Grace Lutheran Church Palm Sunday Sermon April 9, 2006

The Rev. Evan Gaertner

Palm Sunday "Walking Forward in Faith"

April 9, 2006 John 12:12-19

Today we gather together in this sanctuary to celebrate 50 years of Grace at Grace. March 25, 1956 with prayers of thanksgiving and praise ministry began at the corner of Cayuga Drive and Pershing Avenue. Some of you remember the cold day and the walk over from the old colonial church one block away. Many of you were not members of Grace at that time. This is actually good news because it means a couple of things: there are young people in this congregation, at least younger than fifty and secondly we are growing in followers of Jesus and not just relying on the base of members that walked over from Munson avenue.

We walk forward in faith this Palm Sunday towards the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ leads us forward.

In order to understand how we are going to go forward as a congregation that follows Jesus Christ, I want you to look back to that Palm Sunday many years ago, further than fifty years ago, but actually two thousand years ago.

The large crowds that came to the Passover festival in Jerusalem heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. Word was spreading of what Jesus had done in Bethany. Lazarus had been dead, wrapped in the burial cloths, placed in the tomb. Jesus called out to him, "Lazarus, come out." Lazarus, who had died, came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."

Indeed the crowd was finding their hope being unbound from disappointment and fruitless longing. Hope. Life. Waiting. Here he is! Jesus of Nazareth.

After raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from Bethany to an out of the way town and stayed with his disciples. It is not simple the paparazzi are following Jesus, but in fact there are people in Jerusalem that saw him as a threat.

It was the time for the Passover festival and some were standing in the temple and saying, "What do you think? Will he even come to the feast at all?" People knew the threats against Jesus were growing, in fact the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where Jesus was they must report to the authorities, so that they might arrest him.

The crowds that heard that Jesus was coming boldly gathered along the road to greet Jesus as he entered Jerusalem. The threats did not keep the crowds away and it was not in this parade that Jesus was betrayed. This day the crowds cheered and did not jeer.

This entry into Jerusalem was announced and written about long ago by the prophet Zechariah. The people were not supposed to be waiting for a parade of worldly power, pomp, and splendor. The prophet Zechariah had said that the king would come humble and mounted on a donkey. But still it was the parade of power, pomp, and splendor the people desired then and that we still look forward to today. People continue to desire to be wowed by God, rather than received by God’s grace.

But the prophet Zechariah also wrote, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!" Consider this invitation to Rejoice and shout, even though the king would arrive humble on a donkey.

The crowds were to receive their king, not simply because of the humble and simple way he would enter Jerusalem but because this would be the time of God's visitation.

I encourage you to be seriously concerned with not being drawn away from the Word of God by the distractions of looking for the latest fad or attaching yourself to the latest power player. We receive the good news of Jesus Christ that comes to us through the spoken word, the simple water, and everyday bread and wine. He enters into our lives gentle and humble without a light show or majestic parade. We don’t have the glitz and glamour of a big stage production. We have the visitation of God’s grace. We receive this grace in worship and walk forward by faith into this world. We go forward carrying the love of God to a world that does not know him.

I don't know if we desire a gentle, humble, servant king that has come to save us. I don't know what kind of king you want in your life. What kind of God do you want? I suppose it would be nice to have a God of pomp and majesty and power that is on display for all the world to see. Instead we have a God that comes in human flesh, rides a donkey, is betrayed, arrested, convicted, and killed.

Just because Jesus made his entrance in the simple fashion of riding on a donkey, do not be mistaken, he is not a powerless king. With righteousness and salvation Jesus entered Jerusalem. Jesus came to save us. Jesus entered the city that would reject him to gather us to him.

Jesus comes as a king bringing treasures that do not rust. They do not decay nor become consumed by moths. The treasures of Christ cannot be stolen by thieves. Indeed thieves could come in and take everything inside this building and they could not take away the treasure of this congregation. The heavenly treasure of grace and salvation is brought to us by Jesus.

We should all truly welcome this Christ King, but I encourage you to walk forward in faith not merely as a crowd member watching the show go by. I want you also to consider an image that Martin Luther used to describe humanity. I want you to picture yourself as that donkey bringing Christ into Jerusalem.

This is an unclean animal. It is not an intelligent animal but one that works under a load. It is chained and waiting for commands of its master or led by its simple selfish passions.

Before the majesty and glory of God we are beasts, in fact that donkey was even more intelligent than we are when we are led by our sinfulness. In our sinfulness we work against the promises of God's love and salvation. Humanity is either ridden by Satan and always going in the wrong direction away from God's promises or humanity is ridden by Jesus Christ and we become sacred and righteous through our master.

The donkey on Palm Sunday became a sacred vessel carrying the good news into Jerusalem. The donkey would never be foolish enough to think the cheers and palms and shouts of Hosanna were for him. He walked forward by faith being led by the savior of the world. Knowing that he was entering into Jerusalem because he was being led by Jesus.

As our congregation goes forward we do so being led by our savior. No matter what the building looks like we are made a treasure of the kingdom through the bringing of God's Word and administering the sacraments.

Continue with me and go forward by faith there are adventures of God’s choosing laid out before us.

Fifty years ago people entered the doors unlocked to find in this sanctuary the same Word of God proclaimed and the same sacraments administered. Fifty years later we still find the same Word of God proclaimed and the same sacraments administered. Some things change and some must not. I give thanks to God that he has preserved and grown his followers in this sanctuary.

Soli Deo Gloria

Grace Lutheran Church

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