Sermon Notes for Palm Sunday, April 1, 2007 (Isaiah 45: 21-25, Psalm 22, Philippians 2: 5-11 and Luke 22: 39-23: 49)

 

(Pediatric story: Is Jesus in your heart? Let us practice being a child again).

 

In today’s reading from Isaiah, we find here a picture of the faithful remnant of Israel being called away from worship of the Babylonian idols. They are told that only in the Holy One, the Lord, can hopes for Israel’s future be fulfilled. The summons is to turn back to this God for salvation, as this is the only hope for all peoples: there is no other God. The idea of a remnant also can point to the fact that God is able to bring life out of a nearly hopeless situation as long as there is a small spark of life which can be kindled and enabled to bring the fire up to its former strength. What looks like a call to salvation is really more of a challenge to scattered Israelites in the Babylonian Empire who have fallen into idolatry or are tempted to do so.

 

Psalm 22 is a psalm of hope; it concludes by praising the Lord who does not despise those who are downtrodden. It proclaims that sovereignty belongs to God.

 

The Apostle Paul in today’s Epistle called his converts to imitate Christ. For Jesus, equality with God was to mean living fully in the created world, yet always being self-giving. In becoming man, Jesus poured himself into the likeness of a slave; and in that human nature he showed obedience to the Father’s will by accepting the death on the cross. In the experience of the Cross, Jesus reached the final depth of humility—the way of self-sacrifice for the healing of others. God highly exalted the Redeemer at whose name every knee should bow. When we so confess, God shall exalt us in union with our Savior (v. 11). Jesus set an example for us to follow in our lives. We are to be of the same mind as Jesus himself (v. 5), taking on the role of voluntary servanthood in our relationships in the world.

 

Today we have a procession of palms to remind ourselves of that historic procession. One scholar describes this day: “Our church buildings stand for Zion’s temple. With the cross that is the symbol of our Redeemer, we enter the gate of the Lord, vested in the righteousness that Jesus’ sacrifice gives us. We give thanks for our salvation. We acclaim our Savior with our own ‘Hosannas.’ Rejoicing in the Lord who has shined upon us, we give thanks that God’s mercy endures forever.”

 

The space within Jerusalem was so limited that there was no room for gardens. Many well-to-do people, therefore, had private gardens out on the Mount of Olives. Some wealthy friend had given Jesus the privilege of using such a garden, and it was there that Jesus went to fight his lonely battle. He was only thirty-three; and no one wants to die at thirty-three. He knew what crucifixion was like; he had seen it. He was in an agony. There is no scene like this in all history. This was the very hinge and turning point in Jesus’ life. He could have turned back even yet. He could have refused the cross. The salvation of the world hung in the balance as the Son of God literally sweated it out in Gethsemane; and he won. He went into Gethsemane in the dark; he came out in the light—because he had talked with God. He went into Gethsemane in an agony; he came out with the victory won and with peace in his soul—because he had talked with God. Can we look up and say in perfect trust, “Thy will be done.”

 

More than the other Gospels, Luke describes the accusation against Jesus, which the temple leaders bring before Pilate in political terms. It is carefully noted that the charge the Sanhedrin finally produced against Jesus was one of blasphemy. It is the tragic fact that when Jesus asked for love he did not even receive simple justice. Even when he had emerged from a night of questioning, even when he had been mocked and scourged, Jesus still had utter confidence that he would sit at the right hand of God and that his triumph was sure. He never for a moment believed that men in the end could defeat the purposes of God.

 

Jesus does not look an aggressive fighter, and, when asked, he makes no claim to be king (v. 3). Therefore, Pilate could see no substance to the charges. In fulfilling the role of Isaiah’s “suffering servant”, Jesus stands silently before all of his accusers. Luke’s account has Herod returning Jesus to Pilate with nothing solid to substantiate the accusations made by the Jewish leaders. Pilate proposes a lesser punishment of scourging, and offers to discharge him. The Zealots cry out to Pilate for the release of their leader, Barabbas. After some hesitation, Pilate gives the crowd Barabbas, who is known to be dangerous. Pilate then delivers Jesus to be crucified.

 

As Jesus is nailed to the cross, he prays to the Father for the forgiveness of his executioners (v. 34). This has served as the standard to which all who follow Jesus are called. When one of the thieves being crucified with Jesus asks Him to remember him in the time of vindication, Jesus, as the Messiah, reassures the criminal that because he has come in faith, he will be remembered.

 

When Luke shows Jesus dying, it is not with a feeling of abandonment, but with the assurance that his life and mission are accepted. “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (v. 46). Jesus came to accomplish the work necessary for our salvation. His work was now finished.

 

What can we take from this message today? Among all of the sights, sounds, and smells of Holy Week, one image will overshadow all the others: Jesus Christ crucified. The image of the crucified Christ is the greatest sign we will ever have of perfect, loving obedience to the will of God.

 

St. Teresa of Avila said, “Everything other than pleasing God is nothing.” She also is to have said, “Our security lies in obedience and refusal to deviate from God’s law.”

 

Obedience to God always brings about exaltation. Jesus passed through death to new life because of his obedience, and he has paved a way for all of us to experience the same death-to-life transformation.

 

As we meditate on the death and resurrection of Jesus this Holy Week, let us especially focus on the glorious victory that Jesus won for us by his reverent submission to God. Let us allow the promise of the gospel to move us to imitate Jesus’ life of obedience. Let us be confident that every time we obediently die to self, our Father will bring us to new life.

 

AMEN.