Palm Sunday (C) 2016

+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.

Text: Luke 19:38
Theme: Blessed Is The King

Dear friends in Christ Jesus,

Was it a parody or a paradigm? Here He comes- the King of the universe- riding on a lowly beast of burden, processing to His pending death. He enters to acclamations of hosanna that will soon be superseded by cries of “Crucify Him!” Palm Sunday has arrived and it indicates that we are now near the pointy end of the Church Year; the ‘business’ end. Holy Week has begun and supporters and skeptics alike will witness the consummation of the Messiah’s kingdom. It’s a regal show but not of human construction. The Divine Majesty has His own parameters of accomplishment. The royal palace for His Son will be a cross planted on top of a rubbish heap. There salvation will be on display for the whole world to see. The truth of it all will be revolting to human wisdom and deemed pathetic by human arrogance. “But to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”1

The Mount of Olives was the particular point to precipitate the procession. In joyous celebration Jesus would transverse the place of His pending betrayal. But for now, cheering crowds with high hopes typified the hour. He was their deliverer. The yoke of Roman oppression was soon to be thrown off- at least that’s what many hoped. They welcomed Him heartily, yearning to be freed by this Son of David. Could it be that in Him the dynasty would be restored?

And so, He comes. And in the complexity of cheerfulness and confusion among the people He presses on with His consistent effort to shoulder the weight of sin. The burden is getting heavy. Yet, He comes. He comes to save a world infected by sin; a human race with a terminal disease. But He doesn’t come in an anonymous, aloof manner. He comes for you. He comes to you. He comes to be present with you. He comes to live in you. And for Him to live in us sin must be cast down from its seat of power. He does not share the throne.

He knows your addictions. He knows your habits which flirt with addiction. He knows your tendencies which approximate habits. He knows your mindsets which influence your tendencies. He knows the context that shapes your mindset. He knows your temptations. He knows your sins of weakness, your sins of ignorance, your sins of callousness, your sins of consciousness. But His knowing them doesn’t justify them or you. Our sinful nature can never be vindicated. It must be put to death by the power of His crucifixion.

Confess your sins to Him openly. Pour out your hearts. Nothing can surprise Him. Nothing will cause Him to withdraw His grace. He will not prove to be unreliable. His mercy is steadfast and rock solid. He does not change. He will not be moved from His promise to rescue us from every evil of body and soul. We have His oath. The baptismal promise is His and He will not renege. The Holy Spirit never turns away a repentant soul.

Don’t fret that you continue to struggle and find yourself failing again and again. Humans will never be fully transparent or consistent. The duplicity of sin warps our entire being. Nothing can be said so clearly that it cannot be misconstrued. No gesture can be performed so carefully that it cannot be misunderstood. Even our own motives are often hopelessly conflicted. But God is not burdened with such frailties. He speaks with clarity. He decrees with consistency. He acts with transparency. He never tires or gives up. Encourage others who struggle in a similar manner and may be on the verge of losing hope. With Christ hope is never lost.

The Palm Sunday cries of “Hosanna”, or “Save us!” would be answered. The appeals, supplications, and laments of sinners and saints across the ages will crescendo to a breaking point in the ears of this Messiah whose voice fell silent on the cross. Cain said, “My punishment is more than I can bear.”2 Isaiah said, “The punishment that brought us peace was upon [Christ]”3 Moses said, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.”4 The Spirit says, “Christ…entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.”5 The Psalmist says, “Deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake.”6 The apostle says, “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”7The Scripture says, “No matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.”8

You are among His chosen. You are one of His elect. He puts a ring on your finger and a crown on your head. He hides us away; safely tucked into His wounds until the storms of life have passed. The cherubim who blocked entry to the Garden are turned into escorts that usher us back to Paradise. The flaming arrows of Satan are extinguished. The Son has risen and casts His light over the land of the shadow of death. “Though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant…He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”9

He feeds us with immortal food from the regrown tree of life. Appearances can be deceiving. In the Supper we have these small portions that are hardly sufficient to sustain us even an hour in regards to our bodily needs. But in regards to our spiritual requirements- our cup runneth over! The power in this meal is not found in its quantity but its quality. It’s not a matter of portion size but potency. Truly contained in these forms of bread and wine are the body and the blood of the Redeemer. Through these means the Holy Spirit offers and executes the forgiveness of sins.

Today we join our voices with the crowds who said, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”10 These acclamations of praise should sound familiar. We heard them at the announcement of His birth. They also form the content of heavenly language where the saints are depicted waving palm branches and saying, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb…Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”11 His coming was no parody; it was the paradigm of salvation. He is true to His word. Amen.


+ In nomine Jesu +

Palm Sunday
20 March, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt

1 1 Corinthians 1:18
2 Genesis 4:13
3 Isaiah 53:3
4 Exodus 33:15
5 Hebrews 9:24
6 Psalm 79:9
7 Romans 4:25
8 2 Corinthians 1:20
9 Philippians 2:6-8
10 Luke 19:38
11 Revelation 7:10, 12