Calvary Presbyterian Church
Debra May Cerra
March 16, 2008 – Palm Sunday
Matthew
21:1-11 (NRSV)
When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go into the village
ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her;
untie them and bring them to me. 3 If
anyone says anything to you, just say this, 'The Lord needs them.' And he will
send them immediately." 4 This
took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, 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." 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had
directed them; 7 they brought the
donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on
the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 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."
Hosanna to the
Son of David
Every Sunday
before Easter we hear the narrative of Palm Sunday, envisioning the throngs of
people waving palm branches and laying out their cloaks before Jesus as he
rides towards Jerusalem.
The Christian calendar would not seem complete without Jesus’ triumphant entry
into the city. Today marks the beginning of what is known as “Holy Week,” a
week filled with promises, suffering, death, and a victorious triumph.
Our reading
from Matthew begins with Jesus at the place called the Mount
of Olives. While there, “Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them,
‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied,
and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything
to you, just say this, 'The Lord needs them.'’ And he will send them
immediately." (1-3) The disciples did as they were told and the account
unfolded as Jesus described.
The
narrative of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem
depicts a vivid picture. The disciples and many in the crowd had witnessed
Jesus performing miracles in the name of God and had listened to His teachings
in the temple, synagogues, and villages. They were impressed by what they had
seen and heard and they were anticipating even greater things from Jesus.
Matthew records: “Nearly all the people in the crowd threw their garments down
on the road, giving him a royal welcome. Others cut branches from the trees and
threw them down as a welcome mat. Crowds went ahead and crowds followed, all of
them calling out, ‘Hosanna to David's son!’ ‘Blessed is he who comes in God's
name!’ ‘Hosanna in highest heaven!’”
(8,9) It must have been an incredible scene!
The Palm
Sunday narrative is found in all four of the Gospels. Each writer includes different
details but together they tell of the appearance of the donkey, the spreading
of cloaks, the waving of palms, and the shouts of hosanna to the Son of David. In
each account the people are enthusiastic and full of joy.
In 1969, the
Rock Opera “Jesus Christ, Superstar” was written by Tim Rice and Lloyd Webber. As
I was writing this, I was going to use this musical as a contemporary example
but then realized it was published almost 40 years ago! I guess the term
‘contemporary’ is relative! So, I’m just going to use its words as another way
of telling the story! The lyrics of the musical deviate from the words of
Scripture but the way some of the events are depicted is striking.
Listen
again to Matthew’s description of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem: “When he [Jesus] entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil,
asking, "Who is this?" The crowds were saying, "This is the
prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee."
(10,11) Remember, the city was overflowing with Passover pilgrims. Many may not
have known Jesus and did not understand the parade of followers. Even in
Matthew’s short accounting, confusion and concern are exposed.
Rice and Webber’s opera also
depicts the chaos of Jerusalem.
As the Romans and Priests heard the crowd shouting: “Hosanna, Superstar!
Hosanna! Superstar!” they began talking among themselves: “Listen to that
howling mob of blockheads in the street! A trick or two with lepers and the
whole town’s on its’ feet. He is dangerous. Jesus Christ Superstar – tell us
that you’re who they say you are. He is dangerous.”
The opinion of the religious leaders was strong. Jesus needed to be dealt with.
He was dangerous!
Then Caiaphas, the high
priest, spoke to Jesus: “Tell the rabble to be quiet we anticipate a riot, this
common crowd is much too loud. Tell the mob who sing your song that they are
fools and they are wrong, they are a curse, they should disperse.” But, with
more fervor and enthusiasm, the crowd continued to cheer: “Hosanna, Heysanna
Sanna Sanna Ho Sanna Hey Sanna Ho Sanna. Hey JC, JC you’re alright by me. Sanna
Ho Sanna Hey Superstar.”
Jesus then
answered Caiaphas: “Why waste your breath moaning at the crowd. Nothing can be
done to stop the shouting. If every tongue was still the noise would continue,
the rocks and stones themselves would start to sing.”
At this
point, the passion of the opera breaks out in song: “Hosanna Heysanna Sanna
Sanna Ho, Sanna Hey Sanna Ho Sanna. He JC, JC won’t you fight for me? Sanna Ho
Sanna Hey Superstar.” The energetic crowd is not to be silenced – at least not
now…
The words
of this opera lend to our imagination. Can you see the crowds cheering, waving
palms, shouting “Hosanna”? Can you feel the tension between Jesus and the
religious leaders? Were you able to experience some of the power of the crowd?
How about the anxiety and stress of those in authority?
In Rice and
Webber’s opera, we find Jesus depicted as “Superstar” and “dangerous.” Yet in
the Scriptures Jesus is portrayed as a gentle-hearted, humble man. Though truly
a King and “Superstar” by any heavenly definition, Jesus is proclaimed as a
servant. Doesn’t the Messiah we affirm and follow fit the image of a man riding
into Jerusalem
on a donkey?
Again
turning to the musical’s word, the Palm Sunday crowd is seen as “rabble,”
“fools,” and “a howling mob of blockheads.” In the Gospels, the people in the
crowd are really followers of Jesus – his supporters. The children and adults
who lined the streets, waving branches and spreading their cloaks are people
who loved Jesus, who heard him teach, who watched him minister to those in
need.
And, Rice and Webber name the
opposition of Jesus as the Romans, the Pharisees, and Caiaphas – the high
priest.
Indeed, in the Bible we find Romans,
Pharisees and the high priest opposing Jesus. But his opposition is far greater
than men. As Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians: “Our struggle is not
against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the
spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
The real enemy is far greater than any human opponent. It is a battle between
good and evil, light and darkness, love and hate. The forces that oppose God’s
Son, Jesus Christ, go beyond our understanding and our resources.
Friends, we
need to ask ourselves: Where do we align ourselves on this first day of Holy
Week? Are we with the crowds, joyfully praising Jesus? Are we the enthusiastic
ones rooting for the Superstar, willing to sing out our hosanna to Jesus
Christ, the Son of David?
Or, are we on the
“less-than-enthusiastic” side? We may not be the opposition, but do we find
ourselves on the fringe of commitment – not wanting to take a stand? Maybe even
afraid to be seen or heard?
Today, Palm
Sunday, we need to stand with the crowd and shout our hosannas. Or, in a more
contemporary fashion, we might want to stand with the crowd and sing: “Hosanna Heysanna Sanna Sanna Ho Sanna Hey
Sanna Ho Sanna, Hey JC, JC you’re alright by me! Sanna Ho Sanna Hey Superstar!
Amen and Amen.
