Jesus Showed Up

Jesus Showed Up

Matthew 21:1-11

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Good morning and welcome to worship on this beautiful Palm Sunday! It’s always a joy to celebrate this day as the kids process in and wave their branches. I hope you at home felt the same joy as those here in the sanctuary, as the kids paraded through.

Today is the day we celebrate and remember Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Today’s message will have a familiar theme if you have been here in years past. I mean, it’s the same story preached every year, but each time, I like to try to bring a slightly new perspective.

Now, I also know we have members and guests from a variety of backgrounds, so I always like to explain what Palm Sunday is all about. In year’s past, you may have seen a silly video by Tommy and Eddie of the Skit Guys that talks about Jesus stealing a donkey and painting our palms purple to wave them in the air like we just don’t care… I promise, I’ll show that video again in the years ahead… but today I want to look at it in a different way.

We will start with the reading of the story from Matthews perspective in Matthew 21. But after that, I want to share a different video from the Skit-Guys as Tommy portrays one of the disciples that went to get the donkey as we begin this Palm Sunday.

Turn with me to Matthew 21:1-11 as we read this story of Jesus triumphant entry into Jerusalem.

Matthew 21:1-11

As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. “Go into the village over there,” he said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.”

This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said,

“Tell the people of Jerusalem,

‘Look, your King is coming to you.

He is humble, riding on a donkey—

riding on a donkey’s colt.’”

The two disciples did as Jesus commanded. They brought the donkey and the colt to him and threw their garments over the colt, and he sat on it.

Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting,

“Praise God for the Son of David!

Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

Praise God in highest heaven!”

The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. “Who is this?” they asked.

And the crowds replied, “It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

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There were three parades or processions that day. Keep in mind, this day, this Sunday we call Palm Sunday was actually the beginning of the week leading to The Passover celebration which brought Thousands, some estimate even a million visitors and pilgrims to Jerusalem. Herod, the Roman appointed Tetrarch would have arrived in town with great political fanfare.

Pilate, the Roman Appointed Governor and ruler under Caesar would have arrived with Great Military fanfare. As he marched in from Caesarea Maritima, this beautiful Roman City on the Mediterranean where Herod the Great had built a beautiful palace with what very well may have been the first infinity pool. He literally had a freshwater swimming pool over the Mediterranean Sea… and that is where Pilate and his wife lived when they were not in Jerusalem.

And, it is from this palace that Pilate marched into town with a full military parade as a show of power and strength. Pilate’s procession was a “visible, palpable, physical demonstration of Roman imperial power. There were cavalry on horses, foot soldiers, armor, weapons, banners on poles, the beating of drums. The onlookers were both awed and bitterly resentful.” (Svendsen, Charles. Passion Parade. http://uccportland.org/sites/default/files/Passion%20Parade.pdf, 2014)

When tens of thousands of pilgrims came to town, their political unrest came with them, along with a desire to throw Rome out. And if the Jewish Zealots had ever organized properly, it was possible that they could. Pilate’s job was to keep that from happening.

So, the people had seen Pilate come in from the West with his military might.

BUT, They had likely seen Herod come in from the North with his opulent parade of wealth and privilege as he was carried from Tiberius on the Sea of Galilee, or as he called it, Lake Tiberius. He would have come into Jerusalem being carried in a cart on the shoulders of 4 men, sitting in a velvet cushioned chair, servants fanning him with palm branches, and scantily clad women feeding him and giving him wine. History tells us that Herod Antipas traveled with jaguars and hyenas as pets in cages. Yes, it would have been quite a parade, maybe even a circus parade.

Where Pilate entered the city with power on display, Herod entered in a curious display of wealth.

The Jewish people would have stood by silently as Herod and Pilate paraded in with the military and the madness of their parades… but then from the East, Jesus enters the city, not with power and prestige, not with might and money, but with simplicity and humility. Jesus entered, not with intimidation, but with invitation.

So, let’s take a moment to look at Jesus parade.

He doesn’t start at the palatial Palace in Caesarea Maritima, or the lakeside villa of Tiberius. No, he starts in Bethany. The meaning of the word itself means “House of the Poor,” and, having been there, it is properly named. Jesus comes from the house of poverty into the ruling city of Jerusalem. In many ways it reminds us of Jesus entrance into the world, not in a palace fit for a king, but being born in a stable on a hill overlooking the lights of Jerusalem.

Jesus entered, not in the silence of the disgusted onlookers, but in the celebration of knowing the Messiah had come…. Finally, Jesus showed up.

But I want us to pause at what the Pharisees said. Luke’s version of the story in Luke 19 tells of a little exchange with the Pharisees.

Luke 19:39-40

But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”

He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”

I have been told since childhood that the Pharisees were there chastising Jesus for letting his followers praise him. This set the Pharisees up as the enemies of Jesus. But, I want to challenge that perspective. Why would the Pharisees be with Jesus? Pilate was in town. Herod was in town. Caiaphas, the chief Priest, was in town. The Pharisees should have been in town with them, but these few Pharisees were with Jesus. Why?

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I think it is because they were his followers. John 3 and John 7 tells the story of Nicodemus, a Pharisee and follower of Jesus. John 19 tells us about Joseph of Arimathea. Acts 5 tells us Gamalial, a Pharisee of the ruling class, supported Jesus. So, we know there were followers of Jesus among the Pharisees.

If these Pharisees that we heard from were followers of Jesus, why would they be telling Jesus to quieten his other followers?

Well, with all the political unrest, the last thing you would want is for someone to be parading into Jerusalem as a king when there is a representative of Caesar, the king of the world, and the Jewish king already in town. These Pharisees were followers of Jesus and they were giving Jesus fair warning that he was causing a scene and drawing attention to himself at a time when he should not.

Some of us have walked the road leading to the Mount of Olives from Bethphage. It is a road that leads through a cemetery. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus enters Jerusalem the week he was to die by going through the cemetery? The road that leads to life must pass through death.

One thing we noticed about this cemetery is that the graves were all covered with stones.

The first time I was in Israel we saw a family come to this cemetery to grieve the loss of a loved one. They came in their black dresses and coats to the cemetery, each one with something in their hand. When they got to the tomb of their loved ones they placed their items, stones, on the top of the tomb. Our guide, Munzar, explained what this meant. Flowers are for festive occasions, not mourning. Besides, the heat and dry climate would scorch flowers and they would last less than a day. The wind would blow fake flowers away so they wouldn't be good either. But rocks, anyone can place a stone on the grave of their loved one, marking for all to see that their loved one had been visited. If you are a movie buff, you will see this at the end of Schindler’s List as well.

So, what does this little cultural lesson mean for us today?

When Jesus told his Pharisee followers, “I tell you, if they were silent, the stones would shout.” He wasn’t talking about some random rocks on the ground. He was talking about the stones on the graves. He was talking about those in the grave. Jesus was saying that if his followers didn’t praise him, then the dead would rise to praise him. Jesus was saying, if his followers don’t praise him all of creation, living or not, will praise him.

When Jesus shows up, he will be praised. We can choose to follow him or not, but he will be followed, and he will be praised.

So, here we are today, with a path in front of us. Lent has led us to a 3-way fork in our path, almost like the three parades that entered Jerusalem that day.

One path, one road is the road led by Pilate. A path full of the power, might, and violence of the kingdoms of this earth.

Another path is led by Herod Antipas, a road that leads to the worship of wealth, privilege, and prestige.

The final path led is by Jesus. A path marked with servitude, humility, and peace.

Two lead to the kingdoms of this world. The other leads to the kingdom of heaven. Two are the road to death, the other is the road through death that leads to life. Which will you follow?

Jesus showed up in a way that differentiated him from the world. Jesus showed up that day to say, the power and privilege of the worldly way leads to death… but I have come that you may have life, and have it fully.

Jesus showed up then… and Jesus shows up today.

Jesus shows up when you feed the hungry.

Jesus shows up when someone walks into a disaster area and starts clearing debris.

Jesus shows up when child is united with a foster family who loves him and cares for him when no one else had.

Jesus shows up when a loaf of bread is delivered to someone who thought they were forgotten.

But Jesus also shows up in our lives when we are hurting and alone. He is already there, waiting for you to reach out to him.

Jesus shows up when we are lost and can’t find our way… He is there waiting for us to follow him into the life we were created for.

As you enter Holy Week… as we walk these final days with Jesus… Look for him… Jesus will show up!