March 16, 2008 - Palm Sunday
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29; Matthew 21:1-11
"What's going on here? Who is this?"
On Palm Sunday, a 6-year old had to stay home from church with his dad because he was sick. When the rest of the family came home carrying palm branches, the little boy asked what they were for. His mother explained, "In church today, people held them over Jesus' head as he walked by."
"Wouldn't you know it," the boy pouted. "The one Sunday I don't go to church, and Jesus shows up!
Today our focus is on Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the “Hosannas!” of the shouting crowd. The Passion will wait. As later this week, we will join Jesus in the upper room on Thursday, walk in the way of the cross on Friday, and witness the empty tomb on Easter morning. Today though is a day of exultation, a day of joy and excitement, a day of celebration. It is a day of ‘arrival.’ Our victorious king has come!
Today is about Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (his destination and purpose), but it could also be seen as our entrance into ‘Jerusalem’ (our destination, our purpose) as well. These forty days of Lent have represented our journey to faith and understanding of God. During this time we have recognized our need to place our trust in God.
Just as Psalm 118 called worshippers long ago to enter “the gate of the Lord” (v. 20) and celebrate, so we are now called to come and give thanks for God’s saving action in Jesus “who comes in the name of the Lord”. So, here we are, like Jesus, giving thanks to God for the journey and for the destination.
I look back over the road I’ve traveled and I’m amazed. I look at Matthew and the stories leading up to today (those found in Chapter 20) and I say, “Wow, that’s been my journey!” It doesn’t seem that long ago I understood for the first time the grace that can only come from God found in the parable of the workers. Or the cup we are all to drink from as revealed to James and John as they sought to be close to Jesus. Or the need to have our ‘eyes opened’ to God and Jesus’ ability to do just that, as related in the story of Jesus and the blind men on the way to Jerusalem. As the disciples traveled with Jesus, they discovered his journey to be their journey as well.
And when Jesus gets to Jerusalem, what happens? He gives thanks. His trust is in his Father, who he knows as good and always with him. Perhaps this parade Matthew tells us about is an expression of his thanksgiving - that God’s love endures forever.
Psalm 118:1-2 (from The Message) says, “Thank God because he's good, because his love never quits. Tell the world, Israel, "His love never quits." Isn’t that what Jesus was in Jerusalem for? To show the world that God’s love never quits.
God is good and God’s love always wins out. Jesus is happy.
1. God’s love abounds in the Old Testament books of Exodus, Jeremiah, Psalms, Micah, and Joel, all describing God as ever compassionate, loving, and forgiving.
2. The New Testament says one thing, “For God so loved the world…” It just says it in a whole bunch of ways. God’s love for God’s creation never runs out.
3. And that’s the love that is ours today. God continues to be present in our lives, lifting us, leading us, and loving us to our ‘Jerusalem.’
Verses 19-20 of this Psalm says, “Swing wide the city gates—the righteous gates! I'll walk right through and thank God!” Open up. Let me in. Here I come to worship and praise God! This Temple Gate belongs to God, so the victors can enter and praise.
Jesus is the one who has come to praise (not to be praised).
1. The parade isn’t about Jesus’ popularity, all the people lining the street, crowding around him wherever he went, following him everywhere.
2. Or the people along the road shouting, “Hosanna” or yelling, “Save us,” as they look for a Passover deliverance from slavery and oppression.
3. It’s about how Jesus feels, his state of mind, at this point in his journey. He has reached Jerusalem and he is pumped up. Without a doubt, he knows he’s there for a reason.
21-25 Thank you for responding to me; you've truly become my salvation! The stone the masons discarded as flawed is now the capstone! This is God's work. We rub our eyes—we can hardly believe it! This is the very day God acted— let's celebrate!
Jesus recognizes God’s work in him and there is reason to celebrate - now.
1. The parade isn’t about Jesus but about God and what God has done and will do through him.
2. It is God’s work and was all along. God gets the credit for God’s promise kept. It’s time to celebrate, perhaps even for a parade.
3. Matthew writes, “Nearly all threw their garments down” on the road as the parade advances toward them. People are now counting on him. He must be the one.
26-29 Blessed are you who enter in God's name— from God's house we bless you! God is God, he has bathed us in light. You're my God, and I thank you. O my God, I lift high your praise. Thank God—he's so good. His love never quits!
It is a blessing to do God’s work – what God would have us do.
1. Large crowds come to hear what Jesus says. They follow him everywhere, straining to hear every word.
2. There is a renewed interest and excitement in religion in the country. There is hope where before there only hopelessness. And people shout Hozanna.
3. But soon, the cheering will stop. The tide will turn. The old excitement will be gone. Jesus will be attacked and more and more people will be against him.
And yet, for Jesus, there is a parade today. He is right there, up front, leading the way. He smiling and laughing and acknowledging all who greet him. And, as always, he calls us to come join him. Be happy. Know that God is good. Thank God for this day. See what God is doing. Imagine God’s work through you. Feel blessed in what you do.
His gracious invitation today is to know love, to have a reason for hope, to be set free to experience joy. He calls out to us to join the parade. Understand though that if you do, your ‘Jerusalem’ - will be “shaken and stirred” as well. People might even ask, as they did then, "What's going on here? Who is this?"
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29; Matthew 21:1-11
"What's going on here? Who is this?"
On Palm Sunday, a 6-year old had to stay home from church with his dad because he was sick. When the rest of the family came home carrying palm branches, the little boy asked what they were for. His mother explained, "In church today, people held them over Jesus' head as he walked by."
"Wouldn't you know it," the boy pouted. "The one Sunday I don't go to church, and Jesus shows up!
Today our focus is on Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the “Hosannas!” of the shouting crowd. The Passion will wait. As later this week, we will join Jesus in the upper room on Thursday, walk in the way of the cross on Friday, and witness the empty tomb on Easter morning. Today though is a day of exultation, a day of joy and excitement, a day of celebration. It is a day of ‘arrival.’ Our victorious king has come!
Today is about Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (his destination and purpose), but it could also be seen as our entrance into ‘Jerusalem’ (our destination, our purpose) as well. These forty days of Lent have represented our journey to faith and understanding of God. During this time we have recognized our need to place our trust in God.
Just as Psalm 118 called worshippers long ago to enter “the gate of the Lord” (v. 20) and celebrate, so we are now called to come and give thanks for God’s saving action in Jesus “who comes in the name of the Lord”. So, here we are, like Jesus, giving thanks to God for the journey and for the destination.
I look back over the road I’ve traveled and I’m amazed. I look at Matthew and the stories leading up to today (those found in Chapter 20) and I say, “Wow, that’s been my journey!” It doesn’t seem that long ago I understood for the first time the grace that can only come from God found in the parable of the workers. Or the cup we are all to drink from as revealed to James and John as they sought to be close to Jesus. Or the need to have our ‘eyes opened’ to God and Jesus’ ability to do just that, as related in the story of Jesus and the blind men on the way to Jerusalem. As the disciples traveled with Jesus, they discovered his journey to be their journey as well.
And when Jesus gets to Jerusalem, what happens? He gives thanks. His trust is in his Father, who he knows as good and always with him. Perhaps this parade Matthew tells us about is an expression of his thanksgiving - that God’s love endures forever.
Psalm 118:1-2 (from The Message) says, “Thank God because he's good, because his love never quits. Tell the world, Israel, "His love never quits." Isn’t that what Jesus was in Jerusalem for? To show the world that God’s love never quits.
God is good and God’s love always wins out. Jesus is happy.
1. God’s love abounds in the Old Testament books of Exodus, Jeremiah, Psalms, Micah, and Joel, all describing God as ever compassionate, loving, and forgiving.
2. The New Testament says one thing, “For God so loved the world…” It just says it in a whole bunch of ways. God’s love for God’s creation never runs out.
3. And that’s the love that is ours today. God continues to be present in our lives, lifting us, leading us, and loving us to our ‘Jerusalem.’
Verses 19-20 of this Psalm says, “Swing wide the city gates—the righteous gates! I'll walk right through and thank God!” Open up. Let me in. Here I come to worship and praise God! This Temple Gate belongs to God, so the victors can enter and praise.
Jesus is the one who has come to praise (not to be praised).
1. The parade isn’t about Jesus’ popularity, all the people lining the street, crowding around him wherever he went, following him everywhere.
2. Or the people along the road shouting, “Hosanna” or yelling, “Save us,” as they look for a Passover deliverance from slavery and oppression.
3. It’s about how Jesus feels, his state of mind, at this point in his journey. He has reached Jerusalem and he is pumped up. Without a doubt, he knows he’s there for a reason.
21-25 Thank you for responding to me; you've truly become my salvation! The stone the masons discarded as flawed is now the capstone! This is God's work. We rub our eyes—we can hardly believe it! This is the very day God acted— let's celebrate!
Jesus recognizes God’s work in him and there is reason to celebrate - now.
1. The parade isn’t about Jesus but about God and what God has done and will do through him.
2. It is God’s work and was all along. God gets the credit for God’s promise kept. It’s time to celebrate, perhaps even for a parade.
3. Matthew writes, “Nearly all threw their garments down” on the road as the parade advances toward them. People are now counting on him. He must be the one.
26-29 Blessed are you who enter in God's name— from God's house we bless you! God is God, he has bathed us in light. You're my God, and I thank you. O my God, I lift high your praise. Thank God—he's so good. His love never quits!
It is a blessing to do God’s work – what God would have us do.
1. Large crowds come to hear what Jesus says. They follow him everywhere, straining to hear every word.
2. There is a renewed interest and excitement in religion in the country. There is hope where before there only hopelessness. And people shout Hozanna.
3. But soon, the cheering will stop. The tide will turn. The old excitement will be gone. Jesus will be attacked and more and more people will be against him.
And yet, for Jesus, there is a parade today. He is right there, up front, leading the way. He smiling and laughing and acknowledging all who greet him. And, as always, he calls us to come join him. Be happy. Know that God is good. Thank God for this day. See what God is doing. Imagine God’s work through you. Feel blessed in what you do.
His gracious invitation today is to know love, to have a reason for hope, to be set free to experience joy. He calls out to us to join the parade. Understand though that if you do, your ‘Jerusalem’ - will be “shaken and stirred” as well. People might even ask, as they did then, "What's going on here? Who is this?"
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