A Different Palm Sunday
When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, 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.” This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, “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.” The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 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!” When he 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.”
Friends,
During these anxious times, it’s hard to remember Sunday is Palm Sunday leading us into Holy Week with Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and then to the Day of the Resurrection, that is, Easter.
It’s also hard to remember the same Jesus who walked to the cross and then rose from the dead is still with us in these times.
Palm Sunday teaches us about who we expect God to be and do is often different than who God is and what God does.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday, they welcomed him as a prophet and a king. But what kind of king were the people expecting? Like the disciples, the people had faith in Jesus, the people acknowledged Jesus as king and the people truly believed Jesus was the Christ.
But what happened? What happened that by Good Friday the disciples and people had abandoned Jesus at the cross?
Some would say fear. Many people who study these things believe the disciples and people expected Jesus would be a king of power, one who consolidated power to ensure his kingship.
However, Jesus is a king whose power is in humility. His humility would lead him to the cross. The cross would look like a failure, but in God’s eyes, it was the greatest power of all. On the cross, Jesus was reconciling the world to God. It’s not what people expected.
What’s that have to do with the anxious times of Covid 19?
We are not living in a world we expected six weeks ago. Six weeks ago, our congregation was planning for the Mill Valley Community Good Friday Observance. We were planning for our Easter worship, our Easter Egg hunt, and our Easter brunch.
Not what we expected!
Even though it is not what we expected, God is still accomplishing great things. Churches are communicating the Easter message in different and even meaningful ways. Churches are live streaming, emailing and meeting through apps like Zoom.
It’s not how we expected God to do things. But God continues to move in unexpected ways.
Peace,
Ricky Adams
Pastor
Peace Lutheran Church
Mill Valley, California