NOV 27, 2011  SERMON ARCHIVE

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God the Father Almighty, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, AMEN

The text for our meditation this morning is the Gospel Lesson for the 1st Sunday of Advent, Mark 11:1-10. There we read these words;

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’ " And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. And some of those standing there said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?" And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!"

We begin in the name of Jesus, AMEN

In some ways, this scene makes sense. In other ways, not at all.

The troops moved toward the city, as armies often do. The vanguard went out in front while the rear guard trailed behind. In the middle of the throng was the King, protected by the crowd, mounted and riding. The attention was on Him; and as the progress continued, a hymn of praise erupted-a hymn for the King who is going into the city to conquer.

It's a scene repeated many times throughout the history of the ancient world. But in some ways, this one doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

This army advanced in disarray, with no clear organization: There were no soldiers who were marching lockstep with purposeful eyes forward. There was no body armor to be found; in fact, they were removing robes and cloaks to be stepped on. These troops were not waving swords or spears in the air, but leafy palms that couldn't swat a spider. The King wasn't riding a horse of war, but a colt-the foal of a donkey. And then there was the hymn of praise:

"Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"

It was not exactly the most militant ballad that ever inspired the troops to go off to war and fight for the King. It sounded as if the King was going to do all the work. It was a strange march; and it was going to get stranger still before the week was out.

The King would enter the city, and within the week He would be lifted up in the position ordained for Him by God-His throne would be two rough, intersecting wooden beams; and His crown will be of thorns.

Before His bloody coronation, He would be beaten with His reed scepter and stripped of His royal robe. When His troops tried to defend Him, He forbad them from lifting a sword. And as He was raised up on that cross to draw all men to Himself, there would be no hymn of praise. The crowd would offer only curses and scorn instead.

To all appearances, this was hardly a successful campaign. This was not your normal army, and this was not your normal king.

But then again, this being Advent, remember that the King's birth was not exactly normal either. The King who would be man was born to a peasant maiden from backwoods Nazareth, not a queen. His royal crib was an animal trough. In Jerusalem?

No, in Bethlehem, which rivaled Nazareth in size and comfort. Instead of adoring crowds of subjects waiting outside palace walls for news, the only ones who came to see Him were scruffy shepherds, low on sleep and personal hygiene.

The night would be a wash as far as celebrations go, except that angels sang. They sang to the shepherds because this Baby was the King-and He was more than the King: Mother Mary held her Creator in her arms. God had become man in order to save His people from their sin. In order to save…that's why He was named "Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins" (Matt. 1:21).

Jesus. Savior. Save now. Hosanna.

The song that the crowds sang as Jesus entered Jerusalem fit His entry at Bethlehem, too: "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD."

Jesus, whose name means "Yahweh saves," will not grow up to be the Savior. He is conceived and born the Savior. He is the Savior as He causes John the Baptist to leap before either of them are born. He is the Savior as He draws His first breath of drafty stable air.

That is why we look at this Palm Sunday text on the first Sunday of Advent.

Jesus birth and His Passion go together, and we sing of both with the whole company of heaven. At His birth and in the week of His Passion, contrary to appearances, He is there saving. At His birth and in the week of His Passion, he is there. The Son of God is flesh and blood!

Mary holds His body in the stable as His heart pumps blood to oxygenate all of His vital organs. That same body, full grown, rides the donkey into Jerusalem; that same blood will flow at the cross for our salvation.

He came to save. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.

Dear Christian friends, think about your own life. Your life is one that runs contrary to appearances. Do you appear to have God's favor? A survey of your days and nights may well argue to the contrary.

Would a righteous child of God be hassled at work or troubled by arguments with family? Would one who shares Christ's victory over death still suffer from sickness, weakness, injury and death? Would one who is forgiven for all of his sins still contend with-and often lose to-temptation, sin and failure?

You would not think so. By all appearances, being a Christian doesn't seem to be much of a help to you.

At least, that is what the devil would have you believe. Do not rely on appearances; rely on the Word of God. And remember that the King who was laid in a manger, who rode a donkey into Jerusalem, He also suffered death on the cross.

But don’t remember Him for a sympathetic boost-the purpose of all of this is not to lead you to say, "Jesus had it worse than I do, so I shouldn't feel sorry for myself."

It may be true enough, but it is not the point. You should remember the King of manger, donkey and cross so that you are always reminded that the Lord's victory and power will often appear unremarkable, even shameful, in this world.

There is comfort in this for you, in the form of assurance: Though your life may seem unremarkable, inglorious, even shameful, it does not mean that the Lord is far away.

And there is another reason to remember the King of manger, donkey and cross. At each of those, He was present-the Son of God incarnate was at work to save with His body and blood, though the world could not see or comprehend. And here is your further hope and joy: The Lord is just as present, with you, here and now, to save you.

The hosannas of Palm Sunday are not heard just once a year in the Church; they are part of one of the five great songs of the liturgy, the Sanctus:

Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth:
Heaven and earth art full of Thy glory!
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is He! Blessed is He!
Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest!

Half of this great hymn you have heard already today, because it is the song of praise on Palm Sunday: The people shouted out this praise because Jesus was there, in their midst, body and blood, to save them.

The first half of this hymn is not first sung on earth, but in heaven: Around the throne of God, seraphim continually sing, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth: Heaven and earth art full of Thy glory!" (Is 6:3). They sing this because they are in the presence of God Himself. They sing it to the Lord almighty.

Put the two halves together, and you have this song of heaven and earth. You sing it here, week after week: A song that Jesus is the holy Lord God of Sabbaoth, a song that Jesus has come to save you.

You sing this just before the Holy Communion, as Christians have for ages. You sing this because the almighty Son of God-second person of the Trinity-is holy, and He is here.

Contrary to appearances, He lay in a manger in Bethlehem, body and blood wrapped in swaddling clothes. Contrary to appearances, He won your salvation as His body was nailed to a cross and His blood was shed. Contrary to all appearances, the Son of God-the second person of the Holy Trinity-gives you His body and blood for the forgiveness of your sins. The Son of God gives you His body and blood to "Hosanna" you, to save you now.

No, you can't see it: Eyes only see a baby in a manger, a corpse on a cross, some bread and wine. You can't see it, but you have His Word on it; and by faith, you know who He is and that He is here-to save now.

Therefore, dear friends, know that despite appearances, you are indeed a holy, chosen child of God, blessed with His favor and help for now and eternity.

That is why you sing this song of praise here in Advent, the same song of praise sung by the crowds on Palm Sunday, when Jesus came to save His people from their sin.

Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

Christ Is Risen.