Palm/Passion Sunday Luke 19:28-40 March 28, 2010
This morning we have taken time to walk with Jesus through the entire passion narrative, from Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem to his humiliating walk to the place called Golgotha, to his last words before he breathed his last.
In some ways it has been an exhausting walk, but an important walk nonetheless.
From a preacher’s point of view it is a walk filled with countless opportunities and the primary question is, where do you start?
Where should the focus be?
With all the characters involved in this narrative, to whom should we draw our attention to?
Actually that last question is relatively easy, in that the focus ought always be on Jesus—the cornerstone of our faith and life—our Savior and Lord.
That would normally be my first response.
This morning however I want to draw your attention to a more obscure character in the narrative—I want to draw your attention not so much to a particular person—but to an animal—the donkey, the donkey that carried Jesus into Jerusalem.
I want to draw your attention to this humble creature not because animals are cute, but because I believe this donkey tells us a great deal about the person who was being transported.
But before I focus on the donkey I need to provide a little historical background to help all this make sense, so bear with me.
I need to begin by telling you that Jesus entry into Jerusalem was not the only processional that day and you need to know that there are two primary gates into that mighty city.
There is the West Gate and the East Gate and it was not uncommon for there to be a number of processions into the city on significant occasions and on national holidays—not unlike our own processions and parades in our day and age.
Most of the parades that took place in Jerusalem were of a militaristic nature, it was an opportunity to show off all the military power of the Roman Empire.
It was an opportunity to spit polish every bit of armor, brandish swords and spears and to mount might stallions and make a grand entrance, letting everyone know who was in charge.
And quite frankly, that need to let folks know who is in charge was apparently necessary in Jerusalem because some time prior there had been an uprising that had caused a great deal of disruption and revolt around the time of Passover.
So in order to discourage further such unruly demonstrations, Pontius Pilate would ride into the city from the Roman imperial capital of Caesarea on the Mediterranean coast with cavalry and troops emoting the brute force of Rome.
And when Pilate did this he always entered from the West Gate.
That brings us to the East gate, an entrance into the city that did command the same sort of grand entrances, as it was more of an entrance to the Temple.
Military processions did not make use of the East Gate. And then there is the donkey.
If you were to place a mighty stallion, a warhorse, next to a humble donkey—which one is going to demand greater respect?
Which will demand your attention?
If you want people to notice you, if you want to intimidate, which beast will you mount?
The donkey or the stallion?
Most of us would pick the might stallion.
But not Jesus.
Jesus has another plan, he has another agenda, and to say it is counter cultural, is an understatement.
But in order to appreciate the choice of a donkey we need to look back to one of the prophets of old, the prophet Zechariah who wrote: “Shout aloud, daughter of Jerusalem. Lo, your King comes to you triumphant and victorious is he. Humble and riding on a colt, the foal of a donkey. He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem. And shall command peace to the nations.” (9:9)
Whereas Pilate marches into Jerusalem at the West gate with all the fanfare of a military parade, demonstrating brutal strength, intimidating and persecuting those who might resist—Jesus enters from the East Gate, unarmed, with his ragtag band of followers on a small and almost comical donkey, a symbol of humility and peace.
Some scholars have even suggested that Jesus might have even been intentionally mocking the political powers of injustice and the hypocrisy of the religious elite.
By riding in on this little donkey, with his sandals dragging in the dirt, Jesus is spoofing the West Gate parade with all its impressive animals, fine robes and splendid shining armor of brute force and intimidation.
But as our reading from Luke points out, not everybody was laughing or saw the humor in his mockery.
The Pharisees are not amused, demanding that Jesus quiet down the crowds who were crying out “Hosanna!”
To which Jesus, with perhaps a twinkle in his eye recalls the words of the prophet Habakkuk by suggesting that if these people were silenced, the stones on the road would cry out.
The point being, his entry into Jerusalem was going to happen and it was worthy of celebration even though most of the folks had no idea what was about to transpire and what the lasting implications were going to be.
This morning, and to be honest, every morning is an opportunity for a parade, an opportunity to cast our lots with one processional or another.
Life is like that.
Every morning, everyday, every waking hour is an occasion for us to ask ourselves, “What parade are we going to hitch our wagon to?”
‘Will we choose to follow the mighty stallion and everything associated with that parade—or –-will we get behind the donkey, and the call to discipleship”?
It’s an important question that effects our daily lives as well as the lifelong implications are significant.
I want you to realize that while the question might seem simplistic, it can be complicated as well.
Take the 12 disciples for example.
Chances are, they probably assumed that they were following the donkey and it’s rider, Jesus.
And yet, a part of them, I suspect where drawn to the parade of glory and triumph.
Take James and John for example that just prior had been vying for the best seats in the house and had visions of greatness once Jesus established his Kingdom. Sometime before that Peter had rebuked Jesus for describing the suffering he would undergo.
As a whole the disciples were so focused on what benefit would come to them that they didn’t understand any of what Jesus was doing.
And I suspect we are no different.
Most of us I suspect love a parade—especially one with lots of marching bands!
But more to the point—we all like to be one the winning team.
We go nuts when our hometown teams win championships—be it state high school championships or the Super Bowl or the World Series—even the Stanley Cup.
We like being associated with the big dogs, the mighty and the powerful.
We love to jump around with those big foam rubber hands with the index finger indicating that “We are #1!”
Even those of us who sit at home and watch the action in the comfort of our Lazy-Boy Rockers like to strut and pound our chest when the team we are rooting for pulls off another victory.
By and large, most of us love a good victory parade.
But what happens when Jesus invites us join his parade—when he invites us to follow his donkey?
What happens when we hear Jesus invite us to share what little we have with the poor and the outcasts of society?
What happens when we are encouraged to forgive even those who have just beat us and humiliated us and have rubbed our noses in the dirt?
What happens when humility is given greater respect in God’s eyes than boasting rights?
What happens when Jesus invites you to trust in him completely—to trust him with every aspect of your life, your future, and your money, your day-to-day existence and beyond?
And what happens when Jesus invites you join a parade that is so counter cultural to the world around us?
On that fateful day prior to Passover Pilate entered Jerusalem on a huge horse, a victory horse, a warhorse. Pilate proclaimed the Kingdom of Caesar; a kingdom built on intimidation, blood, and war as the solution to all problems.
The Kingdoms Pilate and Jesus symbolized were worlds apart.
Both had power.
The donkey Jesus rode in on is a key to understanding the differences.
Today is the first day of what the worldwide Christian community calls Holy Week.
And yet, it is a week that might not seem very holy in the traditional sense of the word.
It is a week that takes on all the injustice, corruption, prejudice and sinful hatred that surrounds and permeates humanity.
And while we might walk through this week like mourners on a funeral march, we do so with the assurance and promise of unbridled joy just around the corner next Sunday.
But until then, the questions remain:
Which parade are you going to join?
Which king are you going to follow?
In which kingdom will you reside?
Will you follow the mighty warhorse or the humble donkey?
My suggestion…let us follow the One “who though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross”. Amen
Pastor Stephen Blenkush
Zion Lutheran
Milaca, MN
www.ZionMilaca.org(Sermon Archive)
