a bunch of fluff that was unnecessary.

But then in 2016, a study came out written by David Millard Haskell and Kevin Flatt.  It was titled, “Theology Matters: Comparing the Traits of Growing and Declining Mainline Protestant Church Attendees and Clergy.”  I read the study.  The authors studied mainline protestant congregations in Canada where church decline has been even steeper than here in the U.S.  This study confirmed what I had thought before: In every church that was growing, it was the Word of God and it’s power to change hearts that took center stage.  It was a robust, orthodox, evangelical faith that took hold and helped bring people to Christ.  But that was not the only thing these churches had in common.  Guess what every one of those churches used?  They made liberal use of technology in spreading the Gospel.  They connected with people’s smart phones. They had screens in their worship areas.  They connected online. 

When I reached this point in my reading, I knew I was faced with a choice: recant what I had said earlier in my life or continue in my stubbornness.  I could acknowledge what these researchers had found and get with the program, or I could turn a blind eye and pretend what they found didn’t really matter.  Well, most of you know that every Sunday I am recording the sermon that is delivered here and putting it online.  I’ve also started recording the Adult Bible study and putting that online as well.  It’s a start, but if I take seriously what this study said, then this is the avenue that should be traveled.  I’ve got to be humble enough to change my stance and do the things that help bring people to Christ.

That also means that I have to sometimes reevaluate the things that I have said throughout my time as a pastor and preacher.  For instance, back in 2008, I preached a Palm Sunday sermon where I talked about how the Roman soldiers viewed what was happening when Jesus came riding in on that donkey.  I said the following, “Straining his eyes, the captain [of the guard] looked and saw the focal point of the crowd’s attention.  There, sitting on a donkey, was a man.  He was waving to the crowd, smiling, and basking in their attention.  ‘How odd these people are,’ thought the captain.  ‘They celebrate a man riding on a donkey.’  With that, he turned to the rest of his men, ‘Stand down!’ he told them.  ‘There is nothing to fear.  They have no weapons.’  After saying this, he looked back down at the man on the steed.  ‘Who is this?’ he wondered to himself.  ‘Who is this man that so many welcome him in this manner?’”

I am no longer quite so sure that this Roman captain would have approached this situation in such a fashion.  Through my readings and growth in understanding, I have come to see that the Romans were not ignorant of Jewish thought and belief. The Romans knew that the Jews were a cantankerous group of people.  They had their factions and groups, for sure.  There were Jewish folks who collaborated with the Roman occupiers–including the Puppet King Herod.  This group was very, very small. There were other folks who begrudgingly worked with the Roman occupiers but who resented their rule to the nth degree–these were folks like the Pharisees. This was a much larger group. Then you had those who were in rebellion–those who assassinated Romans soldiers and diplomats at every chance claiming that they owed allegiance to God and God alone.  These were the zealots.  The vast, vast majority of the Jews believed that they were destined to be an independent kingdom, ruled by the Messiah who would bring them power and prestige throughout the world.

They only needed someone to follow.
They only needed someone who might have power and authority and might.
They only needed someone who seemed to fulfill the Old Testament prophesies.
And they had Jesus.

Oh, they had heard the stories of Jesus. They had heard about his miracles, and they had liked what they heard.  He could produce food out of thin air.  He could calm storms.  He could heal the sick and raise the dead.  He had untold of power.

Of course, there had been other stories that had caused a bit of consternation.  In his hometown, the people had tried to throw Jesus off a cliff.  On a couple of occasions, crowds had tried to stone him for things that he had said.  But these were ignored for the time being.  Perhaps he was controversial because he needed to stir people to action.  Perhaps they were just misguided in their understanding of Jesus.  Perhaps they just needed to channel their anger in the right direction–toward the Romans.

And those Romans were probably worried when they saw Jesus riding into Jerusalem on that donkey.  They knew what that meant.  They knew the Jewish tradition of how a king was to enter the city.  The prophet Zechariah had talked about such matters hundreds of years earlier.  “Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”  The fact that Jesus was doing this could only mean one thing: Rebellion.  Jesus’ actions this day made himself public enemy number one in the eyes of the Roman occupiers. 

And Jesus was no fool.  He knew exactly what he was doing.  He knew that riding in on that donkey was putting a target on his back.  He knew that he would not be well received by the Romans.  He knew they brooked no talk of rebellion or revolution.  He knew they would not be happy at all.

But the crowd was.  The crowd was exuberant.  They wanted to get rid of the Romans.  They wanted to get out from under their oppression.  They wanted to get out from under their burdens of taxation.  They wanted a true king, not the puppet king Herod who was of questionable Jewish heritage.  They welcomed Jesus with open arms.  They put palm branches and robes in his path.  They shouted, “Hosanna!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

They were in a festive mood.  Just as God had once saved them from the Egyptians by mighty deeds of power and might on the first Passover, God was now going to use Jesus and his acts of power and might to deliver them from the Romans on this Passover. 

But what the crowd did not understand was that Jesus was throwing down the gauntlet not only to the Romans, but to his fellow Jews.  Jesus was not only challenging the Roman’s ideas of power and might and authority, he was also challenging his fellow Jews to examine their own ideas of what they thought the kingdom of God would look like–to examine their own relationship with God.  And once the crowd discovered this, their shouts would change.  Their shouts would go from “Hosanna!” to “Crucify him!”

Why?  They were not willing to reevaluate their understandings.  They were not willing to change their belief in the face of new information.

Look at it this way.  All their lives, these folks had been told that the Messiah was coming.  They had been taught that their Messiah would usher in a time of unprecedented peace, prosperity, and power for the Kingdom of Israel.  They had been taught that the Messiah would overthrow their enemies with the strength and power of God.  Israel would no longer be subject to anyone.  Israel would be feared and respected throughout the world.  Israel would be the top dog, and it would be an honor and a joy to be a part of this kingdom!!  That’s why they celebrated Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.

Ah, but when Jesus challenged this notion of the kingdom; when Jesus began telling everyone that his kingdom was not of this world; when Jesus told everyone that they should love the Romans–the enemies of the Jews–and bless them when they were persecuted; this was more than they could handle.  This was more than they could bear.  This wasn’t how the Messiah was supposed to act.  In their eyes, Jesus became a false Messiah.  He deserved crucifixion.  But why couldn’t they accept what Jesus was saying? 

Here’s the question: what were the people really longing for?  What did the people most desire?  What did the people have their hearts set on?  Prosperity.  Peace. Honor. Power.  Riches.  These were the things that the people craved. These were the things promised in the Kingdom.  They were longing for these things more than they were actually longing for the rule of God.  In other words, they wanted what God could give them, they did not actually want to submit to God themselves. 

And Jesus would not accept that.
Jesus does not accept that.
Jesus says, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness.”
Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life.”
Jesus says, “The first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”
Jesus says set your deepest heart’s desire upon God and nothing else.

You know, the crowds that gathered that Palm Sunday were waving their palms for the wrong reasons.  They wanted a king who would deliver them from the Romans.  They didn’t want a king who would confront them with their own selfish desires and demand repentance.  But that is who Jesus was and is.  He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  He already reigns over the universe, but he wants to reign most of all in our hearts.  But as long as our hearts cling to the desires of wealth, power, prestige, possessions, or whatever we so choose, he can never be king.  Oh, we may make him a king for a day or for a few hours, but he will never be Lord of our lives. 

Maybe it’s a good thing that next year when Lent begins, these palm fronds will be burned and used to make the ashes for Ash Wednesday.  It’s a good reminder of how we should welcome Jesus.  It’s a good reminder that all of the things that would draw us away from Jesus should burn away leaving a desire for repentance and a clean heart; leaving a desire to have Jesus sit enthroned upon our hearts as the Lord and Master of our lives.

And hear now the good news.  Hear now where Jesus is going.  Hear now what Jesus will do to capture your heart that you may fall in love with your Lord and Savior.  For He will not rain down fire and brimstone on your head for failing to follow Him.  He will not impose His will on you by force.  He will not try to scare you into trusting Him or believing in Him.  He will not ride that donkey to a great throne of power and might.

Instead, he will give up his heavenly power and glory.  Even “though he is in the form of God, he will not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7 but he will empty himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8 he will humble himself and become obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.”  He will take your brokenness upon himself.  He will take your pain upon himself.  He will take your fear upon himself.  He will take your distrust upon himself.  He will take your sickness upon himself.  He will take your anxiety upon himself.  He will take your sin upon himself, and he will put it to death.  He will die for you to cleanse your heart; to cleanse your being.  And then he will pour his righteousness into you.  He will pour his grace into you.  He will pour his status as Son of God or Daughter of God into you.  He will wash you, and he will clothe you.  And He will do this not because you have earned it.  Not because you have been all that you should be.  Not because you are good.  He will do this because He loves you.  He loves you so much that he is willing to die for you.  He wants that love to claim your heart so that you put your trust in him–you put your trust in the King.

Today, on this Palm Sunday, let us see past the pomp and circumstance.  Let us see past the palm branches.  Let us see past all the things that we think that Jesus can give us, and instead, let us see Jesus alone.  Let us see the King of kings.  Let us see the Lord of Lords.  Let us see the one who has come to take our sin away.  Let us behold our king.  Amen.

Behold Your King! Palm Sunday Sermon

    I remember vividly back in 2008 when Barak Obama was elected president of the United States of America.  I know this was not a popular choice here in Texas or in Austin County, but in the scope of the nation, at the time, this was a minority position.  The newly elected president had somewhere around a 71% approval rating even before his first act in office.  The senator from Illinois had burst on the scene with outstanding rhetoric and capitalized on the extreme unpopularity of President Bush.  He cruised to victory in the presidential election, and his victory party was a sight to behold.  So was the inauguration.  The president drew thousands upon thousands of people.  Shortly after entering office, he drew thousands to a speech in Germany.  He won the Nobel Peace prize.  Millions of people around the world celebrated Barak Obama’s ascension to the highest office of leadership in the United States–arguably the most powerful seat of authority in the world.

    Most new regimes are welcomed in such a fashion.  If you study history, you know this well.  For whatever reason, people usually grow tired of the old leaders.  Countries and nations become stuck in a rut.  They hear the same tired old speeches.  Their lots in life never seem to change.  Corruption enters the picture.  Friends of those in power get rewarded.  The rich get richer.  The poor get poorer.  Those in power enjoy the perks of the office, and there often is a growing perception that those leaders are out of touch with the reality of common folk.  Before you know it, people are clamoring for change.  People are clamoring for new leadership.  And when it comes, they welcome it.

    Case in point, let’s look at a snippet from Jewish history.  Long ago, the Greek armies under the Selucid empire invaded Israel.  They overran the country side, but as the Greek empire became stretched thin, some rebellions became successful.  The Jewish Hasmoneans rebelled against this empire and briefly issued in a time of independence for Israel.  Briefly.  Please know I am painting in large brush strokes here.  The details are much too intricate to get into in this sermon.  The Jews were all to happy to rid themselves of foreign rule; however there was also dissension.  As time passed, the people became less and less appreciative of the Hasmoneans.  They became disenchanted with their corruption, and supposedly, when the Roman empire began asserting itself in Israel, instead of offering resistence, the people of Jerusalem opened the gates of the city to welcome the Roman armies in.  Interesting historical note there, isn’t it.

    Of course, the Jewish folks then resented the Romans who governed them.  All to happy to welcome them to begin with, they were more than ready to overthrow them and become independent once again.  They were all to ready to have new leadership and new governance.  The seeds of rebellion were indeed planted, and all they needed was some energy to begin germination. 

    This is one of the reasons for the crowd’s enthusiasm on that day when Jesus made his way into Jerusalem riding on the back of a donkey.  This is one of the reasons the crowd placed palm branches and cloaks in His path.  They had all heard about Jesus.  They had heard about His deeds of wonder and power.  They had heard about Him healing the sick, making the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and the lame to walk.  They had heard of His feeding of the multitude.  They had heard of Him calming the storm.  They had heard about Him raising the dead.  They knew He claimed a special relationship with God–the Son of God; the Son of Man.  Here was, they felt, the one who would now lead them; who would defeat the Romans; who would usher in a new Jewish dynasty.  And he was riding on a donkey to prove it!

    This act of Jesus was intentional.  It was no act of humility.  The people knew that the prophet Zechariah had foretold in a vision long ago that the king would come to them in such a fashion.  You can read the prophesy yourself in Zechariah chapter 9 verse 9, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!  Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!  Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”  Jesus knew that prophesy.  The people knew that prophesy.  The King was coming!  Regime change was on the way.  Celebration ensued! 

    But, you know, there is something that must be said about Kings.  There is something that must be said about political and religious leaders who rule over others.  These folks demand obedience.  These folks place demands upon their followers.  There is no king, no ruler, no prince, no president, no despot, no monarch, who does not give their subjects complete and total freedom.  None of them.  Zip.  Nada.  Zilch.  All of them, yes, all of them expect something out of their subjects.  This is probably one of the reasons people long for regime change after so many years.  They begin to reject the rules imposed by their king or leader.  They begin to rebel against the things that they perceive to be an imposition upon their lives.  Subjects begin to want to do what they want to do–even if they know the King is looking out for their best interest.

    It didn’t take long for people to rebel against Jesus.  For Jesus made demands, and He still makes demands of His subjects.  His teachings are clear, and He continued to make those demands after He entered Jerusalem on that day long ago.

    “Pray for your enemies and bless those who persecute you.”

    Jesus, do you mean I have to pray for those Roman soldiers up there?  Do you mean I have to ask God to bless them?  Yes.

    “Your neighbor is the person who is in need.  Even an infidel who acts in kindness is doing the will of God–if your enemy is neighborly, He is fulfilling the command of God.”

    Jesus, do you mean that God approves of and loves those outside of the Jewish faith? Does God look down upon them with kindness?  Yes.

    “If anyone wants to become my disciple, let him take up his cross and follow me.  For you cannot be my disciple unless you give up all of your possessions.”

    Jesus, do you mean I have to give up everything to follow you?  Do you mean that I have to die to follow you?  Yes.

    “Give to anyone who begs.”

    Jesus, do you mean anyone?  Really anyone?  What if you know they are taking advantage of you?  What if you know they have plenty and are using you?  You still want us to give?  Yes.

    Is it any wonder why people rebelled against Jesus?

    Is it any wonder why we rebel against Jesus today?

    The obedience He asks for is simply too much.  It is an unobtainable reality.  We simply value our freedom too much.  We value our time too much.  We value our money too much.  You want everything from me, Jesus?  It’s too much to ask.  I can’t give it.

    Is it any wonder that the very crowd crying “Hosanna!” began yelling “Crucify!”?

    And here is a most interesting twist–a most interesting twist indeed.  For usually, when people rebel against their rulers, their rulers react swiftly and harshly.  Violence is usually the order of the day.  Imprisonment is certainly an option.  Fear of arrest, of marginalization, of being audited by the IRS, and a host of other such methods is usually the rule of thumb to keep people in line.  Kings throughout the ages have come up with nasty ways of keeping populations in line and in control.  Gas chambers, bombs, tanks, tear gas, you name it.

    But what was Jesus response?  How did this King handle our rebellion?

    For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that all those who believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world may be saved through Him.

    Jesus allowed Himself to be arrested.  He allowed Himself to be beaten.  He allowed Himself to be condemned, and He willingly stretched out His arms and died.  He died for His rebellious subjects so that they may see His great love for them and then moved by His love, they may strive toward obedience–not out of fear, but out of love for their King.  A King who willingly dies that His subjects may have life; abundant life; eternal life.

    Behold, this is your King!  Amen.