Christ Jesus is absolutely the King, the ruler of all, who rules in giving up power for the sake of love, and healing the creation through that.
Pr. Joseph G. Crippen
The Sunday of the Passion, year A
Texts: Matthew 21:1-11; 26:14 – 27:66
Beloved in Christ, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
When David wanted Solomon crowned as the next king, he commanded that Solomon ride David’s mule.
Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet led Solomon on the king’s mule in procession and anointed him as his father’s successor. Riding on the king’s humble beast was unmistakably kingly. Solomon’s brother Adonijah, who also sought the throne, fully understood and despaired at what this action meant.
So when Jesus entered David’s city on a donkey in a procession, the crowds cheered and called him “Son of David.” They got it. Matthew underscores this for us with the prophet Zechariah’s promise that the true king would come riding on a donkey. Today Jesus showed himself heir to the great David’s throne.
Millions gathered across our country yesterday in “No Kings!” rallies, protesting authoritarianism and the usurping of democratic processes by our president, and many more will gather today across our country for the Palm Sunday Path faith rallies, with the same protest but in the context of this day Jesus acted as a king. People protest because we threw off the monarchy in this country 250 years ago and don’t want anyone acting as king or dictator over us.
So what do we do with Jesus’ overt claiming of the role of King today?
The answer lies in the fullness of what we do today.
From the earliest centuries, faithful followers of Christ gathered on this day and remembered the kingly entrance of Jesus, waved palms, told the story. And then, just as we do, they gathered to hear the story of the Passion of this King, his suffering and death.
These aren’t two different things we’re cramming together, they’re one story. Only together can we fully understand what’s happening. Jesus enters Jerusalem unmistakably showing himself the King of Israel. And then he proceeds to act very oddly for a king. He doesn’t assemble an army to take over, he does his usual teaching, gets into his usual trouble. But he’s now in the heart of the religious establishment who oppose him, so he gets arrested. Then he willingly allows himself to be tried and executed.
And that’s the only kind of king Jesus will ever be. One who loves his people to the fullest, offering his life as a witness to that divine love that lives in him, the love of the Triune God for the universe that will die rather than overpower, lose everything rather than force obedience.
This way goes against all assumptions about power and rule.
Our politics have evolved to people seeking office not to govern but simply to be in power and retain that power by any means necessary including violence and oppression and lawbreaking. Even in our daily lives, we often assume being strong and in control is important.
But clearly Jesus isn’t controlling or acting strong as he lives into his kingship this week. He gives no sense of worldly power or rule. Look at the mocking thrown at him on the cross: “He saved others, he can’t save himself. He’s the King of Israel; let him come down from the cross now and we’ll believe in him.” They assume no proper King would let himself be killed as a criminal.
The world has no way to comprehend the servant kingship of Jesus.
Because Jesus proclaims and lives a reign of God that turns the world upside down. Or as has been said, Jesus comes to us standing up, but we’ve been standing on our heads so long we think he’s the one who’s upside down. In the kingdom of God, the greatest are the least: the weak, the wounded and broken, the children, the oppressed. And the King, the Son of God, is the lowest, the servant – down in the dirt with the people, suffering on a cross to love the creation back to God.
And that’s exactly the king we really need. A King who invites you to follow his way and live only by love.
Because the world’s alternative isn’t a way you’d want to live.
To control others, dominate others, manipulate others. A life fully lived that way would be terrible. I’ve never gotten my way by force or coercion and been happy about the result, never. Exercising power over others will ultimately corrupt, and leave empty victories. Something we’re seeing in our nation and world so much today. Destruction, death, power over people, abuse, hatred, and we’re getting further and further from a world of justice and hope for all people.
So can you see Jesus as the true king he actually is?
Can you look at what seems like a losing way, a dead end, a dying King, and see hope and life? We know so much more than the crowds in Jerusalem that Sunday and Friday. We know Christ is risen and is the ruler of the universe.
But even risen from the dead, Christ still rules from the cross, through suffering, through self-giving love. And life in God’s reign is following our King in servanthood and love, giving, sharing, caring, forgiving, losing like our King loses. Christians who live this way know the joy of life in ways no one in the world’s power game will ever know.
And God promises to fill you with such faith and trust in our servant King, and strength and grace to follow, that you will find abundant life truly worth living, now and always, and become a part of God’s bringing that abundant life to all people and the whole creation.
In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
