(prayer)
The week of Palm Sunday was
(almost certainly) not Jesus' first time attending a passover festival in the
shadow of the Temple.
Luke's gospel tells us
that, as a 12 year old, Jesus' family made at least one pilgrimage to Jerusalem
- it may have been a family tradition
- The text implies that Mary, Joseph and Jesus traveled with other extended
family members.
John's gospel describes
Jesus going to Jerusalem for the passover each of the three years of his active
ministry.
It might be an accurate
guess to say that travelling to Jerusalem
annually for the passover was something Jesus had done his whole life. His parents had that habit and Jesus carried
the family tradition on during his adult life.
In a way, the habit of
being in Jerusalem at passover time set in motion the events of Jesus' final
week.
//
And yet, something was
different about the year that turned out to be Jesus' last passover. I doubt that a Palm parade was an annual
tradition.
By the time of Jesus' third
passover since his baptism approached, his reputation had preceded him into
Jerusalem.
//
Jesus built this reputation
on the strength of a large number of personal encounters. Yes, the gospels tell us about a few large
group events, but, mostly, the story of Jesus are accounts of Jesus touching
one heart at a time.
Each of those people who
experienced moments of clarity
listening to Jesus teach - each of those bodies made whole at his healing touch
- each person
welcomed into the centre from the edges of exclusion - were part of
the path that lead Jesus through the "Golden Gate" on the first day
of that fateful passover week.
//
//
I do not believe that all
of the details of our lives are already laid out before us. I'm more of a free will guy than a predestination person. But, I do believe that the events of today
and the small (and big) choices we make along the way do set us off in
particular directions - ready to be impacted by the events and choices of new
moments.
//
//
When a few festival goers
got wind of the fact that the teacher-healer-prophet from Galilee was coming into
the city, a crowd began to gather at the Golden Gate along the Temple's eastern
wall (the most direct way into Jerusalem from the campsites on the Mount of
Olives).
Jesus' reputation set in
motion the events that would become
known as Palm Sunday.
The Palm parade led
directly into the Temple courtyard, where Jesus caused a disruptive scene over
issues of the:
-sale of sacrificial animals and
-currency exchanges.
Matthew's narrative
mentions that (after the turning of
tables) people came to Jesus for acts of healing, right there on the Temple
grounds.
Shouts of "Hosanna to
the Son of David" that were heard during the palm parade echoed again
within the temple walls... an event that drew the suspicious ire of the
watchful priests and scribes.
The religious elite
believed that Jesus was acting with more authority than someone like him
deserved. What bothered them the most
seems to have been... that the crowds were heaping authority and praise on this
small town rabbi.
This tension between temple
leaders and Jesus set in motion things that would happen later in the week.
//
Jesus was being spoken of
as a bless`ed Son of David and that
set in motion messianic proclamations by people in the crowds, which further
concerned the Temple leaders.
There was also a political
parallel to these religious concerns.
"Messiah" (or annointed one) was a royal title... to the local
representatives of the Roman Empire, claims to kingship was a potential
political threat.
//
On both religious and
political planes, the events of Palm Sunday set things in motion that would
change human history.
//
//
By Thursday evening, the
consequences of Palm Sunday included the fact that certain Temple leaders
wanted to bring Jesus before the Sanhedrin Council so it could assess how much
of a threat he might actually be. The Sanhedrin feared a riot, so they bought
off one of Jesus' own followers to find out when and where they could arrest
him... away from the adoring crowds.
The Sanhedrin religious
interrogation set in motion the involvement of the Roman Prefect of Judea,
whose focus was on those claims to kingship.
Although Jesus was
provocative - he was peaceful enough to be a subtle threat to those in power
(religiously and politically).
Caiaphas, the high priest,
and Pilate, the governor, knew that a "revolution of ideas" could be
just as dangerous than a violent one... in the long run, maybe even more of a
threat.
//
The threat was subtle and
small, but things were already set in motion, so Pilate thought that he might
as well deal with it swiftly and decisively.
Jesus was the leader of a
non-violent resistant movement. History
and practice told Pilate that one crucifixion would do the job. Pacifist protesters were predictable. Make an overly brutal example of their leader
and the movement will usually die of fear.
And so Jesus was executed
as a traitor of the empire.
Pilate believed that it was
worthwhile sacrificing one life, now and then, to ensure the broader peace and
order.
//
//
It happened so quickly -
Jesus' execution came only five days after the palm parade. There were only five days between Hosanna to the
Son of David and Crucify Him.
But things were set in
motion long before that.
//
//
//
This week is busy around the church -
with a number of different opportunities to gather together in worship. St. David's plans a busy week before Easter
because, it was a busy week for Jesus.
Along with today's palm Sunday service:
·
on
Thursday evening, we will focus on Jesus' last supper;
·
on
Friday, we will remember how and why Jesus died;
·
and
then after a quiet Saturday, we come to Sunday morning, when what we expect is turned upside down...
and how that set in motion all of the events that brought St. David's United
Church into existence.
//
What lays before us will be impacted by where we have been and what we think about
those experiences: in as much as we can control things, we will chose our next
paths based what we want to endure and what timelines we want to bring to a
halt.
//
As we said together before,
let us try to trust in the words...
In life,
in death,
in life
beyond death,
God is with
us.
//
//
Let us pray:
Loving God, we dare to hear the harsh
story of this: the powerful truth of Jesus’ passion. We ponder endings so that we can know the
wonder of new beginnings. Amen.
#122VU “All Glory Laud and Honour”
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