PALM/PASSION SUNDAY – April 5, 2009

SCRIPTURES – Zechariah 9:9-12; Mark 11:1-11; Mark 14:32 – 15:39 

Yesterday I spent some time talking with three men. One was a communications officer with the Army Air Corps in W.W. II. He didn’t feel he did that much. He was stationed at air bases, never in harm’s way. Of course, there were the couple of months crossing the Atlantic in a convoy in 1943, facing the threat of German submarines. His bases could also be attacked at any time.  

The other two other men grew up together and both served in Patton’s 3^rd Army. One, an army engineer, went ashore in Normandy on D-Day plus 3. He doesn’t remember which beach, but does remember the oil, gasoline, blood and bodies in the water and their stench. The memories trouble him to this day. His buddy, a machinist who made firing pins for 155’s, went ashore on D-Day on a beach called Omaha. He didn’t say much about it. 

These simple men didn’t do much. They were a small part of an invading force for good that helped to defeat powerful armies and free millions of people from evil dictatorships. No, they didn’t do much. They just changed the world! But, look at the world now. An evil man slaughters 13 helpless people in Binghamton, NY. Another ambushes and kills 3 police officers in Pittsburgh. Violent protesters damage businesses and seek to disrupt a gathering of world leaders in London. Powerful armies and valiant men may suppress evil for a time, but man’s heart remains evil. 

Years ago a very great man entered Jerusalem. How great a man? You know the many great things Jesus did. He revealed His greatness even in the simple fact that He knew where in a nearby town there would be a donkey was which would carry Him, and who owned it. Complete knowledge and limitless power were His. He could rule the world! 

But, Jesus did not come in the vanguard of a great army. He led no column of tanks. He rode no mighty stallion. He entered Jerusalem humbly: on a donkey, a beast of burden. Jesus came to “speak peace to the nations” and “set prisoners free.” He went forth to do this by humbly laying down His life for the world. 

Valiant men and mighty armies are at times necessary because of the mighty evil men can bring. Power and might in the service of good can for a time overcome and suppress evil. But, power and might cannot change hearts. They cannot forgive sins. They cannot give the love of God and eternal life with Him in heaven. 

People praise and follow Jesus for many reasons. Some want His blessing upon their lives so that they can be prosperous. Some seek from Him wisdom in dealing with people so that they might promote peace among men, whether it be between nations or within families. Some follow His teachings because they see in them principles for living a happy life. He did not come for any of this, however, and if this is what you are seeking from Him, then you are wasting your time. He will not have you, for you are dishonoring Him. 

Jesus came to save sinners from being condemned to hell forever because of their sins, as well as to lift the burden of guilt and the feeling of uselessness that sin brings and which prevent us from gladly and freely serving God and other people. He came to do this by coming upon and, in essence, becoming a humble donkey, one who would take the burden of our sins upon Himself and carry them for us. He came to carry them to the cross, where He would be crushed under God’s hatred of and punishment of our sins. But, there, upon Him, all of God’s anger because of our sins would be spent. No anger of God with us remains, no punishment for our sins. In Jesus and in His death sinners can now find peace and eternal refuge. He will not have successful people who look to Him for a prosperous life. But, He will have sinners. He will receive the guilty and sorrowful. He will welcome the downcast and downhearted who despair of this life and yearn for heaven. 

We need to remember and honor those who have served our country and so served us. We do so by thanking them, by gladly spending time with them, and by dedicating ourselves to works of service for the good of others.  

Jesus is the mighty Savior of sinners. The best way we can honor Him and His sacrifice for us is to confess our sins to Him and go to Him for His forgiveness. We do this by daily crossing ourselves in remembrance of our baptisms, in which we were buried with Him in His death and raised with Him in His resurrection, as Scripture says. We honor Him by hearing His words and taking them to heart. We honor Him above all by coming to His house in humility, believing and knowing that He comes to us in humility here to give us the forgiveness He died to obtain. 

          “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you; righteous and having salvation is He!”