Lectionary Texts for Palm/Passion Sunday
March 28, 2010
Liturgy of the Palms
Luke 19:28-40
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29
Liturgy of the Passion
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 31:9-16
Philippians 2:5-11
Luke 22:14-23:56 or Luke 23:1-49
On this day, the preacher, or lay person, has the option of looking at the day through the lenses of prophetic fulfillment (Liturgy of the Palms, but also found in Luke 22:14-23:56). The Church of the Ages, in all of its expressions, Roman Catholic, Orthodox and the Protestant Churches has found itself drawn to “the triumphal entry” of Jesus into Jerusalem, knowing full well, because we are post Easter Christians, that later in the week, the triumphal entry will become darkness, torture, and the sheep will be scattered because their Shepherd has been taken from them to die “on a tree” and thus become a cursed man.
There are so many rich choices in the texts today, that it is difficult to choose where to dig in. Do we focus on fulfillment of prophecy? Do we focus on the suffering of the Servant (Isaiah 50:4-9a) and also Psalm 31:9-16? Or do we focus on how the eternal Christ, Second person of the Trinity, chose “emptiness” and not to grasp at God the Father’s power, but rather to endure humiliation, in order to help us understand that God’s Kingdom or Reign was never to be about the misuse of power and the subjugation of “the poor,” or “the least of these” but was rather to be a realm based on true justice, mercy, righteousness and love. These qualities were not those found in cruel Ancient Near Eastern rulers or in many of the Caesars, though there were exceptions. But, this “King” whom we call Jesus Christ came to earth to stand “with us,” (the Incarnation or Christmas) and to demonstrate in word and deed what God is really like.
This certain knowledge is so important in a world where persons are so disconnected from one another, whether family, neighbors, other nations, enemies, and most of all disconnected from God’s grace. Today will begin a cruel week, which will end with bitterness and gall, brokenness, and the apparent triumph of evil.
A concern which I would raise: For so many years the Christian church, especially in the middle ages, labeled Jews as “Christ killers.” Because Christianity rode in the same cart as the Roman Empire and later was the dominant religion in Europe, we demonized Jesus’ own people. This has continued until fairly recently. Jewish-Christian dialogue has taken place between Roman Catholicism and Judaism, at least with the Reform tradition. It seems to me we have forgotten that Jesus was a Jew, and so were the disciples. And the fear experienced by the Jewish Sanhedrin because false messiahs had come before, and would come later, drove decisions to be made by fear. The chasm between church and synagogue has been a bitter one, which can be traced as far back as to the apostle Paul’s ministry. As we remember Jesus’ suffering and death this week, we need to remember it was the Romans who killed Jesus, in order to preserve “order.” In my experience, as Christians, we are often very ignorant about Judaism and its beliefs. (The same can be said for Islam). There is a lot of hurt, anger, and vengeance deep in the souls of persons today. Orthodox Christianity, those churches which believe in the New Testament witness about whom Jesus was and is, and who embrace the major creeds, apostles’ and Nicene, must do so in a way which does not surrender our beliefs, but which does not brutalize others who do not believe as we do. We need to keep this in mind as we watch Lenten movies this week. The movie, “The Passion of the Christ,” produced and directed by Mel Gibson, is a very stark portrayal of the events of this week, seen through the gospels, but also through Mr. Gibson’s viewpoint. The vehemence expressed by some of the Sanhedrin (the ruling Jewish council in Jerusalem) is found in the gospels. But, we need to remember that there were those who did not attack Jesus and his followers. Among them were Gamaliel, Joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus. Because we believe the New Testament witness about Jesus we believe in a God-man who said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” (Luke 23:34 RSV) perhaps, now, in a time when the world seems to be so fragmented, it would be a time to remember that we do worship a God whose true nature is love and to work for dialogue and understanding, rather than perpetuate a hatred born of fear.
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Lectionary Lessons for Sunday, March 21, the 5th Sunday in Lent
Hebrew Bible Isaiah 43:16-21
Psalter Psalm 126
Epistle Philippians 3:4b-14
Gospel Lesson John 12:1-8
The season of Lent (which means “springtime”) is the oldest of the Christian seasons of worship. In the apostolic church’s proclamation of faith, the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, whom we call Christ, was tied to the suffering of Israel, and to the new things which God was going to bring about in the life of that faith community, and did bring about in that faith community. In the Babylonian exile, when the people of Israel were at their bitterest (see Psalm 137) sitting along the banks of the Chebar River (canal) and their enemies taunted them about how their God had let them down, God did a new thing. With the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in 586 B.C.E. the old sacrificial system of worship could no longer take place. Instead, while broken and traumatized, God created something new: the synagogue. And, the worship service conducted in the synagogue did not focus on sacrifice, but was instead focused on praise, confession, the word of God, the preached message, and response. This follows the form of Isaiah’s call vision in Isaiah 6. Virtually everything which was meaningful to the people of the southern kingdom of Judah died between 597 and 586 B.C.E. the years of war’s devastation in Judah. But, God wasn’t done with God’s faithful people yet. There were more chapters to come in Israel’s history and faith journey.
Isaiah spoke of a servant who would do the will of God and whose spirit would be one of reconciliation and service. The church of the ages believes that that servant was and is Jesus. Our lesson from Isaiah 43 speaks of restoration after calamity. It uses images that desert dwellers would grasp:
18 Do not remember the former things,
or consider the things of old.
19 I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.
20 The wild animals will honor me,
the jackals and the ostriches;
for I give water in the wilderness,
rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
21 the people whom I formed for myself
so that they might declare my praise. Isaiah 43:18-21 NRSV.
Psalm 126 also speaks of restoration and the community of faith shouting with Joy after severe calamity.
Paul, in a boastful mood, reminds his readers of his lineage in Judaism and his credentials. They are impressive. But more impressive is this statement:
7 “Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” Ephesians 4:7-11 NRSV
That word rubbish, by the way in Greek is: skubalon, which really means dung. Substitute whatever word you might want to use. You get the picture. But, Paul, rich in his credentials, rich in his heritage, counted everything as loss, so that he might follow Christ, and be a worthy witness for him. This is an immense attitude change from the Saul who held the coats when Stephen was being stoned to death!
And the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead? Recently Bishop Mike Coyner wrote an e-pistle about transforming worship. Check in out. Its quite good. And, if the people for whom we have been given the honor to serve and lead can sense in any way in us, that God has transformed us and we have been raised from the dead, it will be a marvel! Hey! I’ve been dead. And if if wasn’t for Christ, the community of faith, good friends, counselors, doctors, spiritual directors and coaches, I shudder to think what my spirit would have been like following September, 2007.
The real power is found in the lives of people in the pew whose lives have been transformed. Their witness is contagious. The humility of dying to self is a bitter pill. But, I thank God for the medicine called Christ our Lord and the Cross. So, I sing for joy!
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Lectionary Lessons for the 4th Sunday in Lent, March 14, 2010
Hebrew Bible: Joshua 5:9-12
Psalter: Psalm 32
Epistle Lesson: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
All of our lessons this week are about reconciliation. God acts in order to forgive our sin(s) and takes the initiative to bring us back to Him. When we look at the sweep of biblical history, time and time again, we witness a God whose love for us is so great, that in spite of the heartbreak we bring God, God continues to love us and even welcomes us home, when we’ve really fouled up our lives. The story of the “lost” son, and the loving “Father,” from Luke is one of the most moving stories in the entire Bible. It reminds us, that like “the hound of heaven” God searches for us until the hardened shell of our sin and fear are pierced by God’s love, and we become transformed. This is Paul’s witness in 2nd Corinthians. Paul goes so far as to say, “21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 RSV.
Years ago, the psychiatrist, Karl Menninger wrote a book entitled “Whatever Became of Sin?” In western society we don’t grasp the concept any longer. We think of “sins” such as lying, murder, theft, adultery, gluttony, drunkenness, and broken promises. Those we understand. But, to understand that we are alienated from God by Original Sin, and that our “natural” condition is a fallen one, is almost totally foreign to our culture. Again, we won’t engage in higher biblical criticism here. This is a sermon starter/devotional piece. But the story of our first parents’ disobedience and the subsequent curses which came upon not only the human race, but the fracturing of creation itself, has been replaced with an ethical system which does not recognize the biblical witness, but instead points to “bad teaching,” or being “unenlightened.” Having said that, those things are true. There is bad teaching. And yes, a whole bunch of us live unenlightened lives. (Buddhism isn’t off the mark here). But the chasm which exists between God and the human race is real. And the separation which exists between and among the human race is real. The pain is all around us and in us. But…….God sent Jesus as a Chief Bridge Builder to bring fallen humanity back to God. Some might label this thinking as “fundamental.” And, in a way it is. Everything has “basics.,” basketball, baseball, swimming, karate, golf, basket weaving, playing musical instruments, painting works of art, etc. Christianity has “basics,” too. I would choose, rather, to describe the framework of “sin and redemption” as orthodox. This description sounds academic. For those who want a description which is musical, I would point to the praise song: “How Deep the Father’s Love For Us” by Stuart Townend. And when we finally understand what God has done in Christ to bring us home again, we’ll sing that song with a whole new meaning, which isn’t as much academic, but instead filled with gratitude and tears of joy.
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