"And so said all the disciples..."

Pastor Ray
03/20/2005

Palm Sunday / Sunday of the Passion
And so said all the disciples…
I may be quite a Duke fan, but I’m not the biggest sports fan here in this church. Why, I may be the only one here who didn’t bother to watch the Super Bowl this year. Nor last year, if I honest. Don’t exactly remember why… I’d like to say it was because I was busy doing holy and church things… but, that’s probably not the truth. Though it would make a good story. But regardless of whether you’re a big sports fan or not, you know enough to know that a winning team is much more popular than one who has a losing season. Duke fan that I am, I’m pretty pleased with my own guys this year. It’s not often, but sometimes… things just don’t go so well. I remember a couple of years ago when Duke just fell apart. Seems like the unlikely happened. And I dare say, the crowd back at Duke greeting their team… was much smaller than expected. A time for honesty… I’m rather confident the praises for Coach K, and his team, are more enthusiastic this morning near Cameron Indoor Stadium than are the praises being lifted up next door in Duke Chapel. More louder prayers too! And that’s a sad thought, isn’t it? Even when the impossible happens, the faithful very quickly chant… something to the effect of “just wait til next year!” And so goes the prayers as well.
And not to leave out my undergraduate school, I remember quite a few celebrations with Coach Smith, the Dean of all Coaches. I just told my age, didn’t I? A lot of celebrations happened because of Dean Smith. But, skipping over some history, I remember that day that Coach Doherty was named as our new head coach. The fans, the faithful tar heel fans were excited and even threw a little confetti. But remember the days of Coach what’s his name? Started with a G, or some letter like that. But at least he was better than the guy who followed him. Coach Doherty… and some folks aren’t so sure he was worthy of the title. Oh, there’s a few faithful supporters and followers who faithfully stand by their coach, and their team, but even the most faithful of fans are quite content standing in the shadows when the season stinks. Oh imagine the painful sound of silence and hurting heart of a man who has given his all for his love and for his alma-mater and of us all, prays all the more loudly … just to have a next year.
Think about it. That’s one way in which to set the stage today, that through all those things we pray for and pray about… well, it’s a glimpse into our souls and what we really value most in life. And this time of year, I bet lots of prayers go up for just the right team. And may I be so bold and so honest to say, that I’m not sure that of all the things going on in the world… whether God really cares who wins the next round of games. But surely God pulls for Duke! Me – well I pull for Duke, unless Carolina is winning…. I still have both class rings after all. Okay, I’m fickle. But I’m not alone. Yet the question is, can you have it both ways?
And that is the question for today -- known as both Palm Sunday and Sunday of the Passion. In one very real sense, all of history had pointed to this moment. This was God’s plan. Obviously, it wasn’t ours.
For so long, we didn’t recognize Jesus. At least we refused to recognize him. We certainly didn’t listen to his message, or to his prophetic voice. We couldn’t see that Jesus was the Messiah. A few did. But often the crowds made fun of them too. I don’t see too many “Go Harvard” stickers around here, do you? Don’t see too many Duke football stickers either. What about “Go Jesus!”?
Back to this day… a long time ago. As Jesus rode into town, a few, then some more, and suddenly a crowd gathers around him. Why, remember, just last Sunday as we found Jesus standing outside the tomb of Lazarus, dead for four days. Jesus wept, was moved to tears… and Jesus called for Lazarus to come out of the grave… and he did. And the crowd of fans, well... I guess I mean believers grew. As a dead man breathed again and walked again and lived again full of life, how could anyone ever doubt again? Certainly a major victory party was called for… and the crowd grows as does their songs of admiration.
This must be the Messiah. For who but God can breathe life into a corpse? Finally the cheers for the triumphant Messiah riding into Jerusalem to take his place and to lead his people to the great victory that God had promised.
It’s no wonder that the people gathered to cheer on the Messiah as he passed by them to be seen by their very own eyes. They wanted to see. And their voiced cried out their love and admiration, their love and dedication. They shouted hosanna hundreds of years ago, but as quickly as luke-warm fans can turn on their team, the crowd turned on Jesus. I don’t know why… maybe the cheerleaders fell from their pyramid. Maybe one of the players broke all the rules of decency with a low hit to another player. Maybe the other team offered better seats. Maybe the leaders in charge of the other team became so scared and concerned that they told lots of lies…. regardless, the crowd did the unthinkable. Their cries quickly turned from praising and saving -- to killing. Crucify him! Throw the bum out! Crucify him. Can’t you see it? The crowd betrayed him,… all of them did. You thought it was a victory party and a team parade, but someone threw the ball away at the last minute. That’s the other side of today: remember it’s both palm Sunday and Passion Sunday.
We may have started this morning with the joy of greeting the king of hope and eternal promise….but quickly when they realize that the game isn’t all fun and play, turns away from him as Jesus faithfully walks toward his week-long journey to the cross…. for our sake. The prayers of thanksgiving turned to hurtful and unthinkable hopes… that he die. It’s not all that often that I use sports as a way to weave a sermon, but think about it. What do you pray for most fervently? That YOUR team win? Or that all the teams have fun? Do you pray for the last parking space at the game? Or that the school builds more parking spaces so that everyone can have a place to park? Do you pray to catch the game winning ball at the park? Or that somehow, some way, the little boy with the broken leg will catch it?
On the Fourth of July, do we pray long and spirit-filled prayers of thanksgiving that our nation be blessed? Or do we pray that all the nations may prosper and live in peace and freedom?
Do you jump on the bandwagon of the winner of the day, or do you always pull for the underdog?
Be still, be quiet and simply listen: The Holy Gospel as appointed to us this morning continues: {26:1} Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests {15} and said, "What will you give me if I betray him to you?" They paid him thirty pieces of silver. {16} And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. {17} On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?" {18} He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.'" {19} So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal. {20} When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; {21} and while they were eating, he said, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me." {22} And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, "Surely not I, Lord?" {23} He answered, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. {24} The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born." {25} Judas, who betrayed him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" He replied, "You have said so." {26} While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." {27} Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; {28} for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. {29} I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." {30} When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. {31} Then Jesus said to them, "You will all become deserters because of me this night; for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' {32} But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee." {33} Peter said to him, "Though all become deserters because of you, I will never desert you." {34} Jesus said to him, "Truly I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." {35} Peter said to him, "Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you." And so said all the disciples. {36} Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."
So, have we waited? Have we prayed? Have we been faithful? Oh, when times are good, we are faithful children of God, aren’t we. But what about when the temptation of success stands before us, or the temptation of laughing at a a good, yet hurtful joke, or the temptation of just following the crowd… wanting to fit in, … simply other ways of hiding in the shadows denying that we are among those who walk with Jesus. Every one of us have in some way, been on this long, fear-filled journey.
We may have began this day greeting the promised Messiah who ushers in God’s kingdom and glory,… but we need to re-live the reality of what our Lord did for you and for me. The journey of Holy Week calls us to reflect on our own lives, our own daily response to our Christian call to be disciples and witnesses and servants. And not only this week, but every week, God wants us to think about what song does those who see us, the church, the children of God … living and working and laughing and …. what song do they hear us singing?
It’s so easy just to walk up beside a crowd celebrating victory, but it’s much harder, and much costlier to truly take a stand, to truly be committed, to boldly sing as loudly… when the crowd turns against you. And we then give in.
“Surely not I Rabbi.” And Jesus said, "You will all become deserters because of me this night.” In one very real sense, we were there…. And Jesus faithfully said, Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.” And all the noise, and all the fans became quiet and quietly disappeared into the night.
What began as a crowded and spirited pep rally, all too quickly fizzled as things became tougher. Where did everyone go? Would you have stayed? Would you have run? “Surely, not I, Lord?” …… And so said all the disciples.