Preaching the Palms

April 14^th, 2019      “Preaching the Palms”    Rev. Heather Jepsen

Luke 19:28-44

Every day

I stand here

and they say

         “Don’t get political”

Don’t say too much

         don’t go too far

                  don’t bring politics into the church

Sit down

         be quiet

                  a woman should be silent in the church

Don’t get political

But today –

         it’s all we have

Jesus’ time is coming man

         he’s coming down the hill

                  from the mount of olives to the temple mount

                  the believers are on the move

The colt is there

         their cloaks are spread

                  and the servant king is on the move

Hey now

don’t forget

don’t forget that other parade

don’t forget Pilate

don’t forget power

don’t forget empire – marching in on the other side of the city

         They have guns

         they have tanks

         they have rocket launchers

         and black ops gear

         and bullet proof vests.

They have Pilate with his coifed hair

in his chariot of gold

I am sure

that if Pilate had seen Jesus

on the other side

at the other gate

he would have sneered

                  “loser!”

And still Jesus comes

         our loser king

         on his baby horse

         what a joke!

But oh they love him

and the people cry out

         “Hosanna!!  Hosanna!!

         Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

See that?

notice that?

listen

This one comes in the name of the Lord

That one comes in the name of the Empire

Which one will you serve?

The people shout

the people celebrate

the people make a scene

It is a political demonstration after all

And the authorities cry out

the Pharisees cry out

         “Hush!”

         “Hush!”

         “Quiet down you fools!”

Oh but the stones would shout!

The stones would cry!

The stones themselves would preach the word!

We can’t be quiet now!

Jesus stands on the hill and weeps

Jerusalem in the distance

Jerusalem the city that has never known

         nor will it ever know

         peace

Jesus stares at the temple mount

the holiest place on earth

and he cries

he weeps

“If only!!!”

“If only you knew the things that make for peace”

If only we knew the things that make for peace

But all we know is war

All we know is Pilate and Caesar

All we know is the power of empire

         the world police

         the greatest military ever

         the global reach to protect our interests

All we know is empire

All we know is war

Hey – quiet down

Don’t get political

This is church after all

The silly king rides in on his colt

His eyes wet with tears

His people confused in their fervor

His heart full of love

and peace

and hope

Jesus rides into Jerusalem

Jerusalem Jerusalem the city that kills the prophets

the city that stones those who are sent to it

He rides into Jerusalem

         where he will be murdered

He rides in like a fool

         “loser!”

Palm Sunday

and still we shout

         “Hosanna”

         “Blessed”

Palm Sunday

and still we worship

empire

“Hush!”

Don’t get political

Tell your people to be quiet

But even the stones would cry out

The stones would cry out about

         domestic violence

         police brutality

         racism

         sexism

         a political system that favors the rich

         an immigration system that favors the white

         and a medical system that favors the lucky

Hush!

Don’t get political

Them’s fightin words

and someone could get hurt

Are you kidding me?!?

Even the stones know this

Just as the stones know I follow the loser

         riding a baby horse

         to certain death

Jesus approaches us

approaches the city

and he weeps

If only you recognized the things that make for peace

If only you recognized the things that make for war

         greed

         hate

         self loathing

         denial

         complacency

         apathy

If only you knew what was really going on

in the empire

“Hush!”

Don’t get political

quiet down woman

this is dangerous

And still he comes

the king on a colt

and still they cry

the people and the stones

blessed!

hosanna!

peace in heaven

peace on earth

peace in Jerusalem – for Palestinians and Jews

peace for all of God’s children

Palm Sunday

Political Sunday

a demonstration by the rabble rousers

a demonstration of believers

This is our king

we don’t recognize empire

we don’t honor empire

we don’t worship gold

we don’t worship red white and blue

We worship God

We worship peace

we worship the king who weeps

the king of humility

the king of weakness

the one who comes in the name of the Lord

So away with your empire

away with your money

away with your guns

         and check your white privilege

take a number

take a seat

and listen a moment to the very truth

even the stones would cry out

There is another way

         there is a better way

There is a way of peace

a way of justice

a way of new life

a way of freedom for all

And yes it is a threat to empire and power

Yes it is a threat to privilege and authority

Yes it is a threat to the system that keeps us all down

Hush

be quiet

don’t get political

this is church

and a woman shouldn’t speak here

a woman shouldn’t speak anywhere

You can’t say those things

This is serious

Someone could get hurt

someone could get killed

Crucify him!