The other day, Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle were on a visit to Belfast. We’re used to Royal visits happening every so often, when some of the Royal Family fly into Northern Ireland for a day or two. Wherever they go, there’ll be crowds and flags and lots of excitement.
Now I’ve a question for you. How would you recognise the Queen, if she arrived into Richhill? Now, you might think that’s a silly question - of course you’d recognise the Queen. You know what she looks like You’ve seen her on TV, and you’ve seen photos of her. And if you still weren’t sure, you could check by pulling a coin out of your pocket or purse; you could have a look at a stamp, just to make sure it really was her.
Of course you would recognise the Queen. But it helps us to get into our reading this morning from John’s Gospel. Because the question driving this passage is this: how would the people of Israel recognise their king, when he came to them? They didn’t have stamps; they hadn’t seen him on TV; there weren’t any newspapers to see his picture in. How would they recognise their King when he came? How would they know when God’s promised king had come?
They might not have had stamps or TV or newspapers, but there was a detailed description available to them. It was almost like the photofit picture you might have seen on Crimewatch - details about him put together from lots of different Old Testament Scriptures. Long before Jesus appeared on the scene, God had been preparing his people to recognise and receive the king. He had given them the portrait of the promised king in the Scriptures. The people had been watching and waiting for so long. And now, he’s here.
That’s why, as Jesus comes towards the city of Jerusalem (12), we’re told that the great crowd in the city go out to meet him, waving palm branches. They reckon that Jesus is the king. After all, he has raised Lazarus from the dead. (17). If someone can walk up to a tomb, and call someone inside to come out, and raise him from the dead, then he must be fairly special. They are sure that Jesus is the king, and so they begin to shout out some of the Old Testament promises about him.
Look at verse 13. ‘They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, ‘Hosanna!’ ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Blessed is the King of Israel!’
They’re quoting from Psalm 118, our Psalm this morning. That word ‘Hosanna’ is a cry to God - a cry of praise, but also a cry to ask God to save them, to rescue them. So as Jesus comes towards Jerusalem, they’re saying to Jesus - you’re the one God has sent; you’re the one who’s going to rescue us; you’re the king.
They’re shouting, and praising, and getting very excited. God’s king is coming to them to save them. And they knew exactly what they wanted saving from. They wanted to be saved from Roman rule. For a long time, Israel wasn’t free. The Romans had come and conquered their land. Caesar was lord, and Pontius Pilate was the local governor. The people were waiting for God’s king to come and kick the Romans out of the land. To save them from Rome Rule.
They’re right that Jesus is God’s king. But they don’t get it all right. We see that in the way Jesus responds to them. Notice that Jesus doesn’t say anything in our reading today. Normally we’re used to listening in to Jesus’ words, to hear what he has to say. But here, he doesn’t say anything. He’s entirely silent. But sometimes actions speak louder than words. And it’s true here. Jesus’ actions speak louder than any words he might have said.
So what does Jesus do? We see it in verse 14. ‘Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it.’ We’ve heard the Palm Sunday story before - we know what happens; we know that ‘we have a king who rides a donkey.’ But imagine for a moment that you haven’t heard the story before.
The crowd are welcoming their all-conquering king. The crowds are getting behind him, the tension is rising, the moment of victory is coming. You would expect the hero to arrive on a war horse - a white horse, to show that he’s the king, the military leader, the great hero!
But Jesus doesn’t ride a white horse or a war horse. He found a young donkey and sat upon it. Why does he do that? Because the people’s picture of the king wasn’t complete. They were right that Jesus is the king - but he’s not the sort of king they were expecting. They needed to get to grips with another piece of the puzzle, another detail of the king’s description. He rides a donkey because of what is written in Zechariah 9 (our Old Testament reading):
‘Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.’
They expected a war horse, a conquering king; Jesus comes as the humble king, riding on a donkey, fulfilling what has been written hundreds of years before. Yes, there will be victory and rescue, but it will come through the humble action of the king, bringing salvation through his own death.
As Jesus enters Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday, he knows what lies before him. He has been on the way of the cross since he took his first steps. But even though he has told his disciples so many times, they still don’t get it. John tells us that in verse 16:
‘At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realise that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.’
Perhaps you’re still putting together the pieces, still trying to make sense of who Jesus is and why he came to die on the cross. You have a great opportunity to do that this week. Even though Jesus doesn’t speak in our reading today, he has a lot to say in the next few chapters of John’s gospel - about himself, about his death, and about what it means to follow him. We’re going to listen in to his famous last words each night this week at 7.30pm. Do come along, to hear what Jesus has to say.
As Jesus enters the city, a massive crowd of people are with him. They’re spreading the word about how Jesus called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead. Even more people, when they hear this, come out to meet him. Wouldn’t you want to know someone who can raise people from the dead?!
Jesus the king comes to his people. The excitement levels are high. But not everyone is excited. Verse 19 shows us the Pharisees, the religious leaders, as they watch what’s happening. They’re not shouting with joy. Rather, they’re angry. Do you hear what they’re saying? ‘See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!’
The whole world has gone after him. The whole city seems to be on Jesus’ side. But it’s only Palm Sunday. By Friday, the crowd will be baying for his blood, calling for his crucifixion, declaring that ‘we have no king but Ceasar.’ Their king has come, but they will not have him. They, and we, and everyone since Adam and Eve, have chosen to rebel against our true king. We shove him off the throne, and crown ourselves as king or queen of our lives.
And all along, since the Garden of Eden, God has been preparing the stage for his king. Providing the details of his loving king. Painting the portrait of the promise king - the one who loves rebels so much that he will willingly die to bring them back; the humble king who gives his life in their place; who offers peace and forgiveness and rescue through the death of the cross.
One day he will return, riding on a war horse, as Revelation 19 tells us - to judge and make war on those who still oppose him. But here and now, he has come, humbly, offering us his peace. See, your king is coming. Will you trust him for your salvation? Will you cry out Hosanna - save us!
Will you continue to follow him, and trust him even when things are difficult, and you don’t understand what’s happening? See, your king is coming. Give him your praise, but more than that, give him your whole self. He is worthy. He is Lord of all.
This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Palm Sunday morning 25th March 2018.
No comments:
Post a Comment