Bethany Bullet - April 19, 2011

PALM SUNDAY
Was Jesus ‘green’ before ‘going green’ was in? Palms are nature’s ticker-tape so to speak. Yet, Jesus was never green with envy. He was content to take the praise that was given. But I am left to wonder was that the best we could do? By “we”, I mean humanity. Jesus, the King eternal, God in human flesh was entering the city of Jerusalem. The very city in which God promised to manifest His presence to all who enter the temple in which He promised to “dwell.” Now, in the person of Jesus Christ, God is walking the streets of Jerusalem. Palm branches are cool but couldn’t we have done better? He seems to have received it in delight. He is so humble; I am not sure I would have been.

If it were me I might have asked, “What, no key to the city?” Why was there not a statue being commissioned in His likeness or a street, park or plaza being named after Him? In fact, when you listen to the text (Luke 19:28-40) more closely you realize that actually He was cited for improper permitting – “Master tell these kids and your disciples to keep quite.”

When you think about it, shouldn’t it have been raucous? Trumpets, criers, and heralds sound appropriate don’t they? Spot lights, angle sky writers, and a red carpet certainly due Him. Yet, He is so humble!

Humble enough to ride a borrowed donkey. Have you seen the cartoon with Jesus atop a donkey the animal thinking, “They really like me?” We take any chance for self-promotion, not our Lord. He is so humble, humble enough to ride a borrowed donkey when surely He should have a stable of stallions at His command! Couldn’t Elijah have returned that fiery chariot to Jesus so He could use it? After all He was the one who sent it for Elijah in the first place. How much thought would that had taken to send it back? Yet, Jesus took it in stride – literally in stride, as he rode a borrowed beast of burden. He is so humble!

And the whole thing appears to have just kind of happened; shouldn’t there have been a press release, fans assembled ahead of time? After all, His Father is in the business of sending prophets and messengers’ right? Couldn’t He (who sent someone to prepare His way) have put a little more prep into this day? Yet, our Lord is oh so humble.

Jesus wasn’t humbled because THEY thought less of Him; He was humble because He thought less of Him-self. Jesus thought less of His dignity than your destiny. He thought less of His pride than your pain. He thought less of His disgrace in the eyes of the people than your embrace in the arms of the Father. He thought less of His rejection by God than your reception in heaven. He thought less of His dying on the tree than your living eternally! Jesus humbled himself so that we, who have nothing to be proud of before God, might be exalted and raised up. Forgiven in Christ, through Faith in His humble suffering and death, heaven itself now lauds and cheers our path in life. Every morning is our own triumphant entry – into the kitchen to get stuff ready for the family for the day, into school to learn or teach and shape and form a future, into the office to use talents and skills and bless coworkers and customers alike, into a study or a service to humbly come before Him and then be empowered to go and live like Him in true humility. For true humility is not thinking less about yourself, but thinking about yourself less and your God, His children and His church more.

-Pastor Kevin Kritzer