Sermon = Are we where
Text = Mark 11
Sunday = Palm Sunday (B)
Presentation_PalmB_Mark11_20180325 (PPTX)
Introduction
- *** What day is today?
- Today we emphasize Palm Sunday
- Remember / experience / reflect upon the last Sunday
- First day of that week
- When finally Jesus arrives at Jerusalem
- Take a moment to recognize what happens
- The way gospel of Mark describes
- Begins final act
- Moment of crisis toward which gospel of Mark has been taking us
- First half = Galilee… who is this Jesus?
- Answer = Messiah / son of the living God
- And do we understand?
- Now on the way to Jerusalem… what kind of messiah?
- Jesus consistently predicts he will be rejected + arrested + killed
- And rise again
- *** Finally Jesus + followers come to Jerusalem
- In gospel of Mark Jesus comes as a pilgrim
- With tens of thousands of others
- *** Once in a lifetime pilgrimage to Jerusalem the holy city
- To observe + participate in festival of Passover
- Hints in Mark Jesus is a king
- Like an enthronement procession
- Like kings of ancient world including Old Testament
- Kings ride on a donkey
- However Jesus
- Whom we know is the Christ / son of the living God
- Humble + lowly
- Completely silent
- For years have been bothered by odd details in the story
- Yes much we learn about Jesus
- Observe many other people in the story
- Like us
- *** Jesus sends two of his disciples
- With a simple task
- They go + they do
- In a village / find a colt / untie / bring
- In a small town outside the city
- If Son of God comes or passes through
- And borrows your car
- What are you doing?
- The Lord needs it and will return it
- Something valuable + useful
- When God needs it do we say yes
- Not asking you to give money or car to church
- What is your colt? Something we have
- Entrust it to Jesus when he needs it
- They throw their cloaks on it
- These are their jackets! Their clothes!
- And lay them on the road
- What do I have that is close to me
- In Old Testament cloak is most basic possession
- Will I lay it on an animal? Lay it on the road?
- So Jesus Christ son of living God
- Can sit on it? Even ride on it?
- Clothes / pride / vocation?
- What is my cloak
- Do we surrender that to God for his holy use
- They also spread branches from the fields
- So colt = something valuable + useful
- Cloak or garment = something close + dear we use every day
- Branches
- People work to harvest + offer for Jesus
- Something that takes work or creativity
- What you can make or do
- Music / song / art
- Service / even administration
- What can you do or create or spread
- Before coming presence of God?
- Something else we must not overlook
- *** These people are there
- Might not think you do or give much
- Most basic / essential / powerful
- Is to show up
- To be there
- To be here
- Are we where in this story today?
- Are we ready to lay down the things valuable to us / dear to us / close to us / to put them before Jesus who needs them?
- Or are we like the crowds who on Sunday cheer + celebrate + worship
- yet a few days later choose other things over Jesus and shout crucify him!
- Are we ready to follow after Jesus? Allow him to define his mission and purpose in our lives?
- Welcome / follow / proclaim Jesus the lowly one
- The king who comes in silent humility
- *** And invites us to follow
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