The Triumphal Entry
Notes
Transcript
After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ” So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They said, “The Lord needs it.” Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying,
“Blessed is the king
who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
and glory in the highest heaven!”
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”
Parades
Ok, think for a moment of a time you turned out for a parade. Maybe it was fourth of July in your hometown as a child. Maybe it was last year at the Ski to Sea or St. Patrick’s Day parades. Whatever, think about the experience. What was it like? Were there crowds? Music? Cars? Floats? Was there a high school jazz pep band? Cheerleaders? How about local politicians?
Parades are fun.
I want to tell a couple of stories about parades I’ve been to.
First, I remember parades in my hometown of Edmonds. Fourth of July in particular. We’d walk down Maple St. to 5th Ave, claim a spot on the sidewalk, and watch as the police, fire trucks, clown car, the mayor, all drove by. I remember our mayor, Laura Hall, riding down the street in a convertible. What color was her car?
My sister and I loved collecting candy. We didn’t love the loud noises. But it was so fun.
Some of my highlights from that parade certainly include riding our bikes with a kid’s troupe one year. And of course, since my Dad was a firefighter, I go the esteemed honor of riding in a fire engine a few times. That was the best!
Ok, then there was always the homecoming parade. Anyone else’s high school do a homecoming parade?
For me, homecoming each year was one of the best ways to make friends and get connected. My freshmen year, I didn’t know most anybody at my 2000 person high school, so I volunteered to help with homecoming decorations. It worked. I made friends! I think I might have even gotten a spirit award for helping out. So I kept up with it, each year.
Our little parade would weave through Edmonds, with elaborate trailer floats pulled behind big Ford trucks. Each class had a theme and decorated their float accordingly. I can still remember driving up to a warehouse in Mukilteo to work on our Senior class float. I can remember the drive, I can tell you which Less Than Jake album I was listening to (Borders and Boundaries). I remember that my girlfriend at the time was a junior and she was working on her class float and we were all secretive about it, not telling each other about our designs, keeping it hush hush so our respective classes might win the design competition.
That was also the year I got to Ride on the float with my Senior class. So much fun! I even got a little crown and scepter to carry. Oh yeah, I was homecoming king that year. :)
Anyway — parades are fun.
Birch Bay at Fourth of July.
The Bellingham Pride Parade.
A final parade, of sorts, to tell about. While not a parade in formal sense, this is the kind of thing that sticks with me as a way people show up for one another and walk with and stand up together. This parade occurred in June of 2013, my final month working in campus ministry at the INN, with students at Western Washington University.
As a way to celebrate our “retirement” the staff and interns and First Presbyterian congregation had a party for us. But to get to the party, the three ‘retiring’ staff members, me, Willow Weston, and Lindsay Anderson, were all asked to get dropped off on the south side of campus, by the Rec Center, and then walk all the way through campus to the Church on Garden St. What we didn’t know was that as we walked through campus, we would be met by friends, family, and supporters, dear people who had walked with us through the years of ministry. I have a photo of us all on the Old Main lawn. Pam — you were there!! It was amazing.
There were tears and laughs at this parade. This was a march, people walking together in support of one another. And I’ll never forget it.
You see, it doesn’t have to be called a parade to be a parade and it what matters is that it’s people, showing up, supporting a common cause, standing with each other in solidarity.
Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem looks a lot like a parade. Branches waving, people shouting “Hosanna,” the frenzy and hype and feel are all there.
But it’s also more than a parade. This entrance is a protest.
Consider the backdrop. It’s the Passover holiday, much like it is this year, as the Jewish, Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant calendars are all lined up. Jerusalem was lit up with activity, pilgrims coming for the passover celebration. Jesus’ entrance came at a specific time, a pointed moment. This was so much more than a neutral parade celebration. This was a march.
The backdrop also included growing tensions with the Roman occupation. Jerusalem, like it is even now, was a powder keg of politics and religion and the poor and the rich and the powerful and the weak.
As I’m sure we’ve heard, many of Jesus’ followers likely were expecting that powder keg to explode. There were people in the crowds who wanted a riot, an overthrow, a coup. Think less Fourth of July and more Sixth of January. Jesus was supposed to be a revolutionary, someone who would upset the status quo and usher in a new era for the Hebrew people.
All of this — this celebration was charged with symbolism and significance.
Take, for example, the opening exchange with Jesus and the disciples and the young colt. Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a young colt that has never been ridden. This is subversive. When proud leaders would ride into town, they’d be on a white horse or pulled in an adorned chariot or palanquin. Jesus’ entrance undermines this show of bravado.
As well, palms would be waved to show honor to a dignitary or wealthy visitor. Jesus’ followers wave them for him, a poor preacher who has no permanent residence, owns nothing, and advocates for the poor. This is a turning over of power tables, lifting up the least of these with shouts of acclimation.
And of course, the words. Hosanna. Blessed is He Who Comes in the Name of the Lord!
The words, of course, are those of religious devotion. High esteem. They are praise.
They are also highly charged with political and social rhetoric. Hosanna — the highest praise. This is a word reserved for the Divine, the powerful, the Lord. To praise Jesus publically in this way is to, also, denounce the emperor, who would also have been lauded in such a way. The emperor or a mighty general would come bearing the standard of the Empire, a tall stick with banners or the face of the emperor embossed on metal. They would arrive with power and receive shouts of acclimation.
Jesus gets this, but he’s not Caesar. He’s not a general. And this would certainly have angered some of the onlookers. How dare he?
As we started to understand the context of this moment, we also have to ask — is this a parade, a triumphal entry, or is this something else? Is this a protest? A rally? A march?
The people are hoping it’s more than simply a show and some glad-handing. We need this to mean more than just pomp and presentation. We NEED this to have a meaning that will change our lives. Because the poor are crying out. The oppressed must be liberated. War and violence are, perhaps, a viable answer, so of course some of the people wanted to riot. When you’re suffering and see the hope of a leader — your longing increases.
I’m gonna close with a couple of important notes.
At its core, Christianity, the following of Jesus Christ, is a protest against all other powers. Christ before all other things. So, yes, this is more than a parade. This is a public statement. Jesus is the rightful King and Lord. I use those titles here, knowing that they can certainly be problematic, because we have to see the stark contrast — Jesus is Lord, not Caesar, not the army, not even the priests. Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, the coming King.
As well, at the heart of Christian action in the world is gathering in solidarity with one another. We stand together in the face of oppression. We show up for one another when someone is hurting.
About 5 years ago, I took part in a rally down at Maritime Heritage Park downtown Bellingham, where local community leaders gathered to speak up following the death of George Floyd. I stood there, saying nothing, but witnessing others standing up for human rights and in support of our community’s Black Indigenous and People of Color.
The atmosphere of a protest rally is strikingly similar to a parade. There’s a crackle in the air. People gather together because they care about a common cause. How is our text today Good News for the poor? Well, it’s good news because it’s an example that people can cross socio-economic and cultural boundaries to stand up and walk with one another — that is the way of Jesus.
There are a lot of people feeling the need to stand up and walk with each other these days. I think we often question whether that’s our role, as Christians, to show up to such things. What we need to hear today is that, yes, this is a mark of being a follower of Jesus. We show up and stand up and speak up.
Certainly, there are Christian, loving ways to do this. The Mayor doesn’t hold a bullhorn and yell threats at the people. No, she smiles and waves, hoping that even if you might disagree, that you are shown respect and kindness.
I’ve found the same to be true of marches, rallies, parades, protests. They are a space for people like you and me, Christ followers, to show up and be a witness to love and care, like Jesus does. To see people. To bear witness. To offer support.
I wonder what we are being called to stand up for. Who we are being called to stand with.
As I look ahead to this season of our life together, I want to encourage us to joyfully celebrate our common cause with each other and our community. We have a calling to serve and love our neighbors. I pray we will continue to find ways to do this, publically, with courage and humility. I pray that we will be known as allies, friends, supporters, to the poor and hurting around us.
The simple question I want to leave us with today is this: Would you show up?
Given all that you know about Jesus, all that you know and believe about his ministry and mission here among us, would you go? The priests and Roman occupiers were agitated at him, already plotting to put him down. He was followed by crowds wherever he went.
Would you join in? Would you show up?
If yes, why?
If no, why?
The question is before us, even now — will you show up? Will you stand up and be a living example of a Christ follower? Will you show up and walk with the poor, the oppressed, the marginalized? Will you celebrate liberation, liberation that comes from Jesus’ way, would you celebrate liberation for those who need it most and would you work to make it happen?
It’s not intended to make you feel guilty, but I do want to ask the follow up — if not, if you wouldn’t show up, why? Maybe it’s the crowds. Maybe it’s the public nature. Maybe you’re uncomfortable standing for too long. All good reasons. Sure. But if you could, would you? Maybe that was something you did when you were younger, you showed up, you marched, your stood in solidarity with the poor. So not today, that’s for the next generation to take up the baton. Ok, fine. Do the younger people in your life feel supported by you? Have you told them what you stand for? Do they know you marched back in the day?
Would we show up?
Jesus is making his final entrance into Jerusalem. He’s preparing to go all the way to and through death.
Will we show up and follow him?
