"Survival or Salvation?" April 13, 2014

Psalms 118:1-2 & 19-29; 31: 9-16 Matthew 21:1-11 Could there be anything in Christian culture more steeped in tradition & Triumph than Palm Sunday? Christmas, Ash Wednesday, Lent, Maundy Thursday, Easter, there are reasons why we celebrate each, and feelings, actions, things to do, transformations which still continue to occur, related to each. We know Jesus rode a donkey, we know people shouted Hosanna, we know they waved Palms, but other than perpetuating a 2000 year old tradition why do we celebrate Palm Sunday? This is not celebration of a Triumph! This is not the Climactic entrance, that is yet to happen on Easter. Palm Sunday is about something we rarely speak of anymore: Not Survival, not Winning, but Salvation! We each remember where we were on September 11th 2001 when Commercial planes were made to crash into the World Trade Center Towers. Prior to that day and time, we took safety and security for granted. Pearl Harbor had happened in Hawaii, but on the continental United States despite bombings of Government buildings and Ships in Harbor, we felt secure and un-threatened. Since 9/11, whether by the economy, escalating computerization, institutional - social change, fear, gang violence, bombings... all the world has doubted our survival. When Malaysian flight 370 disappeared the immediate reaction was terrorism and hijacking. Speaking with a group of clergy recently, we agreed that when we began in ministry: the Church, the world, our expectations, all were different. Searching to name what was different, we named being hopeful, having progress, but what we came back to were issues of survival. When we moved to Skaneateles, Auburn had a Rope Factory, Mottville a Chemical Factory, a Chair Factory, Camillus had a Cutlery Industry and also a Casket Company, Oneida manufactured Silver. All those and many others are now gone. Century old businesses: closed. The City of Detroit is Bankrupt. Schools and Governments, Police and Volunteer Fire departments, all are being down-sized, closed or consolidated. Regardless of denomination, Catholic, Protestant, Pentecostal, Jewish, Muslim, all are closing Houses of Worship. Rotary, Elks, Masons, Kiwanis, Legions, Odd Fellows, all are in survival. This week, on Good Friday, Hollywood is releasing a new film called “Transcendence” the plot of which is whether humanity will allow the consciousness, the intelligence and identity, of one individual to rule and provide for the whole world, what Centuries of Government leaders, Democracies, Empires and Dictatorships could not solve... Survival is to be provided through the World Wide Web. 350 years before Palm Sunday, Alexander the Great had led his army into Jerusalem as Liberators, victors, riding his enormous black war-stallion Bucephalus. Alexander's had been a triumphal entry as the people were liberated, they waved palms and sang of being Saved. Since then, empires rose & fell. In the time of Jesus, Pontius Pilate: Roman Governor of Jerusalem, re-enacted this military Triumph, wearing full armor and weapons driving a chariot pulled by six horses through the streets of Jerusalem. Like a scene from The Hunger Games, Pilate led the Parade of force, followed by row upon row, battalion after battalion of the marching soldiers of the Roman Legion, proclaiming Rome as Savior of the World. Compared to constant warfare, Barbarian invasions, disease and unrest, the PAX ROMANA did guarantee an enforced peace, albeit at the cost of human rights, freedom, dignity, choice, humanity itself. Pilate had intentionally chosen this day, not only as reminiscent of Alexander, but because this was the start of Passover. Pilate was emphasizing to the people that he was the Current Pharaoh, and Passover was being dominated. Jerusalem at the time was not an extremely large city maybe 30,000, and Pilate and his Legions marched from the west into the City Center as the people stood silent. As Pilate entered from the West Gate with Rome in the background, Chariots and Armor and Horses and Power, Jesus entered from the East, from the Mount of Olives, from a place called Bethphage: The House of Affliction. Jesus rode upon a Nursing mother Donkey, with her little foal trotting beside. Not in a Chariot, not upon a stallion War horse, not even with a saddle but a pauper's robes as his saddle. Jesus entered, not with a red carpet and ticker-tape parade, but a carpet of beggar's cloaks and palm branches. Not marching to a Garrison military procession, but to the voice of children singing. Not surrounded by soldiers as people accept their domination, but surrounded by prostitutes and lepers, children and those who have been blind, and crippled giving thanks for salvation. Palm Sunday is not about a Triumphal Military Entry, Security, Safety, Survival, if anything Jesus' entry on a donkey is a parody, the Clown following the Elephants at the Circus, this is a dramatic presentation of humility. Instead of Power and Domination, this is a parade of Salvation. The words “Have Mercy Upon Us” in Aramaic, the common colloquial language, was “Hosanna!” The emphasis being more than SURVIVAL; SAVE US, REDEEM US, show us Life is Worth living! All throughout the Gospel, people in need turned to Jesus crying “Hosanna!” After Jesus was Baptized, he was at a Wedding where the wine ran out, his mother said “Have Mercy”and he supplied limitless wine. Lepers cried out to him: “Have Mercy on us,” their fingers, toes, ears and nose all grew back! That flesh eating MERSA virus was not only healed, lives were restored to where they could smile and sing. Those who were blind came to him saying “Son of David have mercy” and he made mud to put in their eyes and the blind were made to see! A child died and Jesus returned her to her parents. Nicodemus named Jesus as having come from God, and asked for some sign, and Jesus gave the phrase Anathon, “Born Again, Born from Above, Heaven Sent” that has been a sign and symbol, misunderstood and misconstrued for what it meant, ever since. A Samaritan Woman who came to a well was offered Living Water, and she witnessed that he knew everything she had ever done. Martha and Mary confessed Jesus to be the Son of God, and their brother Lazarus who was dead and buried, Jesus restored from death to life. Where on the road to Caesara Philippi Simon had named Jesus as being The Messiah and at Lazarus Tomb Martha had confessed You are the Resurrection and the Life, in the Gospel of Matthew, the Crowd has an identity and here on Palm Sunday, for now the third time Jesus is confessed as being the Messiah, Prophet and King. Remember back, 33 years before in the Gospel of Matthew. The Caesar in Rome, demonstrating power and domination called for a Census to tax the people. There was a King Herod fearful of a savior. And to poor shepherds out in the field, there was a heavenly host singing Glory to God, and Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Here, the poor and the crippled, the prostitutes and children became a choir singing Glory to God and Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! This morning we have read through several of the Psalms, not about Triumph, not about Victory, but like Passover about Redemption for those who were shamed but did not give up. Whipped, beaten, spat upon and yet they persevered. Faith in life is not about Survival. Belief is not a recipe for Prosperity. The ultimate Goal is not to WIN! What we are claiming here is Salvation. Almighty God opening to us the Gates of Righteousness, is not about storming the castle, not dominating God, but instead humility, simple integrity. Rather than the Battle Hymn of the Republic trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored, rather than a rallying cry, this is like the Simple Song of 'Tis a Gift to be Simple, tis a Gift to Free, or Amazing Grace. We are too easily seduced into accomplishments, easy victories, we practice the Game of Winning. But if there is to be a Winner, everyone else has to lose. We each and everyone here has had moments of salvation, times when we knew life was not in vain. There have been struggles, real and crushingly difficult struggles, but I have heard you pray “Have Mercy upon us” “Lord help us” and we have at so many different times witnessed salvation. Are we looking for Winner? The Sole Survivor of a “Reality” Game Show? Or do we seek Salvation? Salvation is like a family photo. Not a posed shot, where everyone is looking in the same direction, their hair perfect, their makeup just so, every child smiling. But the family photo that is a bit dis-shevelled, with the Matriarch and Patriarch not beaming from ear to ear, but simply satisfied at all God has done in our lives. Maundy Thursday, family dinners where there are betrayals and hurts shared with a kiss, will come. Good Fridays, when it seems the sky turns black and we know crucifixion and death, do occur. But there also are times like this, when in the midst of life, we pray to God: “Have Mercy!