March 24, 2013, Palm/Passion Sunday

Today is both Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday. There are both the Hosannas and the mockings. It is a day of contrasts, a day of contradictions. By comparing these contradictions, I feel that we can see the Gospel of Jesus Christ more clearly. Today let’s look at two examples.

On Palm Sunday, as Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem, people took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!" The word “Hosanna” is like “Long live the King” or like the Japanese word, “Banzai.” People believed that Jesus was the King of Israel, the Messiah sent by God. Although Jesus was the true King of Israel, the leaders did not believe it, or else they rejected him as their king. The Roman soldiers thought they were mocking him, but really they told the truth when they put a crown of thorns on his head and a royal purple robe on his shoulders and said, “Hail, king of the Jews!” But the Jewish leaders said, “We have no king but Caesar.” Rather than accepting him into their city and into their hearts they said, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him! Crucify him!” And over the throne of his cross the truth was written for everyone to read: “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” (The Latin abbreviation is “INRI.”)

Comment #1. In our Christian life as redeemed sinners, how often do we say “Hosanna”? How often do we say “Crucify him”? Whenever we sin we are joining the crowd that says to crucify him. Whenever we find it inconvenient to be a Christian, then we are joining the crowd that nailed him to the cross. At such a time, we are killing ourselves. We are condemning ourselves. That is why sin is so horrible. And when we realize the problem we have, then we need to find the solution. And the solution is the cross. There we find the king, the Messiah. In faith we read the inscription “INRI” and in our hearts we say “Hosanna.” He is our King, our Savior.

Another contrast between Palm Sunday and Good Friday is how Jesus entered and exited the city of Jerusalem. On Paul Sunday he was carried on a donkey – on Good Friday he carried his cross. The donkey is an animal to carry burdens for people. Jesus was the person to carry the burden of all people. The donkey’s burden was relatively light. But later Jesus took upon himself the sin of the world. There on Golgotha (Calvary) the wooden cross groaned with the burden now made heavy with the sin of the world.

Comment #2. In our Christian life as redeemed sinners, Jesus tells us to take up our crosses and follow him. How heavy is your cross? How many sins are on it? How many regrets are on it? How many worries are on it? How much pain is on it? To make your cross in life lighter, first, take your sins off yourown cross and put them on the cross of Jesus. That is where they belong. Our sins have been forgiven, so forget them. Put your worries on Christ. If he can die and rise again, then he can bring us through our biggest problems. Let Christ do the worrying for you. Let the Holy Spirit give you peace and trust his guidance. In the midst of our pain and sorrow, Jesus helps us carry our cross. If he didn’t then it would be too much for us to bear and we would sink into despair. So look at the cross of Christ. Above his head it is written “INRI.” Now look at your own cross. On your forehead and on your heart the Cross of Christ was inscribed at your baptism. It says, “You are a Child of God.” In response we say, “Hosanna to my King and Savior! Amen!”

Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church

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