Palmarum, 2022
Rev. Thomas Van Hemert
St. Matthew 21:1-9
Palmarum (Sermon adapted and edited from St. John Chrysostom)
April 10, 2022
In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit.
This was not the first time Jesus had entered into Jerusalem. Why then, all the pomp and circumstance? What was the cause for this joyful procession into the holy city? Of course, we know the significance of today. Yet, for the average person living in Jerusalem, this was just another Sunday. But this Sunday was different, only in hindsight.
Jesus told His disciples, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” Yet, it is not recorded that they had any problems acquiring the donkey. This was said and done to the condemnation of the Jews, that Jesus persuaded men who did not know Him to freely give to Him through His disciples. The Jews had seen Jesus do many miraculous signs and wonders, and yet, they would not heed His life-giving Word.
Do not think for a moment that this is some slight oddity that has little bearing on the life of a Christian. It was Jesus who sent the disciples to get the donkey, and it was Jesus who made the heart of the donkey’s owner glad to give it for the Lord’s work. These men claimed that the Lord had sent them, and the donkey’s owner never batted an eye. This is something truly remarkable.
When I was in seminary at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, people from all over the country would give donations of gift cards, quilts, and money just so the seminarians could have a Christmas gift amidst the long and dark days of winter in Fort Wayne. Gifts given for the work of the Lord do not go unnoticed, and they are greatly appreciated by all who receive them. The Lord did not tell these people from all over the country to give to lowly, poor seminarians, but the Lord gave them that which He caused them to give to His future pastors.
It is most likely that the owner of the donkey was a man of means. In Jesus’ changing of the hearts of the wealthy, He teaches us that He could have, in fact, restrained those who sought at last to kill Him—those who today call him “holy” today, but later this week will shout, “Crucify!” Likewise, He teaches His disciples and His pastors that whatsoever He asks, they will gladly provide. If life itself is asked of the disciples and Christ’s pastors, they would freely give of it, so that the Kingdom of God would certainly be found among you. Those who owned the donkey did not know Jesus, but they freely gave of their property, how much more should those who know Jesus be willing to give?
But Jesus was not just teaching His disciples and His church a lesson. Jesus was also fulfilling a twofold prophecy in both word and deed. He fulfilled by sitting on a donkey, and was fulfilling that word which foretold, “Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” And in so doing, Jesus gave a beginning to another prophecy, which foretold the things which would come about by what He was doing. He foretold the calling of the unclean Gentiles; namely, that He would give foreigners His rest, for they could now approach God and love and serve Him and He would be their king! Not just the King of the Jews but also the King of the Gentiles.
Jesus, the greatest object lesson ever given to men, shows us that which is holy wisdom. Not only did He fulfill the prophecies, but He handed down wisdom from the throneroom of God, showing us how to conduct our affairs in every need, teaching us, by every means, how to live in Him.
And so when He was going to be born, He did not seek out the best birthing suite—He didn’t instruct His parent through prophecy to go choose the best birthing room at St. Luke’s or Mercy in Cedar Rapids full of all the amenities, nor did He find the greatest surrogate mother whose womb would for a while house the King of the Jews. He was born in a stable, placed in a manger, born to a woman who was engaged to a carpenter.
Likewise, when He chose His apostles, He did not choose those with higher IQs, or those of indelible character, or those whose pockets ran deeper than the others. He chose the poor and unknown men of Jewish society to do His work and to eventually be proclaimers and preachers of His Word and of His cross. Likewise, when He hungers, His disciples purchased loaves of barley in His stead in the marketplace. His bed was of reeds, His clothing was plain and common. He had no house, no home. He did not rub elbows with the elite, but was found conversing with a Samaritan woman at a well in the middle of the day for all to see and with prostitutes who came weeping at His feet. And yet, He is their king.
“Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” His entourage was without chariot, and His steed was a beast of burden. He was flanked not by guards or security detail, but by common fishermen and even a tax-collector. Then ask the Jews, “which kings have ever ridden into Jerusalem riding upon a donkey, decked in such humility?” Their response can only solicit one man, a man whom they rejected.
He rode upon a donkey, showing that His people would be those whose impurity had been removed in exchange for righteousness. Just as the disciples retrieved the beast of burden, so through the apostles God calls the Gentiles to believe in Him. Christ has manifested Himself even to the Gentiles, so that, as Paul writes, “Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved…”
Notice, here, the wickedness of the Jews. Jesus had done so many signs and countless miracles, more than could ever be enumerated, yet they remained indifferent to Jesus, unless a great crowd had gathered around Him. The two verses that follow our Gospel reading tell us: And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” What the Jews were saying in their mob mentality, sounded significant in their own ears, but their souls had been made simple by their own pettiness and greed. So be warned, lest this happen to you. Do not let your heart be hardened. Jesus was doing these things, not for His glory, but to fulfill the prophecies, and to impart holy wisdom unto us. And to comfort His disciples, He showed them that He willingly bore the salvation of men freely upon His shoulders.
Everything the prophets said happened. David prophesied some things, and Zecharaiah others. This is the reason why we cry out in hymns of glory, laud, and honor, for our King has come. Let us also prepare to receive Jesus as He enters our midst today. Let us prepare to receive that bread and wine that bears Jesus into our midst.
What then is our excuse? We have none.
The disciples walk before Him as He enters the city. The palms are waving as the King nears His capital. Yet, should He approach us, asking for us to give aid, how quick are we to repel Him? How quickly, because of our shame do we avoid eye contact? He who provides all things for you, now asks that you give a little more for His work in His kingdom which He has purchased with His own blood. How much money is spent on season tickets, on our hobbies, on our home or vehicles, and yet we can hardly cough up what is necessary for the offering plate on Sundays? Should Satan ask you to give money to fund your own interests, you happily oblige, and yet when Christ asks you to do something or to contribute to something in the church, you think that you do enough as it is, because you think love pays the bills or that your service in the church keeps the lights on and salaries paid! What greater foolishness is there than this?
What greater foolishness could there be than this? The devil offers you eternal damnation and hell, as long as you’re taken care of in this life, but Christ freely gives of His life and salvation. The Lord God our Almighty Redeemer, the Maker of Heaven and earth, did not spare His only-begotten Son, but gave Him up with everything He owned so that your stinginess and unwillingness might not condemn you to the hell of which you deserve.
To add to that, He gives you far more than what you need, and asks you only to give of that which He has given you. Yet, His offering is always the greater amount. For what He gave is a tender for which there will never be a card, or an online option. His amount that He has paid to purchase you is far more than all the money on the face of the earth could ever buy, His own suffering and death - innocent of all crimes, and held to the cross by His love, so deep, so broad, so high. And the receipt for this great purchase is that of which you will soon partake – His flesh crucified and blood poured out, in, with, and under the simple offerings of bread and wine. Given for you.
In +Jesus’ name.
