Preparing For My Palm Sunday Sermon

Writing up this blog post finds me studying and preparing for my sermon tomorrow at the Calvary Evergreen- Idaho Springs Campus.

My topic concerns the significance of Jesus's humble entry on the colt of a donkey into a politically charged and volatile Jerusalem on what we Christians call Palm Sunday 1984 years ago.

I'm sitting with Amy here in the courtyard at our residence on Wall Street in Idaho Springs, Colorado contemplating that event almost 2 millennia ago wherein the God of the Universe incarnated in human form and flesh sat atop a lowly donkey colt and rode into Jerusalem and into his "hour" and ultimately into his agony.

This procession was a royal one in which Jesus accepted the crowd's acclamation that he was the "Son of David" and their shouts of "Hosanna in the highest" is literally translated... please save us! Save us!

The crowds are coronating him the King of Israel indeed the King of all the Earth. King of Kings.This all hearkens back to the prophecies in Genesis 49:11, Psalm 118, Numbers 24 and Zechariah 9:9,10.

Unfortunately, the Jews were only looking to Jesus to throw the Romans off their backs and re-establish David's Kingdom. Jesus, on the other, had larger more important and more structural changes in mind. He was bent on destroying Satan's Kingdom, and death itself while providing blood atonement for our sins.

Jesus knew that if the Romans were eliminated that the Jewish political/religious establishment would merely replace Roman oppression with Jewish oppression.

No! Jesus stated clearly that the Jews must repent, change their minds. Without a change of heart and mind liberation from unjust oppression from any quarter would be impossible. John the Baptizer said as much too.

The Zealots were intent only upon changing governments not minds or hearts.

Had all of Israel repented and showed love and compassion towards their Roman occupiers Rome would not have destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. Israel would not have had their nation taken away from them in 70 AD.

It was only because of Israel's rebellion against Rome in 66AD and of course the rejection of their true King that they were destroyed. And, it wasn't until 1948 that Israel was re-established as a nation-state.

All the while the Temple establishment namely the chief priests who were the Sadducees and the Pharisees as well were coming unglued at the possible prospect that Jesus was intent on provoking a rebellion against Rome by claiming to be a King which was in opposition to Caesar and to Herod Antipas, Rome's client King. This coupled with the raising of Lazarus and overturning the money changers tables in the Temple netted Jesus the death penalty. He had become too dangerous to the religious elite in Jerusalem.

Thus, they begin conspire to entrap Jesus, try him and then turn him over to the Roman prefect to have him crucified.

The events of Palm Sunday directly causes Jesus's death. His coronation parade into Jerusalem ends with his enthronement...not on a King's throne in Jerusalem but on the Cross on Golgotha.

Later, after his Resurrection he ascends into Heaven where he is enthroned yet again. Thus, he is enthroned in both Heaven and in Earth echoing the Lord's Prayer.

Peace and joy to all as we begin celebrating Holy Week tomorrow.

BR Schoenbein
Amy Schoenbein
Baby Schoenbein

April 8, 2017- Saturday