Palm Sunday 2013

Palm Sunday is the day we move into Holy Week. The end of Lent is approaching and we are moving into Holy Week – it is the most important week of the Christian calendar culminating in the reason we’re here – the resurrection of Jesus. But of course there is a journey to travel still.

And today we begin that journey as Jesus heads for Jerusalem, cheered on by well-wishers, ready to greet a new king. It was a moment of triumph, a moment where it seemed that the gospel message that Jesus came to deliver was going to be a success – at least that’s what some people might have thought, but Jesus was never amongst them. He knew that he would claim a victory, but that victory would be delivered through the pain of humiliation, torture and death.

And so Jesus made his way willingly to Jerusalem with the cheers of the crowds ringing in his ears, but he knew where he was going, and he knew why.  And this was going to be a busy week – in it he would turn over the tables in the Temple, criticising the corruption of those in charge, he would be anointed at the home of Simon the leper, he would spend time teaching in the Temple, he would wash the disciples’ feet… And then of course he would be betrayed by Judas Iscariot, Peter denied knowing him, other disciples fled, leaving Jesus to face his trial alone – and he took the mockery of the trial, he took the humiliation and the torture… And he kept loving – he kept going on his calling to die for those who beat him, for those who hated him, and for those who loved him, and for you and me…

It was an incredible week, and one we’re invited to share through our devotions of Holy Week. But even more importantly it is a journey we’re invited to share through our whole lives. We’re invited to take the journey with Jesus to Jerusalem. We’re invited to stand up, as he did, for justice, for right over wrong, for people who had no voice, for people who didn’t think that religion was for them…

In following Jesus we will have moments where it seems comfortable – when the journey seems to be going well. Those moments are great blessings to strengthen us – times when life seems to be going so well, times when our prayers seem comfortable and seem to be answered, times when life just seems good. There will be times when we feel good about ourselves and about our relationships with God and with other people.

There may even be times when we feel so good about ourselves that we could almost imagine people waving their palm branches for us !

But at those times let’s remember that following Jesus’ journey, we’re sitting on a donkey, with no important possessions, with no great army of support around us and with the prospect of some difficult days ahead…

And that is the reality of life – sometimes it’s tough. All kinds of obstacles are thrown in our way – being too busy, things not working out in work or maybe a domestic problem, relationship issues, money worries… the list can go on and one – life doesn’t always work as we’d like it to !

As Jesus rode down the Mount of Olives he was riding into all kinds of problems – but I don’t think he was ever tempted to turn back. The love that took him to the cross was a love that was far too strong for that – and it’s a love that continues today.

As he rode into difficulties he rode knowing that he could never be defeated – the power of God was and is a power that can overcome all problems. And so he faced the battles he would face with courage and with determination…

And it’s a great comfort for us to know that in any situation – good, bad, hard or easy, whether we’re enjoying the great moments when life seems to be going so well, or we’re struggling, God is right there with us – he is there strengthening us, offering us guidance and courage, and loving us…

The Christian life will be much like that week before the crucifixion of Jesus – a life with ups and downs, a life where we’re called and challenged to be as Jesus to others – caring for them with the sort of love and compassion he showed, looking at the problems in our own lives, and all around us, with eyes that know we can hand over these problems to him…

We can look at the world not with despair as some do when they read the newspapers or watch the news but with the hope that says Jesus has already conquered the despair with a victory that can never be taken away.

But of course there’s much to do – he doesn’t just ask us to look and think everything will be ok in the end – he asks us to be like him, and to continue to work and fight for the things that he did – to make a world where people know they are loved and cared for, to make a world where people feel that they can have hope however dark a place they may be in, a world where people know that there is a peace which is beyond all understanding, a world which will go on into eternity – into a place where there will be none of the pain and suffering, and tears and mourning, that we know in this world.

This is the message God wants us to share – because Palm Sunday and the days that followed were not the end of the story at all – the beginning was about to come with the resurrection of Jesus and the opportunity of new life for every person.

This is the message God wants us to hear – a message that offers us new life, a transformed life lived in the closer presence of God – a life, that may still contain plenty of ups and downs, but a life lived with God – with the knowledge of his love, his strength, his peace…. And a life that is heading for eternity – heading for the place where those problems in life will be forgotten forever…

And so we are challenged to journey with Jesus  - on the donkey down the Mount of Olives, into Jerusalem, to the cross – as we seek to do the work of Jesus on earth, but we’re also invited to get down off the cross and live – live for him here and now, and in his presence for evermore. AMEN