The Three G's of Palm Sunday

Whether we admit it or not, most of us probably enjoy checking out some of the awards shows on television. Not necessarily to listen to the over-inflated egos of some otherwise truly talented people as they accept their awards, though. No, I dare say some of us much prefer to watch the stars arrive on the red carpet before the shows begin, then we switch back and forth between other programs of interest, waiting for the awards categories that interest us most.

The conversations at some of these home (or dormitory, or bar) awards parties can be quite interesting, too. "Oh no she did NOT wear THAT outfit to the Oscars!" "Oooooo, I thought she was seeing THIS man, and now she shows up at the awards with that WOMAN!" And who does he think HE is? Is that girl he’s with even legal age?" Glitter, glamour, and gossip. The 3 G’s of the Hollywood red carpet treatment.

Today we are looking at the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. It is a day of loud "Hosanna’s!" "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!" It is a day of red carpet treatment. It is a day of glitter, glamour, and gossip. It is a day that marks—quite literally—the beginning of one "hell" of a week for Jesus Christ.

Well, that last comment was certainly an interesting way to enter into a sermon, wasn’t it? After all, isn’t this particular Sunday supposed to be all glitz and glamour? Then, we come back next week for the greatest news of all history!

Well, that’s partially true. There is a lot of joy in today’s reading, and we can’t deny that next week marks what should be a huge celebration of what Christians believe is the greatest news of all time.

But there is a whole lot that happens in the week in-between these two events—a lot of stuff that we would just as soon not think about. So many of us go from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday without missing a beat. But today, I am going to attempt to take us a little deeper than the glitz, glamour, and gossip of Palm Sunday.

In today’s lesson there is certainly a lot of glitz and glamour. Jesus arrives in Jerusalem with lots of fanfare. Like of lot of celebrities, I imagine Jesus’ growing celebrity reputation somewhat preceded him.

The disciples did some additional advance PR work under Jesus’ direction by arranging for appropriate transportation. We really don’t know if the person who gave his colt to the disciples knew WHO the disciples meant when they told him, "the Lord needs it;" but I can imagine word got around pretty fast that SOMEONE important was coming to Jerusalem for Passover.

Of course there is no one EXACTLY like Jesus—not then, and not now. But we can draw a few parallels. The office boy who becomes a media mogul—that is the story of David Geffen. The once financially comfortable woman who became a servant to some of the world’s poorest people—that is the story of Mother Teresa. It happens, you know. Little known people DO become celebrities sometimes, whether they like it or not.

Then the big day arrives. Praises are shouted from all around Jesus as he rides into Jerusalem on a colt. People throw down their cloaks before him. It had to be heart-warming to Jesus to look out over the crowds and feel the love of so many people.

I can imagine Jesus seeing some of the people whose lives he had touched directly, and wondering how many people’s lives he had touched indirectly. Sure Jesus was fully divine; but Jesus was also fully human. This entrance to Jerusalem had to be a huge "feel good" moment for him.

Life is good when everybody loves you, isn’t it? If you’ve ever led a life-changing Bible study, negotiated a major deal to the satisfaction of everyone involved, preached a good sermon, put together a fabulous Easter musical, and people recognize you, it’s a good feeling. If your success continues, eventually it feels like everyone wants a piece of you. It seems you can do no wrong. Even your mistakes are seen as "innovative experiments." Life is not only good-it’s great!

But, the major difference between Jesus and us in this respect is that he also knew this moment wouldn’t last. He knew that many of the same people who were shouting, "Hosanna!" today would be shouting, "Crucify him!" in just a few short days. What they say about Hollywood was probably true in Jerusalem as well: "People in Hollywood are always touching you—not because they like you, but because they want to see how soft you are before they eat you alive."

This is where our third "G"—gossip—comes in. There was always a certain amount of gossip that surrounded Jesus: "Who is this that even the wind and sea obey him?" "Who is this that even forgives sins?" "Who is this? He speaks with such authority!" Indeed, who IS this?

We can begin to understand at least a little more about who Jesus is though the symbolism in today’s Gospel reading. First, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a colt that has never been ridden. Some scholars say that this choice of animal points to the humility of Jesus. However, other scholars say that since in the Old Testament, Solomon rode a colt before his coronation has king of Israel, this choice of animal points to the kingship of Jesus Christ.

Why can’t it be both? Why does it have to be either/or? Why can’t Jesus be the king who comes not to bring war, but who comes in humility to bring peace?

Did you notice that there are no palm branches mentioned in today’s Gospel reading? Why is that? It could be another indication of the person and work of Jesus Christ.

It is said that at one point in Jewish history, that Palestine was under foreign rule, when a series of Jewish military actions defeated the occupation force and liberated the land. When the Jewish people entered the Temple, they waved branches, which quickly became symbols of Jewish independence.

The point here is Luke could be urging his readers to not think of the church as a community that will rise up in military rebellion against Rome. The placing of cloaks before Jesus’ path was symbolic of acknowledging the arrival of a new ruler. So, Jesus IS a ruler, but he is a different kind of a ruler.

And that’s when the gossip mill goes out of control.

Jesus comes to Jerusalem with a ragtag group of followers—not with a trained military AND religious elite who are "packin’ heat". I can hear some of the crowd now: "It’s all good, Don’t worry. They’re just bein’ cool about the whole thing. This is just a diversionary move. The reinforcements will slip in at night when no one is looking. You just wait."

But as the week progresses, the crowd mentality changes. Jesus overturns tables in the Temple! Jesus challenges the RELIGIOUS establishment, not Roman authority! What’s probably worse is there is even division in Jesus’ own entourage. Betrayal, denial, and desertion.

Jesus went from "feelin’ the love" on Sunday to feeling the crucifying rage on Friday. Why? I think this change occurred because Jesus did not live up to anyone’s expectations—not the crowd, the religious leaders, and not even his own disciples! Jesus lived up to GOD’S expectations—and that is what got him killed.

What about us? What do we do when Jesus doesn’t live up to all the glitz and glamour we expect of him? What do we do when we expect Jesus to swoop in and take care of all the oppression, pain, and hurt in our lives in dramatic fashion worthy of an Oscar nomination, and instead Jesus shows up in our lives as stage hand who challenges our preconceived notions of what is right and what is wrong? And even worse, what if Jesus tells us that WE who call ourselves Christians are actually part of the problem in the first place?

Do we shout "Hosanna!" or do we shout "Crucify him!"

Are we ready to let Jesus be Jesus? Are we ready to accept the fact that Jesus Christ does not fit anyone’s—and that includes OUR--preconceived notions of what it means to be the Way the Truth, and the Life?

If we are, then let’s get ready for some major changes. I say "changes," because Jesus is not about the 3 "G’s" of glitter, glamour, and gossip. Jesus is about the 3 "G’s" of grace, giving, and goodness. And the "3 G’s of Jesus" are neither cheap, nor short-term.

We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus gave of himself until there was nothing left to give. The goodness of Jesus cannot be compared to anyone before his earthly existence, nor after it.

While we can never duplicate the grace, giving, and goodness of Jesus Christ, it is these examples of his life that compel us to change our behavior. That is, if we take Jesus seriously. Making these changes means moving beyond giving Jesus the Hero’s Welcome on Sunday only, to making Jesus Christ a part of our daily lives—as boring as some of us may consider them.

The life of Jesus Christ is a life we are called to emulate. It is through Jesus Christ that we can begin to move from the shallowness of a live lived in and for glitz, glamour, and gossip to the fullness of a live lived in grace, giving, and goodness.

It is through Jesus Christ that we can do all these things.

And THAT is something to shout about!

Amen?

God bless you, and amen.

Channel Surfing Discipleship

In the theology of domestic bliss (you didn’t know there was one of those, did you?), it has been said that, "the one who holds the television remote, holds the power." Can I get an amen?
Now Richard and I don’t argue much over what television programs to watch. After almost 11 years together, we have learned to "share the power," so to speak. Well, at least most of the time.

But do you know what really annoys me about using a television remote? Channel surfing. Now I must admit there are times when I partake in this particular activity. But what I am talking about are those people who cannot seem to stay on any one channel for any length of time. 30 seconds into a program and zip! Next channel, please. "You know, this program looks—click—interesting."

Cable television network executives have picked up on this little habit of ours’, too. This habit of channel surfing is one of the reasons you see the same movie scheduled multiple times during the day, or over a period of days. Channel surfers like to "drop in" on movies to watch their favorite scenes, and then they are off to the next program. In a society of convenience seekers, this programming makes perfectly good sense.

Now this habit of channel surfing is not a threat to anyone’s salvation; in fact, compared to what is out there, channel surfing is a pretty harmless habit. But all habits—harmless or not—have a way or shaping our lives. Our habits are those practices that eventually shape who we are. For example, if we get so used to channel surfing when it comes to our television viewing habits, how long will it be before we begin to practice channel surfing when it comes to our relationships?

Extreme? Maybe. But if our attention spans are conditioned for little "snippets" of information, eventually it is going to be challenging—if not impossible—for us to give our full attention to anyone or anything, including God, for more than a few minutes.

Call it "channel surfing discipleship."

The children of Israel were certainly familiar with the concept of channel surfing discipleship. Some of you may remember how God worked through Moses and Aaron to deliver the children of Israel from bondage and put them on a journey to the Promised Land.
But it wasn’t long after leaving Egypt that they began to complain. "We’re hungry!" "We’re thirsty!" "Are we there yet?" God would send a miraculous sign—sometimes a good sign, and sometimes a plague of some type—the people would repent, then would return to their old ways soon after.

The Israelites followed this pattern of behavior until eventually God allowed them to be defeated by their enemies and scattered. The devastation was so complete you could say it was the lucky ones who were taken in captivity to Babylon.
Now from our vantage point, we may look at the Israelites and say, "Why didn’t they get it? God had blessed them so much! Why did they not pay attention? How could they let themselves get so side-tracked?"

Let me ask us all a question today: "How different are we from the children of Israel in this regard?" Think about it. God has truly blessed us in many ways. God has delivered—or is in the process of delivering us—from the various things that hold us captive: addictions to various substances, sex, love, money, work, and power, to name just a few.

Then the going gets tough—and believe me, I know it gets tough sometimes. But what do we tend to do? We change the channel. It’s somewhat like watching a movie at home, and switching to another channel when we get to the scary part.

The sad part is we tend to change the channel back to a program with which we are more familiar. Like the children of Israel, we begin to think that maybe our "Egypt’s" weren’t so bad, after all. Then eventually, also like the children of Israel, we end up back in bondage—usually worse off than we were before.

But, praise God that is NOT the end of the story. Amen?

Today’s reading is dated by scholars at around 539 B.C, around the time of Cyrus of Persia’s edict when the Israelites were granted the right of return to Jerusalem from their exile and captivity in Babylon. This is a message of restoration—and responsibility.

I think it is important to note that the verbs at the beginning of our verses this morning are imperatives in the Hebrew language. What that means is they are to be read with emphasis—almost like commands.

In verse one, God issues the invitation, "Come!" Come to the water! Come buy and eat! Taste and see how good God is! And here’s the best part: "without money and without price!" God’s gracious invitation to all is FREE! We do have a responsibility here, however. God sets the table, but we have to pull up the chair. The first move is God’s—always—and our appropriate response is faithful obedience—always.

I believe verse two is VERY relevant to us today. "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?" God, through the prophet is asking the Israelites, "Why are you wasting your resources—your very lives—in a place which will never be your home?"

See the Israelites were now free to return to Jerusalem. So we could look at this question as God’s way of saying, "What are you waiting for? Quit wasting your time and come home!"

Good question, huh? Why do some of us waste so much of our time, talent, and resources on things that do not build up the kingdom of God? Why do some world leaders continue to use the lives of others to build their own little empires? Indeed, why do some Christians waste so much of their time building their own little ecclesial power structures—and getting sound bites on CNN-- at the expense of sharing the good news that is Jesus Christ with a world that desperately needs such good news?

In verses two and three we are told to both "Listen," and "Hear." There is a big difference between the two, believe me. When we listen, we pay attention to sound, we pay attention to God’s voice, and we do that by tuning out the competing voices of the world around us. When we hear God is when we actually begin to get the message.

So, what is God saying to us?

I think that at least part of that message is to seek God. Search diligently for God. Make being in the presence of God a priority—not only on Sunday mornings, but each day in prayer and devotional time. We can be in the presence of God as we study, work, and minister to others in various ways.

Of course choosing to be in God’s presence means letting some other stuff go. According to verse seven, we are to forsake whatever hinders our relationship with God. Look at what is holding you back from growing into a mature relationship with God through Jesus Christ and LET IT GO! Give it to God.

So how do we just "give it to God?" Is "letting go" all there is? What do we do after that? After letting go of the bad, grab the good. Turn to what is right, good, and positive. Turn to God for forgiveness and mercy. Our reading today tells us that when we do that, God abundantly pardons!

So how do we "grab the good?" Becoming part of a Christ-centered community of faith can be a huge support in growing in our walk with God. But if we need additional help in the form of support groups or therapy in our struggles, I say, "Amen!" Do it! God’s mercy and healing comes in so many ways we can’t count them.

God’s message through the prophet probably didn’t make sense to some of the Israelites. Sure they were free; but for some it probably looked like they were being set free to return to the devastated ruins of a city to face what looked like a very uncertain future. Maybe Babylon wasn’t so bad, after all.

Maybe some of us feel that way when preachers tell us to turn from what is keeping us from growing in our relationship with God, and to live a life of discipleship that requires more than a channel surfing mentality. After all, wouldn’t that mean giving up the remote? Probably.

That’s why the prophet reminds us that God’s ways are not our ways, and God’s thoughts are not our thoughts. That is the heart of the life of discipleship, really. If we order our lives by a higher reasoning, a different way of doing business, a divine wisdom, we will then begin to align our lives more in accordance with God’s purposes, rather than our own.

The relationship that God wants with us is not of the channel surfing variety, where we drop in and out at our leisure. The mature life of faith feasts on a deep and abiding relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Dropping in or dropping by isn’t enough.

This kind of deep relationship with God can be compared to a long and satisfying meal where we linger over the food, and the conversation is lively and interesting. It’s a wonderful time; one that we never want to end. And do you know what? I believe God feels the same way.
The choice is ours’, you know. We can come, taste and see how good God is, or keep flipping through the channels of life. My prayer for each of us today is that we choose God—and lose the remote.

God bless you and amen.