For Palm Sunday this year, we focused entirely on Palm Sunday’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, rather than going through the entire Passion narrative. In this sermon, I attempted to capture a little more of the emotional significance of this day, rather than the more explanatory style I typically lean into. Hopefully it worked and was meaningful for folks in the congregation!
Today’s Scripture readings are Luke 19:29-40; Colossians 1:15-20; Psalm 118:1-2, 20-29; and Luke 21:37-22:2. I don’t know if I actually used much of anything from here, but I found Steve Thomason’s reflection and Palm Sunday Gospel comparison chart very interesting in my preparation. I didn’t end up going this direction, but I was also fascinated by Amy Frykholm’s essay Stone Songs at Journey with Jesus.
Here’s the sermon audio podcast from Christ the King and the full service livestream from Living Hope:
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Imagine being there for this parade.
Imagine seeing Jesus entering the city, the capital city, the place where God dwells, the center of the universe.
The holy city is occupied by an evil empire, an oppressive government that takes whatever it wants, that beats down those who dare speak for freedom. A government that lines the roads with crosses bearing the bodies of rebels to remind the people who’s in charge.
But Jesus is coming.
Riding on a donkey, the symbol of peace. Remember the words of the prophet Zechariah, five hundred years ago: “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. He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.” (Zechariah 9:9-10)
Imagine seeing the prophecy fulfilled. Jesus is coming, a king riding on a donkey, humble, bringing peace. Pave the way!
Crowds shouting “Lord, save us! Hosanna! Lord, save your people! Lord, heal your world! Hosanna!”
Singing the Psalm: “Give thanks to the Lord, whose steadfast love endures forever…this is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us, we beseech you, O Lord!…O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
Imagine the hope! Imagine the joy, the possibility that things could be different. Better. God is at work.
The parade is a protest. God’s refusal to accept the world the way it is.
As Jesus approached the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying: Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!
The words spoken by the angels at Jesus’ birth: “Glory to God in the highest heaven! And on earth, peace among those whom God favors!”
Imagine a king bringing peace. Bringing justice. Bringing freedom.
The crowds shout with joy, with possibility, with hope. Hosanna! Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!
God has not forgotten God’s people. God has not abandoned us, God’s beloved. God has sent a savior, a redeemer, a messiah! God loves the world; God refuses to let it perish!
Of course, there is also fear. Perhaps the crowd is too loud. The empire will notice.
Pharisees beg fearfully, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” Better to choose silence than to risk destruction. Who knows if this is from God? Who knows if even God could make a difference?
But Jesus answers: “If these were silent, the stones would shout out.”
Broken by sin, creation itself will cry out in praise to the Creator, praising God, welcoming God’s Messiah.
For Jesus is worthy of honor. Jesus is worthy of praise. God is acting, and God’s king is here. God will save us. For this Jesus is God with us, the image of the invisible God. Jesus is the one through whom and for whom all things were created, the one above all thrones or dominions or rulers or powers. In him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.
God is at work here. Liberation is at hand. Empires, injustice, fear, oppression, all will be overcome by the power of God here, now, on the move, active in our world.
Through Jesus, God will make peace.
Not the way we would if it were up to us. Not the way we expect.
Not by the ways of this fallen world. Not by an empire’s sword, or an executive’s order. Not through fame or fortune, but through sacrifice.
All glory, laud, and honor to the redeemer king…the king whose glory is on the cross. The good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep.
The parade is not the climax. The royal entry to the capital city is not the victory.
Victory comes later, in the moment of defeat. When it looks like the empire will get the last word, when the crowds are silenced, when it looks as if the powers of sin and death have won.
The parade is not the climax. The king is here. The king will bring peace. The king will bring justice and freedom. But God’s power is revealed in weakness. In silence. Jesus enters not to dominate, but to offer his life.
Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord, not to offer war, not to meet violence with violence, but in rejection of the violence this world offers. Not to seek vengeance, but to offer peace. Not fear, but welcome.
For God is not willing to leave us alone. God is not willing to abandon God’s beloved to our ways of violence and vengeance.
God comes in person, teaches a way of love, an antidote to selfishness and fear.
And we put God to death. An executed Messiah.
But that is not the end of the story.
Because still, God loves. God is not defeated. God’s love endures forever.
Imagine being there for the parade. Imagine your redeemer coming for you, the joy of amazing grace!
Imagine being there for the cross. Imagine the silence of the savior, dead. Gone. Over. It is finished.
And imagine if that’s not the end of the story.
We sing in hope: All Glory, Laud, and Honor to you, Redeemer King.