Who is this?
The Season of Lent, Palm Sunday
Welcome and Announcements
Called to Worship:
Let us enter the city with God today,
And sing hosannas to our king,
Let us turn our backs on the powers that grasp and control,
And open our hearts to the son of God riding on a donkey.
Let us join his parade,
Surrounded by outcasts and prostitutes, the blind and the leper.
Let us follow the one who brought freedom and peace,
And walk in solidarity with the abandoned and oppressed.
Let us shout for joy at Christ’s coming and join his disciples,
Welcoming the broken, healing the sick, dining with outcasts.
Let us touch and see as God draws near,
A servant riding in triumph towards the Cross
Hymn: 218 Hosanna loud Hosanna
Prayer of Adoration
God of infinite power, we praise you for Jesus Christ, who came riding into the city of Jerusalem riding on a lowly beast. We praise you that his victory was a victory of your love and not the violence that people expected.
Help us, as we worship this day, to learn the meaning of the power and the glory that Jesus exhibited today and all the way to the cross. Guide us into being the same faithful servant he is.
May we truly participate in the life and struggles of the world’s peoples as a true expression of your worship, that our joy may be full and you may be glorified. Amen
When the parade is over, do we pick up our lives, brush them off, and live in the old way? As we begin the journey through the holiest of weeks, let us speak the truth, as we confess to our God, praying together,
Unison Prayer of Confession:
O God, we stand at the gate, hesitant and uncertain;
we are reluctant to answer your invitation; we are slow to embark on the journey toward your reign.
Forgive us, we pray.
Grant us the help we need to be your people—the courage to join you in the procession; the selflessness to lay our cloaks before you; the freedom to lift our palms to your glory; and the knowledge that by your grace we are forgiven. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
Laying aside judgment, God offers us redemption;
setting aside anger, God embraces us with love;
letting go of grief, God pours living water upon us.
This is the good news, my friends:
God's steadfast love endures forever.
Hosanna! Hosanna!
Blessed is the One who brings us into the kingdom of God!
Amen.
The Peace
Hymn: 217 Ride on, ride on in majesty
Scripture Lessons:
Psalm 118: 1-4, 19-29
Isaiah 50: 4-9
Matthew 21: 1-11
Sermon: Who is this?
I frequently ponder what is known as the Christus Paradox. We recognize that Jesus is called to be many things in the unfolding of salvation. Yet he is often also the opposite of one of his other tasks.
The hymn, You Lord, are both lamb and shepherd, sums up that paradox in this way:
You Lord, are both lamb and shepherd, You Lord, are both prince and slave, you peacemaker and sword bringer, of the way you took and gave, you the everlasting instant, you whom we both scorn and crave.
I think that this Paradox is at the heart of the question asked by the people today, “Who is this?”
It all begins with the Triumphal Entry, or the Disgraceful Entry. That mixed identity is so obvious here. When a king returns from war, he comes into the city riding on a horse, a symbol of his success, power and prowess. Or, he arrives on a donkey, a symbol of his loss, powerlessness and ineptitude.
Here we see the crowd hailing Jesus as the Messiah, the son of David. They sang praises to the one who came to them in the name of the Lord.
The song of Hosanna rang off the Temple walls and echoed around the city. And then into the lull came the question, “Who is he?”
It is a good question.
If he is the conquering king who will overthrow Rome and establish the throne of David, why is he entering the city on a donkey?
There is here a problem with the mixed messages that so often accompany Jesus in his ministry.
As a people we don’t know what to do or how to respond to mixed messages. Who is the Jesus that we worship? Who is the Jesus that we praise? Who is the Jesus whom we both scorn and crave?
We see it as the account of the triumphal entry.
Praise, Hosanna, Glory be to the King of Kings.
Who is this?
Why does the king ride a donkey?
This is not the way a king behaves. This is the action of a defeated warrior, the stature of a servant. Who is this?
And perhaps more to the point, Why should I care who he is? What does he have to do with me?
One of the commentaries that I read this week began with the comment that in “the midst of the shouts of praise it seems as if the true nature of Jesus is missed.” Harmon went on to talk about how the crowd missed the obvious—the “King” arrives on the back of a donkey—the one being hailed as the Son of David shows his true calling as a humble servant of God.
Is it any wonder then, that as the uproar and the adulation begin to wane, people begin to notice the Paradox and ask the questions.
Who is this? Why does he matter for me?
From the beginning of the account, we see that even his disciples miss his true nature. That should not surprise us, they have missed it so often along the way as he led them and taught them.
Have they noticed that he has already arranged everything? The donkey, the upper room have already been prepared.
But more than that has already been prepared. Jesus has spoken of it, but they refuse to hear the truth. The undercurrent of displeasure is obvious even among the disciples, but none perceive it. Well maybe Peter sees a glimpse, and thus he engages Jesus in argument, and tells him off for predicting his death. You are not talking as the King we are looking for…but he doesn’t quite dare ask the question, Who are you?
Judas gets it, well part of it, but rather than question Jesus, he plots against him. Those actions alone make us aware of the other preparations that are being revealed in the distance.
A cross on a hill.
A new tomb that no one has previously occupied.
Even the adulation and confusion of the crowd point to the paradox, this is a King who is apparently defeated. This is a King who appears powerless and defeated. It is no wonder that they ask, “Who is this?”
The crowd cries Hosanna—Save us—and yet seem unaware that it is a cry for help, rather than the praise normally given to a King. The crowd does not yet realize that Jesus will provide help for their souls in a way that will disrupt their thinking.
We can be like that as well. When we ask for help, what we really are asking for is that our circumstances change. We neither ask for nor expect that we will be changed. Our spirits will grow. Peace will carry us through the difficulties of our current circumstances. The miracle is not that our burden is taken away, the miracle is that we are changed as we walk with that burden. The sadness is that we really don’t want to be changed. Change is too much hard work.
We arrive at that understanding through the process of broken hearts that open us to the mercy of God’s love and grace.
Is it any wonder that we ask, “Who is this?”
Here he comes as a humble and humbled King. Even the way he speaks of the events to come in Jerusalem point to defeat. Jesus knows that he comes to die. Usually, the death of the King is the ultimate sign of complete defeat. Yet Jesus speaks of himself as the Passover Sacrifice, whose blood protects the people from death. The death that he speaks of his not physical death but spiritual death, something that we rarely consider. But for Jesus the salvation of our souls is the life he seeks to give us.
In the midst of all this clamour, adulation, praise, and questioning Jesus remains silent. He hasn’t spoken since giving instructions to his disciples. He neither accepts the praise nor defends himself against the criticism. He calmly rides through the chaos.
As I pondered this, I marveled at his calm and remembered the scene in Jesus Christ Superstar where Jesus travelled through the Valley of the Lepers. The demands from them all to touch them and heal them, caused Jesus distress knowing he could never heal all of them.
I think that is the point of the many paradoxes of Jesus character and calling. As a man he could not heal all people, but he could teach obedience to God. As a human king he could not save the people or the city but he could point the way to salvation. The truth of the Paradox is that as the servant of God, Jesus could accomplish it all. As the sacrifice on the cross he died for the life of all. As the one filled with the power of the Holy Spirit he could calmly ride through the crowd, with the confidence of knowing that he was everything that God asked him to be.
That calm and accepting confidence is rarely seen in people. It is no wonder the people asked, “Who is this?”
What about us?
In the calm acceptance he journeyed into Jerusalem do we see a deep commitment to God?
Do we remember how many times he argued with the Disciples about the dangers of going to Jerusalem?
Do we remember that he “set his face” and made the journey with confident determination?
What we see, if we dare to look deeper, is that Jesus stays true to his purpose and calling. Jesus stays united with his Father and the Holy Spirit despite all the temptation to seek the favour of the people who line the road.
Do we see that he knows he has the validation of God and does not need the praises of those who do not know him.
They do not know him. It is no wonder they ask, “Who is this?” This question contains in it the seed of the discontent that will lead to the demands that he be crucified. It is such a short journey from praise to questioning to abandonment and disillusionment.
When we look at this event through the eyes of those who do know who Jesus is, we can see that Jesus knows what is happening in the people. He knows what is in their hearts. He knows that they desire the quick fix not the real healing. He knows that his disciples are weak. He knows the disciples will question his decisions to fulfill all God asks. He knows that Judas will betray him.
Most of all Jesus knows the answer to the question. He knows who he is.
He is the humble servant.
He is the King of Kings.
He is the great high priest.
He is the bruised reed.
He is the Passover Lamb
He is the glorification of God.
He is the Shepherd who leads his people in all things.
Who is this?
The people who are asking are in turmoil.
Jesus meets none of their expectations. He does nothing for which they sing and ask. He chooses to be the King who is defeated for them. He chooses to be the Lamb who dies for them. He chooses to be lowly servant who will wash the feet of his disciples.
It is God who will use this willingness to give up all he is, to return to him everything he has given up.
He will be glorified as King. He will be hailed as the Saviour. He will be all things for all people.
What about us? When we ask, “who is this?”, do we accept that Jesus is the Paradox who gives up everything for us and in return becomes everything we need, and makes us equal with him in all things.
Who is this?
Someone who is more than we can know. Someone who gives us more than we can ask or expect. The one who shows us how to walk the journey of faithfulness. The one who teaches us that what we want is not what we need. The salvation of the people. The glory of God.
Who is this?
Jesus is our all in all. Glory be to God. Amen
Tenebrae Liturgy see insert
Hymn: 214 All glory laud and honour
Offering
Doxology
Offertory Prayer
O Lord our God, we bring you our offering, the gifts and tithes of our love, the giving of ourselves and our labour as faithful servants.
We do not ask for your praise, but rather your mercy as you bring these gifts to the needs of our world, to those places broken by division and suspicion, by hatred and war.
Bring these gifts to the needs of our land, where despite our affluence the hungry and homeless, the wounded and despairing are in need of your mercy.
We bring you the needs of ourselves and our loved ones,
seeking Your peace and healing, your wisdom and protection that we may indeed be your answer to our prayers. And make us a people in whom Your gentle reign is seen. Amen.
Gathering Prayer Requests
Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer
O God of steadfast Love: you hand us the palm branches,
so we can wave them in hope; you steady us in the days
when pain is stuck to the bottom of our lives, when fear is our constant companion.
We empty ourselves so you might fill us with joy.
Humble Healer: When our mouths turn numb
and we cannot speak our dreams, you tenderly caress our cheeks,
leaning over to hear our faltering words.
When our arms have grown weak from the burdens we carry,
you take them from us, and strengthen us with your mercy.
We empty ourselves so you might fill us with grace.
We bring you now, the words we cannot express and the burdens that weigh us down. Hear our prayers for each other and the whole of your world, take the love we express, take the words locked in our hearts and lift from us the burden of care and concern that we may have confidence in the health and healing you provide.
JOYS
THE CONCERNS OF OUR HEARTS
Those grieving the stabbing death of a police officer in Quebec.
The fires that have begun in the Okanagan and near Kamloops, and the fire season ahead.
THE WORLD YOU LOVE
The people of the Ukraine
Those recovering from tornado after tornado in the States
THE GOVERNMENTS AND AGENCIES THAT SERVE US
The Mayor and Council
The Premier and the Legislature
The Prime Minister and the Parliament
King George III as he prepares for his coronation
Nato and the United Nations
Voice of Wisdom: come to us, as the warm breath of resurrection
pushing aside our fears. When we hesitate to walk into the unknown stretching before us, hold our hands and teach us the first step. We empty ourselves so you might fill us with peace.
God in Community, Holy in One, we open our hearts to you,
as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine in the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever. Amen
Hymn: 221 O dearest Lord
Charge and Benediction
And now we lay down the palm branches.
As the last echo of the final alleluia fades, so does our hope that this journey can end in any other way.
The week stretches ahead glory-less and pain filled, and yet through it all, God will be glorified.
As we walk we look towards the cross, knowing it is both the most human and most divine of all journeys.
Therefore, let us travel the road with courage, with love, and with the uneasy peace that is the gift of faith into this holiest of weeks.
May the grace that filled Jesus rest easily upon us all; may the peace of God fill and comfort our hearts and may the guidance of the Holy Spirit compel our footsteps. Amen.
Sung Blessing
209 Verse 1
O Love that wilt not let me go