Today’s sermon is brought to you by the letter C.
The first “C” in our sermon is the colt. Does anybody know what a colt is? It’s a young horse, or in this case – donkey. Who can give me an action to help us remember the colt? Why is it important that Jesus rode on a colt, a young donkey?
When we had on of the schools in for Experience Easter, I asked some of the students what they would ride in if they were a king or queen. Some said a carriage, one said a gold car, someone else went one better, and wanted a diamond car. But, Jesus came as King riding on a donkey. In that time if a King came on a big horse, they were coming for war, but if they arrived on a donkey, they came in peace. So Jesus rode a colt because it was what the prophet Zechariah had said he would do, and because he came to make peace.
I wonder if there’s anybody here today who feels like they need the peace that Jesus brings? Who needs that experience of seeing Jesus come to them, gentle and riding on a colt?
The second “C” in our sermon are the cloaks. What did people do with their cloaks? They put them on the colt, to make it more comfortable for Jesus, and they spread them on the road. Can anybody show me an action to help us remember the cloaks?
I understand putting the cloaks on the colt, but putting them on the ground to be ridden over sounds a bit strange to me. I sometimes ask the Experience Easter visitors how much trouble they would be in at home if they had put their coats on the ground for someone to walk over. So why did they do it? I don’t know for sure, but I think it is something to do with wanting to show Jesus how much they loved him, and how much they wanted to welcome him into the city. How much they wanted the peace and freedom that he was bringing.
I wonder how far we are willing to go to show Jesus that he is welcome in our lives? Are we willing to do things that might cost us, that might look a bit daft? Would we lay our cloaks on the ground?
The third “C” in our sermon is the crowd. There were a lot of people there. There often were in Jesus time on earth. What were the crowd doing? What were the crowd shouting? Can anybody give me an action to help us remember the crowd?
There is an important word in what the crowd is cheering. It is the word “Hosanna”. Does anybody know what the word “Hosanna” means? It’s a Hebrew word that means “Save us”. Which sounds like a cry for help, but it sounds more like they were calling this out in praise – so what does that mean? Well, it seems like this word had become a word of praise to God, because it reminded everybody of the times that God had saved the people in the past, and showed trust that God would rescue them in the future. It’s like saying – You’ve always been there for us, you will always be there for us in future – you’re great and we trust you. All in that one simple word – Hosanna.
Earlier on we had that game where we were untying the colt. Sometimes our lives can get all tied up, and we need Jesus to come and untie us. Sometimes Jesus sends us to help untie other people who have got themselves in a knot. He is still doing this work, which is why we continue join the crowds singing, “Hosanna”
The fourth “C” in our sermon today is a bit different to the others, because it doesn’t appear in today’s story. Today’s journey into Jerusalem is part of a bigger journey, Jesus’ journey to the cross. I don’t want to jump ahead in the story, but just to remind us that it is coming, and that everything we’ve talked about this morning is only possible because of the cross.
Jesus came to bring peace, peace into people’s hearts and lives, peace between people, and peace between people and God. He did this by dying on the cross, and being raised to life. Jesus came to free people from the things that tie them up. He came as the one who rescues us all from the things that oppress us, he came to rescue us from death. He did this by dying on the cross and being raised to life.
I also want to remind us about the cross today, because not only was Jesus on the way to cross, but we are called to take up our cross and follow him. The people laid down their cloaks for him who was to lay down his life for them. What are we being called to lay down? Perhaps something to think about and talk about together as we journey through the coming week through Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and on to Easter Sunday and our celebration of resurrection.
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