Luke 19:28-44
How did Jesus manage to celebrate his triumphal entry into Jerusalem when he knew he was going to be killed the following week? Ever since he had met with Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration, he had known what was coming. After that experience the gospels record that Jesus told his disciples
“Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.”
As Jesus went along, he shared more completely and directly with the disciples what would take place.
Luke 18
Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 32 He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. 33 On the third day he will rise again.”
It is one thing to know that something will happen in the distant future, but now it was the week before and Jesus knew that in the coming week he would be beaten, flogged and crucified. How did Jesus allow himself to celebrate with his disciples as he entered into Jerusalem?
Some of us have seen one of the bootleg copies of The Passion of Christ. After Jesus has been beaten and flogged, he is made to carry his cross and sets off through the streets toward the place of his execution. This is a parade of sorts with some of the spectators jeering and throwing things at him. As Jesus stumbles along he is beaten by his Roman guards and his mind flashes back to the week before with the hosannas of the crowds and the palm branches descending before him as he entered Jerusalem in triumph.
In the first parade, Jesus rode on a donkey, entering Jerusalem to the hosannas of the crowd. Jesus knew when he entered in triumph that he would be in a second parade the next week, a parade of pain and suffering. How did he do it? Actually that question is two questions. How did Jesus celebrate his entry into Jerusalem knowing he would suffer and the second question is how did Jesus endure the suffering in this, his second parade?
The writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 12:2 wrote this:
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The reason Jesus was able to celebrate the first parade knowing that that week there would be a second parade that would lead to his crucifixion is because his eyes were fixed on the joy set before him. Jesus knew there would be a third parade and for that reason was able to endure the second parade of suffering. Jesus’ mind was fixed on the third parade and that allowed him to move through the second parade of suffering that ended at the cross.
What is the third parade? In Revelation 5 there is a description of the third parade
Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased men for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.”
11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they sang:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”
14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
What a magnificent scene.
Jesus endured his suffering because he knew the glory that awaited him. When he entered Jerusalem, he knew that this was just a foreshadowing of the eternal celebration that was to come. When Jesus suffered, he did so knowing what his suffering would accomplish.
We meet this morning on Palm Sunday to express our praise to Jesus who has brought us into new life. This is a fun Sunday with palms and good music. We enjoy the celebration of Palm Sunday. But I want to tell you that a second parade is coming. For each of us, like with Jesus, there will be a second parade of suffering.
Paul wrote to Timothy that:
everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted
A parade of suffering and persecution is coming for you and for me. Some of us will suffer more than others. For some of us it may be overt persecution similar to that experienced by the early Christians. There are in our midst this morning those who have been beaten for their faith. There are those in our community who have been put in prison because of their faith.
For others of us this second parade may be in the form of having to deny our desires and pleasures for the sake of obedience to Jesus. There are those among us this morning who have made a difficult decision of obedience and decided to return to Nigeria and seek legal ways of immigrating. There are those among us who have given up financially stable careers in order to share the good news of the Gospel. There are those among us who have left behind family in service of God.
In one way or another, we will all experience the second parade of suffering. How will we be able to endure what we experience? How will we be able to stand up under the suffering that is to come? How will we be able to stand with Christ and not fall away when suffering comes?
Remember that it was possible for Jesus, at any time in his suffering, to call an end to it all and walk away from his suffering. The Passion of Christ does a good job of showing how the devil tempted Jesus along the way to not walk in obedience to God to his death on the cross.
In the same way, each of us is able to walk away from the suffering that comes to us. When we are persecuted, we can renounce our faith. When we face a difficult decision, we are able to turn away from obedience and take the easier way out. When we are given the choice of denying ourselves and picking up the cross of Christ, we are able to choose our own self-interest, our material benefit, our own position of power over obedience to Christ.
Praise is wonderful but there is far too much praise in the churches of this world and too little obedience. People jump up and down and express their enthusiasm for Jesus but when it comes to a choice between Jesus and my own interests, Jesus takes a back seat.
It is wonderful to praise God as we have done this morning. But I call you to praise that looks in the face of suffering and continues to praise.
During our communion this morning, we will be singing a song that is relatively new to me but has quickly become one of my favorites. This song speaks of praise that persists in the face of plenty and in the midst of adversity. Listen to this part of the chorus:
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord blessed be your name.
This week when you come up against a difficult situation, I want you to remember that you too will have a third parade. There will come a day when you will be gathered with God’s children from all ages and every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.
When it is my time and I march into heaven in my third parade, I want to be greeted by Jesus with his arms opened wide and hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” That’s the image that helps me choose obedience.
When you are tempted to turn away from obedience to Jesus or when you face losing what you love and value in this world, remember the third parade and choose to say, “Lord blessed be your name.”
