Mark 11: As they approached
Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it,
you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why
are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here
shortly.’”
4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a
doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying
that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had
told them to, and the people let them go. 7 When they brought the colt
to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their
cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and
those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of
the Lord!” 10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our
father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
The Sunday before Easter is called Palm Sunday – all four gospel writers
tell us the story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. People pulled palm leaves down and waved them
in the procession.
I took part in such a procession once.
We were staying with friends in Cornwall on Palm Sunday one year and we
joined the local Methodist church as it paraded through the village waving
leaves and following a donkey. There was a great sense of atmosphere – both
among those of us in the procession and those looking on. No one asked what the
donkey thought of it.
All these people who are crying out “Hosanna!” – “Save us!” What did they want to be saved from?
Well, they lived in enemy-occupied land and we know they wanted freedom to
rule their own country. They wanted freedom from arrest and torture.
Just 2 weeks ago, you will have heard on the news that Taliban bombs had
exploded outside two churches in the Youhanabad district of the Pakistani city
of Lahore. 16 people were killed, 10 critically injured and around 80 more
affected by blast injuries. A local pastor friend of mine was preaching in his
church nearby when the blasts were felt.
Another contact of mine lives just 4 minutes’ walk from one of the damaged
churches.
Both of these families have since spoken of how Christians in that place
live in fear of arrest, injury or death for their faith. I know what they cry ‘Hosanna’ for…
Today, what is it that people around us in Southend want saving
from?
When we ask God to save us, what do we really want God
to save us from?
What about anger? Save me from my credit card debt or
the Department of Work & Pensions?
How about save me from the arguments that rip apart my
relationships? Save me from the people
on my estate. Save me from my addiction to booze or weed or porn.
The stones by the roadside would start to sing because God is on the move, wanting everyone to know and celebrate that, through what Jesus will do, there will be a new creation where everyone can have a fresh start.
When Jesus enters Jerusalem I hear an echo of His first words in Mark’s gospel: “Now’s the time!” God is saying “Enough is enough!” A change is gonna come! It may not be the change that you think or seek but it’s on its way…
That’s why Palm Sunday is more than waving branches and singing hosannas. It shows us a God who loves all of us enough to take the journey through Jerusalem; to pain and humiliation and death and then beyond that…to life and a new hope for the future.
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