March 24, 2013 Palm Sunday - Look Again There was something in the air. It was more than the sounds and smells. It was excitement, joy, expectation, curiosity, adoration, respect, awe, apprehension, skepticism, distrust, anger, hatred. There were lots of somethings in the air – it was thick, it was palpable, it was unavoidable. If you were there...you couldn’t escape it. It was the Festival of the Passover – for 8 days --- people – thousands and thousands of them coming and going from the city of Jerusalem. For some it was an annual pilgrimage; for others it was a once in a lifetime event. Some were lucky enough to live right there in the midst of it; others traveled days to worship and celebrate in the holy city. Some came alone, serious, searching, determined; others came with their neighbors and their children and considered it an adventure. There were the priests with all their pomp and authority – bustling through the Temple with robes billowing out around them, scribes carrying scrolls, and all those attached to the Temple, busy at some such task or another in every direction one looked. But as important and wonderful as this festival was, with old friends united, and new sites to be seen, and family reunions, the beauty of the Temple – a black cloud of Roman soldiers on high alert //// hovered over them, and the city, and their religious feast days. They were standing on every corner, walking in twos and threes through the crowds, gathered in groups at the city’s gates, vigilant, and lined up on the city’s walls. All of this was in the air...and on this Passover day there was more. Some followed him; some came to see him for the first time; some had heard of his coming- but kept their distance; some were glad to see him; others turned and scurried away so as not be counted among them. There was something in the air like hope, and trouble...like fear and awe...relief that the waiting was over...and a worry that perhaps they were mistaken. He came to the top of the hill - a teacher, a healer, a leader, a wise man, a reformer, a trouble maker, a thinker, an instigator, an advocate, a strong voice, yes all of those things, --- but was he a king, was he the messiah? What they did not yet know ....was that this man who rode on the back of a colt, with cloaks spread out on the path before him, ...this man was the suffering servant. And a suffering servant does not look like a king. And a suffering servant does not look like a Messiah. The suffering servant will not cry out or lift up his voice, neither will he make it heard in the street. The suffering servant does not draw attention to himself; he does not have to be the loudest voice in the room; or make sure that he’s the center of attention. People who are already hurting, already powerless, already lost and disappointed in themselves, people who already feel unworthy, embarrassed, helpless, people who are already down and out....all those people who are bruised reeds - the Messiah will not break. The Messiah will not make them feel worse about themselves by shaming them or humiliating them, or scolding them - a dimly burning wick he will not quench...he will not snuff out because the Messiah knows that God’s spirit no matter how low the flame – God’s spirit flickers in each and every one. The suffering servant has been given a mission – no matter what he does...all that he does is focused upon this pinpoint of a mission. His mission - it is singular - it is to bring forth justice. He will not be swayed, his mind cannot be changed. He will not be bribed or coerced, ...the suffering servant will persevere; no matter the threats or the risk. 4He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth The suffering servant is calm, unassuming, quiet, gentle, faithful, true to his word, true to his calling – and because the Lord upholds him, because the Lord has chosen him, delights in him, has put his spirit upon him...the suffering servant will be triumphant. The description of the suffering servant was first heard by Jews in the 8th century BC -- and – if it did nothing else – these words of Isaiah challenged their thinking about God’s purposes, and who God is, and how God acts in the world. Not like a king, surely and nothing like the Messiah for which they hoped. Still, it caused them to reconsider, re-imagine, caused them to look again at who their Messiah would be, and for whom their Messiah would come. This Palm Sunday, marks the end of yet another Lent – the season when we are to take another look...the season when we are to look again at ourselves – at our behavior, our words, deeds, and thoughts- in light of Christ’s teaching; to look again at our commitment to Christ and to Christ’s church; to look again at Christ’s mission and our mission to the world. This Palm Sunday, as Jesus was welcomed, ushered, and hosanna’ed into Jerusalem, ...only to be crucified because he was not who they thought and wanted him to be. This Palm Sunday may also be our time to look again at our ideas about Jesus Christ. Look again to make sure we do not make the same mistaker...look again to make sure we have not made our Messiah in our own image. THOSE WHO HAVE EARS, LET THEM HEAR: Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. 2He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; 3a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. 4He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching. 5Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: 6I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, 7to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. 8I am the Lord, that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to idols. 9See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them.