Palm Sunday and the challenge to Know Christ as King

If I was to ask you to introduce yourself this morning to someone you didn’t know in Church I wonder what you would say about yourself.

Perhaps you would give your name,  a little bit about yourself, what you do for a living, how long you may have been coming to this church, 

But I wonder if by the end of the conversation whether the other person would really know you?

Last weekend we were away with friends who we have known for a very long time some 30 years now and although we don’t seem them very often these days the depth of the relationship was obvious as we spoke, laughed and travelled together.

It takes time to truly know someone and to grow in that relationship with them.

We have been thinking as a ministry team of what we can teach on a Sunday and in mid week groups as we approach the interregnum and beyond, what will best help us to seek a vision for the future here, and as we have thought about it I was struck powerfully by the call for us as Christians to Know God.  Paul says in Phillipians 3: 10  I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection,    and it is this desire that I think we need to grow in all of us- to desire to know God-

This is both about our own discipleship and about sharing in Christ’s mission for the world. So what does it mean to know Christ?

At a basic level it is about our own personal relationship but this is not something that is static – if we take discipleship seriously then this should be ever changing and developing as we travel our lives with Christ by our side.

So knowing Christ is about intellectual knowledge in our deepening of understanding and intellectual enquiry as to the deep questions that we are posed from the bible  - Who really was Jesus, what did he mean when he said I am the way, the truth and the life, how does this knowledge influence my thought processes and actions

But knowing Christ is so much more about head knowledge, it is something deep seated and all about heart knowledge as well. As we grow in our relationship with him we begin to know him at different levels of understanding. As we grow in our relationship with him we begin to see the intricacy of our lives being woven together in a unique and beautiful way with Christ as the master weaver of the threads.  Knowing Christ involves our prayer lives, our quiet lives, our times of reflection and how we deal with the stresses and strains of life.

And knowing Christ is all about relationships with each other and the world outside our life as a church. Knowing Christ involves us learning together what it means to be Christ’s disciples at a very deep level, what it means to love each other as Christ himself loves us. Knowing Christ is as much about our relationships with each other as it is about our relationship with Christ himself.

And in order to make Christ known we need to be growing in our knowledge of Him. It is not a one comes first and once we have that sorted we can move on to the next part of the jigsaw puzzle. It can’ t be that because in many ways we would never get there – it takes a life time to truly know Christ. But when we are on that journey it is a gospel imperative to begin to make Christ known in the world. But we begin that because we have begun to get to know Christ ourselves and want to share the amazing news/life/blessings that this entails.

So as we move out of Lent and into Easter we are going to be thinking about this in our sermons – we are going to be thinking as we read the resurrection accounts what each teaches us about Knowing the resurrected Christ, and then in our small groups we are going to be thinking how we can deepen that relationship with continuing to think about prayer.

Jesus asked his disciples the question who do people say that I am- and then more challenging to them – who do you say that I am?  When we look at Jesus presented to us in the Bible who do we think he is?  Today’s story is a great challenge to us as we see Jesus presented to us as a King riding into Jerusalem- to the jews of the day a deeply significant event- they shouted Hosanna to him thinking he was one thing and then when he didn’t live up to their expectations a week later they were shouting crucify.

So as we think about  deepening our understanding of who Jesus is – what sort of King is Jesus?

And as we answer that question we are left with many more as his Kingship challenges us if we accept the invitation to be part of his radical and life changing Kingdom, because as we look at Jesus today and see him riding into Jerusalem on a donkey we are left with the picture of a King of surprises.

Jesus’ Kingship is surprising in that it is so different to the idea of Kingship and power in the world today. Jesus rides a donkey not a symbol of power and authority but a symbol of humility and peace.
If he had come to be a wordly King with power and with view to conquer by force he would have been on a white charger or war horse- but here he is on the back of a donkey a symbol of peace.

We know this fulfils prophecy, prophecy written in the book of Zechariah 9– “Rejoice o daughter Zion! Shout aloud O daughter Jerusalem!  For your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey.”  But this prophecy continues with the reason why the Messiah will come— “he will cut off the war chariot from Ephraim, and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace (shalom) to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.”  

Yes the Messiah shall come as a King on a donkey but he wasn’t coming to bring freedom from oppression as they anticipated – he was coming as the Prince of Peace, and the people didn’t get it.

Take for example the waving of the palm branches. This had a specific symbolic meaning. It was used to celebrate the Maccabean victory less than two centuries before, when the Jewish Maccabees militarily conquered and retook Jerusalem from pagan overlords.   It was what the crowds hoped for when they saw Jesus riding into town on a donkey, which reminded them of King David or King Solomon and their ceremonial ridings into Zion. 

The people waving their palm branches had one expectation but Jesus came not to meet their expectations but to meet a more profound need.

Jesus raised the hopes and expectations of his own disciples who thought that he was coming to town as the new leader the new King perhaps they thought they would have pride of place in the new government.  Perhaps it is not surprising their lack of understanding when things changed during the next week.

Jesus was a King of surprises his Kingship was radical and he had already shared this with his disciples yet they didn’t appear to understand. His manifesto was contained within his teaching most notably that on the mount when he shared the priorities of his Kingdom.

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

When we read those words we are challenged in our discipleship –– these are the characteristics of his Kingdom – meekness, righteousness, mercy, peace, and in turn persecution and rejection.

And the challenge then to us is how do we display these characteristics in our daily live

Jesus came to bring this peace to the world.  Peace in our hearts and lives. The events of this coming week as we look to the cross show his love for us and by the cross we are able to know forgiveness and peace in our hearts as we find access to God again.

As we enter Holy week we look to the cross and we see God’s amazing love for us all.

But as we see the prince of peace the King of all Kings riding on a donkey we are challenged to think of what it truly means to be part of His Kingdom.

If we take this seriously then our lives as individuals and a church will be radically changed because this is about putting the characteristics of Christ’s kingdom into practise. Jesus as the King of Kings rules over the world and shows himself to the world through his people.  

As Tom Wright writes: “When God wants to change the world he doesn’t send in the tanks. He sends in the meek, the mourners, those who are hungry and thirsty for God’s justice, the peacemakers, and so on. Just as God’s whole style his chosen way of operating, reflects his generous love, sharing his rule with his human creatures, so the way in which those humans then have to behave if they are to be agents of Jesus’ lordship reflects in its turn the same sense of vulnerable, gentle, but powerful self-giving love.”

We have seen examples of this throughout the centuries as Christians have stood up for the Kingdom values and have led in the move to change the world – the abolition of slavery, the ending of South African apartheid the setting up of the hospice movement – all these have been led by members of Christ’s Kingdom taking his Kingdom values seriously – showing by example of the Kingdom of the prince of peace who came riding on a donkey.

So as we look at Jesus on the donkey riding into Jerusalem  we can hear his question to us - Who do you say that I am?  If we have begun to know him as the Prince of peace then we can not fail to be challenged to consider the implications of his Kingship on our own lives. 

If others are to know Christ as the King of their lives how can they see him reflected in my life? Do I display a Kingdom of peace in how I live and interact with others?  

Perhaps this week as we journey with Jesus towards the cross and pause at its foot on Friday to see the enormity of Christ’s love for us we can be challenged in our own discipleship to Know Christ as the prince of peace in our lives and live by his Kingdom values.

Reflections from my recent retreat: Finding God in the gaps

Anyone who is an artist of any sorts knows the importance of the gaps. Gaps or spaces are as important as the brush strokes that are on the page. Gaps or spaces are filled in with your eye to make the whole whether or not be a hidden bit of branch from a tree or a suggestion of a person sitting or standing by a beautiful scene the skill of the artist is as much about the use of spaces as about the use of detail, in fact the space makes the detail.

The same could be said about the gift of composing beautiful music – the pause is as important as the note itself and adds texture, emotion and meaning. 

So why in our world when we see gaps as being important to add to artistic beauty are we so frightened of gaps or spaces in our lives?  It seems to me that we live life generally at 150% most of the time. Even our children suffer the delight of busyness as they are rushed from one frenetic activity to another never giving time to sit and relax and switch off.  And what about our adult lives. How often do you like me when asked the how are you question reply with the answer “Busy!”  Most of our lives revolve around rushing around from one thing to another even those who are recently retired comment that they don’t know how they found time to work before. Busyness is a condition in our society and I am afraid to say leads not only to personal stress but little time to appreciate the needs of others. On top of this busyness leads us to do lots but most dangerously does not allow us time to “be”.  We may be busy even in our church lives doing lots of worthy things but surreptitiously our busyness pushes God out of the equation as we fail to take time to realise who He is and what is our calling as His children.

So what can we do about this? I think we can yet again learn from our children in this and from the artists mentioned at the beginning of this piece. When children were asked what they liked about their time of collective worship at school they answered  - the chance to be quiet! Wow, not what you would expect as we normally like to hype children up and think they enjoy things when they are wound up and excited. But no the answer was clear. For them the important part of worship was being still and quiet and in this way open to God. They enjoyed the spaces, the gap as it were from the day to day routine of rushing around. The gap of silence added to the beauty of their experience of that day, allowing space for God within it.

So what about us?  How do we add some space in our day for silence and to “be”.  Silence can be a frightening thing for most of us who are used to noise around us all the time. But silence can allow that space for thought and reflection and God time, to allow God to minister to us at a very deep level. I am fortunate to be able to go on retreat once a year and enjoy the chance to be silent within it, but most of us I know do not have such opportunities but there are still ways we can add silence into our lives. So here are a few suggestions:

·         At each meal time just take a few minutes of quiet before you start eating if you are able perhaps have a silent meal once or twice a week too

·         If you enjoy a walk read a passage of scripture perhaps a psalm before going out for a walk and use your walk as a reflective time

·         When you go to church sit quietly in the pew/chair for a few minutes before the start of the service – don’t use this time to catch up with friends that can be done at the end of the service!

·         At the end of the day give yourself some time to reflect on the day and where you were able to see God within it.

So I guess my challenge to us all is not to mind the gaps but to enjoy them and appreciate the chance to develop the beauty of our relationship with God within them.

Lent 2: Jesus laments over Jerusalem

I have recently read the book the Unlikely Pilgramage of Harold Fry, it was really good and here is a review of it  from the Guardian.

"This Booker long-listed debut novel begins with the arrival of an unexpected letter and an impulsive act. When Harold Fry, a timid man in his later years, discovers that a former friend and colleague is seriously ill, he sets out with the intention of posting her a letter but instead embarks on 600-mile walk from Devon to Berwick-upon-Tweed. He believes that in some way his journey will help his friend to live. Without maps or waterproofs and only yachting shoes on his feet, he walks and walks, while his wife Maureen waits at home; at first she is angered by what she perceives as abandonment but eventually his distance allows her emotions to resurface. She remembers her husband as he once was and everything he once meant to her.

Joyce's writing is clean and simple, at times deceptively so. There are Biblical overtones and elements of parable to Harold's story. Along the way he encounters many different people. Some are moved by his act, others bemused. At one point he attracts a growing band of fellow pilgrims and becomes the centre of a media storm." 

I really enjoyed this book this week as my bedtime reading and thought it quite appropriate as we think about Lent.

A modern parable would be a good way of looking at it – but Harold started out on his journey not really sure why or what he was going to achieve, but over the cause of it he was singleminded in his task and it was interesting that others who joined him fell by the wayside as they didn’t really understand what he was doing.

Why start with this? Well todays reading from the gospel of Luke sees Jesus on his journey towards Jerusalem.
He had started out on it – knowing what he was heading for and he is single minded in his mission to get there and what he had to achieve.

We are too on a journey this lent – journeying with Jesus being challenged to take up our crosses to follow him – are we like him being single minded and can we be challenged this morning from Jesus’ journey towards Jerusalem.

So what does this passage teach us about journeying with Jesus – his journey towards Jerusalem.

Firstly this was his mission – it was clear from this passage that he knew when he journeyed towards Jerusalem that he was journeying towards the cross.

He said – it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside Jerusalem.

The beginning of the passage is surprising as it seems that some Pharisees are out to help Jesus.

This goes against what we normally think of when we think of Pharisees – as out to harm Jesus, but these seemed to be worried about him and suggest he goes a different way.

But Jesus was not to be deterred – he knew despite Herod that he had to travel that journey – that he was heading towards Jerusalem.

I don’t know about you but I often, mistakenly think that Jesus was so single minded that he never had any doubts – and then I compare myself and I find myself failing in so many ways as I doubt God’s plan for me or even sometimes my faith can appear shaky, so I am left feeling a failure in many different ways.

And yet I think when we look at the stories of Jesus very often we see Jesus needing to go off and spend time with God to as it were re focus where he was and his mission.

We saw that clearly last week in the temptations,

We see it again after the feeding of the 5,000 when in John’s gospel John says that the people were wanting to take Jesus forward as a King and Jesus goes off again.
The temptation to go that way must have been huge but Jesus knows that this is not God’s way and goes off to refocus on God and on the plan he had for his life.

When faced with temptation and doubt what does Jesus do – goes back to his mission, he goes back to his Father and is given the strength to carry on.

So here we see him very clearly when faced with what must have been a temptation to take an easier road he answers determinably based on the mission that he has been given by God.

For us on our Lenten journeys, or indeed on our life  journeys do we give ourselves such time and space to regroup, to refocus on what and where God is calling us.

To focus on our calling as his people to live our Christian lives and then our calling as his people to share in Christ’s mission for the world.

Lent is a time to regroup, to refocus on this.

And as we do we realise that we are going to like Jesus walk the way of the Cross, not an easy journey but one with God beside and before us.

And Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem shows the pain of this journey not only for Jesus but for ourselves as well.

As Jesus looks over Jerusalem we feel the pain that he feels of the rejection that has been apparent not only of himself but for the rejection of God his Father.

Jesus cries over Jerusalem – Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to it!

Pain of rejection of those who have been sent to save the city of Jerusalem.

Jesus feels it – he knows that many have rejected God’s saving love down the centuries and here he shows the emotion of that in the pain he expresses towards Jerusalem.

If Jesus felt the pain of rejection here how many times does he also feel the pain of our rejection of his word.

How many times does he look at Dorney/Eton Wick Church and feel rejected as we focus on things that are not of his love, as we forget to trust in his provision for us, as we personally see other things as our priorities and not him.

But also as Christians we can also feel his pain as we feel the rejection of other people too to his love.

When we share our faith with other people and are dismissed for whatever reason we may feel rejected but Jesus feels it too.

And what should our response be- if we have lives modelled on him then we need to show his mission of love.

His reaction to this rejection is to go straight back to the love of God and he uses one of the most powerful analogies ever to show this.

Jesus says – How I long to gather you despite your rejection under my wings like a mother hen protects her chicks.

Indian Christian, Sadhu Sundar Singh tells us the following story about a bird protecting its young in a fire. When the bird’s nest caught fire, he said to himself:

‘Now the mother-bird will fly away.’ Instead, to my astonishment, I saw her fly down and spread her wings over the young ones. In a few minutes the poor bird was burnt to ashes along with her youngsters. I had never seen anything like it before, and said to those standing near: ‘Are we not astonished at this wonderful love? Think how much more wonderful must be the love of Him who has created such an unselfish love in His creatures. The same infinite and unselfish love brought Jesus Christ down from heaven into this world to become man that, by giving His own life, He might save us who were dying in our sins.’

Jesus her shows the pain of rejection and the mission of love.

This is the love that brought him to walk the road of the cross towards Jerusalem.
This is the love that he wants to pour out to us each day – and in turn this is the sort of love that keeps on giving and giving despite the reaction of others.

If Jesus shows this love then he wants us too to model this love in the world.

He wants us too to pour out his love self sacrificially as we walk too the way of the cross.

This is not easy as we all know too well the pain of rejection but this is our calling as Christians. – to take up our cross, and to follow him.

I started with talking about the book the Unlikely pilgrimage of Harold Fry.

In that book we see Harold walking because in some way he thinks his pilgrimage will make his friend live even though she has terminal cancer, in the process we see the healing that takes place not in his friend who eventually dies but in himself and in the relationship he has with his wife.

If we walk the way of the cross – will we make others live. Jesus’ walk brought the offer of life to all, Jesus walk brought healing to the broken hearted.

If we walk in this way not only will we realise the reality of the life that Jesus brings and the reality of healing and wholeness for ourselves – we too will offer the life that Jesus gives and bring healing and wholeness to those who choose to accept this way too.