Hosanna People

Matthew 21:1-11

Sometimes you have to make changes in your life that you didn't plan for, changes that you never thought you would have to make. But, that doesn't mean that God hasn't had a hand in those changes. Indeed, you never know what God has in store for God's children. But, if we have faith in God, we know that God will see us through and that we will come out victorious at the end.

You can imagine how the disciples of Jesus must have felt as they went with Jesus toward Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday. For them, it looked like everything was working out just as they had thought it would. Everywhere they went, it looked as though the crowds were excited and filled with anticipation about Jesus who might just be the Messiah, as far as they were concerned. And, now, as our Gospel lesson for this morning explains, Jesus was approaching Jerusalem. He was getting ready for his big entrance into the city. And the disciples knew that this was the moment everyone was waiting for.

The only problem was, if Jesus was going to make his ride into the city, what would he ride on? Traditionally, new kings were escorted into Jerusalem, seated on a young donkey that had never been ridden on before. And this presented a problem for them. Where were they going to find such a beast? None of them had any donkeys and they didn't have the money to buy one. So, what were they going to do? Suddenly, it seemed as if their journey to Jerusalem had ground to a sudden stop.

You know, one of the problems we who follow Jesus sometimes have is that we forget that Jesus won't be stopped by little problems like this. In fact, where we see problems, Jesus sees opportunities. Where we see the end of the world, Jesus sees salvation. Where we see insurmountable obstacles, Jesus sees a way up to heaven. It was no different then, as the disciples realized that they needed a donkey for Jesus to ride on. Where the disciples saw a big problem, Jesus saw the answer.

As they were getting close to Jerusalem, he told the disciples to go into the small town they were passing by, where they would find a young donkey. All they would have to do is untie the donkey and bring it to him. And if anyone objected, all the disciples had to do was say, "The Lord has need of it." And, in fact, that's exactly what we're told happened.

Certainly, as we follow Jesus we should remember that Jesus provides the solutions to our troubles, if we will just listen to him. But, instead, as we travel down this road, this journey called life, what do we so often do when we're faced with a problem? We panic. We come up with all sorts of reasons why something we would like to see happen can't happen. We may even become paralyzed in our journey, afraid to take another step lest we fall to our doom. But, if we would only listen to Jesus, we would know that Jesus knows the way.

I was at a meeting in Flint, yesterday, getting worship services ready for the Detroit Annual Conference that takes place from June 4 to 7. And while I was at the meeting I heard a fellow pastor talk about something that was really amazing that happened to her in church that really shows how Jesus knows the way.

The pastor explained how a new family, a mom and a dad, and a boy and a girl, had moved into town and had visited the church once or twice while getting settled. Then, one day there came the news that the little girl had been tragically killed in an accident. The following Sunday, the mom and dad and their remaining child came to the church and attended Sunday School. The pastor was teaching the young adult class at the church that day. And just as the people in the class were finishing their coffee time together, in walked the mom and dad. Now, normally, this wouldn't have been a problem for anyone. But, in this case, the pastor was at a loss for what to do. For the topic of that Sunday's church school lesson was about nothing other than "The Loss of a Child."

Looking at this couple, the pastor suggested that everyone get another cup of coffee. And realizing the predicament, that's what everybody did. And as the pastor bought herself some time, she prayed, "Lord give me the wisdom for this situation." As the class reassembled, gathering around the couple, the pastor looked at them and said, "We're glad you came here today. And we really want you to know that we share in your sorrow at this time. But, there is something you should know: You see, the topic of our lesson for today is "The Loss of a Child." And we want to be sensitive to you and your need. Tell me what you would like me to do. We can easily go on to something else, today. Or, we can talk about the lesson for the day.

The couple looked at each other and thought for a moment. Then the mother said, "Give me the lesson to take home and read. Then we'll come back next Sunday and we'll discuss it with you." So, that's what they did. And the result was one of the best experiences the group has ever had. And for the couple, there began a time of healing that might not have otherwise taken place.

Yes, Jesus does know the way. And sometimes things happen in our lives and in our life together that are amazing; that could not have happened unless God had been involved, working behind the scenes. Jesus knows the way. Even while someone may be in the midst of sorrow or need, someone else is being set up to give their love. Even while someone may find themselves facing sickness or surgery, God is putting someone else into the position of being a healer. Even while someone may feel that they are at the end of their rope, God is setting up someone else to be there in the nick of time. And that someone may never even realize that God is doing this. And that someone in need may be us. Or that someone God has set up to help may be us. You never know! But, you have to be willing to listen to God and trust in God's love. For, yes, Jesus knows the way.

Many of us may not realize that Jesus was not the first messiah to be welcomed into Jerusalem with shouts of Hosanna. In fact, this was the way people had welcomed kings into the city for hundreds of years. The first of these kings was Solomon, the son of David, who rode into the city on a mule while the people shouted, "Long live king Solomon!" From then on, this was the way most new kings entered the city on their way to their throne.

So, Jesus' entry into the city of Jerusalem, riding on a mule was part of what the people expected any king to do. And so they shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!"

But, most of us have learned to appreciate the irony of their welcoming cries. Did you know that "Hosanna" literally means, "Save us!" in Hebrew? As they shouted their welcome to what they thought was an earthly king, what they didn't realize was that they were shouting, "Save us!" to the King of Heaven. What they thought were words of welcome to what they hoped was an earthly messiah, were really words of prayer going up to the very throne of God. The people thought they were welcoming a messiah that would rid them of the Roman occupiers of their country. What they couldn't have known, unless they had really been listening to Jesus' words, was that Jesus was going to save them from something far greater than any enemy the world had to offer. For Jesus had come to save them from sin and death.

Sometimes our own prayers are prayed like this. There's the story of a leper who had a sore toe. And it hurt so bad and it hurt for such a long time that he decided to go see a holy man who was known for his ability to heal the sick. So, the leper headed off, limping all the way.

When he got to the holy man, he showed him his sore toe and said, "O holy man, I know you can heal the sick. Would you heal me, today?" The holy man looked at the leper and said, "Yes, my son. You are healed." And, immediately, the leper's toe stopped hurting. And, jumping for joy, the leper thanked the holy man and went back home.

But, the most amazing thing about it was that it wasn't until he looked into the mirror the next morning that he realized that he wasn't a leper anymore.

Very often, we don't realize how big our prayers are. What we think are little prayers are actually big prayers to God. God takes us seriously! Do you pray to be saved? So, God works to save you, not only from the things that oppress you in this life, but also from the things that might oppress you, or keep you from enjoying, the next life, as well. Do you pray to be healed? So, God not only heals your big toe, but God goes on to the other things in your life that keep you from being whole. Do you pray for success? So, God sends his only Son into the world so that we may have the victory. No, we don't know how big our prayers really are!

Certainly, the people of Jerusalem had no idea. In fact, even after they had waved their palm branches and shouted their hosannas, and called him "Son of David," and when all was said and done, they stopped what they were doing and asked, "Who is this?"

And all they could answer was, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."

They were wrong on two counts. Certainly, Jesus was more than a prophet. And, certainly, he was more than a man from Nazareth. For, indeed, Jesus was the Son of God born in the city of Bethlehem. They really didn't know who he was.

Do we? Do we know who he was? Perhaps this is the real question that Palm Sunday asks us. Do we know who he was? When we shout our "Hosannas" do we know what we're saying? When we decide to follow Jesus do we really know what we're getting into? Do we know that this journey ends with a cross?

Someone once said that we should be careful about what we pray for. If we sing, "I have decided to follow Jesus," we may find that the trip is tougher than we thought it would be. If we sing the hymn that says, "Lord, we are able; our spirits are thine. . ." we may find that we weren't really as ready or able as we thought we were. And, just as suddenly as it did for those disciples on the road in need of a donkey, the journey comes to a grinding halt for us until we remember that Jesus knows the way. And so we keep our eyes on him. The trail of Palm branches may lead to a cross. But it is that cross that sets us free.

Amen.