April 5, 2009

Mark 11:1-10

Palm Sunday

A Breaking Eye-witness News Report

            How often have you wished that there had been news cameras and reporters to tell the real historical story of Jesus and his disciples? They needed some 21^st century know how back then to record the goings on of the Son of God so we could actually hear and see like the disciples did.  Well, through the magic of imaginative time travel we can now listen in to the actual events of Jesus’ first Sunday in Jerusalem during Passover. We now go to our reporter in Jerusalem in 30 A.D.  Can you hear me? Can you hear me now?*************

Yes, this is your Jerusalem eye-witness reporter standing on top of a building on the corner of Herod and Jonah streets on this beautiful Sunday morning. To the west of me are the palace of Herod and the Road to Emmaus. To the east are the Mount of Olives and Gethsemane. Behind me is the Temple. I’m looking east toward the Mount of Olives trying to see if a parade is going to develop in support of Jesus of Nazareth. I am going to try to be fair and balanced here, but this whole thing is getting weirder and weirder.   

Let me give you a little background on this Jesus. About three years ago he came out of nowhere and started hanging around John the Baptist, the old-timey prophet that lived in the wilderness eating honey and bugs and preaching the repentance of sins. When John pointed an accusing finger at King Herod and his wife, the king had him arrested and beheaded. That should have been enough to scare the bejabbers out of Jesus, but the opposite happened. Jesus began preaching about a new kingdom that is coming to take over. I believe he called it … the Kingdom of God.  

I am told he healed the sick, turned water into wine, and gave sight to a blind man.  There is one story going around that he fed over 5,000 people with two fish and five loaves and had plenty left over. Sometimes you don’t know what to believe. He even told his followers that they did not have to obey the Jewish religious laws. A lot of people liked hearing that. He was continually arguing with the Pharisees and scribes over table fellowship and fasting and working on the Sabbath.  His point was that human need should take precedence over the rigid, minute application of the law. I had thought the religious politicos down south would have shut him up, but I guess he was too slippery for them. He’s got a very, very large following hanging on his every word. I know some are saying that he is the messiah that will bring about Israel’s independence and make them again a power in the world. All he has to do is give the word and an insurrection will happen.  

I had a talk yesterday with one of the chief priests of the Temple, and he said as long as Jesus stayed down in Hicksville they were going to leave him alone. But now he is coming to Jerusalem and messing with their house and power. It was then that I was informed that there would be a political demonstration this morning in the streets of Jerusalem as Jesus makes his grand entrance. This will be quite a theatrical show as he brings his subversive message to the big city and challenges the powers that be…you know who I am talking about. Jerusalem is occupied by a hated military foreign power.  It looks to me like he is organizing the poor and disenfranchised to make a protest march on the city. There could be a battle a brewing.  

Hey, I hear yelling coming from the east side. It sounds like…uh…hosanna. Yes, it is hosanna, hosanna! What does that mean? Let me look in my little dictionary. Oh, I see, it means “Save us now”. Yeah, they are really excited. This is going to be their day. Here they come around the corner now.  I see them! 

Oh, my goodness. It’s just a bunch of urchins and country folk and crippled men and outcasts and … women. They are waving tree branches. I see a donkey – a pathetic little donkey with a man riding on it. You got to be kidding. This is Jesus, the subversive trouble-maker from Galilee?  

Did you hear that? That was an enormous roar coming from the west part of town. It is the Roman army – several brigades are coming into Jerusalem for a show of military might during Passover. They always do that. There’s the Roman Governor Pilate on a prancing white horse leading the way. Now that’s power. Pilate knows how to enter with the spectacle of military might. Quite a contrast to this little donkey stroll.  

Well, Jesus is now passing below me with his subversive procession of displaced peasants. I think all that they have managed to do is clog up the streets for a while.  Oh, I do see some Zealots. Looks like they are carrying big knives under their cloaks. I bet they would like for Jesus to give the signal to fight. They are ready. 

I see a small group of Pharisees on the west side of the road; and if looks could kill, Jesus would be dead. I can read their lips, but I can’t tell you what they are saying on this family hour newscast. They are really mad at him for pulling people away from their authority of the religious law.  

He’s heading for the Temple. Wonder what he is going to do now? He’s entering the courtyard and waving something. It looks like a whip. Yes! He’s knocking over tables, chasing the money changers out. Ha! Ha! Ha! He’s letting the animals out of their cages. The chickens are running amuck. Goats and sheep are taking off for their freedom. What a sight!  Jesus is saying something like … this is a den of robbers. Uh, oh, I see some of the high priests standing on the balcony. They don’t like this one bit. Smoke is coming out of their ears. Jesus just put his head into the mouth of lions, and they are ready to chomp down. He has just made some mighty powerful enemies, and I think he did it on purpose. There he goes back out of the city to the Mount of Olives.  There is a steely resolve in his eyes, and his face is steadfastly set.  I wonder what the rest of the week is going to be like.  It should be interesting.  

Well, I would not be doing my fair and balanced job if I didn’t give you all a word of warning. If you are thinking about joining up with this Jesus and committing yourselves to his mission, there are going to be consequences; there will be a cost of discipleship. The religious and political structures of society are not going to allow the poor, the disenfranchised, the neglected and homeless people to have a voice and hold any power. This little donkey parade has turned out to be Jesus’ funeral procession. He is not going to change the status quo where the “haves” have and the “have nots” have not. The rich always have the power. I wonder how he is going to fight them. Certain death awaits him, and the Romans love to kill their adversaries by crucifixion. Jesus has his 15 minutes of fame. We most certainly will never hear of him again after this week. This is your Jerusalem eyewitness reporter signing off. *

Welcome back to the 21^st Century. That was quite as morning, wasn’t it? Why don’t you use your imagination now? Imagine yourself down there in the city of Jerusalem with all these happenings. You all look pretty well to do and probably not too eager to upset the status quo. Where would you be if you were there? Would you really be cheering Jesus on, waving a tree branch and shouting hosannas? Or would you be on the other side of town cheering Governor Pilate and his legions of soldiers and joining in with his palace parties? Perhaps you would be in the army or riding a white horse alongside the good governor. Or would you be on the balcony of the Temple upset over how this rabble rouser is desecrating the church and plotting to get rid of him?  Maybe you would just be home staying out of it all. Where would you be - if you were there?

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