Despair has Died…Hope has Come
Luke 19:28-40
March 31, April 1, 2007

Have you ever been happy and sad at the same time? Have you ever cried during a wedding? At the birth of a baby? At a graduation ceremony? Have you ever laughed during a memorial service? At the time you lost a job? When something really painful happened in your life, have you ever said to a friend, "I have to laugh to keep from crying." Have you ever been anxious and excited, jittery and joyful, desperate and hopeful-all at once? Our lives are full of complex, paradoxical events that often evoke a variety of emotional responses within us. Even at weddings, we may shed tears because the little boy or girl we remember so well has grown up. Even at funerals, we may have a sense of joy and celebration as we remember stories and times spent with people who were near and dear to us. Even during "mountain top" moments such as graduations, promotions, baptisms, new births-we may be elated-yet we may be deflated because of new responsibilities or concern about the unknown.

And if we are a part of a family of faith like this one, our feelings are exaggerated and exacerbated because of our community connections-last weekend was an excellent example. We had funeral services for a little premature baby who only lived for a few hours and we had services for a woman who lived over 95 years. We experienced the joy of welcoming new babies into this world, but also some deep concern about health complications. We had folks who were hospitalized because of disease and despair, but we also had people who were delighted because of marriages or receptions or special recognition.

Every time we prepare for prayer during our worship services, we are taken on an emotional roller coaster as we listen to what is happening in the lives of those around us. I suspect that you know all to well what it means to experience grief and gladness, despair and hope, sadness and celebration-all at the same time?

Trevor Beeson shares some experiences from his life. Some years ago, he stood at the high altar of Westminster Abbey to celebrate the marriage of his daughter, Catharine, to her beloved Anthony. Nine months later he stood before the same altar for Anthony's funeral; he was killed when his car ran into a wall in east London. Four months later, Trevor returned to the altar beside the coffin of his friend and hero, Earl Mountbatten, who died when his fishing boat was blown to pieces by a terrorist. Reflecting on the experiences, Trevor said he could not blame God for these senseless tragedies. He wrote: "I should find it impossible to believe in, and worship, a God who arranged for the great servants of the community to be blown up on their holidays and who deliberately turned a young man's car into a brick wall. This is not the God of love whose ways are revealed in the Bible and supremely in the life of Jesus."

Beeson found some insights that helped him to cope with these losses and to look beyond them: "The first is that, although God is not responsible for causing tragedy, God is not a detached observer of our suffering. On the contrary, God is immersed in it with us, sharing to the full our particular grief and pain. This is the fundamental significance of the cross. Although we naturally ask, "Why did it happen?" Beeson discovered a more important question: "What are we going to make of it? Every tragedy contains within it the seeds of resurrection. This is, after all, the whole point of our pilgrimage through Lent, to Good Friday, and Easter morning. When we experience this kind of suffering, Jesus offers us 'the power of God to hold us firm, to give us strength, and to see us through.'"

TODAY WE HAVE HEARD LUKE'S DESCRIPTION OF "PALM SUNDAY." As we begin our observance of Holy Week 2007, we remember Jesus' experiences as he entered Jerusalem. The crowd is going crazy! People are shouting-and it's not just the small group of disciples! Luke says that "the whole multitude of the disciples" is praising God with loud voices! "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" They spread their cloaks in the road. And although Luke does not mention it, we gather from Matthew and Mark's Gospels that these fired-up fans of Jesus cut leafy branches and put them along the road as well. If all we had was Luke's gospel, we might be celebrating "Cloak Sunday" instead of "Palm Sunday!" Anyway, Jesus is receiving a hero's welcome-the kind of reception that celebrities received on the red carpet on Oscar night several weeks ago, the kind the NCAA basketball champs will get next week, the kind of parade that victors and conquerors and powerful politicians have come to expect-and even orchestrate!

I wonder if Jesus gets caught up in the excitement and enthusiasm of the crowd? I wonder if-maybe for a moment or two-the temptation returns? You remember-the temptation he faced in the wilderness to abuse the power he had been given? Maybe this is the "opportune time?" With a word, he could cause an explosion! He could ignite and incite a riot! He could transform these disciples into political dynamite!

But have you taken a good look at Jesus' face? He doesn't have the smug look of one who has just delivered a slam dunk. He isn't slapping "high fives" and holding up his hand to indicate that he is "number one!" He isn't puffing out his chest and pulling out his shirt and strutting his stuff. He doesn't have the arrogant appearance of an insulated politician who exploits his or her power and position. He doesn't have the expression of one who is very excited about the experience at all. Have you taken a good look at Jesus' face? There is not a gleam in his eyes. There is not a smile on his lips. There is not a grin from ear to ear. If you look closely…you will see tears on his cheeks. There are only a couple of times in scripture where we read the words, "Jesus wept." And this is one of them.

After this Palm Sunday parade, Luke tells us in verse 41, "As Jesus came near and saw the city, he wept over it." Jesus said, "If you knew…if you only knew the things that make for peace." The fanatic followers offer a hero's welcome, a massive march for the Messiah, a homecoming parade for this conquering king! If they only knew that Jesus has come as king-but a king of peace, a king of grace, a king who will give up his life in love. If they knew…if they only knew that this is really the beginning of a funeral procession. If they only knew what we know now-this is not just "Palm Sunday"-it is "Passion Sunday." This is the prelude to the sacrifice of this suffering servant of God. His prize will not be a trophy, but trouble, not affirmation, but abandonment, not pleasure, but pain, not a crown, but a cross. Like some modern celebrities and politicians, Jesus is not only idolized, he is also picked apart. He's feelin' the love on Sunday, but feelin' the disappointment on Monday, and the rage on Friday. The wheels begin to turn on Palm/Passion Sunday. As the disciples sing praises, Jesus is warned, "Teacher, order your disciples to stop." But Jesus refuses to do this: "I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out."

From this point on, the gossip about Jesus becomes increasingly negative. He gets picked apart like an Idol contestant in front of Simon Cowell. People sense that he is not interested in driving out the oppressive Romans. They notice that he travels with a band of unarmed disciples, not a cell of terrorist operatives. They hear him speak of coming wars and persecutions, not of glorious victories and times of prosperity. By the end of the week the people themselves are shouting, "Crucify, crucify him!" Jesus is killed on Friday because he fails to live up to human fantasies and misguided expectations.

FRIENDS, WHERE WILL WE GO FROM HERE? Let's face it. We tend to complain as well. We live in a "What-Have-You-Done-For-Me-Lately?" sort of society. We expect that even the slightest display of religious behavior will get us a backstage pass to glory. Is this the message of Jesus? Or does Jesus challenge us to embrace our own crosses, as he did his? Does he call us-not to be fair-weather friends-but disciples? Does he invite us to remember that even in the midst of suffering and loss, there are the seeds of resurrection? Does he remind us that even in the midst of despair, there is hope? Ramona Denny offers an eloquent prayer for those who want to follow. "Dear God, this is holy week. "For all of Lent I have been bombarded with words of discipleship and always the words are connected in some way to 'the way of the cross.' "Lord Jesus, I want to serve you, to be your disciple; I cannot seem to grasp what this means. "Perhaps it is not yet time or perhaps I am just afraid? "This is holy week, the time to remember your suffering, your obedience, your holy offering of yourself to God's will. "Help me this week, Jesus, to understand more the way of the cross…what this meant for you, what this means for me.

"Come, Lord Jesus, abide in me, give me courage, give me grace. "Then show me the way, your way. "Show me the cross and how I can bear it. "Make me whole." Amen.