Sermon Tone Analysis

We have many ways of showing just how important people are.

One of them (related to our Gospel lesson today) is how people choose to travel.

What do the following ways of traveling tell us about a person?

Hitchhiking carrying a beat up knapsack.

Riding a bike down the sidewalks of Marshfield.

Fishing from a worn out rowboat.

Driving a 20 year-old pickup eaten by rust.

Driving a Mercedes . . .

or a Harley.

Riding in a limousine.

Flying commercial.

Flying in a private jet.

It seems that the more important a person is, the more elaborate their style of transportation is.

I’ve heard from aged members that before the days of the automobile, the important people had the good horses and buggies and the others who could afford horses but were not rich had the old nags and worn out ponies.

How did Jesus, the Son of God, choose to travel (and he did travel) during most of his ministry?

We assume that he walked everywhere he went.

There is only one reference to him ever riding and that is on Palm Sunday.

What is the significance of him riding on a donkey?

(Research)

The next day, Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey.

He is fulfilling an ancient prophecy.

Jerusalem’s king will come to her gently and in peace—not mounted on a proud warhorse, but riding a humble donkey (Zechariah 9:9).

The crowds gather to greet him, waving palm branches.

Although palms are waved at the Feast of Tabernacles, they have also become a national symbol for the Jews.

There are cries of ‘Hosanna!’ which means ‘Give salvation now!’

Waving palm branches would be the modern equivalent of waving the national flag.

Jesus gave visible, symbolic expression to this truth by riding into Jerusalem on a donkey.

The hymn writer has caught this perfectly in the words:

“Ride on, ride on, in majesty!

In lowly pomp ride on to die”

(TLH 162:2).

In mistaken piety some have tried to “glamorize” the donkey Jesus rode.

But such efforts are in vain.

That the animal was just an ordinary donkey comes out in the literal translation of Matthew’s line: “on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

The word for “donkey” is, literally, “a beast of burden,” “a draft animal.”

Some have even gone so far as to say that the owners in Bethphage had bred donkeys of a superior type.

That is pure fantasy.

It is also beside the point, for Jesus’ riding into Jerusalem on a donkey is to emphasize that Jesus, though a mighty and majestic King, chose to enter the Holy City as a lowly and gracious King, such a King as God intended for guilty men and such as all sinners needed.

This is indicative of his over all attitude and way of presenting himself.

And this is the exact opposite of who he is.

This is indicative of his over all attitude and way of presenting himself.

And this is the exact opposite of who he is.

He is in very nature God.

And he could have used it to his advantage.

How?

His popularity had recently risen because of his raising Lazarus from the dead.

He could have made a few speeches, performed some miracles and called on the people and legions of angels to assist him in overthrowing the Roman soldiers and establishing a stronghold in Jerusalem.

(If he were an earthly king.)

Instead he rides into the city on a donkey, accepts their praise, (NIV) 11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts.

He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts.

He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

I am reminded of how the once most powerful men in the United States have at times used their former position of being President of the United State to their advantage.

I am reminded of how the once most powerful men in the United States have at times used their former position of being President of the United State to their advantage.

Home

Means of Travel

Dining

Paid appearances.

In contrast to this consider the humility of former President Jimmy (not James) Carter (research).

He humbly speaks of humility in this way.

Humility is at the center of Jimmy Carter's efforts to shape the public memory of his presidency.

In the Old Testament sense, Carter explains his term as a time of national repentance.

In the New Testament sense, he portrays his leadership as an enactment of the role of Christian servant.

Thus, he transforms his trials and tribulations into triumphs of character.

This moralizing persona, striking at the heart of liberalism's quandary over power and virtue, fits comfortably about the shoulders of the presidential aspirant or retired office holder, but it makes the active wielder of power appear weak and naive.

Why does he act this way?

The fact that he is a devout Christian who believes and lives God’s Word will help us understand him.

Centuries before Jimmy Carter, St. Paul teaches us to be humble in our relationships and reminds us of Jesus as the source of that humility.

(NIV)

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.

Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

How does St. Paul summarize the person of Jesus in our text?

He tells us about his deity.

He is in very nature God.

We confess this in the Nicene Creed “true God from all eternity”.

As true God, he has all the attributes of God and deserves all the glory we give to God.

But this is not the way he always showed himself.

His miracles and the Transfiguration gave glimpses of his deity but for the most part he didn’t seem all that different from other people.

As true man he emptied himself and did not make full use of his power.

Illustration: One way of thinking it is how a parent will play with his/her children.

A full grown man playing his son or daughter in sports who is in grade school should be able to whip them every time.

The same would be true with many board games (but not video games).

But often the parent will let up and allow the child to win.

It is a sign of age when the child starts to let the parent win; however.

The parent does not use his/her abilities to get an advantage.

Jesus did not use his deity to make his life more comfortable or to lord it over others.

“The son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

(NIV)

24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.

25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors.

26 But you are not to be like that.

Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.

27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves?

Is it not the one who is at the table?

But I am among you as one who serves.

Washing the disciples feet on Maundy Thursday.

The most extreme example of the humility of Jesus was the type of death he experienced.

Sometimes we may think that the way a person dies is indicative of the type of person they were.

Someone who was a drunk dies of cirrhosis of the liver.