1. Palm Sunday
25 March 2018
Text being read

2. Palm Sunday | Triumphant Entry
Matthew 21:1-11 Mark 11:1-11
Luke 19:28-48 John 12:12-19

3. Triumphal entry

5. storms
Jesus was riding into the middle of the perfect storm

6. Do you remember the perfect storm

7. Palm Sunday perfect storm

8. Storm 1
Rome

10. Rome needed the middle east
oil grain

11. Storm 1
Rome
That was the gale –the 1st element

12. Storm 2
Israel

13. exodus

14. Storm 3
God

15. God would come on his terms
But the prophets, up to and including John the Baptist, had always warned that God’s coming in power and in person would be entirely on his own terms,

19. storms
God Rome Israel
Like in the perfect storm

22. the true Son of God the true High Priest has become King of the world

23. western imperialism middle-eastern aspirations

24. little to do with justice or mercy
driver for action
little to do with justice or mercy

25. what is God’s intent
The truly unknown factor, of course, is what God intends to do in and through it all.

26. wisdom will triumph over folly justice over selfish brutality
pray
wisdom will triumph over folly justice over selfish brutality

27. Matthew 16:24
Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

28. Play by the world’s rules
Pursue our own aspirations

29. where is God in all this?

30. the dream has to die the kingdom isn’t coming the way you wanted

31. Luke 24:25-26
He said to them,  “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”

32. praying humbly for the powerful fresh wind of God

33. If the Son of God is now King of the world, what will that kingdom look like in this next generation?

34. Luke 9:23
[Jesus] said to them all:  “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

35. May God bless us with discomfort — discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that we may live deep within our hearts

36. May God bless us with anger — anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that we may work for justice, freedom, and peace.

37. May God bless us with tears — tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, hunger, and war, so that we may reach out our hands to comfort them and turn their pain into joy.

38. And may God bless us with foolishness — enough foolishness to believe that we can make a difference in this world, so that we can do what others claim cannot be done.

39. Which will I choose?
2 processions 2 kingdoms 2 symbolic journeys into Jerusalem
Stallion or donkey? Parade or protest?