Texts:Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 Luke 19:28-40

Ann Ferrell Lewis First Presbyterian Church April 1, 2007

Radical Christians

The royal welcome we give to Jesus today belies the truth that we all know where this is heading. The jubilant anthems of the choir cannot cover it up, the sweet sight of children waving palm branches to welcome the king cannot divert us away from it. The reality is that today we begin a week that spins out of control and we are on a collision course with the cross. Instead of palms, we should be issuing the choir crash helmets and each of you should be instructed on proper use of safety belts and informed about exits in case of emergency. But there is no time for crisis prevention now. The truth is you are not safe - and there's no hope in trying to avoid the impending danger.

When we read the story of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, we imagine a hero's welcome, the Jerusalem equivalent of a New York City ticker tape parade. There were crowds lining the road, there was excitement in the air. Jesus was coming into Jerusalem - the prophecy was about to be fulfilled. You can almost hear the buzz amidst the crowd ... words spoken under the breath, whispered in the ear ... adrenalin surging with the thought that Jesus was about to confront the tyranny of Rome. Palm branches were cut - the same branches that were the symbol of Israel, before it had fallen under Roman rule. Palm branches used to be printed on the coins - but not any more - now every coin bore the image of Caesar. What disdain the people had for the emperor, how they longed for national freedom. Perhaps Jesus would turn the tables upside down. Perhaps he would lead a rebellion against Rome, and claim the throne, and take his place as their rightful king. "Hosanna!" they shouted in Hebrew. "Save now!" With the palm branches waving, the crowd was sending a direct message to Jesus, and to the Romans as well. It was a political demonstration - but even under Roman rule - it was a legal protest. But how could Rome arrest them for waving palm branches? "Hosanna!" the crowd shouted. "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" In their exuberance, the crowd took off their outer garments, and spread them out upon the road, an act of honor and loyalty to Jesus, whom they longed to claim their king.

To the Pharisees, it seemed unseemly - inappropriate - if not downright blasphemous that the crowd should be so boisterous in their welcome of Jesus. They urged Jesus to silence the crowd - but he would not. He could not. How can you silence the surge of emotion that comes when you know you are witnessing one of those momentous occasions when life as you had always known it, will never again be the same. "Even if the people were quiet - the stones would have to cry out," Jesus said. It was as if all of earth was surging with the impulse to celebrate the coming of the king, to proclaim the reign of God's kingdom. All of earth - that is - except for the Pharisees, the chief priests, and the religious leaders who challenged his authority because they could not see that Christ was king. All of earth except for the Roman rulers who were charged to keep the peace by suppressing any surge of rebellion.

When the crowds welcomed Jesus as King that day, with shouts of "Hosanna!" as they waved their palm branches, they were making a radical statement. And when Jesus failed to meet the expectations of those who were hoping for a militaristic rebellion against Rome by choosing not to enter on a magnificent stallion, but instead riding upon a young donkey, Jesus was making a radical statement. He would not be the kind of king the people expected. He would not lead a violent revolution against the tyranny of Rome. He came as the Prince of Peace - the one who came to rule not over any particular nation with political borders, but to rule over the hearts of anyone who would follow him. But the people were not ready to have this kind of a king - for this kind of a king requires a faithful obedience that demands we give our all. What did Jesus mean after all when he said, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it?"

It was a radical thing back then to claim Christ as King - just as it is today. When we proclaim Jesus as King, we are making a radical statement. To be a follower of Christ means to live a radical lifestyle. Some of you grew up in an age when it wasn't cool to be radical. Others of you, like me, grew up in an age when it was so cool to be radical that the non-conformists all ended up looking like each other -long hair, bandanas around their heads, bell-bottom blue jeans. Today, people are looking at unique ways to express themselves through artwork tattooed on their bodies, or more creative hairstyling. But you don't need to where your hair in a mohawk, or have your body pierced in unique places to be a radical - all you have to do

is say that Jesus Christ is King and Lord of all- that is the most radical statement you can make!

There is no more counter cultural, anti-establishment thing you can do than to say that Jesus is King. Because it says to every other power broker in our world that there is someone whose power is even greater.

Proclaiming Christ as Lord says to the political leaders of the world that we claim primary allegiance to someone who has more authority. To those who measure power by military strength, high tech weapons, and bulging arsenals, claiming Jesus as King completely redefmes what it means to be a superpower. The Prince of Peace subverts the militaristic agenda. To those· who misuse power to accumulate material wealth, Jesus literally came to turn the tables upside down. The greatest social issue Jesus addressed through all his years of ministry was the use and abuse of money. When we say Jesus is King, it shifts our understanding of our right to ownership of property. Everything that exists in a kingdom rightfully belongs to the King. Our homes are not ours - they are the King's; our food is not ours - it is the King's; our children are not ours - they are the King's. But more importantly than the radical way acknowledging Jesus as Lord impacts our political, military, and material worlds - is the radical way in which it changes our lives. Saying that Jesus is King is a subversive act - because it subverts our own will. It means that we no longer claim rule over our own lives. We do not presume to be in control, nor do we need to be. When things do not go our way, when we face life's disappointments, grief or pain - if we claim Jesus as our King we will not forsake him - because our loyalty to him is not conditional- our loyalty is rooted in the knowledge that because he is King, he rules over our lives. And if we truly believe that Jesus is King, it requires a radical shift in attitude - a radical change in perspective - a radical break from the way the world sees and understands.

All those who honor Jesus as King of their lives - all who claim Jesus as their Lord and Savior - are by defmition Christians - and if you truly believe Jesus is King, and you live that way, then you will approach life in a radically different way. Weare radical Christians, because Christ came as a radically different kind of king. Let's reflect together on what made Jesus a different kind of king. (Congregation will be invited to answer)

He came on a donkey, because he was a Prince of (peace)

He did not wield power with an iron fist, but bent on his knees with

towel and basin and washed his disciples'

(feet)

He did not wear a crown of gold, but instead a crown of ____ (thorns)

He did not sit upon a throne, but hung upon a (cross)

From the cross he did not condemn the sins of those who betrayed him, those who denied him, those whose shouted, "Crucify him!" Instead - he forgave them.

At this table we come to know and experience the same kind of love and grace that Jesus made known from the cross. Here in this bread we break and this cup we share, we remember how he gave himself completely for our sakes. His body broken, his side pierced, his blood poured out is the way in which we know that this one we call "Lord" wants to rule so completely over our hearts that he would do anything - absolutely anything - to let us know how great his love is.

Anyone who desires to claim Jesus as ruler over their lives, anyone who wants to turn over the steering wheel of their lives to Jesus, anyone who understands that we are all sinners who stand in need of Christ's grace, anyone who longs to let Christ make his home in your heart, to let him reign over your decisions, to guide you in your actions, to teach you the way of love that by de[mition means the cross, then I invite you to come forward to receive these gifts, his body broken for you, his blood shed for you. I invite you to come not because this is Communion Sunday and it's time to follow the crowd to the front of the church, but to come because you really want the gift of Christ's grace, because you really desire to abide in his love, because more than anything in the world, you want to join your heart with his and in doing so - join your heart with the hearts of all who are gathered around this table. If after receiving the bread and the wine, you desire to linger at the front of the church for prayer, please do. If you feel like kneeling, please kneel. If you prefer to return to your seat and continue this time of communion with quiet prayer, please do.

These are the gifts of God, for the people of God. Come - the table is ready for you.