Palm Sunday
Mark 11:1-11
Mark 14:1-9
Washington Post = Ice or shallows explain Jesus walking on the water
New York Time = Gospel of Judas show that Judas wasn’t a betrayer, but a co-conspirator with Christ to fulfill prophecy.
It’s so easy to look for the easy way
The quick way
The “good enough” way
If anyone here has not done so please stand and accept our applause and honor
Is there not one
I was looking for the easy way this Sunday
I was way behind with this week, next week and the weeks to come
I have often wanted to speak of the triumphant entry into the city as the King with the shadow of the Cross hanging over the story
Not so much to talk about the many things that will happen in the week ahead
Simply to remind that Jesus is aware about the entire week
I want to speak of the Love that is shown…the gifts, the alabaster jar, and all the rest
I want people to consider Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and not to go from Palm Sunday directly to Easter morning
This year, I feel an urgency the story of these few days should be told now…before the horrors of Friday
Maybe, this year I am feeling John Calvinish. Calvin did not believe that any of the Christian religious seasons and Holy days be celebrated. But he wanted the resurrection of Easter to be celebrated every Sunday.
Calvin did not believe that one day a year was enough for Easter
Even more than Christmas, this season known as Easter defines what it means to be Christian
More than that, Christmas gets its importance from Easter
Without the story of Easter, the story of Christmas doesn’t mean anything
We are people controlled by stories, both true and untrue
Consider how much time we spend trying to sort out the true stories from the false stories.
What we call news is actually political stories, stories of other lands, weather stories, crime stories and stories of people and places
Stories that excite us, depress us, disarm us, and open us to understanding, to feel emotions, joy, sympathy, anger
The story of Holy Week is a story of what humanity is capable of
Story of living on the mountain to uncontrolled horror
The story of Holy Week reminds us the pursuit of truth and goodness is not easy.
Truth is not popular when it exposes prejudice or ignorance
Story lets us know that there is room for all of us in the Upper Room, even those that will betray what we believe is important
Story that reminds us that God does not give up on any of us
Story reminds us that our life here in this mysterious existence is a sacred gift,
Even when we are caught in the agony of difficult and painful choices
Story reminds us that God welcomes our unbridled generosity even if those around us see it as a waste.
Story that reminds us that God’s love for this world even in the swirl of evil and pain – genocide, wars, AIDS, and evils not of our own making
Story tells us that God wants us to care and have concern for the world even as we are responsible for the pollution, waste and destruction
It is a Story about speaking the truth to the best of our ability is our only hope even when our motives and misunderstood.
It’s a Story that reminds us that love, compassion and graciousness must never die…even in the face of pain and suffering
Even a world’s disinterest in who we are and whose we are… cannot take away our value and importance to our creator
and the Son who shows that in spite of love’s cost there is God’s willingness to pay the cost and place a greater value in love lived.
The Story of Jesus on His way into Jerusalem, his agony of acceptance,
His suffering at the hands of those who were unable to see the truth in him is God’s love story
A story of love’s cost, but more than the cost, it is the story of how God is calling us by Jesus’ lived example into the fullness of our humanity and our divinity
Listen to the story as it is told and retold in the days ahead.
While listening, remember that love’s cost is paid in full for me and for you.
God bless you this Easter season
To reed more go to www.opendoorstochrist.org
Rev. O. K. Neal
