The Unexpected Way

How do you start a movement?

In environment of hashtags, tweets, and viral videos, mini-movements are starting all the time for a variety reasons. In the last decade or so, here are a few of the movements that we’ve witnessed in our nation:

Occupy Movement - started in New York as a protest against the wealthiest in an effort to address economic inequality.

Black Lives Matter - began in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman after the death of Treyvon Martin as a movement who’s aim is to address police brutality and racial inequity.

The T.E.A. Party - Taxed enough already - started as a movement trying to lobby for lower taxes.

Women’s March and #MeToo Movement - started as a protest and continued for a time as a movement to address sexual abuse of women.

Some of these movements have faded into history, others persisted with varying degrees of influence and popularity. Some have fostered significant change and addressed major concerns, others have managed to be little more than a blip in history.

Would you call Christianity a movement? I think it’s more than that because of Jesus and the unexpected ways in which he worked. It’s more than a movement because he was more than a social, political, cultural leader - he IS “the way the truth and the life.”

Last week as we began considering how Jesus how and his disciples prepared for the passion - we saw how service was a big part of their preparation.

Jesus was anointed by Mary to serve in the way that only he could - as the perfect sacrifice for all of humanity.

Jesus anointed his disciples to serve one another as he washed their feet. He showed them that service should mark Jesus’ people.

This week, we’re going to consider two more brief scenes from passion week as we reflect on the unexpected way of Jesus. He seemed to have a knack for doing the unexpected.

At the Triumphal entry,

The crowd expected a triumphant king, but came as a humble servant

The Triumphal entry likely took place on Sunday afternoon of that week. The feast that we looked at last week happened the night before most likely on Saturday evening. A lot of people heard that Jesus was back in town and they knew that he had raise Lazarus from the dead. You see there were large crowds in and around Jerusalem and Bethany because the Passover was coming near.

Let’s look at a bit of how John explains this to us.

John 12:9–15 ESV

When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!”

So here is Jesus, this miracle working man, who has astonished the crowds. The viral-like attention that had been gathered around him because of the miraculous signs - was that the start of something new? Was that a new movement? Was a big political and cultural change on horizon?

It seems as though the crowd expected him to be the conquering and triumphant king that was prophesied about in the Old Testament. This is why they lay down palm branches and garments in order to celebrate his coming into Jerusalem.

I wonder if they really even ever heard what he said. Many of them saw his signs and miracles and seemed to see in Jesus the things for which they longed.

But as Jesus rode into town on the back of a donkey, he was fulfilling OT prophecies, but he was also communicating something drastically different than what people were expecting. He was communicating that his way, God’s way, is the way of humble service.

Think about this - how do we use donkeys? Or how did we use them before the industrial revolution? They are typically beasts of burden. They are animals that are used to pull, carry, work. They are not glamorous. They are not desirable - but they are effective.

Traditionally, when a king would come on a donkey, they would be coming in peace. They would be coming in humility.

Jesus didn’t come to conquer. As we saw last week and as we’ll see next week, he came to serve sacrificially. He called his followers to do the same.

As John shows us this scene he continues with an interesting interchange that Jesus has with some Greeks or gentiles.

John 12:20–22 ESV

Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

So we have the Jewish people who are wanting the Messiah hoping that Jesus would be this triumphant king.

We also have the religious leaders who are scheming and looking for opportunities to take Jesus out.

Then we have this group of gentiles or Greeks who are God-fearing because they are in Jerusalem for the Passover feast. But they want to see Jesus.

Is it a show? Is it out of belief? Why do they want to “see” Jesus? Were they expecting a wise philosopher?

We don’t fully know. But look closely at Jesus words, how he responds to them...

John 12:23–26 ESV

And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Jesus talks of glorification and death, losing to gain, serving to be honored. (expound on following Jesus, serving, honor received from God)

In many ways it seems like he is bursting their balloons of expectation. Is this the language they would expect from the man they came to see?

Friend, if you are not yet a Follower of Jesus, what are you hoping to find him now? Are you looking for a teacher? Are you looking for a leader? Are you looking for a philosopher are you looking for a king? Jesus is that and more.

Let’s step forward a couple of days. We will get to see that...

The disciples expected a persistent leader, but Jesus is an ascended Savior

So on the same night that Jesus washed his disciples feet , he shared many things with them, some that we will consider on Thursday virtually.

He had already predicted his death a few times but now was beginning to give them more insight into the fact that he would go and return but would also leave.

John 14:1–7 ESV

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

On this night that we call Maundy Thursday, Jesus washed his disciples feet, instituted the Lord’s supper, foretold Peter’s denial, and gave the disciples a new mandate (which we will discuss online on Thursday). The nature and subject matters of Jesus time with the disciples was troubling to them. The events that were about to take place - his arrest, trial, beating, crucifixion, and death would certainly be even more troubling. So Jesus seems to be working to encourage the disciples. Most commentators agree that Jesus is talking about the preparation work that he will do after the resurrection, after his ascension, preparing a dwelling-place for his people with God.

He was giving them a sense of hope in things to come. The turmoil that he will endure, the trials that they will endure, the challenges that we will endure will be worth it - as there is a dwelling-place reserved for us. A bit later on that night, Jesus said:

John 16:33 ESV

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

But it also seems like Jesus is talking about his death and resurrection. By Jesus dying in a substitutionary manner on our behalf, he is in a sense preparing a place for those who believe with God - now - not simply later. Where John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, Jesus seems to be preparing the way for us. Not because of our importance (as in John), but because of the nature of the preparatory work. We can’t get to God unless Jesus prepares the way.

After all...

John 14:6 ESV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Application

Friend, the only way for us to have access to God is if we have someone who can open the door on our behalf. Jesus is the way because he is the door. Jesus is the key. He is the one who laid down his life so that you wouldn't have to. But if you humble yourself before God, if your repent of your sins, if you will turn and trust in what Jesus Christ on the cross, then there is a place for you in heaven, there is a place for you with God now. There's a home for you and eternity. There is a place that Jesus has prepared for you. Will you respond today?

Jesus is the way - he is the example of how God’s people should live. He shows us that a life of service and sacrifice and humility is illustrative of the eternal life that we have with God.

Beloved I think it’s important for us to realize that the life Jesus lived, the way he served, he did so in order to give us an example. After all, being Jesus’ disciples means following him, following his example, emulating his life. Del Tackett it in his video series and titled The Engagement Project, illustrates this with a small sketch where a king gives a command to one of his leaders. And the leader remarks that this command is impossible and yet this command is brilliant. While the sketch doesn’t fully explain the nature of this command, it does introduce the idea that part of the great commission is this idea of service. Part of the reason Jesus is the way is that he showed us that we get to lay down our lives for those around us. We get to serve. Imagine what would happen in this world if Christians truly lived the way that Jesus wants us to.

He showed us at Palm Sunday an unexpected way. He demonstrated that he was the humble servant. At the cross he demonstrated that he is the ascended Savior. He died on the cross and rose from the grave so that we might be in a relationship with him. He ascended to the Father and gave us his Spirit to dwell within us in order that we might finish what he started. Now it’s our job to continue the mission and proclaim the good news of what Jesus has done by serving one another an our community.

Let’s pray.

Memory verse: John 14:6

Benediction:

John 12:25–26 ESV

Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Sources:

https://prospect.org/civil-rights/the-decade-in-11-movements/

Carson, D. A. The Gospel according to John. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans, 1991.

Crossway Bibles. The ESV Study Bible. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008.