Sunday Interlude: Brave
- Updated Apr 05, 2009
This is Holy Week, and around the world Christians are celebrating
the momentous events that took place in Jerusalem 2000 years ago.
Although there are many things that separate us, here is one thing
about which all Christians agree. Holy Week stands at the center of the
Christian faith. For eight days differences of language, culture and
race are forgotten.
And what a week it is, eight days that begin
with Palm Sunday and end with Easter Sunday. Two great events bracket
Holy Week–the Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday and the Resurrection of
Jesus on Easter Sunday. Without controversy, it is truly a Holy Week
because it encompasses the most sacred events of the Christian faith.
All the things that we hold most dear were proved to be true during
this great week in Jerusalem.
Today we focus on Palm Sunday. I’m
sure that most of us know the general outlines of the story. But I
suspect that most of us have never considered the story in any detail.
Why did Jesus ride into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey? Why did the
people wave palm branches? Why did they cry out “Hosanna!” as he passed
by? What does it all mean? Of all the events of Holy Week, the
Triumphal Entry is the most-overlooked and least-understood.
Consider these words by the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard:
The
truth must essentially be regarded as in conflict with this world; the
world has never been so good, and will never become so good that the
majority will never desire the truth.
On Palm Sunday, the Truth rode into Jerusalem on a donkey’s back. Although the crowds cheered the Truth, beneath the surface a conflict raged. The majority did not want the Truth that day, nor have they wanted the Truth on any day since that day.
Christ comes again and again to
the human heart. Each time a verdict must be rendered. Look! He’s
coming down Main Street. Your King has come. What will you do? Will you
join with those who crucified him or will you join with those who cry
out “Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna!"?
Our greatest need is for
courage to make the right choices. When the time comes to take sides
with Jesus, all you need is enough courage to do the right thing. The
Palm Sunday invitation is not to believe but to be brave. The brave
join the little children who praise him gladly while the timid are left
to dream about what might have been.
Lord Jesus, I do
believe but sometimes my courage fails me. Too often I follow the crowd
instead of my own convictions. I pray for childlike faith, strong and
simple, so that I might take my stand for you no matter what others may
do. Amen.
You can reach the author at ray@keepbelieving.com. Click here to sign up for the free weekly email sermon.