Palm Sunday @ Bethel

"ALL GLORY, LAUD, AND HONOR"

This Sunday, the most important week in the church year begins: Holy Week.  Some 400 palm fronds will be laid out and waiting for us to wave them.  Our readings, songs, and the palm fronds are designed to remind us that we, too, might have been among the crowds who so quickly turned from ”hosanna’ to “crucify him!” – all in the span of a week or so.  We, too, might have welcomed Jesus excitedly, trusting that he’d restore our nation to its previous grandeur and power.  Don’t we still want that sort of savior – one that can bring back “Christian America” as it once was?

In our nation, the presidential campaign season has begun – more than a little early, given that the next presidential elections are still some 21 months away.  With the onset of those campaigns, we have heard the first politicians appeal to Christian values as part of their political campaign platforms

These political appeals are not so different from demands 2,000 years ago that the Rabbi Jesus be more of a zealot, one that would drive out the foreigners and and restore the Jewish nation.  One who would restore the old-time way of life.  One who would slow down and alt the pace of rampant change. 

Do I need to say more? Who are we to say that we would not have joined the cheering crowds and the crowds who so quickly began to resent Jesus when he refused to live up to their expectations. 

We want easy answers to complex issues, don’t we?  In that, we are no different from the folks at Jesus' time.  Barabas was skilled at exploiting public sentiments.  That's why the crowd turned so quickly from "hosanna" to "release Barabas" and to "crucify him!"

This common criminal and his supporters knew how to appeal to the to the longings of their compatriots. Surely, many among us would have crowded the streets of Jerusalem, calling on Pontius Pilate to release Barabas.

To help us join the crowds, we will have a guest organist (Darryl Parker) at the 1^st service, and some emotionally stirring original compositions and sound-scapes by our own Clayton Johnson during the 2^nd service.  

Please remember that there won’t be any adult Bible study classes on Sunday mornings on Palm Sunday and on Easter.

Blessings in Jesus’ name,

Pastor Gabi