What Would Bring Peace?

We followed Jesus’ journey from Galilee to Jerusalem. On the way, Jesus spoke about the kingdom of God. In daily readings and sermons, we took note of how citizens of God’s kingdom live by different standards; different than we’re used to.

In today’s Bible reading, Jesus, his disciples, and the crowds that travelled with them from Galilee are on the last leg of the journey. It’s only about 2 km but it’s steep: down the Mt of Olives across the Kidron Valley and up Mt Zion to Jerusalem and the temple. After all Jesus’ announcements that God’s kingdom is coming, today’s the big day. It’s the Day of the Lord!

Two of Jesus’ disciples run ahead to find the young donkey and bring it to Jesus. Anyone who really knew the OT prophets knew where this was going. Jesus’ ride into Jerusalem on a donkey fits the OT prophecy of Zechariah:

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!

Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!

See, your king comes to you,

righteous and victorious,

lowly and riding on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9 (NIV)

You can understand what the disciples are thinking. The king has come to claim his kingdom!

No wonder the whole crowd of disciples got rowdy, praising God in loud voices:

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Luke 19:38 (NIV)

It’s a royal procession; a triumphant entry. They want to give Jesus the red-carpet treatment, so people spread their cloaks on the road.

At the beginning of today’s worship service, we waved palm branches and sang “Hosanna.” Hosanna is Aramaic. It means “God saves” or “God save us.” Today is Palm Sunday. We’re celebrating Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem.

Did you notice as we read the Bible passage, Luke doesn’t write about palm branches nor mention the word “Hosanna”?

When Matthew, Mark, and John describe Jesus coming into Jerusalem a week before the Passover, all 3 mention palm branches and people yelling “Hosanna”. Not Luke. Why?

Probably because Luke writes for a Gentile audience.

You might recall from the opening verses that Luke’s gospel is written so Theophilus knows the truth of the things he’s been told about Jesus. Likely Theophilus and the rest of Luke’s audience don’t speak Aramaic. They don’t know that palm trees are carved in the temple walls and that waving palm branches celebrates Jewish victories over the Greeks. Luke emphasizes Jesus is king, instead of a hero of Jewish wars.

As we compare how the 4 gospels describe these event, we notice that Luke is the only writer to mention that Jesus wept in the middle of the jubilant crowd. You can imagine how awkward this is.

Have you been at a party where the birthday girl cried? It’s almost expected at a party for a 2-year-old. Sugar and games and an upside-down schedule can make any kid dissolve into tears at their party.

As we get older and more sentimental, tears are triggered easily. Having loved ones sing “Happy birthday” is a tear-jerker for some of us. Tears can be uncomfortable, but most handle it gracefully.

But that’s not what causes Jesus to weep. Jesus is not overcome by emotion because his disciples are singing over him. He might be emotionally vulnerable because this parade shows how the kingdom of God is coming, but Jesus is overcome with tears because of his love for Jerusalem and the Jewish people gathering from all corners of the world.

Jesus weeps over the city because they’re missing the whole point of his ministry. He drew them word pictures and parables. He provided miraculous signs of the kingdom of God and they refused to listen. Jesus cries because he called his dearly loved people to repent. Most people didn’t show the fruit of repentance.

Instead, the religious leaders see Jesus as a threat. They’re offended by his teaching and parables. They’re offended when he calls them to repent from sin, pride, and self-sufficiency. The religious leaders are so determined to hold on to power and keep their reputation for righteousness that they ignore Jesus’ warnings. They can’t hear Jesus offer them a better way.

Sometimes we see characters in stories who take pleasure in punishing people. Some sports announcers sound particularly smug when a player from the visiting team gets ejected from the game: “yup, serves him right.” We’re used to a gleeful response to punishment on cop shows, in sports, in politics, at times, even in church.

I’ve heard Christians talk cheerfully about people being condemned on Judgement Day. They sound gleeful that people who commit certain sins or take political positions they disagree with face eternal punishment. They make it sound as if we are without sin, as if we don’t have our own guilt and political blind spots. They find unholy joy that sinners face eternal judgment.

Not Jesus: He isn’t that kind of king. Jesus doesn’t feel any joy about sinners facing judgement. Jesus finds no pleasure in knowing the day is coming when a Roman army will encircle Jerusalem, build up embankments, and tear down the walls. Jesus doesn’t grin about unrepentant adults and children getting dashed to the ground. That’s not how the kingdom of God operates.

Just the thought that the people gathering in Jerusalem for the Passover face God’s judgement because they refuse to repent fills Jesus’ eyes with tears. It isn’t just sniffles. Jesus loses it. He broke down and wept over the people in Jerusalem.

[He] said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. Luke 19:42 (NIV)

What would bring peace to the people of Jerusalem?

God’s peace – shalom – on earth has been broken by human rebellion and sin. Shalom is a Hebrew word that describes everything in harmony: Every relationship is perfectly balanced.

People and God,

man and woman,

food supply and demand,

plants and animals,

rain, sun, and the growing season,

all in perfect harmony.

Our first parents shattered the shalomof God’s creation when they disobeyed God and put all their descendants on a sinful path. All these years later, even our best efforts to be righteous and loving fall short of God’s standard. Our relationships with others, with the rest of creation, and with God falls short of the shalom God created and intended. Because he is just and righteous, God punishes sin. Sin always leads to death.

But destroying the world he made and banishing the people he created from his presence for all eternity doesn’t fill God with unholy joy. Broken relationships bring God grief. Jesus embodies God’s sadness, sitting astride this donkey, surrounded by a chanting crowd, and weeping over the city and the people that he loves so dearly.

God loves his people and his creation so much that he made a plan to rescue us from death and damnation. God became human to bear the punishment for sin himself. Jesus’ sadness as he enters Jerusalem comes is because so many people stubbornly hang on to their own sin-stained efforts instead of trusting Jesus to restore shalom.

In their blindness, people in Jesus’ day and people today risk missing out on God’s offer of salvation. They simply don’t recognize that Jesus offers them shalom if they repent and believe in Jesus. They resist God’s call to repent. They miss God’s rescue plan through Jesus.

Next weekend, we’ll do a deep dive into God’s rescue plan. On Good Friday, we’ll read Luke’s account of Jesus’ crucifixion and death. Jesus bore the punishment for our sin and died the death we deserve to bring us peace – shalom.

The religious authorities in Jerusalem and the Roman governor executed Jesus in a terrible way: beating, spitting, stripping him, and nailing him to a cross, yet Jesus did not hit back. He didn’t return evil for evil. By rescuing us from sin and death, Jesus invites to enjoy the peace of the kingdom of God.

Jesus’ resurrection, which we’ll celebrate on Easter Sunday, is a demonstration that Jesus won the battle. After all the religious leaders and Roman authorities threw at Jesus, after the forces of darkness did everything in their power, Jesus stands tall and victorious on Easter morning. Jesus’ victory opens the way for all who have repented to enjoy life with Jesus and eternal peace with God!

Sounds good, doesn’t it? Shalom forever!

The life we enjoy with Jesus is a life geared for shalom. Our aim is for the church and our homes and our school and work environments to have the flavour of God’s kingdom. We should bring something of God’s gift of shalom with us just by walking into a room: loving God and our neighbour.

Jesus attitude towards Jerusalem and the leaders who are unrepentant shapes our attitude toward other people too. The doom and judgement facing unrepentant sinners shouldn’t give us secret joy. We can’t be vindictive about the punishment coming for sinners – because all of us are sinners. God’s love is the only thing that stands between us and eternal punishment.

So watch your language. Be careful how you speak about people you disagree with, even if you’re convinced they are sinful and doing evil deeds.

 All people deserve respect for they bear God’s image – and God loves them and doesn’t want them to perish.

Intercede for people in prayer.