Just Like He Said It Would Be . . .

Palm Sunday

Mark 11:1-11

(this sermon was drastically altered in presentation to Cornerstone on 9 April. It was presented as a first person monologue from one of the disciples. You should have been here to see it - there are some perks to actually attending church . . .)

Holy Week and Easter have arrived much sooner than I expected. It seems that just yesterday we were having our Christmas Eve service.

I suspect the same feeling came over Jesus when it came time for the Passover again – the one in which He knew He would give up His life for our redemption. It must have seemed like just yesterday when He was calling out to Simon Peter and Andrew and James and John to follow Him. Now, it was here.

It was time to make preparation. Jesus didn’t have to do this little parade – but His methodology was so descriptive of what He was about. A King, riding into town on the back of a young colt – crowds cheering Him – palm branches and Hosannas all around. It was a victory parade. He rode into town just like a conquering King would do. Only, what was His victory? Where were His armies? What had He conquered?

Mark goes out of his way to tell us this story. It’s unusually verbose – for Mark. Usually he’s the “cut to the chase” gospel writer. He’s the one that can tell an entire story in just a couple of verses. But he tells us the whole story.

Jesus arrives on the outskirts of town. He sends two disciples into town – only two – to check in at the Hertz counter and pick up the transportation. A colt – the foal of a donkey. He even told them that they might encounter a little opposition – “folks might stop you and wonder what you’re up to. And if they do, just tell them that ‘the Lord needs it, and He’ll get it back to you just as soon as He can.’” So, off they go, into town to find this colt. They find it. They get asked the questions. The questioners respond just the way they’re supposed to, and they return with the donkey. Just like Jesus said it would be . . .

This wasn’t an unusual thing for them – the Master saying something would be so, and then it was. It had happened dozens of times – maybe hundreds. And then there were the countless times when Jesus didn’t say anything ahead of time, but as the event would unfold, He acted as though it had been in His plan all along. Nothing ever seemed to surprise Him – nothing ever snuck up on Him.

This week would unfold much the same. There would be the run-in with the money changers in the temple. According to the gospel writers, if you add up their stories and put them in context, this wasn’t the only time Jesus would clean house in the temple.

Predictably, there would be another run-in with the Pharisees – they were always trying to trap Him, and they had quite a scheme cooked up for this week – joined forces with the Sadducees. They intended to trap Him – and so they did – or so they thought . . .

And predictably, Jesus did a little teaching. That really was His forte – the teaching. Only now, things had a more ominous tone – lots of talk about the harvest and heaven and end times. Jesus even throws in an observation about the widow and her two mites – just a couple of pennies.

There would be the Passover celebration in the upper room. Jesus was good about living out Jewish traditions. This wasn’t the first time they had done this together – but it would be their last. And this time He changed it – the boys in the band weren’t expecting that . . .

The rest of it was just the way He said it would be – again.

At some rather rudimentary level, I stand before you to offer testimony. That’s pretty much what Presnall Wood did for us a couple of weeks ago – he told us his story and told us what he thought about things – Baptists mostly. Well, I’m just another Christian telling my story – and my story is just like your story. Jesus hasn’t ever let me down. Even when I’m a little miffed at God, in my heart I don’t blame Jesus. He’s the one who died for me.

I watch way too much TV. Lately I’ve been seeing some comedians talk a lot about God and Jesus and religion. I’ve listened to their words, but I always try to listen beyond their words – to get a glimpse of their heart. Do you know what I’ve seen? They might pick on God, but when it comes to Jesus, they don’t have much to say that you and I would describe as “negative.” How could they – what has Jesus ever done to them, except give them some pretty good advice and then die for them? How can you fault someone like that?

When people talk about Jesus, I generally sit up and listen – just a little closer – to what they have to say. When Paul writes to the Philippians and describes the “Jesus story” in chapter 2, I sit up and take notice. I’ve heard a lot of sermons about this passage. Good sermons – some of them from seminary professors – and those guys can preach. I love this passage – “Let this mind be in you . . .”

“. . . which was also in Christ Jesus.” The first four verses tell the sacrifice part of the story – what Jesus gave up to purchase our redemption. The motion is downward – doesn’t sound anything like a victorious conqueror. He actually sounds more like a loser and a failure. Gave up everything to come here to live among us, and then He dies. Not much of a “success” story. Where’s the glory?

It’s in the next three verses. “Therefore God . . .” I always sit up and listen a little more closely when someone says, “Therefore, God . . .”

This part of the passage tells the “God exalted Him” part of the story. God is still exalting Jesus. So do we. Every time we gather in this place to tell the story of Jesus, we exalt Him. We should – He’s done so much for us, the least we can do is return our heartfelt offerings of praise as often as possible. The psalmist said, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” He speaks of every day. We ought to return praise to God every day. We ought to thank Jesus every day.

Okay, pastor. Where are you headed with this? You’ve said quite a bit, but what’s your point?

It seems like such a small thing – retrieving a small colt for transportation into the city. Jesus certainly could have walked in – He’d done it before. He walked pretty much everywhere He went. But this entrance was different, and Jesus was going to make a point. He made a lot of points.

He made the point that He was worth paying attention to. This entrance was special because what He was getting ready to do was special. His sacrifice would change everything, and He wanted us to know it.

He made the point that praise is a worthy thing to offer to Jesus. They didn’t throw money or good deeds. They offered actions of praise and voices full of hope and promise and thanksgiving to God. It was a beautiful thing, what the people did that day.

But maybe more than anything else, He made the point that He knew what He was doing, and what He was doing was the thing that needed to be done. He knew what was going on, and He knew what He was doing. Jesus still knows what He’s doing.

It was just like He said it would be . . .

It still is . . .

Richard W. Dunn, PhD.