Psalm 118:1,2,19-29, Philippians 2:5-11, John 12:12-16

There was a lot of politicking going on when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on that donkey. Anyone here following the American elections? I’m heartily sick of it all, myself. American politics is weird at the best of times but right now they’re making themselves look quite ridiculous

But, let’s face it, all the candidates make similar promises: they are going to bring back the strong leadership that will make America great, keep Americans safe, grow the American economy and make Americans rich, protect them from terrorist attacks, grow the middle class, and in a few cases, offer programs to protect the poor. (But let’s be honest, that last is not very popular – except among the poor.)

What makes for a strong candidate in America is the promise of a president who will lead the nation to victory over all their enemies, and indeed, over the whole world.

Which is not so very different from what the people of Jesus’ day were looking for in a leader when Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. On that day, crowds of Jews, who were making their way into the holy city of Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, gathered around to welcome him, and to praise God, and shout out that Jesus was king. They shouted in the spirit of excitement and hope and anticipation. In their minds they finally had a candidate who was going to be their king, who would advocate for their interests against the Roman government, and help to bring about their dreams of glory.

Jesus knew perfectly well that the people who were shouting, rejoicing, and praising God were doing this because they were hoping that he would turn out to be the king that they had dreamed of and longed for, one who would look to God for guidance and establish justice where injustice, deceit, and treachery had ruled for so long.

And in fact, that’s why the people took off their garments and threw them on the donkey while others broke off palm branches and waved them in the air. In those days, this was the traditional way to signal a change in leadership. But Jesus knew that by riding into the city on a donkey he would be signaling that he was a man of God’s choosing who would lead all the people with justice. He would be humble and not into pursuing his own self-interest, unlike so many in politics then and now.

Jesus also knew how slim the odds were that things would actually change, but he rode into the capital city anyway, despite the odds against human nature changing and despite the fact that he never intended for his kingship to be the kind the people were hoping for.

And so when Jesus came into Jerusalem and the people lined the streets and shouted “Hosanna,” they seem to have completely overlooked the fact that their so-called king was sitting on a donkey. They missed that very important detail because they were filled with the usual agenda that people have—their own self-interest and dreams of glory, security, power, and wealth.

A moment in time
Today we are at the beginning of what the church calls Holy Week. Holy Week begins with this story of a triumphal entry into Jerusalem amid shouting crowds and waving palms and ends on Friday night with death on a cross.

Today is a day of triumph that is followed by tragedy. (Thank God the tragedy is followed by another, greater triumph. But that is next Sunday’s story.) The tragedy was built on a complete misunderstanding of who Jesus was and what he came to do in this world.

Jesus didn’t come into this world to lead his people in a military conquest of their enemies, the Roman Empire. He didn’t come to set himself as a worldly king or his own people as the elite class at the expense of those who were currently in power.

Jesus came, in his own words, to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

In other words, Jesus came to save all the people from themselves and from one another.
He came to eat with sinners, to talk to prostitutes and tax collectors and lepers and folks whom the social order had deemed worthless.
He came to feed the hungry and visit those in prison.
He came to equalize the social order so that those who live at the top of society, those who have set their nests on high to be safe from the reach of harm, would no longer be able to enjoy those benefits if their lifestyle came at a high price to everyone else.
And his actions, which were nothing short of radical and revolutionary, cost him his life.

Jesus wouldn’t stand much chance of being elected President of the United States. Nor of being elected to Parliament in New Zealand for that matter. Anyone promoting Jesus’ policies will tail the field when voting starts. Yet Jesus’ way is our way. His are the policies we must pursue. For we are the ones who claim to be his followers.

People of God, I pray that you will never surrender to the forces of corruption and oppression and evil in this world. All the trouble in the world is the reason Jesus came – not to deal with the symptoms but to remove the cause. Therefore, let us stand together in this world, in the power of Jesus Christ and his righteousness.

Lent’s conclusion
Since we are at the start of Holy Week the season of Lent has finished. How was it for you? Were you able to be more disciplined in your devotional life and live closer to Jesus? Did you give something up, keep to your resolve and did it help?

I believe it’s better to focus on living closer to Jesus than on what we can do without. Someone said, “In the past I’ve botched the season of Lent by engaging it as a six-week self-improvement project, but I think I’m done with that. These days I’d rather just show up to the places where Jesus says he’ll meet me so that he can do the work he says he’ll do.” Anon.

The Philippians text, is an early confessional hymn. We will conclude our service today with a current confessional hymn. Both recount where Jesus went – from heaven to earth to suffering and death to life, victory and power. As the hymns say, Christ’s humiliation leads to his exaltation, his death leads to his life. Then we, by repenting and being forgiven, get his death attributed to us and so are saved for a life of following Jesus, living by his programme, making his policies our practice, making life better on earth, as it is in heaven.