Palm Sunday

March 16, 2008


This is Our Journey


The journey has begun - the journey of Christ that began with the incredible triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

Here is Christ - seated on a donkey - with people waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna in the highest - blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

It is such an incredible moment that Jesus says that the people were silent the stones would begin to shout.

What an incredible beginning! Surely there were greater things to come!

Yet, even this journey is overshadowed by darkness - for, it is as if Jesus was on a downward slope - going from triumph to tragedy.

Of course the Passover meal was a great event, but, Jesus takes bread and tells them it is his body - he takes wine and tells them it is his blood.

And then, he bluntly announces that someone is going to betray him.

This is the follow up to Palm Sunday?

Then he takes the to Gethsemane, where they can’t even keep their eyes open while he is in incredible agony.

Then, he is betrayed - he is left alone - he is sentenced to death - and in less than a week from his triumphal entry, he is on a hill, on a cross, between two thieves - and instead of “Hosanna in the highest” we hear “my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me.”

How easy it is for us to stand as observers, spectators, watching from the sidelines as Jesus takes this pilgrimage from triumph to tragedy.

How easy it is for us to see this Holy Week as his story.

Jesus said: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake and the sake of the gospel will save it.”

Hear the words of St. Paul: “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.”

My brothers and sisters, as baptized people we cannot separate ourselves from the Holy Week pilgrimage of Jesus.

We are, in fact, the body of Christ.

Yes, it was his pilgrimage, but, if we are in Christ, if we have taken up the cross to follow him, then it is also our pilgrimage.

We cannot separate ourselves from his pilgrimage.

Christ was willing to undertake the journey.

Are we as Immanuel Church? Are we as individuals?

Yes, the journey isn’t easy: it wasn’t for Christ, so why should it be for us.

His journey covered the gamut from triumph to tragedy.

That sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Life isn’t always a Palm Sunday procession.

Life often can resemble the darkness in the middle of the day of Good Friday.

Yet, dear hearts, we are called to take the risk of making the Holy Week journey our own pilgrimage.

We need to daily be here with Christ and with one another.

We need to be willing to give of ourselves as he gave himself to us.

Yes, we share the bread and wine, his body and blood, but we must be willing to share our time our talents, and our treasures for the sake of the gospel.

Yes, the pilgrimage can be difficult for us as a church and for us as individuals.

But, dear hearts, the pilgrimage of Christ led to resurrection.

For, if there had been no pilgrimage, there would not have been resurrection.

You and I are challenged by Christ, right here, right now, to undertake our own Holy Week pilgrimage, with all of its ups and downs, with all of its triumph and tragedy.

Then, and only then, will we as a congregation and we as individuals be ready to receive the glorious resurrection of God.

My brothers and sisters: let our pilgrimage begin.