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4 April - Lent 6 Palm Sunday

Very Rev Lawrie Hampton

The Readings

These notes are based on the lectionary readings for Palm Sunday

Isaiah 50: 4-9 The word “servant” doesn’t appear in this passage, but it bears a strong resemblance to the other “servant songs” in Deutero-Isaiah. (For this term see the notes for 14 March). The speaker in this poem is that ideal character, dedicated to the Lord, who appears in the other servant songs: Is 42: 1-4, 49: 1-6; 52:13 to 53:15. The notion of the servant as one who suffers is introduced here (verse 6), and worked out more fully in the last and best known of the servant songs. The servant learns from God in order to teach others (vs 4 & 5), and when this brings persecution he takes insults and humiliation without retaliating, indeed bares his back to the lash, and offering his cheek to those who inflict on him the ultimate humiliation – pulling out the hairs of his beard. He puts his trust in the eternal God to vindicate him.

Psalm 118: 1-2, 18-29 Luther said that this was his favourite Psalm. He said, “This is my Psalm which I love – for truly it has deserved well of me many a time, and has delivered me from many a sore affliction when neither the Emperor nor kings nor the wise nor the cunning nor the saints were able or willing to help me.” (Quoted in Weiser’s commentary on the Psalms.) Weiser goes on, “The psalm is powerful testimony to the strength of faith that flows from the direct experience of the help of God and in gratitude and joyful surrender to him is able to overcome all human afflictions and fears.”
This part of the psalm was evidently chosen for Palm Sunday for its references to the opening of the gates of righteousness, the cry Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord, and to the festal procession.

Philippians 2: 5-11 One of the best known and most frequently quoted passages from Paul’s letters. It is thought that Paul might have been quoting an early Christian hymn. As it stands, this is a summary of Paul’s understanding of the person of Christ. It seems a pity that the lectionary has us omit the first four verses of the chapter, which introduce this poem, and which outline some of the qualities that ought to be found in those people who heed the injunction to let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.

Luke 19: 28-40 or John 12: 12-18 The lectionary this week gives us the luxury of choosing either Luke’s or John’s version of the events of Palm Sunday. The event is described in all four Gospels. John’s version differs in some respects from the others: he has already told us in chapter 11 that the raising of Lazarus from death has led many to put their faith in Jesus, it has also reinforced the determination of the authorities to have him done away with. Now (v 9) they determine to do away with both Jesus the giver of life, and Lazarus, whose life was given back to him. For John this is not (as in the other Gospels) Jesus’ first coming to Jerusalem. John does not tell us of the elaborate arrangements (reported in detail by the other writers) for obtaining the ass for Jesus to ride on. Only John tells us that the crowd had palm branches. Only he explains that at the time the disciples did not understand what Jesus had done, but that it became clear to them later. And John alone tells us of the despair of the Pharisees: You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!

Palm branches were a symbol of victory and rejoicing after war. The quotation from Zechariah (9:9, but read also v 10) makes it clear that the king comes not only in humility, but more importantly as one who brings peace to the nations. Both the crowds who cheered and the authorities who plotted misunderstood totally the nature of Jesus’ Messiahship.

Preaching

To tell the truth, it was not much of a procession. A gaggle of nondescript men from the countryside, a few fishermen, a former tax-collector, a handful of assorted hangers-on, a group of women, wending their way into the city. With a man riding a donkey. Nothing at all compared, say, to a detachment of Caesar’s troops marching into Jerusalem, drums beating, bugles blowing, drawn lances glinting in the sunshine. Now, there was a spectacle to strike fear into the heart of any Jew who had rebellious thoughts against the might of imperial Rome.

You can’t imagine anyone feeling threatened by this disorganised rabble, even though there were people lining the road, waving branches in the air and cheering them on. And their leader? That man on the donkey was no one special. A village carpenter, people said, a carpenter turned travelling preacher and healer, someone from a small rural village that city people made jokes about: Nazareth. Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?

No, even though there were shouts that claimed this man was some kind of king, Caesar in his imperial palace in Rome could sleep peacefully, and even his local representative, Pontius Pilate wasn’t likely to have to call out the guard to deal with this lot.

A king on a plodding donkey? Yes, he was cheered on by his followers, and welcomed by others who knew little about him except that it was said he had performed miracles, even brought a man back from death. So yes, they shouted their heads off. It would have been a great relief to this man’s followers to bellow their cheers of excitement. It would be a welcome change from the doom and gloom talk they’d been hearing over the last week or two… But if Governor Pilate had leaned out his window and seen it, it was such a poor, ramshackle affair that it wouldn’t have troubled him. In Dorothy Sayers’ Man Born to be King plays, she has Pilate and his wife coming across the procession as they drive through the streets in their chariot. They stop for a look. Pilate says, “Looks harmless enough. Not a very distinguished following, I must say.” His wife replies, “Oh, Caius, it’s pretty. Look at the little children! Aren’t they sweet?” And so with their platitudes they dismiss this silly procession, and this peasant, Jesus, whom his poor followers were calling a king. Pilate could never have guessed that this caricature of a king would be remembered, honoured, and loved and served by millions twenty centuries on into history. And he could never have guessed that he, a senior officer of the great Roman Empire with wide authority, would have a place in history for one thing only: for the part he played in the judicial execution of this carpenter/prophet/king.

That’s the way a Palm Sunday sermon might begin. Enough, I hope, to get you going in your own direction!

Prayers

Call to worship

This is Palm Sunday.
On this day Jesus rode into Jerusalem, and was greeted by cheering crowds waving palm branches.
 Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
 Hosanna in the heavens!

Prayer

Lord God, great in your mystery, deeper than we can fathom, more glorious than we can imagine.
always the same in your holiness and your grace:
 we lift to you mind, heart, and spirit, and offer ourselves to you
 in these words and songs of worship.
Lord Jesus Christ, as you once entered Jerusalem, meek and humble,
so you come every day to lives that are open to your coming.
 King of peace, Man of sorrows, crucified Saviour, living Lord, we welcome you,
 we honour you, we trust you, we love you, today and every day. Amen.

You see us, eternal God, here at worship. You know us. You know why we are here today.
You know the secret thoughts and feelings we have brought with us to this place of worship.
 You know us. And you go on loving us. So we make no excuses. We do not pretend.
 We hold nothing back from you. We are glad that we can be ourselves in your presence;
 glad that you accept us, welcome us, that you love us and freely forgive us
 in the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ, we follow you today along the road thick with many palms and loud with many cheers.
We see you striding resolutely along the shadowed pathway of this holy week
to be betrayed, tried, crucified, and killed.
Make us brave to walk with you, loved and forgiven, ready to grow in trust, understanding and humility.
Teach us, as we share this week with you, how to love, and how to forgive.
 Lord Jesus Christ, be with me today, and bring me, bring us all, through life’s hard times
 to the victory you have won.
 May I know joy with you and with your people for ever. Amen.