3-16-08

"Rejoice...people of Zion! Shout for joy...daughters of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you! He comes triumphant and victorious..."(Zechariah 9:9)

Hallelujah! We have made it. For six weeks we have been traveling with Jesus, the long Lenten road. For miles he has been telling us, "It's just over the hill and around the bend." Finally, it is so. We have arrived. Our point of destination: Jerusalem ("jeru" = city, "salem" (shalom) = peace), Jerusalem, "city of peace." Would that it were. We are here!

It has not been easy. We have made our Lenten sacrifices. Have we not? We have heard the words, the teachings of Jesus, along the way, calling us to pick up our cross and follow him.

So we have. Have we not? We are the ones who have hung in there. We've left the green, green grass of Galilee, the lovely seaside life of Tabgha & Tiberius and the towns along the coast of Galilee, and journeyed with Jesus "the rocky road to Jerusalem," center of power and authority, affluence and influence, that the Kingdom of God might confront the kingdoms of this world. It's showtime, my friends: Word of God vs. the world.

All our bets, our hopes, our dreams, our future, are placed on Jesus. And we are pretty confident of the conclusion. "Shout for joy...people of Jerusalem." This is the beginning of the end.

We line the streets as Jesus approaches Jerusalem. We shout "Hosanna," our Hebrew expression for "Praise be to God," for after all, we are Jewish. We shout, "Hosanna (praise be to God) to the Son of David."

Yes, the Son of David, David our greatest king, the mightiest warrior our nation ever knew, and now Jesus, "of the house and lineage of David," come to overthrow the Roman rulers and lead us to the new age. Yes, "Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" We, my friends, are pumped!

In addition to our "hosanna" we take the cloaks off our backs and lay them down in Jesus' path, just as we do when we receive royalty. It is a symbol of our homage. We humble ourselves before the Son of David, for he is our new king of kings.

We even go further in our symbolic reception. The athletic ones among us climb the Palm trees. Yes, just as I have shinnied coconut trees in Hawaii, I'd climb the date Palm trees indigenous to Israel, cut the fronds, and thrown them down to you, so we could lay the branches before Jesus as well, along with our cloaks. Another custom in keeping with kingship. We are giving Jesus the veritable "red carpet" treatment.

Why not? He is our Lord and our hope for salvation, and we are beside ourselves with excitement and expectation. Jesus, our long awaited Messiah, is entering Jerusalem, the Holy City, through the Golden Gates no less, just as tradition had anticipated.

For Jesus, the road to Jerusalem began a few weeks earlier, pretty much in the middle of the gospels as Matthew, Mark & Luke tell it. Jesus is near the town of Caesarea Philippi in the foothills of Mt. Hermon. Some of you have been there with me. We're going again. It's nice there, and as far north as Jesus ever travels. Jesus has his disciples with him. They are on retreat. It is here Jesus asks them, "Who do the people say that I am?" (Matthew 16:13)

For months Jesus has performed his ministry of miracles and deeds throughout Galilee, his home province, teaching and preaching that the people might believe. Now the test, do they get it? Jesus to his star pupils the disciples, "Who do the people say that I am?"

The disciples respond, "Some say you are John the Baptist; others say Elijah, while others say Jeremiah, and others still say you are one of the other prophets."

In other words, they neither understand nor know who Jesus is. The people flunk the test. Oh, they have been excited and delighted, oh, my yes, with many marvelous miracles. But they have missed the message.

Truth be told, the disciples have, too. It is only at this point, and at no other point prior to the Resurrection, the disciples, at least one of them, Simon, correctly identify Jesus.

"Who do you say that I am?" Jesus asks the disciples, and Simon answers, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." (16:16)

Finally! Jesus is so impressed, he renames Simon on the spot, there along the natural springs of Caesarea Philippi, calling him "Peter," which means "rock" in Greek. Jesus says to him, "Good for you, Simon son of John! For this truth did not come to you from any human being, but it was given to you directly by my Father in heaven. And so I tell you, Peter, you are a rock, and on this rock foundation I will build my church."(16:17)

Obviously Jesus needs only the narrowest of footholds. Now he has it, upon Peter, who would later deny him three times, and who in the very next story in Matthew is rebuked by Jesus for neither accepting nor understanding as Jesus speaks of his need to suffer and die . Peter proves to be a slippery rock. But, hey, it just goes to show how much God can do with so little. Look around and be amazed!

So Jesus has what he needs, if ever so slightly, and this concludes his Galilean ministry. It is now he turns his face south towards Jerusalem, that he might confront the kings of the world with the Kingdom of God. Jesus begins his final, earthly pilgrimage.

The road to Jerusalem is long, chapters 17-20 in the Gospel of Matthew, even longer in Luke, where it is nearly 40% of the book! Along the way Jesus continues to teach and heal, and prepare his disciples, who still don't get it. They argue about who among them is the greatest. Duh!

It is the Jewish month of Nisan (approx. our late-March to mid- April). Nisan is the month of the Jewish celebration of Passover, the highest, holiest holiday of the Hebrew year commemorating their deliverance from slavery in Egypt.

Jews from around the old world congregate in the Holy City to celebrate. Like other Hebrew festivals, it's an 8 day dance, Sabbath to Sabbath, beginning with the Seder super on the first night of Passover.

Jesus, a good Jew, would not miss the party. For this reason, too, he is traveling to Jerusalem, even though it is known to be unsafe for him.

You see, shortly before, over in Bethany, as the Gospel of John tells us, and John alone, Jesus creates quite a stir. He receives word his friend Lazarus is sick. Lazarus is brother to Mary and Martha, all dear friends of Jesus. Jesus delays in traveling to Lazarus' bedside. His disciples try to dissuade him from the trip entirely. It's too dangerous!

For the Pharisees are already highly irritated with Jesus. They've been tailing him the entire journey from Galilee. For Jesus dines with outcasts, he heals on the Sabbath (work by the Hebrew definition), he ignores the dietary laws, and he breaks other laws while poking fun at the religious establishment.

The Pharisees don't have much of a sense of humor. They have Jesus in their sights. He should not go to Bethany, where on a previous visit the Pharisees conned the crowds into stoning Jesus. Forget Bethany, and Lazarus, the disciples admonish.

Jesus declines his disciples advise, and goes to Bethany. But he is too late. Lazarus, his friend, is four days dead, meaning, he is really, really dead. Jesus weeps. Shortest verse in all the Bible, by the way. "Jesus weeps." Two words. John 11:35. Jesus weeps and then he goes to the tomb of Lazarus. Where he prays. And where he commands Lazarus "come out." Lazarus steps forth from the tomb, wrapped in grave clothes. He is resuscitated from the dead. Mind you, not Resurrected, but resuscitated, brought back to this life.

Nevertheless, the crowd is impressed. The Pharisees are not. They are set to pull the trigger. Jesus has gone way too far. He threatens the rule and order of the day.

Which explains why there are great crowds to greet Jesus on Palm Sunday in Jerusalem. They follow Jesus from Bethany, which is just a mile and a half away around the Mt. of Olives from the Golden Gates, entryway to the Temple. They don't want to miss this show, or showdown, as it is. What more miracles might this man manage?

All along Jesus does not want to be known as a miracle man. He downplays his miracles for this very reason. He wants the children of God to say, "Look how he loves the lepers, look how he cares for the orphans and is concerned for the widows, reaches out to the stranger and responds to the Gentiles. Look how he feeds the poor and looks for the lost, forgives the sinners and blesses the children. Let us go and do likewise."

Instead, the crowds clamor, "He raised Lazarus from the dead. What might he do next? Let's go watch."

So Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem becomes history. Even as the people in power plot to make Jesus history.

Two brief points regarding this so-called "Triumphant entry," and then a conclusion.

1) It is the fulfillment of Zechariah's Old Testament prophecy, as Matthew mentions and as you heard read this morning. Zechariah 9:9, "Rejoice...your king is coming." Zechariah, way back in 520 B.C., prophesied this to the Hebrew people.

I've got to tell you, it was a bad time back then. When is it any different in Hebrew history. 539 B.C., Cyrus of Persia defeats the Babylonians. Which is good news. He grants the Jews, exiled in Babylon the past 40 years, permission to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple, which the bad Babylonians had destroyed.

Which they do. At least a few Jews do, including Zechariah. The bad news is, most Jews don't return to Jerusalem. They had grown comfortable along the fresh waters of the Euphrates. Most stay in Babylon. I don't blame them.

But a raggedy remnant returns to Jerusalem to discover more bad news. Other tribes, like the Samaritans, have claimed their holy hill. You know how it is in the Middle East. Nevertheless, the returning Jews manage to reclaim Mt. Zion, and even manage to rebuild their Temple. Though, honestly, it is quite modest and will never again be Solomon's Temple Taj Mahal.

Still surrounded by adversaries, it is a tough time for the children of Israel. They need help. Zechariah, the prophet, pronounces help is on the way: "Rejoice (he says to the remnant)...rejoice, your king is coming to you...he comes triumphant and victorious."

Five and one half centuries later, Matthew is telling us, the king is here. Way to keep the faith guys and gals. Which is a message within the message - sometimes you have to wait. So hang in there!

2) There is a catch to Zechariah's Messianic message. Remember, as Jesus approaches Jerusalem, he sends two disciples ahead to Bethpage, which is just on the other side of

the Mount of Olives, to secure a donkey and her colt. To untie them and bring them to Jesus.

This is further fulfillment of Zechariah's prophecy. Jesus is going to ride into Jerusalem how? On a donkey!

The Jews of Jesus' day are oppressed. When is it any different? The outstanding exception being during the reign of King David, a thousand years ago. This time around the Romans rule. And Judaism is once again threatened.

The faithful Jews await the coming of the Messiah, to lead them to victory over their Roman oppressors and to usher in the New Kingdom. For centuries they have waited. Now the time is ripe. It is an apocalyptic age. They expect deliverance.

"Hosanna!" Here comes Jesus, who raised Lazarus from the dead. Round the bend he comes from Bethany, heading towards the city's "Golden Gates," fulfillment of their, oh, no, not that prophecy! Not Zechariah!

He comes "humble and riding on a donkey?" Oh, good God, give us a break. There are a lot of apocalyptic prophecies in the Old Testament - why choose this one?

The Messiah, not riding a warhorse, like our military hero King David. The Messiah, not riding a camel, lofty travel beast of kings, to command respect. But a donkey, an animal symbolic of peace and humility. A borrowed donkey at that. A loaner. Furthermore, not even a full grown donkey, but he rides the colt of a donkey. How much more humiliating can this get?

This the savior, with no sign of authority? This the Day of the Lord, with no sword of judgment? This the fulfillment of time, with no lightning bolts or host of heavenly angels? But humbly? On a donkey? We've waited centuries for this embarrassment?

It astonishes me there was a single shout of "Hosanna." Yet, a few take up the glad shout, and lay their cloaks and palm fronds before Jesus. They salute him as king.

But even for them it lasts only a few days, less than a week. Jesus is just too contrary to their desires and expectations So the Palm Sunday crew soon abandons Jesus, and along with the rest of the crowds, participates in his condemnation and crucifixion.

You see, Jesus had to go: he mocked them too much; he threatened them too much; he disappointed them too much.

Jesus was a failure. That is, his style unconvincing. He came "triumphant and victorious...but humble and riding on a donkey." The Palm Sunday Jesus, just as Zechariah foretold it. And the people didn't buy it.

Seven lessons from the Palm Sunday Jesus, one for each day of your Holy Week.

1) Beware of your expectations of God. They are probably wrong, too. Better to focus upon God's expectations of you.

2) Be prepared to meet God in times and places you least expect to meet God. God is more discernable in trying times and failure than in winning times and victory. As C.S. Lewis wrote: "God whispers in our pleasures but shouts in our pains."

3) This is "the good news." For this is when we need God most. For, you see, God loves us when we are least lovable. Which ought to be lesson to us as to how and when we should love one another.

4) Patience.

The Jews are still waiting for the coming of the Messiah. As are we waiting for the Second Coming. Patience. If not within our lifetime, so much the better. It means we have a purpose: to prepare the future generations for the coming of the Lord.

5) Times change. Time always changes. This is what time does. It changes and it passes. So loosen up. This, too, shall pass.

6) Some things don't change. Zechariah was right. "Your king is coming to you." If fragmentarily, which is to say, our human condition is broken. But take heart - new life comes from brokenness - which is the message of the cross. So be prepared.

7) If life is not all "hosannas," and it is not, it nevertheless remains a fragile, challenging, courageous, precious, amazing gift. So receive the gift gladly, deal with it kindly and generously, strive for peace and justice, and walk humbly before the Lord, never forgetting to shout your praise, "Hosanna to God in the Highest."

Which is what we'll do next Sunday. So be bold and invite a friend!

AMEN.