As we gather here for worship today, may it be with a sense that Jesus has walked in too and is looking around. May our eyes be open to see Him, may our hearts be ready to be seen by Him, may our worship be worthy of His presence, and may we be transformed so that we see the world through His eyes. Come, let us worship God!
Palm Sunday
Sunday April 2,2023
Scriptures; Philippians 2:1-11 and Matthew 21:1-11
Message; “Are You Willing to Be a Donkey?”
Philippians 2:1-11
Imitating Christ’s Humility
(1) If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, (2) then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. (3) Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. (4) Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
(5) Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
(6) Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
(7) but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
(8) And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross!
(9) Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, (10) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, (11) and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Matthew 21:1-11
The Triumphal Entry
(1) As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, (2) saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. (3) If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
(4) This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: (5) “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”
(6) The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. (7) They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. (8) A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. (9) The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”
(10) When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
(11) The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
This is the word of God, for the people of God. Thanks be to God.
“Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!” Do you know the meaning of the word “Hosanna”?
According to biblical scholars, “Hosanna” is a joyful Aramaic exclamation of praise, apparently specific to the major Jewish religious festivals like the Passover. Originally an appeal for deliverance, meaning, “Please save”. Later on, it came in liturgical usage to serve as an expression of joy and praise for deliverance granted or anticipated. When Jesus came to Jerusalem for his final presentation of himself to Israel, as we read today in, “The Triumphal Entry”, that expression came readily to the lips of the Passover crowds.
In today’s gospel text it’s easy to get swept up in the celebration of Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. For once, all the people around Jesus seem to be supportive. For once people appear excited about his presence. For once the crowds are confident in his abilities. And to be sure, their shouts indicate that there was still a general misconception about his true identity.
And still today, there is a misconception about Jesus true identity, as it was in Paul’s day. That’s one of reasons Paul wrote, “God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).
The scriptures tell us, on his way to Jerusalem, the crowds yelled for all to hear, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!” So, when he reached his destination, many asked, “Who is this?” And the crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” All true, but not all together accurate. That general misconception about his true identity is what brought about His death on the cross.
I’m sure there were those there who were remembering what was written in Zachariah 9:9. “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” But questions loomed in their minds. Was this the Messiah? Or was this, “Jesus” another prophet? Many must’ve been thinking their king had arrived and was going to save them from Roman oppression. But what kind of a king rides on the donkey, a beast of burden to lead a charge against the Romans?
Those questions had to be running through their minds. Questions today, that still so many ponder. Matthew brings all the expectations and misconceptions of Jesus the Messianic king to this dramatic scene.
If you’re with us in our worship service today, I pray that you know who this Jesus was. The Son of David. The King of Kings. The Messiah. God! God who came in the form of a man to save us. Do you proclaim Hosanna? Are we like minded as Paul wrote? Are we; “like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose”? (Phil.2:2)
Yes, questions about Matthew’s account may still linger with us. Questions like; Why did God choose to use the most insignificant things, or humbling behavior to bring about salvation? Why did Jesus ride a donkey on his way to Passover?
Well, every time I envision that event, I have an image of a grubby gold miner trudging through the creek-beds, canyons, and mountain passes with his trusty, heavy-laden donkey by his side. Miners didn’t use horses because they were not sure footed enough to traverse the rough terrain, the narrow, winding trails. After all, a successful miner had a donkey loaded with the most valuable cargo in the universe: gold dust and gold nuggets. Such treasure could only be trusted to donkeys.
Today tourists can relive some of the experience of donkey travel when they sign up to take the long trail ride down into the base of the Grand Canyon. I used to think that the donkey was used because his smaller feet and shorter legs made him more stable on the trail; or that some natural intelligence made these creatures more capable of picking out the best path to follow.
I learned this week that almost the exact opposite is the case. Far from being cautious to go near the steep edges of the canyon trail, the Grand Canyon donkeys often horrify their passengers by walking as close to the edge as possible. Instead of hugging the protected side of the path, the donkeys nimbly traipse down the canyon right along the very edge, their passengers teetering and terrified on their backs.
It seems that donkeys feel safest and most secure when they can clearly see where the edge is, where the greatest danger lies. What unnerves a donkey is knowing an edge is near, but not being able to see it and so gauge the best path to take.
So, as Matthew records for the details of that day, with all the hoopla and hosannas going on, the gospel writer is careful to emphasize an almost all too often missed note in this celebratory theme. Before this “Triumphal Entry” took place, Jesus specifically instructed two of His disciples to appropriate for him a very particular mount, a young donkey colt. Matthew’s text even carefully notes the colt’s mother, a donkey, and includes her in the procession. Matthew doesn’t want anyone to misread the identity of Jesus’ mount and suppose that this colt was some young, high-spirited horse, a far more obvious noble steed. Matthew wants readers to be perfectly aware of the, out of place, young donkey colt, as the crowds shout “Hosanna” in this royal processional.
Donkeys were work horses. Donkeys were the common pack animals used by hard working laborers, landowners, and merchants alike. More exotic, long-distance travel and rich transport caravans employed the more demanding, expensive, camels to carry big loads. The donkey was a much simpler, less impressive worker. It accomplished the most mundane of daily tasks in small villages and inside the big cities as well. Donkeys were a necessary, but unexceptional part of first-century life.
So, the donkey is clearly Jesus’ own choice of mount for his entrance into Jerusalem. Riding on that humble beast, Jesus both fulfilled the words of Zechariah’s prophecy and illustrated the dual nature of his messianic identity.
He was King of Kings and Lord of Lords. But he was also servant of servants, a work horse. A helper of helpers.
While he was ushered into Jerusalem with a royal processional, he rode on the steed of the simplest peasant. A donkey. Why are you might ask?
Well, Jesus knew that the back of a donkey doesn’t put one up above the heads of others. In fact, sitting on the short-legged beasts puts the rider pretty much at face-to-face, level with a standing crowd. Jesus couldn’t impressively ride through a crowd mounted on a donkey. He could only ride in the midst of the crowd, being as much a part of the crowd as were all the others.
Church tradition tells us (though none of the gospels report it) that this wasn’t Jesus’ first donkey ride. Matthew’s text doesn’t detail how Joseph traveled with Mary to Egypt and back to Nazareth again. Nor does Luke’s gospel describe how Mary and Joseph journeyed to Bethlehem. But all of us have in our heads the picture of a pregnant Mary perched on the back of a sturdy donkey. Our mind’s eye puts her back on that beast for the escape to Egypt and the homeward trek to Nazareth after Herod had died.
Think about it, who dreams of riding across summer fields on a little donkey? The Kentucky Derby doesn’t hold or advertise a herd of dinky donkey’s race around their track. Now do they? Almost everyone from Shakespeare to Pinocchio knows that fools and idiots are depicted as donkeys. Of course, the donkey’s other common name says it all. A donkey is just an . . . well, you know what that word is.
I believe, as Paul believed that if it’s the mission of the church to be “like minded” and carry Christ into the world, then each of us is called to be a donkey. There’s no particular glory in being a donkey. There’s only, long trails, steep roads, heavy loads, and little or no recognition for a completed job.
But look at what we’re carrying. The King of Kings. The Prince of Peace. The Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.
You and I are called to be a donkey. Donkeys are known for strong backs and sure feet. Donkeys carry a lot of burdens, and they carry their loads along pathways that are too treacherous for others to walk.
Of course, donkeys are known for one other characteristic: they can be stubborn, obstinate, stiff- necked. From the days of the Hebrews in the wilderness, God’s people themselves have often been identified as stiff-necked (Exodus 32:9; 34:9). Perhaps this same stiff-necked quality added to Jesus’ choice of the donkey – a stubborn little steed with a mind of its own, even though it would work hard and long. Sound familiar?
Paul reminded his readers to let go of that stubbornness in his letter to Philippi writing: “ If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.” (Phil.2:1-2)
Will you be a donkey?
Will you carry Christ? Wherever he goes? However, he goes.
Will you be a donkey?
Will you walk cliffs? Will you not be afraid of the edges and the extremes? Will you journey the edges between this world and the next, between hate and love, between war and peace?
Will you be a donkey?
Will you be humble enough to be a beast of burden? To carry the burdens of others? To carry your cross?
Finally, will you be a donkey? Will you shout with joy and praise God. Shouting “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”
Believe it or not, there was a talking donkey recorded in the Bible. It’s recorded in Numbers 22:21-39. Balaam’s donkey. I suggest you take the time to read that passage of scripture. Balaam’s donkey turned away from danger, kept her rider safe even though Balaam thought she was being a real, can I be blunt, “Ass”. When abused for being an “Ass”, “the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth,”(Numbers 22:28). She spoke out and told Balaam of the danger of the path he was on. We’re called to do the same. If you’re willing to be a donkey.
So, in the Bible we find that there’s that talking donkey, and a donkey that was allowed to carry Jesus to Jerusalem. If I am honest with myself and if I have achieved anything in this life, then I did so as a relative of the donkey who was carrying an important burden. Remembering what the disciples had said to its owner: “the Lord needs them”(Matt.21:3). The Lord needs you and me to be his donkey. So, it seems to have pleased God to have used me at this time. Apparently, I have been permitted to be the ass which is allowed to carry Christ to all of you, as best I can.
This Palm Sunday, I pray that my attitude and your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross!
“Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”
Are You Willing to Be a Donkey?
In His Service, Pastor Joe
Listen To Audio: Sermon 20230402
Listen To Audio: Service 04022023
Call to Worship:
L: Give thanks to God for God is good;
P: God’s steadfast love endures forever! Hosanna!
L: Our salvation is at hand!
P: It is marvelous to behold! Hosanna!
L: This is the day that the Lord has made!
P: Let us rejoice and be glad! Hosanna!
Prayer of Confession: We confess that we are not so different from those who welcomed Christ into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday yet later shouted ‘Crucify him!’ or remained silent in the face of injustice. We have betrayed you too, Lord Jesus by our sins both secret and known. Yet you died for people like us, and you rose on the third day that we might be redeemed. Help us to see your glory, draw us closer to you that we may become more faithful and more joyful servants of the King.
ANOUNCEMENTS
Pastor Joe will be available at the church on Thursday morning from 11 to 1. If you need to speak to him, contact Pastor Joe at 570-267-4570 (cell) or Email: joe.s.travis@gmail.com
Social Hour after Sunday Services TODAY. Greeting cards for signature are in the Community Building.
Loose change goes to Local Missions.
Sunday School starts at 8:30 A. M.
Choir practice will be on Thursday at 1:00 P.M.
One Great Hour of Sharing continues until Easter.
Monday, April 3 at 9:00am PW will be cleaning the community building.
Good Friday service at 7:30pm on April 7th.
Easter Sunrise Service at the White’s at 7:30. Breakfast Easter at 8:00 A.M. in the Community Building. All are welcome.
Easter Morning Worship at 9:30.
PW meeting April 13 at 10:30.
Men’s Breakfast Wednesday April 19th at 8:00 A.M.
Session will meet on Saturday, April 22, 2023, at 9am in the community building.
Newsletter Deadline – Tuesday, April 25th, 2022.
