The Lord Needs It

The New Revised Standard Version Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

11 When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’ ” 4 They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, 5 some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. 7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. 9 Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,

“Hosanna!

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

11 Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

There is a lot going on in this story!

I think it’s important to remember that it is indeed a story, something that folks would have passed down to their friends and families depending on how they saw the story.

I wonder how different people would have experienced the events of Palm Sunday?

View One: The Crowd

My name is Zachariah

Poor Family

It’s tough coming up here for the festival.

All these people are making a big show of their sacrifices and offerings at the temple.

We are such a simple family, there’s not much we have to offer.

Farmer

We have a small farm in Jericho, and we harvest dates and figs.

This was my fathers farm, and before that it was his farmers farm, and before that…you get the idea.

My grandfather used to say that my ancestors were there when the wall fell down, but he spins some pretty tall tales!

But the farm isn’t as great as it used to be.

We lost two of our donkeys this year, so we’ve had do to much of the plowing ourselves.

The Romans keep increasing the taxes they charge, and the tax collectors have absolutely no shame in lining their own pockets.

Plus this year started with a little bit of a drought, so we lost a good bit of our crop.

I try not to let my wife see me worry about how we’re going to stay afloat.

First time to Jerusalem in Years for the festival

But, we’d been saving for years for today.

My family used to come to the Passover festival every year, but we haven’t been back to the Holy City since my son was born, so that’s been about five years or so...

The Festival

Zechariah remembers coming with his family.

I remember coming to this festival with my father.

We would go up to the temple and make our small sacrifice for the year, then head over to the west side of town for the parade.

The parade at the west side of the city

I can remember my father placing me as a young boy on top of his shoulders.

Dad had a cloak that he wore every year to the festival.

He made it from the hide of our beloved cow.

He made it himself, and it just reminded me of hard work.

But I remember watching as these kings and queens would parade in to Jerusalem.

They had horses and chariots and their massive armies.

They carried these big scowls on their faces, to try to keep us all intimidated and in line to the Roman government.

But it didn’t work on me.

Sitting on my father’s shoulders, holding on to that cloak that he made, all I could do was smile.

Right now he’s wearing his father’s cloak

Now, I’m wearing my father’s cloak.

He gave it to me when he passed away.

I try to only wear it for special occasions, I don’t want anything to happen to it.

And today as we’re walking through the city, with my own son on my shoulders, I can’t help but smile.

A New Parade

We’re over on the east side of the city, trying to find a pair of turtle doves for the sacrifice.

It’s like everyone waited until the last minute to buy their animals just like me...

Suddenly, there’s a huge commotion starting over here on the East end of the city.

Someone’s coming in to town?

This guy isn’t like the other kings and rulers that we’ve seen before!

This parade isn’t like the other one I’m used to.

There is no army.

There are no horses.

There are no charriots.

There is no intimidation.

It’s just a guy on a donkey.

I know that a donkey means peace, but this seems silly.

All of a sudden it clicks for me as the crowd starts shouting Hosanna.

This is the story our Rabbi has been telling us would happen!

Our King would come humble and lowly, riding on a donkey.

Maybe this guy can deal with the kings that have been oppressing us for generations!

Our King!

Maybe this is it!

Maybe we can get rid of these Romans.

Maybe we can stop paying taxes to these oppressors!

Maybe we can finally do and worship as we please!

Maybe this is the week, here in the Holy City, that David’s line will be restored, and we can finally be free.

Zechariah lays his father’s coat on the road for Jesus.

So I’ll admit, I got swept up in it.

I shouted Hosanna so loud that my voice went horse.

I watched as people started laying down their palm branches, and then their cloaks.

And so I fight back a tear or two as I take off Dad’s cloak, and lay it down just in time to watch Jesus of Nazareth pass right over it.

View Two: The Disciples

Peter and James go to get the donkey.

He’s had us do weird stuff before.

I remember the wind and the waves beating against my face, while I was walking on water!

One time the Pharisees were giving him a hard time about the temple tax, so he had me go out and catch a fish, pull a coin out of his mouth, and then pay his tax and mine.

One time, I even watched him cast a legion of demons into a herd of swine that ran off a cliff in to the sea below.

Those folks were maaaaad....

So when he said we had to go in to town and do grand theft donkey, I didn’t even bat an eye.

Some times it’s just easier to do what you’re told.

But Something seems off...

He’s been telling us that he’s going to be killed.

Three times now, he’s pulled the 12 of us aside and told us that he was going to meet his end at the hands of the religious leaders.

I tried once to step in and stop him, but he called me Satan.

So that wasn’t a great day.

Still? Is this it? Is he about to die this week?

I know he’s been butting heads with the Pharisees, so maybe he’s not super excited to see them.

Those religious leaders are the Pharisees, and whew boy have we had some run-ins with them lately.

Maybe this isn’t really the end, but Jesus just isn’t excited about spending the whole week with people trying to pick a fight with him.

I don’t know, I’m always up for a fight.

But look at these crowds!

They’re screaming at the top of their lungs!

I mean, we’ve seen some crowds before while we’ve been with Jesus.

He even made us feed one of them that was 5,000 men! Let alone women and children!

But these people!

This is mass hysteria!

Look at this guy over here! He’s crying while he’s laying down that cloak!

I try to hear what they’re shouting over each other.

Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

I remember when Jesus taught us about that one!

We were sitting around the fire, and Jesus started singing the Psalm.

Hosanna means “Save us, we pray.”

They think Jesus is here to save them!

Maybe Jesus was wrong!

Maybe they’re not going to kill him this week!

Maybe he’s about to be the king we’ve all been looking for!

Maybe this is the week we’re going to get our country back!

But still…I wonder what’s going on in his head right now?

View Three: The Lord

They have no idea what’s going on.

These disciples have been with me from the beginning

I remember the way Peter looked at me when I called him away from his fishing boat.

This kid, there’s no quit in him.

I so love his ready, fire, aim approach to all of this.

He acts first, and thinks later.

But still, his dedication is unquestionable.

They went to get the donkey without so much as a second thought.

Sometimes they hesitate, but not this time.

They just ran and got the donkey and brought it to me.

And it was important, it has to be this donkey.

Other kings come in might and victory

I know the kind of king that folks are used to.

I know that they have huge white horses.

I know that they come with a whole army.

I know that they intimidate, and try to show strength through force.

They’ve seen that kind of king for so long, I wonder if that’s what they think the Father is like.

I wonder if they think that he is vengeful?

I wonder if they think that he is out to intimidate?

I wonder if they think that he is violent?

I come in peace

So if we’re going to do this, I need to come in peace.

They need to see me gentle.

They need to see me kind.

They need to see me peaceful.

Because to see me is to see the Father, and they need to know.

This crowd has the wrong idea too.

They think I’m one of those smash and grab kings.

For as much as I’m broadcasting peace, I know what they’re thinking.

They think I’m here this week, this Passover season, to over throw their government and liberate my people.

It makes sense I suppose…that’s what we’re celebrating in this festival.

The Father has certainly done it before, liberating his people from oppressive regimes.

But I’ve been trying to tell them that this kingdom is different.

I’ve been trying to tell them that this kingdom is way more about turning cheeks than it is about throwing fists.

I’ve been trying to tell them that this kingdom is about humble, meek living, not wild displays of power.

I’ve been trying to tell them that this kingdom is about the Father, not about them.

And they just haven’t been listening…so...

I know what is coming.

I’m going to make a big deal about some stuff that’s been bothering me for a while.

I’m going to check it out tonight, but I’m pretty sure they’ve turned my Father’s house into a flea market.

Getting rich off of the prayers of others is not something my Father ever had in mind.

Oh…that has me so mad…I might flip out a little bit.

I need to talk to some of the temple leaders too.

They’ve been making it harder to be a part of God’s family than it needs to be.

They’ve set up rules that don’t matter, and they’ve forgotten the justice that does.

They’re getting it wrong, and someone needs to call them out on it.

Upsetting the order of things is going to upset the leaders

This week, of all weeks, they’re not going to like that.

They’re already on edge with Pilate coming to town with his army, watching for one of them to slip up.

Heaven knows he wouldn’t hesitate to put one of them to death if they started to be a threat to the Empire, so they’ll be looking for someone else to hand up.

They’ll be sneaky about it.

The crowds are too rowdy for them to use the usual means to get rid of me.

So I know exactly how they’ll do it.

They’ll get to one of the disciples first, try to get someone on the inside.

They’ll get me to an isolated place at night.

They’ll come with a small crowd.

They’ll have a kangaroo court in the middle of the night.

They’ll hand me over to Pilate, for the good of the Empire.

Nothing like getting rid of one enemy while scoring some points with another one.

But I know I’m walking toward my death.

I know why I’m doing it.

These people are crying for a savior, but they don’t know what they need to be saved from

This world has been broken for a really long time.

These people think their trouble started when Rome took over.

I know better.

I was there when the world was made.

I saw how perfect it was when my Father built it.

I saw how quickly it fell apart when people choose their own desire over my Father’s.

I saw how quickly Sin spread.

I saw the distance it put between the Father and our creation.

And I saw how much it broke his heart.

I can fix it.

I can lay my life down for them.

I can bridge the distance between the Father and our creation.

I can bring people back into the kind of Kingdom that we had planned from the start.

I can make sure that death itself is never, EVER allowed to win.

I can do it all, and I will do it all.

It’s going to hurt.

I’m probably not going to want to do it.

But this is why I’m here.

Listen to them...

They’re crying out for a savior, to help them get their lives together.

They don’t have any idea.

For as much pain as exists in the future, I’m going to enjoy this moment.

Hosanna in the highest heaven indeed!

Save us, Father. My hour is at hand.