John 12:12-16

Prayer for Understanding

God of truth and wisdom, Jesus, your Living Word, confronted those who stood against him with your truth. Send us your Holy Spirit to hear your truth again in his story. Inspire us with his courage and conviction that we may love you more fully and serve you with wisdom and truth. Amen.

There has been much written about the procession that Jesus led into Jerusalem on that day.

It was a day when the one that had been identified as the Messiah rode into Jerusalem and was greeted by the crowd

Often Palm Sunday is a day of joyful celebration

We may wave palm branches

We have the children sing and lead a procession

We sing hosanna!

This day is also Passion Sunday, the day we begin the journey to Good Friday

Passion Sunday continues with the subdued mood of Lent and expands upon it

Given the choice, I prefer the Palm Sunday readings

The ones that remind us that there is reason to celebrate

On that day those who were in the streets lined up and took the branches of palm trees to greet Jesus

They greeted him as the one who comes in the name of the Lord and as the King of Israel

The crowd was boisterous in greeting Jesus

No one could miss what was happening

If only this was where the story ended.

For the last five weeks we have heard dialogues at the sermon time, where a character who was supposed to have been present at the time of one of the stories of Jesus gives his or her point of view

This character would have a talk with a pastor, and through their conversation understanding of the gospel story would be revealed

The dialogue for this week was between a pastor and an angel

The angel had some strong words for the pastor

The angel’s words are attention getting, but also at bit irreverent and I thought didn’t set the right tone for a Sunday when we were to celebrate communion

It seems that the angel and the angel’s colleagues were not at all impressed by the way people had treated Jesus

Knowing that the Son of God took upon himself human form for the sake of humanity, the angel felt that people were ungrateful and just plain wrong in the way we treated Jesus

Jesus had been humble; people should be the same

This same feeling is found in one of the songs we sing at Christmas “No Room”

One of the lines is “angels in heaven up yonder, watch with amazement and wonder to see the son of the highest treated so”

It seems to us that the heavenly beings must wonder what makes people tick

Jesus was the best teacher who ever lived, he healed people, he answered the questions that were brought to him and he gave new insight to the teachings from God

Jesus showed us what grace is

It would seem logical to think that the heavenly beings would shake their heads at the rejection that Jesus endured and still does today

In spite of what heavenly beings might or might not think, Jesus accepted the role that God gave to him because Jesus loves us

Jesus knew what was in store for him, and still he come to earth to bring us salvation and to show us God’s love

His mission was to take on the form of a slave for the sake of humanity

The point of view of the angel in the dialogue that I mentioned is one that is judgmental where people are concerned

The point of view of Jesus is that we are worth the effort he made on our behalf

Point of view can enrich our understanding of the story of the Triumphal entry

Take a moment and imagine that you were there on that day

The day of the triumphal entry

You are standing in a place that allows you to see Jesus sitting on the back of a colt

The others in the crowd are waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord – the King of Israel!”

You know that Hosanna is a joyful Aramaic exclamation of praise, used in the major Jewish religious festivals

Originally it was an appeal for deliverance

The Hebrew hosiana, means please save

It came to be used in worship as an expression of joy and praise for deliverance granted or anticipated. (biblestudytools.com)

You know that the word hosanna in and of itself is a word that gives praise due to God and asks for deliverance

You are caught up in the fervor around you

You had seen Jesus before today

He was teaching in your neighbourhood once

You knew that he had been a dinner guest at the home of a Pharisee and at that dinner an outcast woman had washed his feet

And he had said to the woman “Go in peace”

You knew that he had healed a blind man who others ignored

You knew he had upset polite company

He had befriended isolated people

And had welcomed the stranger (A Wee Worship Book. Page 84)

And that day when he was in your neighbourhood and saw you in the crowd

You looked at him and saw love and welcome

And the troubles that you carried with you

The troubles that you kept as a secret, were now less of a burden because of what Jesus said

He had said “I am the Good Shepherd”

And as you listened to Jesus on that day and heard him say that he was the good shepherd

You knew that the good shepherd was there to care for you as much as he would care for the disciples, or Mary, Martha and Lazarus

You could see in the face of Jesus the countenance of God lifted up to you

You could hear in his words an invitation to be born from above

And you knew that you no longer had to hide who you were

And now today you are part of the crowd waving palm branches and shouting hosanna

The hosanna means you hope for deliverance from Jesus

You already have the assurance that you are delivered from your personal demons

But maybe finally there will be recognition that this gentle, strong, caring dedicated man is the sort of leader that Israel needs

Maybe, maybe this time there will be justice and truth governing the people

And so you shout “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord – the King of Israel!”

It is the expression of a hope that the oppressor will be overthrown

And then you start to think about what Jesus is doing now

He is riding into Jerusalem where the powers that be are located

He has challenged authority

He has firmly shown that he loves the poor, the women and the outcast

He is probably riding into trouble

And you wonder why he in not more concerned about his own safety

Why would he be so heedless?

And then you realize that the love that drew you to the Good Shepherd also will motivate the Good Shepherd to be firmly consistent

That Jesus who stood up and taught will also stand up in the face of adversity

And you know that you are able to trust all that he said because of who he is

This is a story about Jesus doing something remarkable

What if it is also a story that helps us to believe that this remarkable Jesus is involved in our lives?

Not just that Jesus knows about us

Not just that we know about Jesus

But that we are in Jesus’s heart and he is in our heart

We don’t just know about each other we know each other

Consider

When Jesus chose to ride into Jerusalem, he was casting his lot with ordinary people

He was bringing attention to himself at a time that the smart move would have been to lay low

He was riding on a donkey instead of quietly walking into town

He had cared about the poor, the women, the outcast

He had challenged the teachers of the day

And he was not going to back down

We know what comes after this day

That Jesus will suffer so we know that when we are suffering God understands and cares for us.

Jesus is utterly alone by the end of the story so when we feel alone, we know that God understands and is with us.

Jesus cries out in despair

So when we become convinced the whole world has conspired against us and feel ready to give up,

We know that God understands and holds onto us.

Jesus dies so we know that God understands death and the fear of death and reminds us that death does not have the last word.

All that we see and hear, all that we read and sing, all of this is for us.

When the incarnation reaches its climax in the crucifixion,

We remember that God becomes like us in Jesus so that we may become like God. (Athanasius)

And when we look at the cross we remember as the divine exchange where Jesus takes our life and lot that we may enjoy his righteousness and victory. (Martin Luther)

(David Lose. Working Preacher)

Jesus went from the Triumphal Entry to the events of Holy Week

On Thursday he would institute the Lord’s Supper

And as he showed oneness with humanity riding on the back of a colt

So, he invites us to be one with him in this sacrament that we will observe this morning as we eat and drink in remembrance of him

Invitation to the Offering As we begin our journey through Holy Week today, we remember what Jesus faced, how the crowd cheered him one day and called for his death by week’s end. Close friends betrayed him and ran away. In our offering, we declare our love and loyalty to Jesus and his ministry in the world God loves. Let us show our faithfulness to him in the gifts we offer today.

Prayer of Dedication

Lord Jesus, we offer our gifts to God in your name. Compared with the gift you gave for our sakes, what we can offer seems so small. Bless our gifts with your love so that they have power to accomplish more than we can even imagine for your sake. Receive our humble thanks and bless our lives, too, so that what we do and say will show we have the commitment to follow you, whatever the cost. Amen.

Teach response – “Lord in your mercy” “hear our prayer”

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession

Creator of the universe, Redeemer of all creation,

you made the world in beauty, yet too often it is filled with ugly realities.

We trust that you are at work in all situations, restoring and renewing all things.

On this day, we find the courage of Jesus inspiring

so we pray that those in need will find such courage, too,

as your gift to make a difference in the challenges they face.

 

Hear us as we bring to you our concerns,

and send your redeeming power to touch our lives and your world once more.

 

Wherever people are oppressed by the powers of poverty, sickness or grief,

ease their pain and restore them to wholeness.

When we hear news of loved ones that devastates us, when our hearts are heavy for those we love who are ill, when the sadness is too great, we ask for your grace

Wherever people challenge regimes or systems marked by tyranny and brutality, encourage them with your Spirit and lead them to liberty.

Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

 

Wherever people are burdened by the weight of hostility, greed or jealousy,

restore their strength to resist and show them signs of hope.

Wherever people are persecuted because of race or creed,

or for the truth they tell;

let your truth and justice prevail.

Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

 

Wherever the earth cries out because people consume too much and ignore the danger signs,

Wherever care for the ground and water, for endangered climate and endangered species defies human carelessness,

let your love for the goodness of creation move the hearts of your people.

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

 

We pray for your church in every place, whether it be fragile or strong, tired or energized. Inspire us with your Holy Spirit to offer ourselves in gratitude for the gift of Jesus Christ, serving creatively and courageously in his name:

Lord, in your mercy Hear our prayer.

 

Hear us as we pray to you in silence for those situations close to our hearts.

In your grace and love, restore all things.

(Hold a silence)

 

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

 

Now we pray as Jesus taught us:

 

The Lord’s Prayer