SCRIPTURE: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29, Philippians 2:5-11 & Luke 19:28-40
DID YOU NOTICE WHAT IS MISSING FROM LUKE’S GOSPEL STORY OF JESUS’ TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM?
WHAT’S MISSING IS ANY WORD ABOUT PALM BRANCHES OR LEAFY BRANCHES OR EVEN BRANCHES FROM THE FIELDS. THERE IS NOTHING IN LUKE’S STORY THAT EVEN BEGINS TO TIP A HAT AT THE CONTEMPORARY NAME FOR THIS DAY – PALM SUNDAY. ACTUALLY, LUKE’S FOCUS HAS MORE TO DO WITH THE TENSIONS OF THE EVENT THAN THE CELEBRATION OF THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY.
LUKE POINTS OUT AN UNDERCURRENT OF CONFLICT IN THE CROWD BY HAVING JESUS CONVERSE WITH THE PHARISEES. THE PHARISEES SAY TO JESUS, “TEACHER, ORDER YOUR DISCIPLES TO STOP.” AND JESUS REPLIES, “I TELL YOU, IF THESE WERE SILENT, THE STONES WOULD SHOUT OUT.”
IN OTHER WORDS, THE TIME HAS COME; AND THE TIME IS NOW. GOD’S EXTREME MESSAGE OF LOVE AND PRESENCE IS ABOUT TO BE ANNOUNCED TO THE WORLD. SOME WILL BE ABLE TO HEAR THE MESSAGE AND OTHERS WILL NOT. AND THE CONFLICT AND TENSION THAT IS CAUSED BY THE OUTRAGEOUS NATURE OF THE MESSAGE WE RECEIVE THROUGH THE LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS GOES ON THROUGHOUT EVERY GENERATION.
NOW THE MESSAGE ABOUT JESUS HAS BEEN TOLD THROUGH THE GENERATIONS IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. AT FIRST THE STORY CAME BY WORD OF MOUTH. AND THEN PAUL BEGAN TO WRITE HIS LETTERS SO THAT THE WORD WAS SPREAD IN WRITTEN FORM.
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE PASSAGE FROM PAUL’S LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS USES TWO DIFFERENT METHODS OF SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT JESUS.
THE LETTER IS OBVIOUSLY WRITTEN FORM, BUT WITHIN THE LETTER PAUL QUOTES A HYMN IN WHICH HE TELLS THE READER ABOUT HOW JESUS EMPTIED HIMSELF AND BECAME A SLAVE OF OBEDIENCE TO THE POINT OF DIEING ON A CROSS. BUT DEATH IS NOT THE FINAL WORD BECAUSE GOD EXALTED JESUS BY RAISING HIM FROM THE DEAD. AND AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BEND AND EVERY TONGUE CONFESS HIM LORD.
SO THE STORY OF JESUS BEGAN TO SPREAD THROUGH MUSIC AND LITURGY; THROUGH ALL MEANS OF CHRISTIAN WORSHIP. AS SOCIETY EVOLVED OUR MEANS OF TELLING THE STORY GREW. WE BEGAN TO USE THE ARTS – PAINTING AND SCULPTURE – TO COMMUNICATE THE GOOD NEWS OF CHRIST.
AT THE MOMENT I AM READING FROM IRVING STONE’S THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY ABOUT MICHELANGELO AS HE CREATED THE FAMOUS PIETA.
I AM CONVINCED HIS WAS A DEEP FAITH AS HE SOUGHT TO EXPRESS THE DEPTH OF LOVE MARY HAD FOR JESUS IN THAT PROFOUNDLY TENDER MARBLE CARVING. HAVING SEEN THE ACTUAL STATUE, I CAN TELL YOU THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS’ SPECIAL GIFT IS ALMOST PALPABLE WITHIN THE CAREFULLY CHISELED FACES OF MARY AND HER SON.
NOW IN TODAY’S WORLD WE USE EVERY GENRE WE CAN THINK OF, FROM OPERA TO BROADWAY TO RAP MUSIC IN ORDER COMMUNICATE THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST. SO ALONG WITH THE MESSAGE OF THE GOOD NEWS OF THE LIFE AND DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS, OUR CONTEMPORARY MEDIUMS ALSO SPEAK OF THE BASIC CONFLICT OF LUKE’S TRIUMPHAL ENTRY AS JESUS MADE HIS ENTRANCE INTO JERUSALEM. AND JUST AS THE GOOD NEWS CONTINUES, THE TENSION CONTINUES TO THIS VERY DAY.
ON THIS PALM SUNDAY I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE AWARE OF HOW CHRISTIANITY WAS FOUNDED UPON CONFLICT AND TENSION. AND WHEN WE DESPAIR FOR THE CHURCH BECAUSE OF THE UNENDING CONFLICT THAT PLAGUES OUR EXISTENCE WE DO WELL TO REMEMBER LUKE’S PROPHETIC TELLING OF THE PALM SUNDAY STORY. THE DIVISIONS WERE THERE TO BEGIN WITH, AND IT HAS BECOME QUITE OBVIOUS THE DIVISIONS AREN’T GOING TO LEAVE US QUICKLY.
THIS SPRING I HAD A POWERFUL EXPERIENCE OF JUST ONE OF THE TENSIONS WE LIVE WITH IN OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH IN TODAY’S WORLD. I WENT TO SEE THE MOVIE THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST ON ONE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND THE MOVIE MIRACLE ON THE FOLLOWING SUNDAY AFTERNOON. IT WAS MIND BOGGLING!
JUST IN CASE YOU’VE BEEN SLEEPING THIS PAST MONTH, LIKE RIP VAN WINKLE, I WILL TELL YOU ABOUT THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST. THIS IS A MOVIE ABOUT THE LAST 12 HOURS OF JESUS’ LIFE. THE TITLE OF THE MOVIE IS NO ACCIDENT, FOR IT IS INDEED FOCUSED ON THE PASSION – THE PAIN OF CHRIST. IT BEGINS WITH JESUS IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE AND ENDS BRIEFLY AFTER JESUS’ DEATH ON THE CROSS. THE MOVIE IS DIFFICULT AND PAINFUL TO WATCH, WHETHER YOU ARE A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST OR NOT. THERE IS NO WAY TO ESCAPE THE CRUELTY OF JESUS’ ADVERSARIES OR THE POWER OF HIS ABILITY TO WITHSTAND THE SUFFERING. AT THE VERY CORE OF THIS MOVIE’S INTENTION IS A MESSAGE OF GRACE. HUMAN BEINGS DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DESERVE THE LOVE THAT POURED FORTH AS JESUS SAID, WITH HIS DIEING BREATH, “FATHER, FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO.” THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST IS A MOVIE ABOUT GOD’S GRACIOUS GIFT IN JESUS CHRIST.
NOW THE OTHER MOVIE I SAW, MIRACLE IS A MOVIE ABOUT THE U.S. OLYMPIC HOCKEY TEAM THAT WON THE GOLD MEDAL AWAY FROM THE RUSSIANS DURING THE OLYMPIC GAMES AT LAKE PLACID IN 1980. THERE WAS PASSION AND PAIN IN THIS MOVIE AS WELL. YOUNG MEN FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES WERE BROUGHT TOGETHER TO PLAY ON A TEAM FOR THE USA. THIS SOUNDS LIKE PUTTING A TEAM TOGETHER FROM THE VERY BEST (AND WHAT COULD BE EASIER?) UNTIL YOU REALIZE THEY HAVE ALL LEARNED THEIR HOCKEY SKILLS BY PLAYING ON TEAMS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPETING WITH EACH OTHER FOR YEARS. NOT ONLY DO THEY NEED TO CONDITION THEIR BODIES, BUT THEY ALSO NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY AS A TEAM. THEY NEED BASIC TRAINING IN FORGIVENESS, LOYALTY AND HUMILITY. AND THE MAN FOR THIS INSURMOUNTABLE TASK AS TEACHER AND COACH IS HERB BROOKS, A HOCKEY PLAYER HIMSELF WHO BECAME A COACH.
COACH BROOKS WORKS HIS TEAM TO THE POINT THAT YOU WANT TO SHOUT “STOP IT” MUCH THE SAME AS I WANTED TO DO WHILE WATCHING THE ROMAN HENCHMEN FLOG JESUS. BROOKS WORKS THEM HARD BUT ALSO LEADS THEM TO VICTORY. IT WAS NOT AN EASY WIN BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION, BUT IT WAS A WIN NONETHELESS. AT ITS CORE, THE MOVIE MIRACLE IS ABOUT WORKS RIGHTEOUSNESS. THE HOLLYWOOD TAGLINE FOR THIS MOVIE IS “IF YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.”
DURING THE WEEKS FOLLOWING MY VIEWING OF THESE TWO MOVIES I HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT THE TENSION BETWEEN WORKS AND GRACE. IN MY HEART OF HEARTS I BELIEVE IT IS A GOOD THING FOR HUMAN BEINGS TO WORK HARD TOWARD ANY GOAL WE SET FOR OURSELVES.
NOTHING DISTURBS ME MORE THAN LETHARGY; THE OLD “I DON’T KNOW AND I DON’T CARE” ATTITUDE.
AT THE SAME TIME, I ALSO BELIEVE IN MY HEART OF HEARTS THAT GOD’S GRACE IS THE GREATEST GIFT THERE IS AND THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WORK OR WORKS I CAN DO TO GAIN IT. I MAY TRY TO WORK FOR THE GIFT OF GRACE, BUT IT NEVER TURNS OUT THAT WAY. I ONLY FEEL THE GRACE OF GOD WHEN I STOP WORKING AT IT SO HARD.
WORKS AND GRACE; THESE TWO GOOD THINGS ARE A CONSTANT TENSION FOR ME, AND I’M WILLING TO BET THEY ARE FOR YOU AS WELL. IT SEEMS TO BE A HUGE PART OF THE CONTEMPORARY HUMAN CONDITION. AND WHAT DOES ONE DO WITH THIS KIND OF TENSION?
WELL, WE RECOGNIZE IT AND LIVE WITH IT IN AS HEALTHY A WAY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. I WOULD EVEN GO SO FAR AS TO SAY THAT WE MOVE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE TWO. WE WORK HARD TO ATTAIN A GOAL, BUT THEN WE SIT BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT HOW MUCH OF THAT GOAL WAS GIVEN BY THE GRACE OF GOD. I THINK THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH THE TENSION IS TO BRING WORKS AND GRACE TOGETHER RATHER THAN SPLIT THEM APART. AND IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT AS TIME GOES BY WE BEGIN TO DO THE WORKS OUT OF A DEEP SENSE OF GRATITUDE FOR THE GRACE THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO US ALL ALONG.
I ORIGINALLY THOUGHT THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST AND MIRACLE WERE AT DIRECT ODDS WITH ONE ANOTHER. I THOUGHT THE CONFLICT WAS TOO MUCH AND COULD NEVER BE RECONCILED. BUT AFTER CAREFUL THOUGHT I CAN SEE HOW THE TWO ARE LINKED TOGETHER. I SEE THE WORKS OF JESUS AND I KNOW THERE WAS GRACE IN THE WINNING MOMENT FOR HERB BROOKS AND HIS HARD WORKING TEAM. TO STAND WITH THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST MEANS IT IS OK FOR US TO SUFFER A BIT AS WE WORK HARD TO REACH AN HONORABLE GOAL. AND AT THE SAME TIME WE NEED TO NEVER FORGET THAT THE VERY FOUNDATION OF OUR WORK AND OUR STRUGGLE AND OUR SUFFERING IS THAT FREE GIFT OF GOD’S LOVE THAT IS GIVEN THROUGH THE LIFE AND DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS THE CHRIST.
IN CLOSING I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU A STORY THAT COMES FROM THE THERAVADA BUDDHIST TRADITION. IT IS TOLD BY A MONK AND HE SAYS, “ONCE AS I TRAVELED THROUGH THE HIMALAYAS, THERE WAS A GREAT FOREST FIRE. EVERYONE WAS FRANTICALLY TRYING TO FIGHT THE FIRE, BUT I NOTICED A GROUP OF MEN STANDING AND LOOKING UP INTO A TREE THAT WAS ABOUT TO GO UP IN FLAMES. WHEN I ASKED THEM WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT, THEY POINTED UP AT A NEST FULL OF YOUNG BIRDS. ABOVE IT, THE MOTHER BIRD WAS CIRCLING WILDLY IN THE AIR AND CALLING OUT WARNINGS TO HER YOUNG ONES. THERE WAS NOTHING SHE OR WE COULD DO, AND SOON THE FLAMES STARTED CLIMBING UP THE BRANCHES.
AS THE NEST CAUGHT FIRE, WE WERE ALL AMAZED TO SEE HOW THE MOTHER BIRD REACTED. INSTEAD OF FLYING AWAY FROM THE FLAMES, SHE FLEW DOWN AND SETTLED ON THE NEST, COVERING HER LITTLE ONES WITH HER WINGS. THE NEXT MOMENT, SHE AND HER NESTLINGS WERE BURNED TO ASHES. NONE OF US COULD BELIEVE OUR EYES. I TURNED TO THOSE STANDING BY AND SAID: ‘WE HAVE WITNESSED A TRULY MARVELOUS THING.
GOD CREATED THAT BIRD WITH SUCH LOVE AND DEVOTION, THAT SHE GAVE HER LIFE TRYING TO PROTECT HER YOUNG. IF HER SMALL HEART WAS SO FULL OF LOVE, HOW UNFATHOMABLE MUST BE THE LOVE OF HER CREATOR.
THAT IS THE LOVE THAT BROUGHT HIM DOWN FROM HEAVEN TO BECOME MAN.
THAT IS THE LOVE THAT MADE HIM SUFFER A PAINFUL DEATH FOR OUR SAKE.’” (FOUND ON THE SADHU WEBSITE)
MY FRIENDS, ON THIS DAY WHEN WE REMEMBER THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY OF JESUS INTO JERUSALEM AND WE PREPARED OUR HEARTS AND MINDS FOR THIS HOLY WEEK, MAY OUR WORKS BE SECURELY GROUNDED IN THE GRACE OF GOD AS WE JOURNEY ON. AND MAY WE HOLD THE TENSIONS OF FAITH CLOSE THROUGH OUR OWN FAITH IN THE LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD AND SAVIOR.
AMEN.