| Welcome to The New Coffee Room. We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Radical; (sermon 4/5/09) | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: Apr 4 2009, 06:15 AM (237 Views) | |
| Dewey | Apr 4 2009, 06:15 AM Post #1 |
![]()
HOLY CARP!!!
|
( Click here to watch 3-minute video to be shown earlier in service...) ) When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' just say this, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.'" They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?" They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. - Mark 11:1-11 ===== Probably all of us have seen some of the news stories about the G 20 summit that was going on this past week in London. This particular meeting drew a bit more attention than usual because of the global economic meltdown, in addition to the fact that this was the first G 20 summit for our new President. The G 20 is a group consisting of the 19 largest economic powers in the world, plus the European Union, and they get together periodically to coordinate on matters relating to the international financial system. Combined, the economies of the G 20 nations make up something like 85% of the global gross national product, and there’s no doubt that as a group, the G 20 represents the majority of real power in the world today. And while the G 20 representatives met, and discussed, signed agreements that had actually been hammered out by their staffs months ago, and made press statements, and had photo ops, and in general tried to show the world that they were in control of things, on the other side of town there were groups of protestors also trying to get their message across, too. Some of them are opposed to economic globalization. Some are socialists, or Marxists, protesting capitalism and the free market. It seems like a lot of them were just looking for a chance to get together, smoke some pot, break a few windows, and then go home buzzed and feeling like they stuck it to the man. This same thing plays out over and over again. Every time there’s a major political event like this one, there are protesters who will try to make a counter-statement, to get their opposite message out to the people at the same time, in the same news cycle. And regardless of whether the protesters are right or wrong, to stage a counter-demonstration at the same time that your opponent is having a show of force is a very effective way to make a statement, to get your message heard. It’s also a very old way to get your message heard. And in fact, it’s a big part of what’s going on in this passage from Mark. We’ve all heard this story many times. Jesus’ coming into Jerusalem is leading up to his arrest, his crucifixion, and his resurrection. But we also have to be aware of what’s going on in Jerusalem at the same time. In Jesus’ time, the permanent population of Jerusalem was around 80,000 people, but during the Passover, Jews from all over would make a pilgrimage to celebrate it in the holy city, swelling its numbers to anywhere between 100,000 to 250,000 people. This was a big thing to the Jews. It was also a big thing to the Romans, who were the occupiers and the civil power in Jerusalem. No occupying force is popular, and the Romans were especially unpopular. We in America often look fondly on the ancient Romans. Much of our own system of government is based on the Roman model. We’re in awe of the great art, the architecture, the engineering and technical wonders that they achieved. But we don’t often think about the nagging question of who actually paid for the splendor of ancient Rome, and the answer is that it was paid for largely on the backs of the people living in the lands occupied by the Romans. Taxes for people under Roman rule were oppressive, forcing many Jews to sell their land – their homes, their livelihood – just to meet their tax obligation to Caesar, who the Romans paid allegiance to as being divine. The Roman coins carried inscriptions calling Caesar the son of God, and in the temples erected to worship the emperor as divine, you’d find, in the Greek language used throughout the region, the words “Caesar kurios soter” Caesar, lord and savior. The Romans routinely dealt with uprisings against them and they kept a steady contingent of Roman legionnaires stationed in Jerusalem to keep a lid on the tension that was always just below the surface. There was even a Roman fortress built right into the walls around the Jewish Temple, just to make sure the people never forgot who was in charge. Every year at this time, the Romans would stage a large, ceremonial procession in Jerusalem – basically, a big parade. It featured rows and rows of soldiers, and weaponry, and banners and flags. All the Roman generals and civil leaders would ride in procession, on the biggest, strongest horses, decked out in battle gear. It was a big, impressive show, officially intended as a sign of good will to the Jews celebrating their festival and a welcome to all the visitors in town for the celebration. But more importantly, it was a show of force, a reminder of who was in charge. It said to the people, celebrate all you want, but don’t get any funny ideas. Remember who has the power here. Remember who you owe your allegiance to – Caesar - kurios soter. But meanwhile, this particular year, on the other side of town, there’s another procession. Another parade. Not a big, or fancy, or impressive show of force like the Roman procession. Jesus is coming into town, not riding on a big, strong war horse, in a sign of power or strength, in a way about as different as possible, on a little donkey. He enters in from the Mount of Olives, near Bethany, about two miles outside of Jerusalem. It’s here, the Mount of Olives, that the Hebrew Scriptures say the Messiah will appear and enter Jerusalem, getting rid of the Gentile defilers and ushering in God’s Kingdom. Many people in the countryside already believe that Jesus is the Messiah, and a lot more are at least wondering if he is, and this symbolism isn’t lost on them. The people around him lay their garments on the roadway ahead of him, and the people are carrying branches from the nearby trees – these were things that people did as a sign of honor as a king passed by. They call out those words from Psalm 118, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” They call out, “Hosanna,” a phrase that means “Lord, save us, we beseech you!” This whole procession was a direct challenge to the show of raw human authority and force that was happening across town. It was a radical a counter-demonstration to that, even without CNN or Fox News to cover it, everyone got the point, loud and clear. Jesus’ whole message is that he is the real “kurios soter”, Lord and Savior. That was a shot across the bow to the Roman authority, because if Jesus is Lord and Savior, then Caesar isn’t. Mark tells us that Jesus led the way of the procession, and that many of the disciples actually hung back behind him, out of fear. They must have wondered if Jesus had lost his mind, making such an obvious and direct challenge to the Roman power. And when he came into the city, many of the people there felt the same way, afraid of what might happen as a result of the in-your-face statement that Jesus and the people around him were making. Don’t make any mistake here. Jesus was definitely sending a specific sign of support to the Jewish people against their terrible suffering under the yoke of the Roman occupiers. He actually does this several times in the events of his life recorded in the gospels. But he’s also sending a message that goes far beyond that, a message to all people of all times. Jesus is telling us here, as he did at other times, that we have to choose who we’re going to give our ultimate allegiance to. The world calls us to understand things one way, and to recognize one kind of power. God calls us to understand the world a very different way, and to understand that God’s power is what really matters. The power of the world is strength. The power of God is humbleness. The power of the world is imposing. The power of God is serving. The power of the world is accumulating. The power of God is loving. The power of the world is Donald Trump. The power of God is Mother Teresa. I could never stand the voice of the songwriter Bob Dylan. He wrote some very good songs, but for the life of me, I don’t know who ever told the man he could sing, and I don’t know how anyone can stand to listen to his awful, whiny, nasal voice. But in one of his songs from the eighties, he said that we all have to serve someone. Even if the delivery was obnoxious, the point was right. That’s Jesus’ message to us in his triumphal entry into Jerusalem all those years ago. We have to decide who we’re going to serve. No one gets a pass; no one gets to “choose not to choose.” God or the world. Choosing God will change how we understand everything else. It will change how we see our job, our country, our family, our selves. It will change how we see our place in the world, how we fit into the whole scheme of God’s creation. It will change how we deal with our neighbors, whether our neighbors are next door, or on the other side of the globe. It will change how we work. It will change what we do. It will change how we live. This morning, God tells us that there are two parades in town. Which one are we going to go to? Thanks be to God. ( Click here for a cheesy version of "I'm Gonna Live So God Can Use Me," the hymn to follow the sermon... ) |
|
"By nature, i prefer brevity." - John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, p. 685. "Never waste your time trying to explain yourself to people who are committed to misunderstanding you." - Anonymous "Oh sure, every once in a while a turd floated by, but other than that it was just fine." - Joe A., 2011 I'll answer your other comments later, but my primary priority for the rest of the evening is to get drunk." - Klaus, 12/31/14 | |
![]() |
|
| BeeLady | Apr 6 2009, 11:39 AM Post #2 |
|
Middle Aged Carp
|
I had the pleasure of hearing this particular sermon in person! A bit blurry, but I didn't want to use a flash.. ![]() A very pretty, small church... ![]() The traffic was unbelievable!!
|
|
"My wheel shall sing responsive to my tread, And I will spin so fine, so strong a thread Fate shall not cut it, nor Time's forces break" "Distaff and Spindle: Sonnets by Mary Ashley Townsend" 1895 | |
![]() |
|
| Frank_W | Apr 6 2009, 11:41 AM Post #3 |
![]()
Resident Misanthrope
|
![]() Now THAT'S radical!! (And yes, the church is beautiful...) Thanks, Bee Lady!
|
|
Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin." Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!" | |
![]() |
|
| Aqua Letifer | Apr 6 2009, 11:42 AM Post #4 |
|
ZOOOOOM!
|
Oh cool! When Dewey posts his sermons I always start to imagine him actually giving the sermon while in church. The real thing looks like the images in my head but also a bit different, too. Very nice lookin' church too, btw. |
| I cite irreconcilable differences. | |
![]() |
|
| Dewey | Apr 6 2009, 08:52 PM Post #5 |
![]()
HOLY CARP!!!
|
Good God, do I look old & geeky... Srsly, it was great to see Bee Lady, both that morning and at an event the night before. I was very disappointed both days that I couldn't spend more time talking with her. I didn't even get to introduce her to Thirteen, who was there Sunday morning, sitting back in the corner grudgingly running the video system. |
|
"By nature, i prefer brevity." - John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, p. 685. "Never waste your time trying to explain yourself to people who are committed to misunderstanding you." - Anonymous "Oh sure, every once in a while a turd floated by, but other than that it was just fine." - Joe A., 2011 I'll answer your other comments later, but my primary priority for the rest of the evening is to get drunk." - Klaus, 12/31/14 | |
![]() |
|
| BeeLady | Apr 7 2009, 03:24 AM Post #6 |
|
Middle Aged Carp
|
I figured that was her as she was the only teen there....but I figured the last thing she wants is some strange middle age woman coming up to her and saying..."I am a friend of your Dad's"
|
|
"My wheel shall sing responsive to my tread, And I will spin so fine, so strong a thread Fate shall not cut it, nor Time's forces break" "Distaff and Spindle: Sonnets by Mary Ashley Townsend" 1895 | |
![]() |
|
| « Previous Topic · The New Coffee Room · Next Topic » |










Thanks, Bee Lady!
10:55 AM Jul 11