Make America Great. Feel the Bern. TrusTed. Hillary for America. Everywhere we turn: politics. The Presidential election is our opportunity to vote with confidence, chose a new leader, change the politics of the day. California won’t vote for over two months, but we are consumed with the drama of primaries. News coverage 24/7, people being sent door to door to rally support for their candidate, advance teams preparing the way for the anticipated victory. This season is a moment in time, protracted I’ll admit, but a moment of change.
Listen now to another moment in time, another season of political change. READ Luke
The people have found their man, they are declaring political change. They believe Jesus will be the one to deal with Rome, ushering in a new kingdom, God’s kingdom. They have examined his record; vetting him completely, his miracles, his healings, his teachings and his love referring to them as his “deeds of power,” before hailing him as their new king. But instead of riding on a great stallion like military leaders, Jesus comes riding a colt. Instead of being a prince, he is the son of a carpenter who is campaigning for his heavenly father. We call this the triumphal entry of Jesus, but instead of cloaks, you can almost see the signs that read, “Make Jerusalem Great!” and “Jesus for Jerusalem!” I say that tongue and cheek because Jesus would never make idle campaign promises. He is all about fulfilling God’s promises.
That is why he sent two disciples ahead to secure a colt. Zechariah prophesied, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt” (9:9-10). Jesus is fulfilling the promises of God. He is the Messiah. But there is also a shift in strategy. Most of Jesus’ ministry he asked people to follow him; he led and they followed. Now he sends two disciples ahead. He did not say I saw a colt in the last town, go back and get it. No he asks them to go to a new place, and take action. He asks them to take a risk. These two disciples are like an advance team for Jesus. They are blazing a trail for the ministry that is to come. Are you willing to be an advance team for Jesus; knock door to door, risk some disagreement with your politics of faith? You might be like Chuck Whitt who shared his church family with a fellow volunteer at Dominican Hospital and now John is here worshipping with us. Chuck took a risk and shared his faith with the simple invitation to join him at church.
The two disciples took a risk for Jesus. The crowd is also out also doing something different. Jesus does not send them, but they take the lead on their own. They are caught up in the fervor of change and they run ahead and throw down their cloaks as Jesus enters the gates of Jerusalem. They shout, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” But you can almost hear them chanting the 118 psalm. At the gates of righteousness, they are declaring the Lord is Good and they want everyone to see what God is doing in Jesus.
Jesus is the bearer of peace. Two times in Luke’s gospel there is a chorus of peace. A multitude of angles proclaimed peace at Jesus birth and now a multitude of disciples declare peace. When Jesus was born, the angels sing, “Peace on Earth” (2:14). Now as Jesus rides his colt toward Jerusalem, the people look to the sky and sing, “Peace in heaven.” Heaven sings of peace on earth. Earth echoes back, “Peace in heaven.” In this moment we are caught in a crossfire of blessings.” Couldn’t we use a few more blessings in our politics? But Jesus is not a politician he is our Savior. Politics change on a dime, but a Savior is forever!
One commentator wrote, “Jesus ministry has been punctuated by his invitation to “come, follow me…” But here, as his ministry approaches its culmination, it’s the disciples and the crowd who are out ahead, and Jesus is the one following. The Pharisees see it too; for months they’ve been tut-tutting Jesus- what he does, how he does it, when he does it, and with whom. Now it’s the crowd and they want it to stop at all costs.” (Christian Century 3.12.16, pg. 19). Some of the establishment, AKA Pharisees, protest, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” Jesus replies, “If these were silent, the stones would shout out.” God is worthy of our praise, his steadfast love endures forever. This harkens back to John the Baptist, the first advance man, who while baptizing said, “God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham (Luke 3:8). Meaning all things are possible with God. So even if the crowds are silent the stones will give voice to what God is doing!
Through Jesus peace on earth and heaven… God’s doing!
Through Jesus we are made righteous… God’s doing!
Through Jesus we are granted salvation… God’s doing!
But sometimes it is almost impossible to be silent. On Monday while I was working in my office, the church was cloaked with squeals of joy!!! High pitched sounds of wonder. Now we have a preschool so I am used to many wonderful sounds of children playing and even yelling. But this was a sustained chorus of excitement, giddiness and celebration. This was the perfect response to a snowball fight in the courtyard. One of the preschool families had gone skiing and brought back a cooler full of snow and shared it with friends. The flagstones were wet, the children were happy and blessed, and there was no way to keep them silent.
God’s love is like a snowball fight, creating squeals of joy in our hearts. The gifts of God’s doing, peace, righteousness, and salvation are blessings too wonderful for us to keep silent. We take risks and share our faith, we shout hosanna while Jesus enters the gates of our hearts.
If we are silent, the stones will shout out! Will you?
One final thought.
The Psalmist speaks of another stone, the stone the builders rejected. This week we recall Jesus will be rejected, beaten, and crucified. We will come to his table with him on Maundy Thursday. Our hearts will break, shatter like stones, from the darkness of Friday. But Jesus, the stone the builders rejected, has become the chief cornerstone of our lives. The strength and depth of God’s love trough Christ allows us to know the joy of our salvation. How can you be silent? Amen.
