A sermon from The Rev. Dr. David A. Marcus, Jr. preached on April 5, 2009 that explores the events of Palm Sunday.
A sermon based on the following passage: Mark 11:1-11
This is something that I can relate to with a young toddler. There is a story about a person who stopped by the grocery store on his way home to pick up some items. As they walked into the store the person noticed that there was a father with his young son in the shopping cart who was begging for a more of the free food samples. The father said, “Be patient Jack we won’t be here too long.” The two passed on another aisle and the little boy was getting louder screaming, and making gestures for more food. They once again heard the father say, “We’re almost done Jack be patient.” At the check out the little boy by this time was really making a scene as he wanted one of the free balloons that grocery stores often give out. The dad said calmly, “Hang on Jack we’re almost to the car and we will be home for dinner really soon.” This person followed the father to the car just in time to see the free balloon fly up into the air and the young boy once again burst into tears. They commended the father for his great patience with his son Jack. The dad said, “I don’t think you understand I’M JACK!”
In any crowd of people we are sure to have those with the patience of Job while others may be incredibly impatient. Many times we get in a hurry and we want to jump out in front of others. The only time where I see impatience disappear is at a parade. Everyone loves a parade and people always seem to be patient as they await their favorite floats and marching bands! Whether it’s the Macy’s Day parade on Thanksgiving Day from New York City that helps kick off the Christmas season, the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California which celebrates the start of the New Year or even a 4th of July Parade in our own backyard that commemorates the birth of our great nation, we love parades. They are a means of honoring heroes or celebrities, sometimes all too fleeting. Some parades are for people who don’t deserve them, while the deserving go unrecognized.
I heard about the homecoming of a great missionary who for forty years had served in a remote part of Africa. On the boat with him was a United Nations ambassador who had spent six weeks in Africa. As the ship came to New York Harbor, fire boats appeared, spouting water into the air. Tugboats sounded off their loud horns and the bands were playing on the pier. Amidst this praise and celebration for this returning ambassador, the missionary began to feel sorry for himself saying, “Forty years serving the Lord and nobody cares that I am coming home.” At that moment he seemed to hear the voice of God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” He later confessed that simply did not seem like enough.
This morning we will look back upon a parade for a very deserving person one that took place in Biblical times known to us as the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The original Palm Sunday parade was for Jesus, but it was also for his followers. As we look at the events of Palm Sunday we will discover three themes from this significant event in the life of Jesus.
The first theme was that this event was planned. In essence Jesus planned his own parade, his own Triumphal entry. Until this point in his ministry, Jesus had maintained some degree of anonymity, trying to keep a low profile by cautioning those whom he had healed and helped not to tell anyone. Now the time had come in his ministry for recognition. It would appear that one of the forgotten items in the preparation of Jesus’ journey into Jerusalem was acquiring transportation which in this case was a colt. Jesus however did not forget about this detail as he told his disciples where to find the colt. As I think of the owners of this animal, I have often wondered whether it was a husband and wife or maybe it was a father and son in Bethany that they approached with this request. Regardless, there is a good chance this was the only colt that they owned. It appears that the owners knew exactly who Jesus was and willingly allowed his disciples to take their animal. I wonder whether I could give up something valuable in my life simply because someone asked.
It is said that Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, once had captured a prince and his family. When they came before Cyrus he asked the prince, “What will you give me if I release you?” “The half of my wealth,” was his reply. “And if I release your children?” “Everything I possess.” “And if I release your wife?” “Your Majesty, I will give myself.” Cyrus was so moved by his devotion that he freed them all. As they returned home, the prince said to his wife, “Wasn’t Cyrus a handsome man!” With a look of deep love for her husband, she said to him, “I didn’t notice. I could only keep my eyes on you the one who was willing to give his life for me.”
Maybe there is something in our life that Jesus wants us to sacrifice for Him. Perhaps it may be giving our gifts and talents to serve the church or maybe it is making some change in our life that will impact others. Whatever the cost may be, would we be able to make such a sacrifice? John Burroughs an American author once wrote the following concerning sacrifice:
For anything worth having one must pay the price; and the price is always work, patience, love, self sacrifice—no paper currency, no promises to pay, but the gold of real service.
We come now to the second theme of the Triumphal Entry. This theme is the events of the day served a greater purpose. This particular parade had a few purposes. First of all it fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah where it is written:
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey. Zechariah 9:9
As often the case with large gatherings around Jesus the events of this day served both political and personal purposes. Politically, Jesus was making His move, saying to the authorities, “Now is the time. Do what you will. This is the moment of opportunity.” Riding this crest of approval on Sunday, Jesus went to the temple, the very center of the Jewish faith and began to teach and preach. From Sunday to Thursday it can be argued that Jesus was unstoppable, an approval rating very high among the population of Jerusalem. His enemies tried to trick him several times but to no avail, each time he turned the tables on them and exposed them for their deceit. No one even complained seriously when Jesus overturned the tables of the moneychangers and let the sacrificial birds loose in the Temple courtyard. Jesus was becoming a real threat politically to the establishment even though the Kingdom he preached about was not of this world.
As mentioned before, there was also a personal purpose for Jesus to enter Jerusalem in such a grand way. This entry of Jesus was also making a statement of his greatness. Jesus knew what He was going to face in Jerusalem. His decision to go into Jerusalem must have been one of the most difficult He ever made. What may have been an even more difficult decision was to ride into the city on a colt, rather than to walk into Jerusalem as He had often done before. In times of war the conqueror would ride upon a prancing stallion. But in times of peace, the king would ride a colt to symbolize that peace prevailed. For Jesus to ride into Jerusalem upon a colt was to declare that He was indeed our Prince of Peace.
As we talk about the subject of greatness, I often wonder whether we place our personal relationship with Christ as one of our priorities in our lives. I came across a story about Anthony Collins who lived in the 17th century. Collins was a wealthy Englishman, a local government official in Essex and someone who frowned upon Christianity. One day as he was walking around town on a Sunday morning he ran into a person who he knew. Collins asked where they were heading in such a hurry and the person replied they were going to church. Collins asked why he was going to church and the person replied they were going to church to worship God. Collins always the questioning type then asked whether the God this person was going to worship was a great or little God. The answer Collins received was very puzzling because the person answered that God was both great and little. When pressed for an explanation by Collins the person said the following, “He is so great sir, that the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him; and so little that He can dwell in my heart.” Collins later said that simple answer made more sense to him than all the volumes he had ever read about God.
Lastly we come to the final theme of Palm Sunday. The final theme is that the events of this day served as a prelude. While we celebrate today, we can’t forget what happens next in week ahead for Jesus. If you think about a parade, have you ever wondered what happens afterwards? I suspect that many of the decorations are discarded and thrown away. Many of the floats are disassembled, packed away and forgotten until the following year. Jesus sadly would be discarded in this week ahead. Judas was already in the process of discarding Him by betraying him to the authorities. Peter would discard Him as he denied knowing Jesus three times following his arrest. Would we too have discarded Jesus like those in the crowds assembled on Good Friday? Often celebrations are a way of being eased out at the very same time one is being honored. A retirement dinner with all the pomp and circumstance prepares one for being discarded. Even a celebration of a significant wedding anniversary or birthday has its somber side. Family and friends while celebrating such an occasion also realize this could be a group farewell.
Palm Sunday while a celebration was also about a passing. Today marks the beginning of the final week in the earthly life of Jesus. As I reflect upon the events of Palm Sunday, I am reminded that throughout history, people have always tried to conquer other people. Emperors have conquered entire nations. Kings have strived to conquer the entire world. Despite this fact there remains one uncharted territory that has eluded people of power throughout history. This unconquered territory is the human heart, and its sole conqueror I believe is Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace and the King of Kings.
Today before worship we received our Palms. In years past when we distributed these palms they were in the sign of a cross. I liked those Palms because they were a vivid reminder that as we celebrate the events of today there is a crucifixion to remember on Friday. Remember this day and through the week ahead that Jesus is always knocking at the door of our hearts, wanting to enter and draw closer. We have our Palms, we’ve celebrated our Parade, now let us make it our Priority to give God thanks in the week ahead for his great gift to us.
Finis
The Rev. Dr. David A. Marcus, Jr.