The Palm Sunday Sermon by Rev. Lillie Mae Henley
Jesus, spent his inistry marginalized.
•on the edge of many the small towns of Galilee and Judea at the desert’s edge.
•on the edge of his religion
•on the edge of an invasive patronage system and the oppressive, Roman patriarchy
He knew what being marginalized was both literally and empathetically.
His stories and lessons about God and love affected people so strongly they left whatever they were doing to follow him. They left home and family. It was no “temporary assignment.” There was no promise of a promotion or a diploma at the end. In truth, there was no promise of an end. To follow Jesus was a “for the rest of their lives” undertaking.
At first Jesus preached John’s message of repentance. Repent of one’s sins—one’s sins were the intentional and unintentional disregard for the Mosaic Law. Repent because Yahweh will end history as we know it and judge our lives. This was from the Hebrew writings; John the Baptist did not make this up.
At first Jesus preached John’s message, but then it changed. Scholars admit they cannot tell us what, if anything, happened or how his message developed, but early in his ministry, we would say today, Jesus found his own voice.
He was different than John; he was different than other revolutionaries of his time.
Maybe it was because, from the very beginning, there was a miraculous nature to Jesus’ work. Maybe it was because Jesus included everyone in his message. He included everyone, because he was marginalized. Anytime we are “different,” especially if we are challenged in some way, it is easy for others to assign us to the margins.
One thing we know for sure, that made a significant difference was his message of the “coming kingdom.” He told of the possibilities each person has to change her or his own life. They did not have to wait for Yahweh to end history to create the kingdom; all they had to do was look within.
Luke 17:20-21
20Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, 21nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." [BibleGateway.com]
To those whose lives depended on the observance of a Law that had thousands of rules,
To those who were required to travel to Jerusalem and sacrifice in the Temple for atonement,
To those who were expected to accept a cultural system that marginalized anyone who was different, AND
To those who were required to “get along” with oppressive Roman conquerors
Jesus message was “good news.”
Can we even begin to understand how life-changing his message was to those who heard it and believed?
There is no existing evidence how many people really followed Jesus, nor how many people believed his message, all we know is there were men AND WOMEN who believed in him, believed his words, and followed him.
They followed him to Jerusalem, on his last “triumphant” visit, and they believed the people of Jerusalem would hear his words and believe as they believed. They believed the people of Jerusalem would hear his words and believe as they believed.
According to the Hebrew Scriptures, the Messiah, the savior, would enter Jerusalem on a donkey, showing he was a humble man. He would bring about a revolution that would rid their land of the oppressors and institute a time when Yahweh would ONCE AGAIN determine Israel’s story.
Jesus, hoping for the best, asked his followers to find that donkey, and they did. Then they laid laid their garments and branches from desert plants on the path before him, shouting “Hosanna!” In all the Gospel stories, Jesus’ return to Jerusalem is witnessed with the crowd shouting “Hosanna.” Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna. We might be inclined to believe it is a shout of joy, somewhat like our “Yea!” or an exuberant greeting.
Hosanna has several meanings in Luke’s story today, means blessed is “the one who is to come.” NOT a trivial or common recognition of Jesus.
Some followers, like Judas, believed Jesus would find a way to overthrow the Romans. Others, believed his message was more spiritual. Still, there were probably some who believed all Jesus wanted to do was to “improve,” and “correct” their religion.
There were always believers who accepted his message for the truth it brought, for the gift it was.
•
I want us to take another path for the moment, explore our own story.
In 1930, on Palm Sunday, the Church of Our Father, a Universalist church in Washington, D.C., moved into this beautiful building to become the congregation of the Universalist National Memorial Church. I can see them now, standing outside, on the sidewalk, probably down the street and around the corner. It was a time when there were hundreds of people who came to Universalist churches. I can see them, passing out palms, making sure everyone has one, and marching into this “national” church, celebrating this gift, built by donations from all over this country and the world. Rose Dennis, who recently died at ninety-six, remembers sending her nickels and dimes, along with the other children of her Sunday school class to help build this church.
What a gift. We worship in a church, built by hands other than our own. We come here each week, sit in this beautiful sanctuary, look at these stained glass windows, and feel blessed by our surroundings, by the music, by the ritual and the liturgy, and sometimes by the sermon.
What a gift. What a gift.
We have in our hands, palms. On this day that begins a holy week for us, we give everyone a palm; it is symbolic of the garments and the branches laid before Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem. It was, his followers thought, a “triumphant” return to Jerusalem.
Jesus was a man who grew up poor, in Nazareth, and had a message of love for everyone. Including those on the edge—the Samaritans, the lepers, the prostitutes, the infirmed, the criminals. And his followers believed the people of Jerusalem would hear his words and believe as they believed.
Jesus’ life, his message, is a gift to us, too. HE was the one who rode the donkey, HE was the one who washed his follower’s feet, HE was the one who was arrested, HE was the one who inspired people enough to follow him past his death, AND HE was the one told us to be open to the Holy Spirit of his message.
No one else of his time said the first law is to love God, and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself.’
What a gift to us.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna. Blessed is the one who is to come. There is an old Jewish tale of a village rabbi who reminded his congregation each week that the Messiah could be the person sitting beside them.
Is Jesus real to us today? Does Jesus, Hosanna, help us face the margins of our lives? Help us face the edge of our realities. Jesus as Hosanna, can even give us the courage to live on the edge. In the poem today we saw Jesus as the one who came who included everyone:
Hosanna highest holy
you’re the welcome for the stranger
Peace in the storm
Shelter from the rain.
… the anchor that keeps us safe in the harbor
Sail for the soul
You are the link,
Love is the chain.
Hosanna can, will, does Light up the darkness
Do we accept the gift Jesus Hosanna brought? Do we live our lives as if we knew how miraculously special Jesus was? Do we accept the gifts he gave us? Let us be God’s vessels who ask Hosanna, a living flame, to enlighten us.
Let us ask Hosanna – use us for your will.
Speak the words – we are living temples of your love, your spirit.
Let us acknowledge in Gratitude—God, we are carved in the palm of your hand, Hosanna is our corner stone, we can stand and your foundation.
Let us celebrate, let us sing Hosanna, let us experience with our hearts, the love for God and for each other that WAS AND STILL IS his message.