I have become intrigued by the weight of public opinion in the death sentence of Jesus. When Jesus enters Jerusalem in chapter 21 the crowd shouts praise to Jesus. Through out chapter 21 the religious leaders are afraid to touch Jesus because of public opinion. As long as public opinion was in Jesus' favor, he was relatively safe. After the betrayal and arrest of Jesus, the religious leaders are able to change public opinion and thus are successful in having Jesus sentenced to die. It seems to me that had pilate not felt threatened by public opinion, he would have released Jesus. It is my feeling that we Americans are persauded too much by what we are told is public opinion. When we side with public opinion as opposed to Jesus' teaching, is it not possible we crucify Jesus ourselves? --John from Georgia (USA)
John from Georgia (USA): Seems like politics and politicians haven't changed much in the past 2,000 years, does it? --Rod in Pixley (CA)
It says that there was a large crowd. The city is in turmoil. I'm not sure we know which "public opinion" we are looking at. "The public" is multifaceted. Even God used Biblical writers who had an opinion from their position in the very early church, to write our Gospels
Shalom
Pasthersyl
Nail Bender, whoever and wherever you are, thank you for your wonderful illustrations. Preacher Pat
Am just getting going this week. It is rather interesting to read this story in the other three gospels. There is a feel about Jesus' entry into Jersalem that reminds me of the concept of "planned spontenaity". However, the path I think I will be pursuing is that of this a "Parade to Hell (and Back)! Jesus seems to know where he is going and that his actions will lead to his dimise yet he still "provokes". Not sure just where this is leading me. Suggestions wanted. Deke of the North
This past Saturday evening our boys basketball team took the state title in their division. First time in history, as far as I know, for our guys. On Sunday afternoon, when the players returned, the towns and surrounding countryside all turned out to welcom them. Fire engines, ambulances, any official-looking vehicle, or noisy or big or whatever! They were welcomed into town in a grand parade! Was that what Palm Sunday was like for Jesus? Except with a religious application? At any rate, in a previous parish, I remember a young man in the community who was a tremendous athlete in high school. Went off to college, and no longer was he number one, receiving all the attention. He was just another guy. Supposedly, he couldn't stand it, and ended up commiting suicide. He was a nice guy. Sometimes triumph and tragedy aren't that far apart. I'm not sure where to go with this in a sermon, but I couldn't help but be struck by the proximity triumph and tragedy. Stan in No. Wis.
I am just wondering what people are doing with the split Palm/Passion Sunday emphasis. The lectionary and many commentaries would have us go to the Passion narrative because so many Sunday worshippers will not attend Holy Week services. Is that simply giving in to the apathy? Should we not encourage people to follow Jesus to the cross in the services of Holy Week? Or should we remember the whole Passion this Sunday and then experience it during the week? Should we have a sermon based on this Gospel text or should we use the Passion Gospel as the main Gospel with no sermon? I am stuck, especially as the church where I am serving as an intern pastor has never done a Passion narrative Sunday and does not have readers willing to do a whole reading of the Passion narrative. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated--New at This.
I am wondering what you are all planning to do with the split Palm/Passion Sunday emphasis. The lectionary and many commentaries would have us go to the Passion narrative because so many Sunday morning worshippers will not attend Holy Week services. Is that not giving into the apathy? Should we not call people to follow Jesus to the cross and not abandon him like thecrowd that welcomed him into Jerusalem? Or should we make sure that people do hear the narrative, instead of simply hearingreferences to Jesus' death and what kind of king he is etc. in our sermons? Should we have this Gospel as our primary Gospel with a sermon or should we use it in opening of the service and then read the Passion narrative instead of a sermon? I am stuck, especially since the church I am serving as intern has never used the Passion narrative for this Sunday and we do not have readers willing to read the narrative. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!--New at This
I am offering this up for those who are overwhelmed by the length of this lectionary passage. I don't preach on this text for that very reason. It's just too long. The reading of the passage can take at least ten minutes. And I don't think it is giving in to apathy. We have to reach people wherever they are. It would be nice if everyone would come to Maundy Thursday service or Good Friday service. But the reality is they don't.
When I was doing my internship, the teaching pastor did something different for this day. She used drama to present the scripture passage for Palm/Passion Sunday. She showed me where I could find it which was in the "The New Handbook of the Christian Year."
The drama it presents is simply the reading of the scripture passage with different voices for each character. There is a narrator to read all non-speaking parts. One person read Jesus' part, another read Peter's, and still another read Judas, and so on. My teaching pastor had put the script in the bulletin so that everyone could read the crowd's part which was "Crucify him!" But that is a huge undertaking and takes a lot of time. In the last ten years of my ministry, I've simply had several of the readers read that part loudly. Usually the ones who are stationed in or around the congregation.
This I believe is an effective way of presenting the passion story without diluting it or cutting it up. It also presents the passion story to those who may not hear the story at any other time. And when it is done dramatically, it takes up 15-20 minutes, so a sermon would be too much and maybe even a let down.
But I don't neglect the Palm Sunday aspect. I usually begin the service with everyone outside (or in the narthex - they've usually been small enough to do that). The liturgist reads a call to worship with the congregation. I read the passage of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Then everyone process in with the acolytes leading the way, the children following with palms and in turn, followed by the choir. I enter next and the congregation follows last. As we enter the sanctuary, we sing a Palm Sunday hymn.
The whole thing is a momentous undertaking, but can be very rewarding. I've had some positive feedback in my last four churces and I can't remember any negative ones. However, this is my first Palm/Passion Sunday with this church (my fifth!). And it will be the first time I will not be using the Passion reading because the choir will be doing a cantata called, appropriately enough, "Tenebre." So we are still offering the Passion story, but through music!
Hopes this helps.
Peace,
Brandon in CA
Oops! I forgot to change the beginning since I used it first on the Liturgy of the Passion section. It should be I don't preach on the Passion passage because it's too long. And I don't preach on the Liturgy of the Palms because I believe we need to include the Passion story.
Brandon in CA
It seems at times as if public opinion sways like a palm branch, eh?
I couldn't resist, OK. preacher
My friends,
I offered this up last year during the Liturgy of the Palms. It still seems appropriate. I think our question might be -- "Who do we welcome?"
So we come to this place do we not. Standing by the road and singing Hosanna to the conqueror. Singing because he is the one who has come to release us. We welcome him because he is our king, he is in our image and we are his people. He is the one who comforts us. He is the one who affirms us. He is the one who makes us whole. He is the one who is on our side. And so, here we stand, singing our Hosannas, waving mightily, hoping that finally, he will stand with us against all the bad of the world, against those powers which alter our lives, against those people and things which we declare as sinful.
But wait, what do you mean that this is the one who ate with sinners? No, it can't be true that this is the one who allows the tax-collector to come and be with him. And certainly, what about this breaking of the Sabbath, or causing a riot in the temple?
What do you mean, "Woe onto me because I am filled?" What do you mean, "Woe onto me because I laugh?" And why are you calling me to give to that person who begs of me? What have they done to deserve my gift? They are not working. All they do is collect welfare and have more babies. What do you mean, if they beg, give to them?
What do you mean that because I enjoy the riches that I have worked hard for that I can't also serve God? I have worked hard all of my life and I deserve this wealth. No one gave it to me, I earned it!
And I'm not going to turn my cheek. If they hit me, I'm going to hit them back! If they try to take what I have, well I'll kill if I have to! There is no way that I give my love to the one who wants to hurt me. Are you crazy?
Maybe you are not the King I hoped for. Get off that colt you faker! I thought you were someone who was coming to care for me. But all you do is point at me and offend me. Well, I have news for you, you faker, we have something for you - we can deal with people like you. Oh yes, we can.
I thought you were someone of power and strength, but you are not that someone at all. I want a King who is glorious and mighty, but instead you tell me to wash someone's feet. I want someone who looks like me, but you don't look like me at all.
Don't weep for me you faker. Don't weep for me you imposter! Don't weep for me you…you…you…JEW!
Crucify him! Crucify him! Crucify him!
We despise you…you…you…you…
Christ!
CRUCIFY HIM!
Shalom, Nail-Bender in NC
to nail bender : lovely idea. i was working with something of the same. mine is " love and the real man". this follows the concept from the rcl readings beginning at genesis to tthe presnet reading raading of Matt. showing how God's love was ment for us.
Heroes. They welcomed us as conquering heroes. They danced around us, each wanting to extend a hand or give us a slap on the back. The men beckoned to us, wanting us to join them in their game of bowls, and the women served us their strong Bosnian coffee, served us with warm smiles and affirming hugs. They had always seemed glad to see us, maybe because we would bring a little extra food or some item of clothing which they would otherwise have gone without, these broken and battered people, these refugees. Or perhaps it was just because our coming broke up the monotonous sameness of their daily existence. Either way, this time the greeting was different. Much different. Heroes.
Except we certainly didn't choose this accolade. In fact, one might say that not only didn't we welcome the praise, but that we were deeply troubled by it … to the core troubled … laying at wake at night in the blackness of the darkened room troubled, struggling with the darkness of our soul troubled. But our discomfort really didn't matter, for we were still welcomed as heroes, welcomed by these people who had lost everything, their homes, their neighborhoods, their children and spouses. Welcomed by people who desperately needed some news of hope.
Our new found fame had been generated by an event that happened a few days before on February 28th. In a violation of the NATO no-fly order, Serbian jets had been launched and had attacked Bosnian targets in Herzegovina. American jets had intercepted the Serbs and destroyed four of them. Four jets down. Four lives destroyed. And to these battered people who could go nowhere else … celebration.
It was no wonder that we were hailed as heroes. After all, we were American military members. After all, the jets had come from our air base, our home. After all, the folks who worked for me had launched those jets. It's no wonder, no wonder at all. Heroes, part of the process of hope, part of their rescue, rescue for these people who knew so much pain.
In a village across the spans of time, in a village separated by a few hundred miles, another young man was also welcomed. They gathered before him and shouted into the heavens. "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!!!" Then, a few hours later, this young man would stand on a hill and cry, cry because he had come to bring peace, cry because they refused to know him. He would cry because they met him with palms waved to a conquering hero. And in my bed, sleep would not come, for I knew that without a doubt, I too would have raised those palms and would have joined the shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David -- the son who comes to destroy my enemy." I too, would reject the Christ. I too, have killed the son of God.
Heroes.
Shalom,
Nail-Bender in NC
In order to get the two texts (and if not the full texts, then the feel of the texts) opposed to one another I have preached on "Were You There?," singing the famous song and telling the story of one who followed Christ from the triumphant entry to the crucifixion in between verses. This allows the congregation, in a brief time frame to "witness" the key events of this day. I want the people to sense the shift from the palms to the branches. Folding palm fronds into crosses for a children's sermon brings the point home as well.
Having both Palm and Passion together makes for a wonderful emotional roller coaster.
JD in AK
I have been thinkingabout those who were outsiders and insiders to the parade. The insiders were those who had follwed Jesus into to the city. They were : the strippers: taking off there clothes to path a path; singers: sang a blues song with the beat abab: ie.Hosanna; shakers: shoot those palm branches. The outsiders were those who asked two questions: what is going on her and who is he? Sometimes I need as a minister to spend sometime as an outsider to the Palm Sunday storyand wonder what it might be for me to strip: take off my layers to get closer to Jesus; sing the blues of sorry and joy ; shake by body as I excite with notonly enthusiam but to committment to follow Jesus. I'm trying to flush out these three images . Suggestions welcome. Bob. Ontario, Canada
I have to preach on the Palm Sunday story to a church with maybe a hundred children present. I want to talk about sincere and insincere worship. I need some illustrations. Anyone gotr any ideas?
Steve in UK
Hi all.
A couple years ago, I preached on the "Triumphal Entry," and likened it NOT to a heroes welcome parade, but to a protest march. Jesus was protesting what we had made the world into, by our headlong rush away from God.
However, he was also protesting FOR something, that the love and grace and forgiveness of God had come into the world specifically FOR those who were/are running away.
I'm not preaching this year (we managed to find enough readers!), but I thought this might help a bit.
Rick in Canada, eh?
Thanks Bob and Rick (Canadian, eh!). Bob, your thoughts about the insiders and outsiders struck a cord with me this morning. And it was a sense of the discord of the two elements. I am not a musical person, but my mind heard major and minor tunes being played at the same time. Was this discord a melody for the rest of the week. I had submitted earlier this week that I saw the procession as a parade to hell (and back). The hell for Jesus was the aloneness of being misunderstood, betrayed, denied, falsely accused, mocked and physically abused, ultimately to be hanged on the cross. These events also show us the humanness of Jesus. Do we confront these same hells in our lives. I don't like to rush past Good Friday, because hell needs to be named, but it doesn't end there, does it? We are given the chance to come back from hell just as Jesus did. Comments welcome. Deke of the North
Jesus seemed to meet the people in their culture, in their language, in their time. The language of the people here is PALM SUNDAY.....which is the entry into the Passion. May we be empowered to preach in such a way that invites people to come and enter into the Passion on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
Hi - I am sticking with the Palm Sunday lections, as we are doing not only a Good Friday drama but also an Easter Cantata that begins with the anointing at Bethany and goes right through to the commissioning of the disciples. So - 'nuff Passion!
I have kids in church through the whole service, so would like to tell the story of the procession into Jerusalem from a child's perspective, including the child's traditional paticipation in the Passover meal, since we are celebrating communion (my church is a bit uneasy about children and communion). A child's wondering about the joy of the "parade" and the foretaste of the crucifixion in the Last Supper.
Anyone ever done anything like this? Any suggestions for a story line?
Heidi, Manitoba (that's Canada for you Americans)
A steadfast God in a fickle world...
kdb
To all:
I am using the title "The Paradox of Praise Preceeding Passion. I have one or two ideas, but would like to hear from you good people.
Thanks
Doc in OK
My intent is to connect the Phil 2, "mind of Christ" passage with the Palm Sunday Processional Gospel from Matthew 21 and try to "get inside the mind of Christ" on that occasion. The crowds may have been cheering and creating an atmosphere of triumph - but I believe the mind of Christ was quite different. For Him this processional was a sealing of His "fate" on the Friday that would follow. His Palm Sunday entrance into Jerusalem caused such a stir that it forced His enemies to intensify their efforts to destroy Him. And Jesus knew that His Palm Sunday "splash" was going to have that effect. His determination to go to Golgotha to redeem this world of lost sinners had now intensified to its maximum level. There was no turning back - and that was our Lord's intent and plan. I've decided to go with the theme: "Dead Man Riding" - a take-off on the film, "Dead Man Walking" and its concept of the death row prisoner taking his last steps toward the place of his execution. I believe that those thoughts were filling the mind of our Lord on that first Palm Sunday. So call it what you will, "Coronation Parade?" - Yes, I suppose so. "Triumphant Entry?" - Yes, at least in minds of the crowds and His disciples. But to Jesus, it was "Crunch Time Toward Calvary". That picture brings to mind the words of Paul in Romans 5:8 - "But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." - Dick in San Diego
Just got something new from mulling over comments in HomileticsOnline, that Daughter of Zion was a King James misnomer. It should be Daughter Zion.
Homiletics editors also were puzzling over why The Mystery of the Two Donkeys in Matthew's version, a mother donkey and her colt. I suddenly saw this as a wedding procession. Using The Church's One Foundation, I'll talk about the way weddings were done then (as in Matthew's account of wise and foolish bridesmaids and his numerous other references to weddings).
Though I don't like limiting God to "male" images, the metaphor of waiting for the bridegroom-redeemer in that culture works well here: "As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you" (See Isaiah 62:1-5).
The solution to the mystery is that the colt is for us if we are truly ready and waiting to marry Christ. Are we ready to ride by his side knowing it means a life of servanthood (Phil.2), knowing it leads to the cross?
Another possibility I had considered on servanthood was comparing well-intentioned Judas serving the zealots' political agenda, hoping to force Jesus' hand, and the difference between serving God and serving human ideals, using a monologue of the mother of the man who spoke so compellingly of God and justice but is now hanging on a tree. Only at her last word do you realize she is Judas' grieving mother. (But I'm leaning more toward the Mystery of the Two Donkeys.)
Anne in Providence
Anne in Providence,
I am interested in the monologue you mentioned. Is it a published work?
Adam in Indiana
This is an excerpt from Jack Kingsbury's commentary, Matthew as Story, p.81:
"...Jesus heals, in conjunction with his cleansing the temple, the blind and lame who come to him, persons otherwise forbidden entrance to the temple. This prompts children who are also present in the temple to acclaim Jesus with shouts of "Hosanna to the Son of David!" Witnessing the healings and hearing the shouts, the chief priests and the scribes, incited to indignation, call Jesus to task for his acceptance of the acclamation of children. Jesus silences them with the retort that if they could properly read scripture, they would know that the children's acclamation of him as the Son of David constitutes the fulfillment of prophecy.
"...the irony of this scene is apparent: just as the Jewish crowds hailed Jesus as the Son of David upon his entry into Jerusalem but could not perceive the truth of their words (for once they get into Jerusalem and are asked who this Jesus is, they reply that he is 'the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee' 21:10-11), so now the religious leaders have heard the children hail Jesus as the Son of David but cannot perceive the truth of their words. The children, who are weak and not powerful in the Jewish society of Matthew's story, "see" and "confess" what Israel cannot, namely, that Jesus is its Davidic Messiah.
Tigger in ND
However, Douglas Hare in his Matthew commentary explains that the people saying that Jesus is a prophet (21:10-11) does not exclude the fact that he is also the Davidic Messiah.
Hare also says, "How easy it is for us to think that by celebrating Palm Sunday we acknowledge Jesus as king in a way that Jerusalem failed to do! We need constantly to be humbled by those harsh words that remind us of the superficiality of our Hosannas: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven." (7:21, NRSV).
Tigger in ND
Query: how many of you are going with the traditional meaning of hosanna as a praise versus those who are taking the position from the translation that it is a cry to be saved?
re: children's sermon-- the pastor at my church is focusing on Jesus's weeping. engaging kids about when and why they cry as a tie in to the humanity of Christ who too cried.
M.E.
Indiana Adam,
It was a piece I had written and sometimes sang to a nondescript lament. It went something like this:
He was my son./He was a boy who did no harm./He always cared for me and now he's gone./He used to talk about a better world./He worked so hard to set us free from all that's wrong./But now he's hanging from a tree and I am left alone./ My Judas, gone!
If it's useful to you, fancy it up and use it. Anne in Providence
March 27 1999 Interesting to hear that many of you also had a struggle with which way to go on Palm Sunday - the Passion? the Palms? I made the decision to treat Palm Sunday as Palm Sunday! I remember many times feeling quite frustrated that the "cart seemed to be before the horse" in the way the minister was preaching on the Passion, and we hadn't even celebrated(?) the Palm Procession and Jesus' triumphant entry!
To me, the Palm procession and the "walk from Death Row to the Execution Chamber" during the following week are part and parcel of the theology that touches believers so deeply. After all, isn't that a similar mixture of joy and sorrow that happens on a daily basis in our world?
I am going to base my sermon on the event of the palms, drawing in the fact that it is an ironic prelude to the events that follow. I will try to apply this painful mixture of joy and sorrow to our lives today, knowing that it is only in Jesus that we can cope with the range of events in this world.
I appreciate "Dick in San Diego"'s emphasis on the "Mind of Christ" (Phil.2) and its connection with the palm event. Thanks, Dick!
Brenda in New Brunswick
Another Canadian!!!!
You're welcome, Brenda. Blessings on your Palm Sunday proclamation of the Gospel! Dick in San Diego
Anne in Providence: I read your lament for a son as coming from the lips of God . . now isn't that strange? kbc in sc
kbc in sc, Thank you for sharing that. She's a bigger God than we can see till others enlarge our vision. Bless you. Anne in Providence
If this would happen today we would be waiting for our Lord to arrive in a limo, yet here would come Jesus in an old Volkswagen. If he stopped in front of you, would you open his door for him? Jimmy in Florida