LUKE 19:29-40

29 When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples,

30 saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here.

31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’”

32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them.

33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

34 And they said, “The Lord has need of it.”

35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it.

36 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road.

37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen,

38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”

40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

There are times when the right thing to do is apologize.   That’s what a young man who worked in a grocery story should have done.  He should have apologized. The young man worked as a clerk in the grocery department.  One day he got himself into a couple of awkward situations and he managed to do it in a matter of hours.  It all started when a woman asked him if she could buy a half a head of lettuce. “Are you serious?” he said. “God grows these heads whole and that’s how we sell them!”  The woman wasn’t very happy with the answer and was quick to express her displeasure. “You mean after all the years I’ve been shopping here you won’t sell me half-a-head of lettuce?”   “I’ll tell you what,” the clerk said. “I’ll ask the manager.”  The clerk then marched to the front of the store.  When he found the manager he rolled his eyes and said, “You’re not going to believe this but there’s a lame-brained woman back there who wants to buy half-a-head of lettuce.”  When the manager started to hem and haw the clerk turned around and discovered that the woman had followed him to the front of the store.   With out missing a beat the clerk smiled and said, “And this nice lady would like to buy the other half.”   Later in the day the manger complimented the clerk.  “That was the best example of thinking on your feet that I’ve ever seen!” he said.  “Where did you learn that?”  “Well,” the clerk said, “I grew up in Grand Rapids and if you know anything about Grand Rapids, it’s known for its great hockey teams and it’s ugly women.”  At that point the manager’s face got red with anger.  “My wife is from Grand Rapids!” he snarled.  “Oh,” the clerk said, “And which hockey team did she play for?”

There are times when the right thing to do is apologize.  Here’s a question for you though? Should you ever have to apologize for your faith?   We live in a society that says you do IF you express your faith in any way when you’re out in public.  We live in a society that says it’s wrong to express your faith in public.  In a way that attitude isn’t all that different from the attitude that Jesus encountered when he entered the Holy City on Palm Sunday.  You see not every one was thrilled to see the disciples out there in the streets waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna!”  The Pharisees didn’t like it one bit.  

They didn’t like it because they didn’t like Jesus.  They didn’t like his teachings.  They didn’t like the way he associated with tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners.  They didn’t like the fact that the people loved him.  They also didn’t want to entertain the possibility that he really might be the messiah. So, the Pharisees were downright indignant when they saw the disciples out there in the streets singing and celebrating.  That’s why they went to Jesus and told him to stop to it.  “Teacher,” they said, “rebuke your disciples.” 

Jesus, however, wasn’t about to do that.  He wasn’t about to rebuke his disciples.  As far as Jesus was concerned they were doing what God wanted them to do and he made that very clear to the Pharisees.  That’s why he said to them, “I tell you, if these were silent the very stones would cry out.”

The Pharisees wanted the disciples to keep their faith to themselves. The same thing is true today.  These days it’s okay if you have faith as long as you keep it to yourself.   Jesus, though, doesn’t want you to keep it to yourself.  That’s not what you do when you’ve been blessed with a bit of good news.  When you’ve been blessed with a bit of good news you want to share it with others.  For example, what do you do when a baby is born?  You send out birth announcements so people can celebrate with you.  What do you do when you graduate from college?  You throw a party and you invite your family and friends to come and celebrate with you.  What do you do when the doctor tells you that the chemo worked and you’re cancer free?  You get on the phone or you send out an email so everyone can celebrate with you!

So why not share the Good News that you’ve been given in the life, death and resurrection of God’s only begotten Son? 

Jesus said, “Because I live you will live also.”  

That’s Good News that needs to be shared.

Jesus said, “Come unto me all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” That’s Good News that needs to be shared.

Jesus said, “Lo, I am with you always.”

That’s Good News that needs to be shared.

Now we need to be clear about one thing here.  God doesn’t want you to share that Good News by ramming it down someone’s throat. God doesn’t want you to do what a teenager did one day.  When it was time for him to pass in his homework the teenager said he didn’t have it.  “Why not?” the teacher asked. “Because,” the teenager said, “my dog ate it.”  “I don’t believe you,” the teacher said. “That’s the oldest excuse in the book,.”  “No,” the teenager said.  “It’s true.  My dog really ate my homework. I had to force him but he ate it.”

As far as we know the disciples didn’t force anyone that day to join them.  They didn’t force anyone to wave palm branches.  They didn’t force anyone to join them in shouting “Hosanna!” 

Even so you and I both know that there are people out there who you are hurting.  Maybe you know someone who’s hurting right now.  Or you may run into someone you don’t know this week who’s hurting. 

If you do just remember this. The best way to share the Good News with someone is by following the suggestion that St. Francis made many years ago.  St. Francis said once, “Preach at all times and when necessary use words.”  In other words don’t just tell them what the Good News is all about.  Show them what the Good News is all about.

It’s the difference between what the disciples did that day and what the donkey did that day.   It’s the difference between waving palms branches while shouting “Hosanna!” and doing what that humble beast of burden did that day.  The donkey quietly carried Jesus into the city to bring the promise of hope to people who were fearful and afraid.  The donkey quietly carried Jesus into the city to bring healing to people whose hearts were full of sadness and sorrow.

Waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna!” says, “Hey everyone look at me.  I’ve found some Good News over here!”  A deed of loving kindness, on the other hand, brings the Good News to someone who needs it.  

That’s what Corrie Ten Boom and her family did During World War II.  They were Christian people of great faith who helped Jews escape the concentration camps.  They did that by allowing them to hide in their home.  Unfortunately, Corrie Ten boom and her family were eventually caught and arrested.   She spent ten months in a concentration camp.  After the war she traveled all over the world to tell her story.  One night she was awarded an honorary degree.  After the ceremony a reporter asked her if it was hard to remain humble after receiving so much praise.  She replied, “Young man, when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday on the back of a donkey and everyone was waving palm branches and throwing garments in the road and singing praises, do you think for one moment that it entered the head of that donkey that any of it was for him?”  She then said, “If I can be the donkey on which Jesus Christ rides in his glory, I give him all the praise and all the honor.”

You and I have been called to do what that donkey did that day.  You and I have been called to share the Good News by carrying Christ and his love to people who need it. We’ve been called to do that through our deeds of loving kindness and make no mistake about it.  You should never have to apologize for sharing the gift of love someone! Amen.

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Hughes

March 24, 2013 – Palm Sunday