6^th Sabbath in Lent

Palm/Passion

March 30/April 1, 2007

GOD IS RULER

Luke 19:28-40; Luke 23:1-56

This sermon is the fifth and final in the Lenten series on personal lessons based on Luke’s gospel. Today we explore the foundation for all Lenten lessons, namely, that God is Ruler.

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Where are the hosannas, the triumphant songs? Where are the palm branches, waving excitedly in the crowd? Good grief! What’s the matter with Luke? How in the world can you celebrate Palm Sabbath without hosannas and palm branches? Luke’s account is missing some traditional items associated with Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem that are found in other gospels (Matt. 21:1-9; Mark 11:1-10; John 12:12-16).(1)

Because Luke has a different purpose in mind and for that reason this account is shaped a bit differently.. For one thing, it seems that most of the actors in this drama are primarily disciples; that is, those who are believers. Jesus instructs disciples to find a colt and, if the owner questions, just say, "The Lord needs it." The owner’s response indicates that he or she was a disciple. Followers of Jesus placed their cloaks on the animal.

Furthermore, the crowds along the parade route are mostly disciples, not merely people on the streets. It is these disciples who shout and sing, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord." In Luke’s account they do not shout, "Save us!" (which is what "Hosanna" means). There is no plea for political or religious salvation as in other gospels. Instead, there is affirmation and blessing. "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord." That’s what disciples sing and shout. These are not the same folks that later shouted, Crucify him!" They believe, for the moment at least, that the Savior of the world, God’s Messiah, is entering the holy city to bring peace.

Luke has been writing about Jesus going to Jerusalem and entering that city for ten chapters (9:51), so this is the major thrust of the text, to be sure. But Luke, in distinction from the other gospels, is also talking about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, what it means to follow him, what it means for him to be Lord of your life. "The Lord has need of it." A disciple puts God’s will first.

They were obviously making a lot of noise. Some disciples get excited about their Christianity—even United Methodists. There were a couple of shouting Methodists in my home congregation. Prayers and sermons were punctuated with loud amens and hallelujahs. Hymns were belted out with conviction and enthusiasm, if not correct pitch, but nobody minded. It was truly a "joyful noise unto the Lord."

When Jim Maase plays the organ and the choir sings a stirring anthem, it’s difficult to remain silent. Singing God’s praises is a mark of United Methodists and we do that pretty well here. We need to work on the shouting, however. I can’t remember the last time I heard an "Amen!" or a "Hallelujah!" from this congregation. Are you able to do that? Would you say "Amen"? Would you shout "Hallelujah"? Followers of Jesus were attracting attention by their singing and shouting as they proclaimed Jesus the ruler who comes in the name of the God. And so should we.

But the Pharisees didn’t like it. There are always some of those in the crowd. They didn’t like the noise and they didn’t like what disciples were saying. "Rabbi, tell your disciples to stop." Silence this praise. Silence this singing. Silence the message of peace and blessing. Be quiet!

Of course, it’s an old tactic. Control people with silence. Don’t let out the news; don’t let the truth out. Keep it quiet. Folks may leave if they hear this. Those who want to control and who fear choice always want to censor what we read, see, or hear. It’s a tested Gestapo tactic. Freedom of the press is no friend to dictators and dogmatists. I may be shocked by what’s in the media or on the Internet—and I often am because there is so much trash, innuendo, and outright dishonesty. Better that I be shocked than silenced by censorship and ignorance. Freedom of speech, expression and religion are essential to free people.

"Rabbi, keep your disciples quiet!" Jesus responded, "If these were silent, the stones would cry out."

The Vietnam Memorial on the state capitol grounds here in Little Rock is an impressive and appropriate monument to those who died in an unpopular war. If you haven’t been there, I urge you to go. Run your fingers over the stone. Read the names of friends or relatives who died. Remember others who survived but were broken and would never be the same. I remember uprooted Vietnamese families at Ft. Chaffee and, later, the Nguyen family in Batesville, making a new start in a new country with help from the church. The memorial speaks of pain and suffering and death and dislocation. Memories cry out through that stone memorial. When people are silent stones do cry out.

I’ve walked across a rocky field in southern Germany where Wellhausen concentration camp once stood. The barracks are all gone, burned to rid the place of diseases, like typhus, that remained after the war. The crematorium and barbed wire and guard tower are still there, symbols of human cruelty and hatred and oppression. You’ve seen the pictures. Because people were silent, some even in the church, eight million Jewish brothers and sisters were incinerated. I picked up a little stone in that field. I still have it. It’s a talking rock. When I listen carefully, it seems to say, "Never again!"

The words of Jesus capture the urgency of the Gospel message as it touches us today—the tension, the struggle, and the ultimate destiny of the One who will hang on that bloody, Good Friday cross: "If these were silent, the stones would cry out."

This is the Gospel message. We can hide it. We can dress it up with trumpets and fanfare. We can neglect the message entirely. But somehow, God will proclaim the message—whether it is through our lives or through the very stones that surround us.

Luke’s description of the entry into Jerusalem is about God’s Savior comes into the world to offer forgiveness, peace and reconciliation. This is the good news for our world, our city, and for us. This is the truth that the world cannot suppress. Jesus is our Messiah. God is our ruler. No one else.

Luke’s description of the entry into Jerusalem is about Jesus’ disciples who believed, shouted and sang the good news of God for their city. They did not remain silent; they did not leave that task for stones. We are called to be those who by word and deed proclaim the Messiah in this city, this state.

Let us sing God’s reconciliation to those lost and alone.

Let us shout God’s justice to the oppressed, God’s mercy to oppressors.

Let us speak love to those who have been taught to hate.

Let us whisper hope to those with shattered dreams.

Let us lift up integrity before those who practice deceit.

Let us offer forgiveness when we have been wronged.

Let us quickly ask forgiveness when we have been wrong.

Let us not return violence for violence, evil for evil, death with death, for that is not the way of our Christ. Let us return violence with kindness, evil with good, death with life, for these are the ways of the Prince of Peace.

Let us share our food with the hungry, our hospitality with strangers, our best—not merely our leftovers—with the least.

Let us be faithful in small things and in large things, for by so doing we bring credit to Jesus who taught us that the last should be first, the lost should be sought, and the great are those who serve.

Let us bless the One who comes in the name of the Lord with those who need faith and someone to follow.

Let us be generous with gifts of love, hospitality and money. The Lord has need of it. We must not abandon our calling to stones; this is our ministry. What the Lord needs you can provide!

So, this Palm Sabbath we begin the procession to the cemetery. Our eyes are clearly fixed on a crown of thorns, a back marred by beating and hands pierced with nails. The doxologies of this day will soon be shouts to "Crucify him." Praise will become defiant condemnation. The crowd and disciples will vanish and the silence of death will claim the One crowned our Ruler.

An attempt will be made to shut out the proclamation of God’s goodness in a tomb, but one stone will be rolled back. And that stone will shout, "Blessed is the Ruler who comes in the name of God!" And again we will experience the power of God that brings us from death to new life and resurrection.

Let all the people together say "Amen!" Let all shout, "Hallelujah!" Praise the Lord!

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