Today we continue our series entitled, The ABC’s of faith. The larger idea is based on the idea that we learn over time through an exploration process of success and failure. Everything we come to know and understand is built over time on the foundation of trial and error.
We learned last week, the wooden blocks we have all played with were an idea in 1594, a practical concept 100 years after that, and only then it would take another 175 years to be mass practiced and produced as the blocks we know and love from Brooklyn, New York.
Last week, we talked about the confusion of humanity and this week we continue with our “C” alliteration by building on the ideas of creation, corruption, catastrophe, confusion and the Christ by talking about another important aspect of our Christian witness: Cross
On this Palm Sunday, I’d like for us to take the Joy of Jesus entry into Jeruslalen to the reality of what it would bring about. To do that, I’d like to show you a picture and have all of us take a minute to reflect on famous painting called:
<Please put The Shadow of Death by William Holman Hunt on the Screens>
The Manchester City Art Gallery houses a painting of Christ by Holman Hunt. It shows Jesus standing inside his father’s carpenter shop in Nazareth. He has momentarily put his saw down and is stripped down to a cloth around his waist. A weary Jesus stretches his arms above his head, casting a shadow onto the wall, a shadow in the shape of a person crucified. A long narrow tool rack hanging on the wall intersects perfectly with his shadow to give the impression of the crossbeam of the cross.There is a woman in the foreground on the left hand side. She kneels among the woodchips, with her hands resting upon a chest that houses the gifts of the magi. It is Mary, startled by the cross like a shadow cast by her son.
Hunt shows us in art form what the Gospels show us with words.
About ? of the Gospels are about the death of Jesus.
1/2 of Mark's Gospel is about his death.
The rest of the New Testament is explaining why he died.
The focus of historical worship of the Christian church is all about the broken body, the shed blood of Jesus.
Why? Well, most leaders who’ve influenced nations or even changed the world are remembered for the impact of their lives. Jesus, who more than any other person changed the face of world history, is remembered for his death even more than his life.
The shadow of the cross was cast over Christ’s life from the beginning. His death lies at the heart of his story, and ours.
What do the following people have in common: Carrie Underwood, Tom Hanks, Tyler Perry, Denzel Washington, Nicole Kidman, Patrick Mahoms, and the Pope?
There may be a variety of answers, but one answer is they all wear a cross. And there’s nothing wrong with that, but has it ever struck you as a little weird, because the cross was a form of execution. What would you have felt today if when you came in I greeted you wearing a syringe around my neck! Or suppose I was wearing an electric chair around my neck. What would you feel?
The truth is The Cross was the instrument of Roman execution from 100BC to almost 400AD. For 500 years it was the world’s most known method of punishment.
In crucifixion a person was either tied or nailed to a wooden cross and left to hang until dead. Death would be slow and excruciatingly painful; in fact, the word excruciating literally means “out of crucifying.” However, just like almost everything Christ engages with, the meaning of death on the cross is completely different.
In Christianity, the cross is the intersection of God’s love and His justice.
Kilmer Meyers was the pastor of a church in Manhattan, USA. One of the more disturbing aspects of his pastorate was a woman named Emma who used to stand outside the church every day at 4pm and scream insults at Jesus. Emma’s pain was understandable – she was a Holocaust survivor. One day Bishop Meyers went outside and said to Emma, “Why don’t you go inside and tell him?” She disappeared into the church. An hour went by and Emma had not returned. The bishop was worried and decided to look in on her. He found Emma, lying before the cross, absolutely still. Reaching down, he touched her shoulder. She looked up with tears in her eyes and said quietly, “After all, he was a Jew too.”Source: Maggie Ross, The Fire of Your Life.
The cross impresses on us all the lengths God would go to rescue/redeem his creation. It is the overarching message of the Bible—the story of redemption. While God created the heavens and the earth and everythings else for that matter, the temptations of Satan (the serpent) inspired humanity to turn from God’s grace to self propulsion. An action that passes the curse of sin on to our children so that everyone inherits their sin and guilt. A tragedy God foresaw and took action on our behalf. God would send his one and only Son into the world to take on human flesh and to be the Savior of His people. Born of a virgin, Jesus avoided the curse of the fall that infects all other human beings. As the sinless Son of God, He could provide the unblemished sacrifice that God requires. God’s justice demanded judgment and punishment for sin; God’s love moved Him to send His one and only Son to stand in our place for our and all the sins of humanity.
In one of the most striking pieces of scripture surrounding the whole passion week happens in the first moments as Jesus comes over the hill with the crowds crying out Hosanna. Take a listen of Luke 19:41-44:
As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”
There are two, maybe three, aspects of this scripture which are so powerful for us as we move into Holy Week and the cross moves from the shadows to center stage.
The least of which is prophecy and its fulfillment. 40 years after his prediction, the Jews would revolt against Rome and after three years the revolt would be upended by the son of the emperor. He would capture it, kill thousands and destroy everything within the walls including the temple. The Christ (fully God and fully man) saw the future and felt the pain
The second important moment presented with these three verses, is God’s longing for His children to live in peace. The three year journey of teaching, miracles and upending the status quo was, and never will be, a violent reversal (a forced change) but a well orchestrated plan over generations to redeem all of humanity.
Finally, and most importantly, is Christ's deep, heart felt longing for humanity. We cry out of joy and pain. Jesus weeping in this scripture is the sign of love. It was the second time Jesus wept openly. The first at the tomb of his good friend Lazarus (John 11:35). Like the prophet Jeremiah, who wept bitterly over the destruction of Jerusalem (jer. 9:1) Jesus was crying for Jerusalem and all of humanity because it would once again destroy itself through spiritual ignorance, the blindness of its heart and its selfish desires still present since the garden of eden.
The scene is so rich in connection to today.
Jesus has predicted His return and the day of judgment but many continue to rebel and revolt against His government which has no end
Jesus comes in peace and asks us to do the same. We are to be the peacemakers. Do your friends think of you as a person of peace? Do they see any traces of Jesus teachings, miracles or your participation in upending the status quo? How have you brought justice, loved mercy and walked humbly? How will you?
We are called to love deeply. We are called to love our neighbors deeply! The only question is do we?
The cross is our symbol to die to self and carry his love and peace into all our relationships until he comes again.
Question: What does it mean to live in the shadow of a cross?
Creative: Blocks on Stage, Reading of Scripture prior to preaching, MJ reading Luke 19:28-40, video for lent, cross directions for palm Sunday
References: Warren Wiersbe Commentary Luke 19:41-44 (lamentation), p. 254-55
https://creationmuseum.org/gospel/
https://www.gotquestions.org/meaning-of-the-cross.html
