Sermon for 3/20/2005
Palm Sunday
Applaud or Plod?
Introduction:
Some years ago a book was written by a noted American historian entitled “When the Cheering Stopped.” It was the story of President Woodrow Wilson and the events leading up to and following WW1. When that war was over Wilson was an international hero. There was a great spirit of optimism abroad, and people actually believed that the last war had been fought and the world had been made safe for democracy.
On his first visit to Paris after the war Wilson was greeted by cheering mobs. He was actually more popular than their French war heroes. The same thing was true in England and Italy.
The cheering lasted about a year. Then it gradually began to stop. IT turned out that the political leaders in Europe were more concerned with their own agendas than they were a lasting peace. At home, Woodrow Wilson ran into opposition in the US Senate and his League of Nations was not ratified. Under the strain of it all the President’s health began to break. In the next election his party was defeated. So it was that Woodrow Wilson, a man who barely a year or two earlier had been heralded as a great hero, came to the end of his days a broken and defeated man. It is a sad story, but one that is not unfamiliar.
WBTU:
A. How I got the idea for this sermon? I got it from Arlee Stanley, from the desk that he gave the church. Couldn’t close the draw. Took out the stuff behind it and there were sermon notes from a preacher named Ross Francisco. In that pile there was a sermon on Palm Sunday, April 10, 1960. It mentions that in his notes he took many of his thoughts from a preacher named John Scotford.
B. Jesus went through something very similar to Woodrow Wilson. Jesus was going to the Passover in Jerusalem and this is the scene we see in Matthew 21:1-11. Read this section.
C. This is what we celebrate on Palm Sunday.
D. One of the things of greatest interest of that day is: Who were the people present on that day? Where were they going? Where had they been? What were their hopes and fears?
E. They were not all alike, and were not in the city of Jerusalem for the same purpose. We can divide them into two groups: The applauders and the plodders.
Thesis: Do we applaud or plod? Let’s discuss these two groups.
For instances:
I. The Plodders
A. A small company of humble folk.
B. There clothes were well worn and dated with dirt and dust. They spoke with a Galilean accent. They approached the city of Jerusalem with timidity, fearing lest the Jerusalem folk made fun of them.
C. Only when they caught a glimpse of Jesus did their hopes sore. He was their hope and stay. It was because of him that they were here. It was something of blind loyalty instead of reasoning that had brought them here. These were his disciples. The 12 were there but also others who stuck by Jesus on and off again and some women who supported his ministry.
D. These were the remnant of those who had turned aside from following him. Many had left him because they had not understood his mission or his mind.
E. But this battered band for reasons probably they did not understand, remained faithful friends, and they could not find it within their power to leave him. He had cast a spell over their hearts, and when he started to Jerusalem, even if it meant death, they could not find it in their hearts to turn back. Their minds may have said, NO, but their feet would not turn back.
F. They just humbly kept plodding along with Jesus. Why, they were not quite certain. They were the plodders that stuck with Jesus.
G. Their hearts were filled with both fear and hope. Yes, hope mingled with fear. Maybe this was their day! Maybe this was their day of triumph! Possible moments of glory lay before them! They were not sure. Jesus had talked about death and a cross but maybe this was the time that Jesus was going to grab the reigns and take control.
II. The Applauders.
A. Most were in Jerusalem for a different reason.
B. It was the Passover, the most important religious observance of the Jews. There were 2 million people in and around Jerusalem.
C. These people had come to Jerusalem decked out in their best clothes. They had come to see and to be seen. They came with the sacrifice (food) and with a party attitude.
D. These pilgrims to Jerusalem were also looking for someone to lead them to break the power of Rome. At this time, there were religious zealots who would gladly follow someone to drive out the Gentile rulers. This is why the city of Jerusalem during the Passover had almost a whole legion of Roman soldiers to keep the peace. The Roman governor was present in Jerusalem to make sure things went smoothly and that there were not disturbances.
E. The pilgrims had heard of a Galilean prophet, who claimed to be a son of David, and who by that claim could be called a King of the Jews, and was riding into town on the back of a lowly donkey.
F. Up until this point Jesus had big crowds but this is not what he enjoyed. He usually strayed from the crowds. He was more comfortable alone in the desert or in the mountains praying than in a crowd. Yet on this occasion a very great multitude followed Jesus. What a contrast to the entire ministry up until this moment.
G. Jesus had a purpose and his purpose here was to present himself to the people as the King.
H. This crowd coming into Jerusalem was probably looking for some entertainment and what would it cost to shout and go along with it. The Roman soldiers could not possibly interpret it as an act of insurrection, and the chief priests would be a bit upset, but who cares? Let’s have some fun.
I. News had spread fast, and there couldn’t be any harm in acclaiming him as King of the Jews.
J. They may not have been consciously insincere in their praise of this Galilean. However, this multitude was composed of people of limited and fleeting loyalties.
K. The sequel to Palm Sunday was almost too swift and too simple.
L. Within two days, the plodders knew that they were confronted with another disappointment. Once more Jesus had failed to seize earthly power. Once more he had failed to achieve that which the world calls success.
M. As for the applauders they soon forgot. After all, they had just been looking for some excitement. There attention turned to other matters. Crowds have no memories. Within less time than the span of a week, some of these same applauders were crying, Crucify him!
III. A great lesson for Palm Sunday
A. Little dependence can be put into the hands of a shouting mob. It may seem foolish to have a special day to remember this fact, but maybe it is because there are so many of us like them. We need to see that we are too often like the applauders and not enough like the plodders.
B. In every group and every situation we have both the applauders and the plodders:
1. In family situations there are those who make the noise and those who do the work. The plodders are applauded if things are going well, but if things are not, the plodders are yelled at and looked at with disdain. The applauders don’t want to do any of the work but they are more than willing to raise noise.
2. In businesses and schools there are the applauders who sit in places of majesty and issue orders, while the plodders come along and get things done.
3. In community events there are those who plod and those who applaud. Those who work and those who are willing to tell the workers how to work.
4. One man said, “Work fascinates me. I could sit and watch it all day.”
5. In the church it is much the same way.
IV. Are you a plodder or applauder in the church?
A. The church has a great host of well-wishers. Though a great many never darken the door of a church, they still like to ease their conscience by knowing that Sunday worship services are still conducted.
B. Know of one man who was a barber. He never went to church. One of his customers said that he had retired and he was thinking about moving to a small village outside of town. The barber said that he would never move there. The customer asked why. The barber said that he would never move to anyplace that did not have a church. And he was right, that village did not have a church in it. Not that the barber would go but it made him feel better about a place if it had a church.
C. Now there are many applauders that show up on special occasions or once a quarter or once a month. For this we are happy and grateful. We are certainly glad to see them come to church.
D. Jesus on that Palm Sunday heard the shouts of the applauders, but I doubt that he counted on them to any great extent.
E. It is good that the church has moments of popularity at certain times in society. We should glad that our world still takes out some time for the gospel and applauds Christ and his church.
F. However, as on that first Palm Sunday so it is today. The plodders, the humble folk, are the ones who build and sustain the church today. If we depended upon the applauders, the church many times would collapse.
G. Behind every church and its programs are those who not only come at special times but also throughout the year. They are inconspicuous but devoted.
H. They are here when it is inconvenient and convenient; hot or cold; winter or summer; rain or shine. They are the plodders.
I. There is a host of folk who have made their loyalty to Christ and his Kingdom more than a matter of shouting, “Hosanna”, they have kept on when others quit.
J. The future of the church is dependent upon the Spirit of Christ as it works in the hearts and minds of the plodders.
K. The life of a church is easy when everything is on the upswing. At times like these there is a lot of shouting and much enthusiasm, and no one has to carry much of a load.
L. But, the time when the church needs your support, prayers, attendance, and your means is the time when things are the darkest. These are also the times when the applauders are not around. There are times when there is but a remnant of plodders to carry on, but that remnant is precious.
M. I pray to God that all of us may see what the church may really mean to you, and what you may mean to the church.
N. Take courage, at one time every plodder was an applauder.
O. Let us not forget this fact: Those humble folk of long ago are still remembered and the applauders are forgotten. Why?
1. The plodders remain steadfast. Between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday they walked through the valley of the shadow of death. They still plodded.
2. Now they did not act like heroes; their feet faltered, and their tongues failed them. But in the end they still plodded.
3. So it is and so it goes today. There are those who merely applaud Christ and His church, and go their comfortable way, and are forgotten.
4. But there are those who face up to the dark hours, and taste the bitterness of defeat and despair, who do not shun the cross. Ultimately coming into the full joy of the Lord. Through steadfast plodding they have marched and ever will march to immortality.
