This Sunday is unusual, in that it has two names. First,
commonly, called “Palm Sunday”, it marks one week before Easter, and we
remember the day when Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem to inaugurate
Holy Week. But because it is also the last Sunday before Easter, it is also
observed as the Sunday of the Passion. The idea is, that on this Sunday, we
would recall ALL the events of Holy Week, and of Christ’s Passion, including
(and especially) Good Friday. You might say then that this Sunday has sort of a
split personality. Trying to fit all this in, can make us feel a little bit
crowded. Crowds…. Hmm.
It’s also common on this Sunday to point out the 2 crowds we
meet in the 2 events. The crowd of Palm Sunday, and the crowd of Good Friday.
It’s not uncommon to consider the contrast between the shouting crowd of Palm
Sunday and the shouting crowd of Good Friday.
We’ll do that today, and then we will also see a third crowd.
Perhaps you’re like me, not a big fan of crowds. Even a few
too many people in the elevator bugs me a little. I’ve never understood those
people who go to Times’ Square, New York for the New Year’s celebration every
year. Or amusement parks with long, long lines – cranky kids and crabby adults
– I just don’t really like crowds. People bump into you, you have to wait, they
slow you down – and on top of it all, they can be loud! The crowds we see today
are loud – shouting, even – but it’s more than noise.
Today’s first crowd is the The Palm Sunday Crowd –
“Hosanna!”
shouted…’Hosanna to the Son of David’!
The electricity is in the air – with the arrival of the
Messiah.
Long expected, Long awaited, could this be the one?
His miracles spoke for themselves. He healed, he fed, he
even raised the dead! He had quite a following, and his teaching had its own
authority.
Rumors may have spread about his lineage – descended from
David, born in Bethlehem. Look – he’s riding a donkey, just like David and his
sons did. It’s a sign of peace – not a horse of war – could he bring us such
peace? Could he be the one? The Messiah, the Savior?
“Save us!” they shouted, “Hosanna!”. They knew they needed a
savior. But they didn’t know from what. They waved their palm branches. They
knew they were oppressed, but they didn’t know by whom. They spread their coats
before him. It wasn’t the Roman tyrants, but Sin and Death were the real
enemies. And Jesus would indeed save. He was David’s Son and David’s Lord.
How many Christians today get caught up in the shouting, the
singing, the praising, and yet somehow miss the true cause of our joy? Not just
that God is powerful and righteous and holy – though all that is true. But it
means nothing to us if He is not our Savior! HOSANNA! SAVE US! Save us from our
sins, Lord, Save us from the wages of our sin. Save us from guilt for our
iniquities. And rescue us from death and hell. Let us join our voices with
those of the Jerusalem crowd. SAVE US! HOSANNA!
They knew Why Jesus had come – to save them. They just
didn’t know how he would do it.
And then there’s that other crowd. The Good Friday Mob. Singing a different tune. Shouting a different shout. “Crucify!” is all their breath.
A crowd that has gathered early to see a spectacle – a
trial. Perhaps some of the same people waving palms a few days before, perhaps
not. Either way, they too become a part of the plan, unknowingly, perhaps. They
too serve a purpose, speak a message, teach a truth. That truth is just this –
Jesus must die.
It may have seemed to all of Jesus’ disciples that his
arrest, trial, suffering and execution were a terrible miscarriage of justice,
but in reality is was God demonstrating his own justice. They might have
thought this was incredible misfortune, but there is purpose here. God is in
control, directing the events. Jesus went willingly, to his arrest, to trial,
to death. Even the call of the crowd would mean nothing had he not permitted
their riotous threats to sway Pilate.
And what about that crowd? Stirred up by the enemies of
Christ. Were they paid? Were they trying to earn the favor of their leaders, or
just star-struck by those influential priests and holy men? Were they simply a
bunch of bored travelers seeking some excitement while away from home- and who
doesn’t like to see a blasphemer get his come-up’ns?
Or were these some, maybe many, of the Hosanna crowd – who
were perhaps impatient or disappointed with the “supposed” Messiah. He wasn’t
doing any saving. He wasn’t over-throwing the Romans – in fact, they had him in
custody. Perhaps they felt betrayed, or let down by a false Messiah – and in
vengeance called for his death.
Don’t we sometimes become impatient, frustrated with God –
for not being the kind of savior we desire in any given situation? We know we
can turn to him for help – but when that help doesn’t seem to come, or at least
the way and in the time we want it – do we turn on Him just as easily?
Whatever the motives of the crowd – vengeance, boredom,
currying the favor of the Jewish leaders – whatever their agenda or agendas –
their cry was prophetic. They participated in the pre-ordained plan of God for
the salvation of all. In spite of themselves, they called for the one thing
that was needed. Blood. The blood of Christ.
They even said, “His blood be on us and on our children” How
ironic. How prophetic. They meant it as a statement to take long-term
responsibility for the death of one man. But his blood on us, and on our
children, is the only thing that removes from us the responsibility of our sins
– and of an eternal death sentence.
Crucifixion was the worst death imaginable in that day, and
perhaps even since then. But by it, Jesus saves us from a death beyond
imagination. He saves not just us, but the world – all the crowds of history –
born and yet unborn, by his blood.
The “Crucify” crowd knew how Jesus would die – by
crucifixion. They just didn’t know why.
IV. A Great Multitude –“Salvation!”
A great multitude that no one could count…wearing white
robes, and holding palm branches…cried out in a loud voice, “Salvation
belongs to our God…and to the Lamb” -Rev. 7:9,10
Sometimes we are a part of both the “Hosanna” and the
“Crucify” crowds. But of all the crowds gathered in scripture I could think of
only one other that shouted. It’s not part of the Passion week narrative, or
any other passage we might hear in church this time of year – unless, that is,
we are at a funeral.
Revelation 7, a passage often used in the Order of Christian
Burial – speaks of this other shouting crowd. A large group, a “Great
Multitude” of white-robed people. They too, waving palms, like the Hosanna
crowd. They too, well aware of the blood and death of the Lamb. And they too, a
crowd of which we are a part!
John sees them as part of his vision, a crowd so great that
“no one could count”. They come “From every tribe, nation, people and
language”. Someone asks John who they are, but John doesn’t. Then John is told,
“These are they who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of
the Lamb!” In other words, this crowd is the church. All believers in Christ
from all times, all places and races, all gathered before the throne of God in
heaven. The crowd, that by our baptism and in accordance with our faith –
includes you and me!
And that crowd in heaven shouts, cries out, sings – with a
loud voice. They complete the sermon of the three crowds by proclaiming, that
“Salvation belongs to our God… and to the Lamb!” It is an accomplished fact.
Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who has taken away the sins of the world, the
Lamb who once was slain, but who now is alive and reigns. You can see why this
is a favorite passage for funerals.
What a crowd of crowds we have seen today. And what a
message they bring. And in as much as we belong to each of these crowds, we can
hear our own loud shouting:
Admitting our need for saving. Acknowledging the need for
His blood. And joining all those who are cleansed by his blood. The great
multitude of believers destined for, and already there. All that is worth
shouting about. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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