A sermon by Associate Minister Elsa A. Peters, April 5, 2009
Mark 11:1-11
Welcome to Worship
2000 years later, we don’t know what it was like to have been near Jesus. We assume that the disciples – especially in the Gospel of Mark — are pretty dumb because they never, ever get it. But, have you ever wondered how you would react if you saw him? What if you were one of the disciples? What would you have done? What if you had been there when Jesus arrived on Palm Sunday? Welcome to our Palm Sunday celebration – where we might just find the answer to this question. Welcome to worship.
Sermon
On this Sunday, our worship is intergenerational. This sermon is written to include the voices of children and adults alike. The gaps you find in this manuscript leave room for these voices. If you would like to hear this worship service, please contact the Church Office for a CD recording.
So, where is Jesus today? Did you see him? Was he here? Where?
Every year, the week before Easter, we tell this story about how Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem. Each Gospel tells this story a little bit differently. So, what is it that Mark has to say about this story? What did you hear when Emma read the text? What happened first?
• When they get close to Jerusalem, Jesus asks two disciples to go into the village and get a colt. It’s a very particular kind of colt though, right? It’s never been ridden. Huh.
• So, they go and get the colt and some people ask them why they are doing this and they say Jesus needs it. Everything seems OK.
• Then, “many people spread cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields.”
Not sure why they do this exactly. It seems like it’s been planned. See, Mark is a “war-time gospel.” Jerusalem isn’t a peaceful place when Mark is telling his story about Jesus. In fact, Jerusalem is anything but peaceful. The temple is about to be destroyed. The whole city is about to crumble to the ground. If you really want to know, it’s the Romans fault. They attacked the city so that the only part that was left was the Western Wall – but that hasn’t happened yet. The city is still standing when these people show up spreading their cloaks on the road and cutting down leafy branches.
But, here’s the big question: where is Jesus? He sat on the donkey. Right. We assume he’s riding in like the other Gospels tell us. That’s what we think – but what does Mark tell us? Look carefully. Nothing. Mark tells us nothing about where Jesus is or what he is doing. Why? Isn’t Jesus the most important part of this story? Isn’t this all about what will happen to him in the days before Easter? Isn’t it?
Actually, no, it’s not. “In Mark, Jesus’ message is not about himself – not about his identity as the Messiah, the Son of God, the Lamb of God, the Light of the World, or any other exalted terms familiar to Christians.”
Don’t believe me? I don’t blame you. Let’s look at the text. After the cloaks and leafy branches hit the road, what do the people do? They go “ahead” shouting. Some followed too, but it doesn’t say what they are following. Jesus? Or the ones going ahead? It’s tricky. Mark doesn’t say. It could be Jesus, but Mark doesn’t mention Jesus here –because in Mark this parade isn’t about Jesus. The crowds go ahead. They go ahead shouting. And what do they shout?
Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed in the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!
In the other gospels, this chant is about Jesus, but not in Mark.
Of course, Mark believes that Jesus is the Messiah. That’s how he starts his gospel: his account is “the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” But, that’s just it. This story of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark is the beginning. The beginning of what, you ask? It’s right there in what the crowd’s chant. The one that comes in the name of the Lord is not Jesus, but the coming kingdom. That’s what is beginning in Mark’s gospel. It’s the kingdom of God that begins in all of these stories about Jesus. All of the healings, teachings and miracles point to another way of being in the world – a way that is totally different from war. It’s a way of peace – so you could say this is a peace parade.
I keep using that word. Parade. What is a parade? Have you ever been to a parade? What usually happens? When I think about parades, I think about freezing cold in New York City the one and only time that I went to see the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. Have you ever seen that parade on TV? Well, I was there when I was about 10 years old. I went with my dad and my step-mom when they were still dating. It was cold and really crowded. I hated it. There were too many people pushing and shoving. And it was really, really cold. You have to get there really early so that you can see anything and my step-mom wanted to stay until the very end. Do you know why? What happens at the end of that parade? Right. Santa Claus comes down Broadway on a sleigh.
That’s the exact opposite of what happens here in the Gospel of Mark. No one is waiting for Jesus to show up along the road. They go ahead cheering and shouting. They are all part of the parade. They don’t just watch because it’s about them. It’s the beginning of how we make peace together. That’s what the Kingdom of God is. That’s the good news. That’s where it starts – with how we make peace together.
Now, in the beginning of worship, you may have seen Jesus by himself wandering down the aisle. He got some of you to dance. He got some of you to shout Hosanna. He showed us the way. Now, like the people that saw this parade long ago, we get to figure out how we will continue the parade. Our world is still a scary place. Our city might not be about to fall. Our church will still be here tomorrow, but there are still things that scare us, like what? What scares you?
All of these things are why we need to continue the parade, so let’s try. Let’s see if we can do that. Let’s see if we can make a parade that makes everyone feel welcome to this table. Today, we celebrate communion where Jesus showed us how to make peace together. So, let’s see if right now, before we share bread and cup, we can make a parade together that makes everyone feel welcome. Let’s make our own peace parade, right here and right now.