Week 7 (Palm Sunday) The Lessons of the Desert Entering Holy Week Theme Overview.
Matthew 21:1–11
Today is Palm Sunday, and it marks the final Sunday of Lent. Next week we will be celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead – the victory over sin and evil and the moment that changed history for all people, for all time. Palm Sunday remembers the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Jesus rides in on a lowly donkey, fulfilling a 500-year-old prophecy from the book of Zechariah, accompanied by messianic declarations of “Hosanna”, and a road laden with leaves and cloaks. It is a spectacle fit for a king – God’s King! In many ways, the fanfare of this moment lights the fuse on the powder keg that is about to go off in the capital city. In less than a week, Jesus will be arrested and the crowd will turn on him; cries of exaltation will be replaced with calls for execution. By reflecting on the change we see in the crowds surrounding Jesus in Holy Week, we will be exploring how we move from fickle to faithful in our spiritual maturity, how we can continue to be inspired by the Desert Fathers and Mothers who chose to welcome hardship, moving away from the crowds and the apostasy they saw in the Church at large, to pursue single-hearted devotion to God.
Next Sunday we focus on the wonderful and profound implications of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. So before we get there, the goal of this morning is to try and reflect on this series as a whole, and encourage people to “carry the lessons of the desert with them” as Lent draws to a close. To take time to consider all the tools they have learned, and revelation they have discovered about both God and themselves. Having done that, to decide what new practices and rhythms they might adopt as part of their ongoing spiritual formation. As such, it would be good to spend a significant portion of this morning reflecting on the various topics from the last six weeks, and asking what has connected with people, both as a church community and individually.
A Story from the Desert Fathers and Mothers
“This then should be our main effort: and this steadfast purpose of heart we should constantly aspire after; viz., that the soul may ever cleave to God and to heavenly things. Whatever is alien to this, however great it may be, should be given the second place, or even treated as of no consequence, or perhaps as hurtful.”
Matthew 21: 1-11
When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2saying to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. 3If anyone says anything to you, just say this, “The Lord needs them.” And he will send them immediately.’4This took place to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, 5 ‘Tell the daughter of Zion,
Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’
6The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; 7they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.8A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,
‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!’10When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, ‘Who is this?’ 11The crowds were saying, ‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.’
Zechariah 9:9
The Coming Ruler of God’s People
9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!
Lo, your king comes to you;
triumphant and victorious is he,
humble and riding on a donkey,on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Hosea 2:14,16–17
Therefore, I will now persuade her,
and bring her into the wilderness,
and speak tenderly to her.16 On that day, says the Lord, you will call me, ‘My husband’, and no longer will you call me, ‘My Baal’.[a] 17 For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be mentioned by name no more.
Talk Outline Introduction to Palm Sunday
Today in our Lent journey, we arrive at Palm Sunday – Read Matthew 21:1–11.
This day marks an important moment in the Church calendar, as Jesus arrives in Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. The crowds cry out “Hosanna to the Son of David”, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”, “Hosanna in the highest heaven”, while laying their coats or palm leaves in front of Jesus as he rides in.
The symbolism and prophetic fulfilment of this moment was rich:
· The praise of the crowds was a direct reference from Psalm 118:25–26 which prophesied the coming Christ.
· Cloaks laid on the road was a specifically royal treatment as seen in the coronation of King Jehu (2 Kings 9:13).
· God’s new king entering Jerusalem on the back of a donkey was prophesied by Zechariah (450–500 years before). Read Zechariah 9:9.
The messianic implications of what was happening created anger and hostility among the religious leaders. From this moment the tension begins to build significantly, leading to Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion less than a week later.
From Fickle to Faithful – Following Jesus Through All Seasons of Life.
As we come to the end of our Lenten journey and prepare for the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, we want to look at how we carry the lessons of the desert with us.
There is so much to be taken from Palm Sunday but, for the purpose of our Lenten exploration, we want to focus on the crowds that surround Jesus. `
It is striking that they go from crying out “Hosanna” on Sunday to “Crucify him” on Friday. Much can be said here of their fickleness and the danger of following the crowd. `
Perhaps part of the change was that Jesus did not come militantly and overthrow the Roman occupation the way they believed/hoped he would. `
Where do you feel disappointed or let down by God? Are there any ways that God is not moving in your life the way you thought/hoped he would? Knowing how to manage your heart in a state of disappointment is essential for Christian maturity. Encourage your congregation to think how they could use the lessons they have learned to prayerfully bring that feeling before the Lord. `
A large part of the appeal of, and lessons we can learn from, the Desert Fathers and Mothers relates to the price they paid for faithfulness – willing, even welcoming, hardship (simplicity, hunger, loneliness etc.) to help achieve singleness of heart. These extraordinary men and women left the city where they felt Christianity was becoming politicised and compromised to pursue purity towards Jesus. They moved away from the fickle crowd to faithfully seek the Lord. `
Read the Desert Fathers and Mothers story above. `
Danish philosopher and theologian Søren Kierkegaard wrote a book entitled: Purity of Heart is to Will One Thing. Challenge your congregation: how single-minded are we in our pursuit of Christ? `
In Book Two of his Confessions, Augustine talked about “disordered loves” – the idea that we go wrong, not by loving bad things, but by loving good things in the wrong order. Invite your congregation to reflect on their priorities. An easy way to check this might be to think about their diary management, what do they always prioritise regardless of circumstances? Who or what would it seem they are devoted to, based on the past week? `
We all have the propensity towards being fickle when God doesn’t seem to be doing what we want to do and the temptations of the world get too big in our field of vision. As we have explored in great detail, the desert experiences of our lives help to “re-order” our desires. In this place, God weans us from the world and woos us back to himself.
Read Hosea 2:14 and 16–17, a passage concerned with God calling the nation of Israel back to himself. Sometimes the wilderness seasons of our lives are places for increased intimacy with the Lord where he reveals and removes the idols from our hearts. What has God revealed to you this season about potential “disordered desires” in your hearts and lives? What things do you love too much or too little? `
As we draw to the end of our Lenten series, we too want to move increasingly towards faithfulness and away from fickleness. To actively and intentionally live our lives focused on pursuing God’s presence at all times and in all seasons.
Carrying the Desert With Us `
The lessons from the past six weeks were not designed to give a momentary “flash in the pan” spiritual boost, but to help introduce or inspire tried and tested tools that have helped Christians through the generations to live faithfully throughout all
Reflect on some of the key moments from the last six weeks:
· The desert as a place of prayer
· The desert as a place of testing
· The desert as a place of silence and solitude
· The desert as a place of self-denial
· The desert as a place to find wisdom
· The desert as a place to grow in humility `
Encourage the congregation to prayerfully reflect on these questions: What did you find the most challenging? What did you find the most beneficial? What do you feel the Spirit of God has revealed or highlighted to you about the world/yourself/God this Lent? What tools do you want to start carrying into your discipleship journey as regular rhythms to help you keep your eyes on Jesus and the priority of his presence.
Benediction
Lord Jesus, let me know myself and know You, and desire nothing save only You.
Let me do everything for the sake of You.
Let me humble myself and exalt You.
Let me think of nothing except You.
Let me die to myself and live in You.
Let me accept whatever happens as from You.
Let me banish self and follow You, and ever desire to follow You.
Let me fly from myself and take refuge in You,
Let me be willing to obey for the sake of You.
Let me cling to nothing save only to You,
And let me be poor because of You.
Look upon me, that I may love You
Call me that I may see You, and for ever enjoy You. Amen.
A prayer attributed to St Augustine of Hippo. We close with an invitation to journey together through Holy Week with Morning Prayers on the Lectio 365 app, and to go deeper in small groups using the video resources and discussion guides