We All Have Something to Offer

“When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” ⁴ This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,

⁵ “Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you,

humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

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April 17, 2011
Matthew 21:1-11, We All Have Something to Offer
Douglas Scalise, Brewster Baptist Church
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⁶ The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; ⁷ they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. ⁸ A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

¹⁰ When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” ¹¹ The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.” Matthew 21:1-11

Have you ever been in the embarrassing situation of answering the phone and the voice on the other end begins to talk to you, and you don’t know who it is and you don’t recognize the number? You don’t want to admit you don’t know or don’t remember who it is so you go along, all the while trying to figure out exactly who is on the other end before your ignorance is revealed. Sometimes it doesn’t help even when people say their first name. If I get a call and the voice says, “This is Bill…” I have to figure out, “Is it Bill Carter, Bill Eifert, Bill Franks, Bill French, Bill Harwood, Bill Morrow, Bill Reycroft, or Bill Vincent? Or some other Bill?

Some of our older members can remember listening to the Lone Ranger on the radio or watching it on television with Clayton Moore and if so you know that when the Lone Ranger rode out of town, someone inevitably would ask… “Who was that masked man?”

On Palm Sunday when Jesus rode into town people were asking a similar question, “Who is this?” Like our selves on the phone or the townspeople on The Lone Ranger, the people in Matthew’s gospel are trying to figure out the identity of this individual riding into town. They want to know who is this man who is causing such a response among the people who surround him?

When we read the Bible it is helpful to look at the questions being asked because often they are the questions the writer of that book wants us to answer.  For example, in Matthew 8:27 the disciples ask, “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?”

In Matthew 16:13 Jesus asks the disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” Today in Matthew 21:10 the question asked about Jesus is, “Who is this?” Throughout his Gospel Matthew is telling the story of Jesus and encouraging us to answer the question: what kind of man can say and do what Jesus says and does?

Jesus rides into Jerusalem – a city torn by divisions and power struggles frequently erupting in violence and bloodshed. Jesus is acting out a parable about what God is offering to those who will believe, Jesus is offering himself. In Matthew chapter one the gospel traced Jesus’ family tree back through the kings of Israel. In chapter two we read, “In the time of Herod the king wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?” King Herod and all Jerusalem were frightened by this news. Herod was frightened because he knew the Jewish people were hoping a political and military leader, like King David, would come to deliver them from the Romans. The whole city and nation might erupt into violence if the nationalists and zealots had a true son of David to rally behind. Herod ordered the murder of children born around the time of Jesus’ birth to prevent Jesus from growing up and leading such a revolt. Herod’s dreadful plan failed to stop God’s plan and on what we call Palm Sunday the child Herod sought to eliminate comes to Jerusalem as a mature man. Jesus doesn’t ride into Jerusalem on a warhorse at the head of troops armed for battle. He comes humbly on a donkey or colt. His followers are grasping tree branches, not spears; they shout “Hosanna!” not, “Attack!” This is a strange sort of gathering.

Many people and the media are fascinated by trials. There have always been lots of TV shows that feature courtroom drama. A fascinating aspect of trials is how individuals witnessing or participating in the same event see different things and reach very different conclusions. We could even say that it isn’t the same event. A hopeful disciple witnessing Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem makes it seem like it was a huge group of people making a great impact, shaking up the whole city. A Roman centurion may have observed a small group of pilgrims making some sort of minor demonstration, but nothing significant enough to break it up or arrest the leaders or even to report to his superiors that someone of consequence arrived in town. The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.” Is he a prophet?  A trouble maker?  An imposter?  A rebel? A teacher? Is he going to help overthrow the oppressors?

Many of those who first followed Jesus probably did so in the hope that he would be the one to rally the people to overthrow the Romans. One of the disciples was openly known as Simon the zealot, referring to his political views not his passion for following Jesus. James and John were nicknamed Sons of Thunder, a title just as fitting for revolutionaries as fishermen. John 6:15 says, “When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” In Acts 1:6, even after the crucifixion and resurrection and the risen Christ is with the disciples they ask him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” They are still thinking about Jesus’ leadership and purpose first and foremost from a political point of view.

Make no mistake, if we are Christians then our faith should shape our political views in terms of what our priorities and values are and they should match those of Jesus Christ, however, Jesus did not come to establish an earthly government for one particular nation. Jesus’ approach is a radical change in the hearts and lives of people altered by following him under the power of the Spirit of God. Jesus’ message is aimed at the transformation of the heart. Truly living out the gospel Jesus preached impacts every aspect of our lives including our relationships, our economics, and our politics.  Anything less falls short of the faith of Jesus.

A number of years ago in a speech delivered to the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C., Senator Sam Nunn said, “The human inclination to seek political solutions for problems of the heart is nothing new. It is natural.  Two thousand years ago, another society found itself in deeper trouble than our own. An oppressive empire strangled liberties. Violence and corruption were pervasive. Many of the people of the day hoped for a triumphant coming of a political savior, a long expected king to establish a new, righteous government.  Instead, God sent his son, a baby, born in a stable. Jesus grew up to become a peasant carpenter in a town called Nazareth. He condemned sin but made it clear that he loved the sinner. He befriended beggars and prostitutes and even tax collectors while condemning the hypocrisy of those in power. He treated every individual with love and dignity and taught that we should do the same. He died like a common criminal, on a cross, and gave us the opportunity for redemption and the hope of eternal life.”^[1]

If Jesus isn’t a political or military leader, the question remains, “Who is this?” Many people who were there that first Palm Sunday were probably indifferent – Jesus was nobody to them.

The crowds said, “This is the prophet, Jesus of Nazareth.”

The Son of David enters David’s city, but the only throne this king finds is a cross. The only crown he receives is made of thorns. The city that should have welcomed him with fullest worship and obedience – refuses to accept or is too busy to care about this humble leader or prophet or whoever he is.

It is easy for us to think by celebrating Palm Sunday, coming to worship, maybe taking a palm home, that we are acknowledging Jesus as king in a way that many in Jerusalem failed to do so. We do well to remember Matthew 7:21-24 and the thought that it is not those who call Jesus Lord on Sunday who shall enter the kingdom of heaven but only those who do God’s will throughout the week. It is not enough to shout, “Hosanna, Hallelujah” on Sunday.  We are to live out our faith in Jesus on Monday.  We are to live as if his entering into our lives and riding into our hearts makes a difference.

We’ve been looking at Jesus in the Gospel today, but look for a moment at the people. When we do, we see they all had something to offer to Jesus that we can offer as well.

Our obedience – the two disciples who obeyed Jesus’ word and went to find the colt and donkey.

Our means – the owner of the animals freely offered them to Jesus for his use. The disciples and people in the crowd put their cloaks on the animal and on the road.

Our praise – “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” They were willing to be publicly associated with Jesus as they praised him. This didn’t last during Holy Week when Judas would betray him and Peter denied him and the rest scattered and fled in fear. It is easy to condemn Judas and look down on Peter, but how much better are we really? Each of us can search our hearts on the depth of our praise.

Our Witness – Who is this? The prophet Jesus some say.  We know he is more than a prophet. We can offer Jesus our witness in sharing with others what God has done for us.

However, what we can truly offer Jesus is more than words of witness or praise, more than resources we can easily without sacrifice share like a cloak or the loan of an animal or some funds, more even than episodes of obedience.

We all have something to offer and that is ourselves; just as Jesus offered himself for us. Dietrich Bonhoeffer spoke well of what we can offer when he said:

“Who stands fast?  Only the man whose final standard is not

his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom, or his virtue,

but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to obedient and

responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God-

the responsible man, who tries to make his whole life an answer to

the question and call of God.”

Who is this gentle man riding humbly and peacefully into the political and religious powder keg that is Jerusalem?  At the beginning of the week that changed the history of the world, Matthew is asking us to make a decision about who Jesus is.

A few are praising him; fewer truly understand who he is and what this journey represents. Others will cry, “Crucify him!” when he disappoints their political and religious aspirations.  Others will be very afraid of everything that unfolds and wonder if they can find the courage to speak.

Palm Sunday is a sober reminder of human blindness and humanity’s “What have you done for me lately?” mentality.

Many people have some vague idea about the events of Holy Week, but we all must make up our own minds about what those events mean for us.

Is Jesus a prophet and teacher or is he the Messiah, the leader who would change our hearts, our lives, our destiny, our eternity?

By presenting Jesus as the long awaited fulfillment of scripture and the true son of David, Matthew hopes that by next Sunday we will answer the question, “Who is this?” by saying what the centurion who witnessed the crucifixion said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”

May we live as if we believe this is who Jesus is and may we follow where he leads.

Prayer by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

O God,  Early in the morning do I cry unto thee. Help me to pray,

And to think only of thee. I cannot pray alone.

In me there is darkness, But with thee there is light.

I am lonely, but thou leavest me not.

I am feeble in heart, but thou leavest me not.

I am restless, but with thee there is peace.

In me there is bitterness, but with thee there is patience,

Thy ways are past understanding, but Thou knowest the way for me.