Welcome to our Service for Sunday the 24th of March 2024 - Palm Sunday and the problem with crowds

Join us in person at 10 am or watch the live stream on our YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxBzxjBb3xU8ra2NHwvD_9A  (The service can also be viewed at any time afterwards.)

You can find the reading and reflection below:

Mark 11:1-11   Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

11 When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone says to you, “Why are you doing this?” just say this, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.”’ 4 They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, 5 some of the bystanders said to them, ‘What are you doing, untying the colt?’ 6 They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. 7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. 9 Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,

‘Hosanna!

    Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

10     Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!’

11 Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

It is Palm Sunday today.

We are moving into the week before Passover, and Jerusalem is packed with pilgrims. At this time in history,  Jews were scattered throughout the Roman and Greek worlds. They have come to celebrate Passover in Jerusalem.

 If you have ever had the privilege of celebrating Passover with a Jewish family, you might remember that as part of the celebration, the words that are spoken at the table, include the phrase ‘this time next year in Jerusalem’.

A sense that whatever your circumstances today, you hope that next year you might be there in Jerusalem to celebrate.

I’m not sure what our equivalent might be. We probably in New Zealand don’t think so much about sacred places of pilgrimage.  

We were privileged once as a family to visit Anzac Cove in Gallipoli - that was a pretty significant moment for us, but not quite the same thing.

We can only imagine the significance of Jerusalem on this Passover week. The emotions, the hopes, and the memories - these things that were the centre of the celebration when people came together and remembered how God, centuries earlier, had brought the Hebrew people out of slavery in Egypt.

Here is the temple - where we celebrate the very presence of God. Passover is our defining story, and we’ve travelled a long way to get to Jerusalem.

The merchants, the people in charge of the temple, the money changing hands as pilgrims spent all they had on an animal to be sacrificed by the priests.

The smell of unleavened bread being prepared for all those pilgrims - and perhaps a very strong BBQ smell from all the animals that were being sacrificed and burnt at the temple altar.

The Roman guard was always present, reinforced to deal with the crowds. Adding to the tension - their presence reminded the pilgrims, that almost like those ancient times in Egypt, they were once again under the whip of a frequently oppressive and violent regime.

And then in the midst of all this Jesus appears.

We hear the story of Jesus directing the disciples to get the colt, a young male donkey, that no one has ever ridden before.

11 When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethpage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it.

Maybe it was the same two disciples who were arguing just a short while beforehand.

³⁵ James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’ ³⁶ And he said to them, ‘What is it you want me to do for you?’ ³⁷ And they said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.

Maybe it was James and John who were asked to go and borrow the horse.

Anyway, Jesus, we are told, sends these two disciples to find this colt that hadn’t been ridden.

The "horsey" people who have commented on this passage smile at this story. A colt, a male donkey that no one has ever ridden, and they just untie it and bring it to Jesus - who just hops on.

7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it.

Anyone who knows about horses would also know that anything could happen here.

So, two disciples, perhaps the ones that had been arguing about their sitting beside Jesus in his glory, and they are sent off to find this creature.

All the big discussions and plans and questions to Jesus. And two of the disciples get the job of coordinating transport.

We are trying to fill the church roster at the moment. The baking, the welcoming, the barb-b-que, the reading.

All these roles, all the functions, make up being part of God’s church and working at this kingdom building. Someone needs to organise the transport. 

So, we have the rather unpredictable horse, the followers, the crowds - there is reason to feel a tension here – but we also have this sense that Jesus is in control. Directing the disciples, humble and yet in control.

And the memories too that would take people back to the prophecy in Zechariah, chapter 9. Their hopes and expectations:

 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
    Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
    righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

And his followers yelling Hosanna - save us!

Again, a word straight from Psalm 118.

The Gospel writers reframe the great words from their ancient text, to explain what was happening.

The image is a difficult one. It’s a kind of parody. A set-up. Behind the story is the question we might still ask ourselves – about perceptions - what is Jesus, who is Jesus for you? Where do we stand in the crowd? What is he asking from you or me?

Maybe it is to lead a great reform, to advocate for justice, maybe today he’s asking you to organise the transport or dry the dishes.  

It is unclear though, what these crowds believe about Jesus. Do they think Jesus is the coming king? If so, what gives them that impression?

If this crowd believes that Jesus is the coming king, how do these shouts of “Hosanna” and blessing give way to “Crucify” and condemnation on Thursday?

The story this morning - it is charged with questions, these options, different crowds and groups wanting different things and seeing the world in different ways. And as we follow Jesus there is almost humour - a second question almost a kind of joke at the end of our reading.

After all of this the crowds the noise the sight of the merchants and priests and military we are told:

11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Bethany was about 3 kms away.

‘Oh, it getting late come on guys let's go to Bethany.’

And I think, here’s your chance Jesus. Build on the momentum and get something going here.

But yeah nah. He is not going to be that kind of crowd-pleaser.

The crowd turns. The undecided decide. The good people do nothing, and in the end, evil prevails.

Things unwind from there.

He upsets the merchants in the temple. The religious authorities turn on him. Judas betrays him, the crowds go from cheering to calling for his crucifixion. The Roman authorities oblige them, and even Jesus' closest friends deny him.

So, though the week starts with something of a parade -the question that is asked today, the question about who we follow, who is Lord, who is David’s son, who will save us? What is being asked of us? - These questions become deadly serious as we travel these days till Friday.

Our response can lead to life or death. 

The clamour. The information, the reporting, the news, all the stories of politics, wars and threats and fear – this crowd of voices - they can take us to a place that is mentally and spiritually, a dark place. And especially for people who might be a little frailer, might be alone, this can be deep well to be at the bottom of.

Julian of Norwich born in the 14^th century wrote the earliest surviving book in the English language written by a woman. A woman of profound faith and who witnessed the most horrendous plague in British history – the Black Death that went for two years from 1348.

She wrote:

“If there is anywhere on earth that a lover of God is always kept safe, I know nothing of it, for it was not shown to me. But this was shown: that in falling and rising again we are always kept in that same precious love.”

We might stand with those Jerusalem crowds on this Palm Sunday, but also, we stand at another place. We know how the journey ends.

Not with hate and fear and death, but in silence and then in life and the discovery of joy and a peace, we are told, that that passes all understanding.

So, for ourselves, for those close to us for those we love, and for our neighbour - and especially those who find themselves in that dark place, let us remember our story.

Always and ultimately, we are resurrection people. In the midst of all the news and the clamour, in the midst of all we face, we trust in the risen Lord - light and life triumphant over death and darkness.

AMEN