December 02nd, 2017

​Those Lutherans who look at the usual Gospel text for today, the first Sunday in Advent, and think that we should not be talking about Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, those are the Lutherans who like things in a strict order. And sometimes I like order.

If we are following a strictly historical view, then, yes, Jesus' entry into Jerusalem is certainly out of order. But this is not an historical view. The bible certainly has lots to say about history--it could even be called 'His Story'. But it is much more appropriate to speak of the bible as the record of a rescue mission and the church as a rescue shelter.

When someone needs to be rescued, the order is not that important. That the person gets rescued IS important.

At this time of year we can easily get caught up in the 'Xmas spirit', we can think about how nice it is to hear some 'Xmas music', and we can think about how cute baby Jesus must have been. But a rescue mission is not usually too pretty. People, even innocent people, can get hurt. 

But we are certainly not the innocent people. The record clearly shows how, basically from the beginning, we have tried to do away with the true God and have tried to make ourselves gods. We easily worship--that is, establish some worth--to the things that we do.

The usual text for this Sunday, from Mark 11:1-10, is most helpful when its context is described. This gospel account turns ugly quite quickly. Already at the beginning of the third chapter, Jesus' enemies are trying to destroy him. He has to watch out.

In the middle of chapter ten, Jesus is out in the lead as he is heading to Jerusalem, and the text says that the others were amazed (10:32). This word is different from the word 'amazed' after a miracle. This is a word used when a powerful person or thing shows up. 

And then, right at the end of chapter ten, Jesus heals a blind man--who, incidentally, if he had a Greek name it meant 'son of honor'--a man who liked to yell out that Jesus was the Son of David--which basically NO ONE was doing. And then Jesus does NOT tell this guy to be quiet as he did so many times before. But the last words of the chapter say that 'he followed him on the way (10:52).'

This area in Israel was a battlefield, and it continues to be so. That Jesus chooses to ride a colt and not a warhorse is significant. This is one of the accounts where the writer adds that no one ever sat on that animal--Luke is the other. While one account emphasizes a battle, the other, peace. Both are important things to talk about; and they do not have to be contradictory.

When the Romans would head into battle, usually the first line of troops would be heavily decimated [check out the history to that word sometime]. Jesus is out in front, with a colt who is a bit of a handful. That gives you a good hint as to what is awaiting him on Friday.

Now we know what awaits us.