The passion narrative of Jesus is a great example how the truth gets twisted or corrupted in order to justify possession of power. In this case, it is Jesus, the truth, who get twisted and nailed. Every group that at one time had befriended Jesus now found reason to reject him. The Zealots hate his pacifism, the pharisees hate his confronting their legalism, the scribes hate that he ate with sinners, the Saducees hate that he believes in the Resurrection, the Disciples hate that he is determined to go to Jerusalem. Each group, in their own way, reject, betray, deny, and forsake him.
The more Jesus tells the truth, the more they reject him. Finally, it is the ultimate question from the High Priest that indicts him: "Are you the Messiah the Son of God?"
I want to preach on "Jesus Christ & the cast of 1oo's - Caiphas, Peter, Judas, Barrabas" any ideas? rj in md
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.
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 momentous undertaking. 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.
Peace,
Brandon in CA
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 hearing references 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
In the past, I have divided the readings by singing verses of the hymns, given a short sermon (last year on the specifics of crucifixion), always ending with "What Wondrous Love is This?". This year, I've decided to do something different. I plan to tell the story from the viewpoint of an 8-12 year old boy who went to Jerusalem for Passover for the first time, got involved in the Palm Sunday crowd, and watched the events of Holy Week from the sidelines -- as curious boys will do. We will break the telling by the same hymns. I like the idea of the dramatic readings, I simply haven't prepared by congregation for it.
Wish me luck. It's Tuesday, and I haven't started my storytelling outline yet!
RevJan
The Sunday of the Passion is typically the longest service of the year for us. Being in an Anglican parish, with three congregations on three islands, it gets to be a challenge to get it all in - but it is quite possible. First of all, simply acknowledge to the people that this Sunday is different, and don't apologise. Second, yes, the reading is long, but done well it is very powerful. That's why this Sunday, in the old Roman rite, came to be known as "The Sunday of the Passion" - it stuck in people's minds (the traditions associated with Jesus' entry into Jerusalem were derived from the practice of the church in Jeruslam - and we are now heirs to both of these traditions). I usually preach a shorter sermon than usual, but not overly so.
The cycle of readings means that each year one of the synoptic gospels is read. I try and focus on what it is that is unique to that passion - what does Luke say, Mark, and Matthew? Matthew has, of course, the great quotation from Psalm 22, and that's enough to keep one going for awhile. Or you could focus on the odd things that happened when Jesus died - the raising of the saints.
But don't shortchange the people on the Passion. The Bible was meant to be read aloud in the community of the faithful - let the Word be heard in its full majesty.
Bruce on Pender Island, BC
How about a musical metaphor? There are indeed those who are in church Palm Sunday who will miss the drama of Holy Week and just show up for the finale: Easter Sunday. What about today's gospel as the overture to the symphony of Holy Week? All the "themes" are there -- not fleshed out, the way they will be during the week -- but they're there. Don't quite know where to go from there, but the concept intrigues me. Thoughts?? Susan in SanPedro
Thanks Bruce!
You are right, we deprive God's people of something special if we reduce the story into easily digestable sound bytes!
Don't apologize. Tell the story. Or, rather, let it tell itself!
Rick in Canada, eh?
I agree completely! If I had to choose between the reading of the Gospel or preaching I would let the Gospel stand for itself and not preach. We will be doiong all the lections this Sunday - Entrance in to Jerusalem to exit on the cross. The homily will be very short and the theme that seems to rn through all the readings is contained in Paul's, "Let the same mind be in you that is in Christ Jesus." Who in this whole drama has the mind of Christ?
Thanks for the great ideas and thoughts. Deke in Texas Pax et Bonem - And welcome Deke of the North!
I did the dramatic reading last year, including the congregational parts. Very effective and powerful. However, I've decided this year to preach from only a portion of the passion narrative, as we'll be reading the whole thing on Good Friday's Tenebrae (Service of Shadows). I've chosen to read only 26:14-35 ... betrayal, betrayal and more betrayal, penetrated by Jesus' announcement of a new covenant of forgiveness written in his blood. Yes it's Friday and I'm still not sure where I'll go with this, but I think this segment makes so many foreshadowy references to the trial and crucifixion that we'll be OK. Of course I'm also going to find a way to tell my folks that if they don't come on Good Friday for the whole story, they might as well stay at home on Easter SUnday morning. : ) Any ideas about how to make that point without running everybody off? Kay
In 1965 (a couple of millenia too late, I might add) the bishops of the Roman Church said: "True, authorities of the Jews and those who followed their lead pressed for the death of Christ, still, what happened in His passion cannot be blamed on all the Jews then living, without distinction, nor upon the Jews of today." (Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions.") This being so, one cannot say that we Christians put Jesus to death either..even if by this we are referring to our sins. So I do not encourage people participating in the reading of the passion of Christ to cry out "Crucify him" even though this is sometimes suggested in arrangements of the Passion narrative. Better to have them chant the Taize version of "Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom." --Joe from Maine
Dear last minute Friends,
This year we will begin the worship service with the "Palm Sunday" Processional Gospel and then move into the rest of the service, also reading the long Passion narative.
I'm still struggling with my sermon(ette) but I found a quote from a Professor Robin Scroggs (professor of Biblical Theology at Union Theol. Sem. in New York, in PROCLAMATION 6 p.11) that I find intriguing. And it has led me to some unlikely - yet helpful thoughts. He says: today we "plunge at once and suddenly into what piety describes as the central most profound mystery of Christianity and [also] what skepticism suspects is the greatest absurdity."
That is the tension of Holy Week isn't it for us and for our world. It is the tension between mystery and absurdity.
Professor Scroggs also suggests - these are my understanding of his words not necessarily direct quotes from him - that the events of this week are ultimately a supreme act of FAITH on Jesus' part. Even as Jesus moves toward the cross confident somehow that this was his Father's will, he still had to do so also aware of the possibility - at least - that he could really be wrong. If he is wrong, then he loses everything on the cross.
Yet winning and losing, of course always depends on one's perspective. "According to the rules of power set by the world. Jesus had indeed lost everything" by Friday. By Friday evening he lay in a borrowed grave. "But what if Jesuw as playing by a different set of rules - rules where power means something radically different. Suppose power for Jesus is the power that serves rather than dominates? [What if power for Jesus is the ability to serve even to the point of being willing to give your life away for the sake of others?] Then who wins?" (Maybe - in some mysterious way - we all win.)
Grace and Peace, Jerry in MN