FOR GOD SO LOVED...Week 6

Sermon Notes, April 14, 2019

Rev. Garry McGlinchy

Pastor Garry’s sermon, the sixth in the Lent Series, was titled “For God So LOVED…Week 6.”  The scripture reference was Luke 19:28-40, the story of Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.

Donkeys aren’t typically thought of as noble creatures.  Common, noisy barnyard animals is a more accurate description.  They eat large amounts of food, rest during the hottest part of the day, and don’t like living outside of a group.  They are fairly small, so they are not suited for heavy farm work like an ox.  They aren’t regal or quick-footed like a horse.  They are often used as pack animals because carrying things and people from one place to another seems to be their best skill. 

However, donkeys are also often known for their stubbornness.  Unlike horses, they aren’t skittish.  They don’t run away from danger, but their curiosity and intelligence often make them examine what would cause them fear in the first place.  In that regard, they are not afraid to look danger in the face.  They are not afraid to walk bravely toward that which could cause them harm, making them an excellent choice of animal to ride toward death on.

Because, while we consider this Palm Sunday triumphant, the march of triumph was still a march toward death.  The cheers of joy in one moment all too quickly will turn to cheers for execution the next.  This image in Luke of a donkey, though, is not just an image of a simple barnyard anima.  It is also a symbol of obedience and faith in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds; a symbol of peace and the ushering in of a new kind of kingdom in the presence of a violent, worldly kingdom.  With this type of radical obedience and faith, we are once again called to follow Jesus.

Before we go any further, let’s take a brief look at triumphal entries.  The Roman triumph was the highest honor granted to emperors and generals during the time of the Roman Empire.  It was a processional into the city of Rome, led by government officials, followed by the sacrificial animals (for the temples of the Roman gods), followed by the champion in a chariot, usually in regalia of embroidered purple, followed by the spoils and captives of war.  This processional was given to those who were victorious in war, some saying only to those who had killed at least five thousand of their enemies.  The processional included festivals, dancing, singing, and flower petals strewn upon the ground.  The path for the processional was often cleaned, prepared by the government to usher in the triumphant victor of war.

But this is a different kind of Triumphal Entry.  This processional wasn’t into Rome, the capital of the Empire, but rather into Jerusalem, the location of the Temple and the religious heart of the Jewish faith.  The entry also wasn’t as the victor of a war that killed thousands, but rather was a march toward death.  Christ’s death and resurrection were an act of victory in a different way.  Jesus also seems to be illustrating that victory does not come through violence, but through humility—an example of the upside-down nature of the kingdom of God (the last shall be first, blessed are the meek, etc.) 

This triumphal entry took place at the beginning of a festival, the Passover, seeming to mirror some of the components of a Roman triumphal entry.  Passover is, again, not about war, but remembering the way God spared the lives of the Jews and the miraculous ways He cared for them, freeing them from oppressive Egyptian rule.  This festival would be in stark contrast to the festivals of the Romans, bringing offerings for gods like Jupiter.  Jesus instead seems to be highlighting the remembrance of the exodus and pointing to a new exodus of freedom, bringing an offering toward the temple—only this offering is Himself.  There also seems to be some parallel that while the Jews are celebrating the salvation of their first-born sons, ultimately their salvation was arriving through the sacrifice of God’s only Son.  Instead of a horse and chariot, Jesus rode in on a donkey.  This was an illustration of humility.  It was a young donkey, common in the area and not esteemed.  Donkeys were pack animals, not war animals.  Donkeys were also a symbol of peace, in contrast to the horse being used in war.

Obedience on the Way to the Cross.  “The Lord needs it,” is the only phrase needed for the owner of the colt to let it go.  This shows an obedience and faith that the colt will be used for good.  While we don’t know who the owner is, we can assume some level of discipleship since he faithfully lends his donkey to the disciples.  While the crowds appeared in celebration of Jesus’ entry into the city, Jesus knew what the entry would ultimately mean, yet He still entered.  There is some question about the motives of the people present.  Are they cheering for Jesus as the Messiah who lays down his life for his people?  Or do they think He is entering the city to overtake it with a violent rebellion, overthrowing the Roman Empire?  The Jews longed for a Messiah, but there was a misunderstanding about what that Messiah would look like and what the Messiah would do.  These crowds turn quickly from praise and admiration on Sunday to shouts for death just days later, which could indicate that their praise was motivated by the hope that the Empire would be violently overthrown.  Yet, despite the motivations of the crowd, whatever they may have been, Jesus still walked closer to the time and place of His crucifixion.

Called to Embody the Kingdom of God   We are called to live as citizens of the kingdom of God.  We are called to pick up our cross and follow.  We are also supposed to walk this path of sacrifice out of love for God and others.  We are supposed to remember that, ultimately, death leads to resurrection.  We are called to be peacemakers.  While the world calls for change through violent upheaval, Jesus teaches us to be people of peace.  We are supposed to be humble servants.  We are not supposed to seek glory in the ways of the world, but in the meek and humble way of Jesus.  Our festivals and sacrifices should look different.  While the world celebrates at the altar of the war gods of our day, we celebrate the faithfulness of God.  We celebrate in hope, not in a frenzied need to keep the gods satisfied. 

We mark the victory and triumph of Jesus through our own festivals and celebrations.  That is why we have times on the calendar like Lent, to remind us of who we are and where our citizenship lies.  Advent, Pentecost, and other days call us back to this reminder that we celebrate the victory of God through Christ.  We are to remember whose we are and our citizenship.  We follow Jesus.  We are part of the Kingdom of God.  We follow in obedience as we walk toward the crosses we are called to carry, and the ways we are supposed to embody the kingdom of God to the world around us.  We celebrate today our Messiah, who has come in the name of the Lord, not with swords, not with horses and chariots, not with sacrifices to Roman Gods, but with love, with truth, with peace, with humility, with sacrifice, and with the hope of resurrection.  May we follow passionately in the footsteps of our King.