Sidney UMC - Palm/Passion Sunday - 04/02/23 - Sermon - “Jesus Is A Humble King!” (“The Journey to the Empty Tomb” Series: Part 6 of 7)

Palm Sunday 04/02/23 - Sidney UMC 

Sermon Title:                “Jesus Is A Humble King!”                                      (“The Journey to the Empty Tomb” Series: Part 6 of 7)        

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29                                         

New Testament Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11   

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 21:1-11

          Every year at events like the Oscars and other events, we hear about that famed “red carpet”. Some people wait in anticipation every year to see what each person is going to wear when they enter. Will it be a dress, a suit, or an outfit to the tune of thousands of dollars? Will it be a political statement? Etc. Will it be jewelry that could cost thousands or even millions of dollars. Will it be a stretch limo or perhaps a Mercedes? I have seen television shows before that are on the day after these big events. Sometimes on these show people analyze what each famous or affluent person wore. These people who are analyzing can sometimes be harsh and even mean with their critiques. Yet every year, there seems to be this pomp and splendor as actors and other affluent people enter the Oscars and other high up and swank events.

          Suppose then that you wanted to make your own grand entrance. How would you do it? Whether it was the Oscars, or some other grand event, how would you enter? Would you come in on a private jet? A helicopter? A very expensive car or a limo? Would you have the most expensive clothes and jewelry on? Would you have an entourage with you as to show your wealth, power, and status?

          In some countries, mostly dictatorships, the leader sometimes has a big military parade every year. At these parades, all manner of tanks and weapons are rolled through the streets, as the leader stands up on high, surrounded by generals and other leaders. In doing so, everyone in that country and the world can see the power of that leader. Talk about an entrance!

          This morning, Jesus enters Jerusalem to the shouts of “Hosanna!” Yet, if we were in charge of Jesus entering the holy city this morning for the coming Passover holiday, how would we have Jesus enter the city? Maybe we would have Jesus riding on a horse drawn chariot covered in gold and jewels? Maybe we would put the finest armor on Jesus? Maybe Jesus would have a vast army come in with him, along with leaders, and other affluent people? Maybe we would have elephants, food, and an ostentatious display of wealth, power, and status.

          Jesus Christ, who was fully God and fully human on earth certainly could have entered Jerusalem in this way if he wanted. Yet, according to our Matthew 21:1-11 reading, once again, Jesus does enter the holy city of Jerusalem, or “Zion” with an ostentatious display of wealth, power, and status. Instead, Jesus rides into to Jerusalem on this day, that we now call Palm Sunday, on a donkey. Further, on a borrowed donkey. Jesus doesn’t put on fancy clothes. He probably wears the same thing that he always wears. We don’t even know if his clothes were clean on this day.

          Jesus comes into the holy city of Jerusalem this today on a borrow donkey and a colt. A colt in this case, is a young male donkey, and in this case was with the other donkey, which maybe was the colt’s mother. Both of these animals are borrowed, and Jesus rides into Jerusalem. The disciples then put their cloaks on the donkey and the colt as a sort of blankets and a seat for Jesus. They put Jesus on top of the donkey with the colt. The very large crowd that had assemble spread there cloaks on the roads as a sort of “red carpet” I guess you could say. Jesus’ entrance would not be on the bear ground but on the cloaks of the people. Others cut branches from palm trees and spread those on the road to further this “red carpet” treatment of sorts.

          The crowd also shouted affirmations to Jesus as he entered Jerusalem this morning. In fact, our gospel of Matthew 21:1-11 reading ends, once again, with Matthew 21:9-11 saying:

⁹ The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” ¹⁰ When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” ¹¹ The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee” (Mt. 21:9-11, NRSV).

          I can imagine if someone came to the Oscars next year and arrived on a donkey with a colt, had warn and maybe dirty clothes, people would be shocked. I mean Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords, enters Jerusalem in such a common and a regular way? Why would Jesus enter this way?

          I have read Christian scholars that have written that King Herod Antipas of Judea and the Roman Governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate often entered with pomp and splendor. Pilate likely was riding a chariot with the finest armor, along with soldiers. No doubt these soldiers beat drums and horns were played. I can imagine that King Herod Antipas of Judea entrances were no different. Yet Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and the lord of lords enters like a common person. Jesus enters like poor man, a man with little to nothing.

          The savior of the world, the lord of the universe enters the holy city, Jerusalem, for the coming Passover holiday like a no one. Why would Jesus do this? Would you bring Jesus in this way if you were in charge of his entrance into Jerusalem? Would you yourself want to make an entrance like this?

          The answer to why Jesus entered into Jerusalem this day, Palm Sunday, the way that he did, was because, “Jesus Is A Humble King!” While being fully God and fully human, Jesus came to be like us, and to be among regular people like us. Jesus wanted to see, experience, and live just like everyone else does. This is very different than the red carpet at the Oscars.

          Even though Jesus got a grand reception from many people with them putting their cloaks on the ground and cutting palm branches to lay in his path or to wave, I can image that the Roman Governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, and King Herod Antipas of Judea probably laughed at this entrance. “What a poor and insignificant nobody!” they might have thought”.

          You know who has always impressed me, and who has always gotten my respect though? I know people, as many of us probably do, that have achieved a lot in this world. There achievements could be in all different categories. The one that I tend to admire and respect a lot though, are those who have risen to the top ranks of business, the community, etc., yet they don’t change. They still are who they are, they still wear the clothes that they wear, and they still drive the same old vehicle. Could they buy all new things? Sure, they could, but they don’t believe that they need to put on a show for anyone. I really like what the Christian financial expert Dave Ramsey says. He said, “One day I got up and decided to stop buying things that I don’t need, to impress people that I don’t like”. Jesus didn’t care about the “red carpet” or “keeping up with the Jones.” Jesus, God in flesh, came to earth to live like and to be like one of us. For “Jesus Is A Humble King!”

          We hear some of these realities in our scripture readings for this morning. In our reading from Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29, we hear starting in 118:1-2

¹ O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!

² Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” ¹⁹ Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord (Ps. 118:1-2, NRSV). 

          On this day, there was joy and celebration, as Jesus entered Jerusalem in the most humble of ways. Shouts of “Hosanna,” a shout of praise, a shout saying “deliver us,” as Jesus, our righteous Lord enters Jerusalem. In fact, our reading from Psalm 118:20 picks up saying, once again:

²⁰ This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it. ²¹ I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. ²² The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. ²³ This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. ²⁴ This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  ²⁵ Save us, we beseech you, O Lord! O Lord, we beseech you, give us success! ²⁶ Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. ²⁷ The Lord is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar. ²⁸ You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. ²⁹ O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever (Ps. 118:20-29, NRSV).

 

          Certainly, a great foreshadowing from the Psalmist of what happened on that first Palm Sunday. Our righteous king and lord, Jesus Christ enters Jerusalem, he will soon on Good Friday be rejected, tried, tortured, and crucified. Today though, the Psalmist tells of us of a procession with branches, and that God’s love endures forever.

          In addition to this, the Apostle Paul reminds us in Philippians 2:5-11, starting in 2:5 once again to:

⁵ Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, assuming human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human, ⁸ he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross               (Phil. 2:5-8, NRSV).

          This scripture really reinforces what I have been saying about how Jesus enters the holy city of Jerusalem on this day. Jesus, according to the Apostle Paul was in the form of God, but didn’t consider equality with God something to be big headed or proud about. Instead, Jesus was humble, took the form of slave, and was even humble and obedient to the point of death on a cross.

          This is far different than someone trying to show off or impress others. For “Jesus Is A Humble King!” God comes to down to earth, puts on flesh, dwells among us, and becomes common and ordinary. As I said, this is why I have always been impressed with and have respected people that have achieved great worldly success, yet are still humble and remember where they came from.  For example, a lot of people have joked about my little used Honda Fit that I drive. Could I get a newer car? I could? Why though, I am not trying to impress anyone, and neither was Jesus. God’s perfect love collided with earth when Jesus was born, and this perfect love is humble, gracious, and is offered to us all.

          As we see in our reading from Matthew 21:1-11, once again, on that first Palm Sunday the prophecy of the Old Testament Prophet Zechariah came true. The Prophet Zechariah wrote these words long before Jesus was born, what is quoted in Matthew 21:5 that says:

⁵ “Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Mt. 21:5, NRSV).

          This prophecy was fulfilled this morning through Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Even though Jesus was God in the flesh, as the Apostle Paul said, he was humble and he became like one of us. The people laid there cloaks on the ground as Jesus’ red carpet, people cut and laid palm branches, and some no doubt waved them. As they did, they shouted:

“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Mt. 21:9b, NRSV).

          This is a good and joyous day in the life of the church, and it has been for nearly two-thousand years. On this day, Jesus Christ our Lord enters the holy city of Jerusalem, like one of us. Jesus is the savior of the poor and of all people.

          As this week continues, Jesus will continue loving, healing, and forgiving. This Thursday, or also called Maundy or Holy Thursday, is the night that Jesus has the Last Supper. Since this night this year falls on a Sauce and Cross night, we are going to have dinner together, and then worship together. This worship service will include communion, foot or hand washing, and the “Maundy” or the commandment to love each other.

          Jesus will then spend the rest of this Thursday night in the Garden of Gethsemane, only to be arrest early on Good Friday. On Good Friday, this Friday, Jesus will be rejected, tried, torture, and crucified, for us. Today though is a celebration, as our king and our lord, Jesus Christ enters the city of Jerusalem in the humblest of ways. For “Jesus Is A Humble King!” Amen.