Sermon Title: “Someday, everyday will be like this”

Sermon Text: Luke 19:28-41

Sermon Date: Palm Sunday, April 1, 2007

Dearest Sophia,

I know it has been a long time since I last wrote and I hope you have not been worried about your old Simon and our little Benjamin. It is now Sunday afternoon, just six days before the Passover Feast, and Benjamin and I are finally in Jerusalem. The city is even bigger than I imagined and it is swollen with crowds coming here for the Feast. And yes, Jesus, the Rabbi, is here. I am praying that we will be able to get to the Temple today while Jesus is there. As I have already written, the crowd of people is daunting, but that may actually be in our favor.

But Sophia, you would be so proud of our little Benjamin. He has been so brave. We knew the journey would be long and difficult but it has been made even harder because so many people would not let us pass through their towns. I wonder Sophie, if their own child had this disease, would they feel the same? Maybe not. Even so, I believe we will be able to hide ourselves in the crowds as we come to the Temple.

But that will come later. First, I must write to you about the events of today. It started this morning when the Rabbi Jesus rode into the city on a colt. And Sophie, everyone was there and the excitement was overwhelming! I was able to find us a spot right along his path, close enough that I could see his face. But then the crowds moved in and some noticed Benjamin’s condition. Before I could do or say anything we were forced back from the road.

Yet even as we moved to the rear, I could tell the people ahead of us were still ecstatic and singing praises to God and shouting their Hosannas! Sophie, you would not believe this, but they paved his path with palm branches and even their own cloaks. The parade that followed him in to the city was the size a small army and the army grew as he passed by the crowds. Nearly everyone seemed anxious to join him. I would have done so gladly, but …

Ah, Sophie, it was amazing. There must be more to this man than we ever suspected. There are rumors from Bethany that he can even bring life back to the dead. The way some are talking, I swear Sophie, I believe he could sit right down on King David’s throne and no one would stop him.

But however large the crowds, I am still confident that Benjamin and I will see him later at the Temple. I know you are praying for us and I promise to write again with good news.

Yours always, Simon

My Dear Sophia,

I am so excited I can barely write this note. All I can do is dance and lift my hands up to the heavens in thanksgiving. Our Benjamin, he is whole again. I can barely keep from crying. Sophie, it is all true. Everything we have heard about Jesus is true. And just as we planned, I was able to bring Benjamin to him. The crowd at the Temple was so large that we nearly crushed him. But Jesus, he healed them all. Even the children recognize him as the Son of David. Imagine, the kingdom restored in our lifetime and I may have looked into the face of the King!

But Sophie, as I sit and reflect, I saw and heard some things this day that trouble me now. Even with the crowds waving and calling to him this morning as he entered the city, he did not respond as one might expect. I told you I could see his face and I can’t be sure Sophie, but I believe the man was crying, yes, even weeping, as he entered the city.

At first I thought I was mistaken. Then I considered that these were possibly tears of joy. But now as I have listened closely to the whispers in the crowd and have had time to reflect, I know that cannot be so. There are teachers in the Temple who are angry with him for doing such wonderful things. And there are other factions that consider him a threat. There are even whispers of plans to kill the man from Bethany, Lazarus. Ah, but should I be surprised? Didn’t even Jesus’ own townspeople try to throw him off a cliff? And to make matters worse, he has once again cleared the profiteers from the Temple. He manages to both inspire and infuriate the people. And the people who are infuriated are very powerful people. So now, even as I write this, I am afraid for him, and for us all.

With the passing of these few minutes as I have considered the promise, and perhaps the fate of this man, I now find my feet and hands are heavy, even with our Benjamin at my side. I saw the Kingdom of God reflected in the eyes of all who were with him at the Temple today. Yes, he does inspire. But I wonder, if he really is the Son of David, are we ready for such a king, and for such a kingdom?

Well, Jesus left the city before nightfall so all this may just be the idle thought of an old man with too much time to think. It is quiet outside and it seems everyone has already forgotten the parade and the palms and the Hosannas. And perhaps with him gone all the anger and scheming will also come to nothing.

As for us, we will need to stay in Jerusalem for the necessary cleansing rituals and will probably remain until after the Passover. After that, I’m sure the city will return to normal and Benjamin and I will return to you.

All my love, Simon

(written by Dr. Rod Zambrows and read by Bruce Noah)

Pastor’s Message

“After that, I’m sure the city will return to normal and Benjamin and I will return to you.”

Normal. (Pause) Normal meaning “conforming with or constituting a norm or standard or level or type or social norm; not abnormal; "serve wine at normal room temperature"; "normal diplomatic relations"; "normal working hours"; "normal word order"; "normal curiosity"; "the normal course of events" (Webster’s Dictionary)

Hmmm. Normal. Would Jerusalem ever be “normal” again? Would the people? Would you be normal after an experience like this?

And what would it mean for Jesus to be normal? Jesus, the one we know as fully human and fully divine. Jesus, the one we know as our Lord and Savior. What did normal mean to him that day? Hmmmm.

His entrance into Jerusalem was anything but normal. Sure, he had followers, so many that he struggled to find alone time, but there were also those times that Simon spoke of.

· When the townspeople wanted to throw him off a cliff.

· When he called out the moneychangers who were cheating the people in the temple.

So normal. What is normal? Have you ever wondered what a normal day would have been like for Jesus?

The day began well enough. He has been doing a lot of teaching …. through parables and examples.

Luke tells us that Jesus had been passing through Jericho when he met Zacchaeus and urged him down from the tree so he could meet him and speak face to face. Then Jesus went to the home of this once unethical tax collector, adding fuel to the fires already being stoked.

He told those listening a parable, “because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once.” Then he told them about the three servants who are given talents to use in their master’s absence. Two use them and make their master a profit; the other took his and buried it, not only not making his master money, but losing money for him. After all, it would have been better to earn a little interest in the bank, than none at all.

And the people are listening and going, “Hmmm.” Can’t you see everyone nodding their heads and agreeing, even when they didn’t really understand what was going on?

Then he went onto Jerusalem and as he approached Bethphage and Bethany at Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples ahead, saying, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks, “Why are you untying it?” tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

And it turned out as Jesus predicted. Someone asked and they answered as instructed. They took the colt to Jesus, put their cloaks on the colt’s back and Jesus rode through Jerusalem on the back of this colt. And along the way, people threw their cloaks on the road, waved palm branches and shouted, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Psalm 118)

How did Jesus react to that parade? He wept. It says it right there in Luke 19:41. He wept. Like he did when he arrived at Lazarus’ tomb. Some believed he wept because of his great love for Lazarus, but others believe the tears were for those who had heard his words, but didn’t comprehend.

Now Jesus is weeping as he enters the city of Jerusalem, looking around at the crowd, like the crowd who gathered to welcome home the Indianapolis Colts as Super Bowl Champions. Everyone else is celebrating and Jesus is crying.

Why?

Maybe because he is overcome by the emotion of the crowd. Thrilled by their reception.

Maybe he knew how quickly the crowd would turn on him. Shouting Hosannas today but soon they would ask for his death.

Maybe he realizes that the end was coming soon, sooner than he imagined or wanted.

Maybe he knew that his days were literally numbered in single digits. Maybe he knew the pain that come to him, the betrayal, the physical pain of being beaten and put on the cross.

Maybe he looked forward to being reunited with God and claiming the title “Messiah” for all to grasp.

Maybe he looked forward to the day when everyday would be like this. Every day, people in the kingdom of God are jubilant and dancing in the streets. Everyday people would recognize him as the Messiah and claim him as Lord.

Maybe all of these are true and he cried because he knew what the cost would for himself but also what the cost would be for the people who called for his death.

In Luke, he says, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

No wonder he cried. His entry into Jerusalem was bittersweet. The Hosannas lasted only minutes. The pain that followed would be with humanity forever.

And yet…..Jesus did not leave them broken and distraught because of the actions long ago.

Instead, he washed their feet, the job of a servant. Instead, he shared the Passover meal with them, offering them the cup and the bread in remembrance of his life. Instead of leaving them to wallow in their guilt, he offered them memories of his life.

Those memories are here for us today. Imagine if you can the disciples in that room, sharing a large meal, answering the questions asked at each Passover meal – “why is this night different from other nights?”

The Jews celebrate Passover to remember the night that God passed over them in Egypt. When they put lamb’s blood on their doorposts, God passed by them and struck down every other firstborn in Egypt – both men and animal. At Passover, they remember that experience.

When we take communion we remember that meal too. We remember the love God had for the Israelites long ago. We remember the love Jesus had for his disciples. We remember the love he has for us today. We come to the table to remember.