For those that
abide in some sort of lectionary discipline, there are usually two courses for this
Sunday that precedes the First Sunday of Easter. That liturgical dichotomy is the celebration of
the palms or the passion of the Christ.
Palms or Passion?
Is it the triumphal
entry as King or the Suffering Servant?
Do we focus on
the palm lined highway or the painful road to the cross?
Maybe, sometimes,
just every once in a while, we should consider both, and even more. But let’s start with palms.
This week that we now call Holy Week, begins with
palms.
Palms
Palms come
from trees without branches.
Palm leaves
or fronds symbolize victory.
Palms are
evergreen.
A road lined
with palms would look like someone rolled out the green carpet.
The palm in
the desert is the symbol of life.
Places such
as Palm Springs make us think of resorts and retreats.
Palms denote
status and comfort and even peace.
Purpose
In the world of life experience,
purpose is often the cohesive, the organizing principle, and the multiplier.
A life expended with purpose is a life
lived beyond its potential.
Purpose gets you out of bed in the
morning.
Purpose causes you to say, Good Morning, Lord, instead of Good Lord, it’s morning.
Purpose gets you to school.
Purpose gets you to work.
Purpose gets you talking with God.
Purpose gets you up the hill.
Purpose lets the insult roll off while
focus is maintained.
Purpose adjusts the sails when the
wind changes.
Purpose cooks Ramen when the paycheck
isn’t enough for the water bill.
Purpose crosses the minefield to save
a friend.
Purpose gives insight into our
Heavenly Father.
Purpose gives us insight into
ourselves.
Purpose unlocks our gifts and talents.
Purpose gives us permission to say no
to things we don’t need to do.
Purpose brings us to abundance—not in
stuff or money—but in life.
Purpose purges poverty.
Those who live without purpose endure
a cruel type of poverty.
This form of poverty just passes the
time.
This form of poverty sees only
immediate needs.
Character atrophies in those living in
the poverty of purpose.
Commitment is foreign to anyone
without purpose.
The power to effect desired change is
irrelevant if there is no desire.
Fear rules.
Language sours.
Money is illusive.
There is no Sabbath to take in a life
without purpose.
Passion
Passion
detests apathy.
Passion
abhors ambivalence.
Passion
presses on when there is nothing left.
Passion
suffers the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.
Passion does
not stop to question purpose. It presses
on knowing the purpose comes from God.
Passion
gives up self.
Passion and
purpose wed and become unstoppable.
From before
man was placed upon this earth, Jesus knew what he must do to create the
relationship between the crown of God’s creation and God himself.
Our three-in-one
God knew that a redeemed man was more valuable than one never tested, trialed,
condemned, and rescued, but it would take both purpose and passion to bring
about this special creature.
Humans
couldn’t handle it. We couldn’t be flesh
and complete on our own. You can spend
your life trying to figure out why the two seem incompatible, but I doubt you
will get the complete answer until the age to come.
Why does
sacrifice require blood?
Why must
life be sacrificed?
Why were we
worth it?
Jesus was just
hours away from what would be one of the most detestable and essential chapters
of human history.
Jesus was
still on an emotion high from the meal he had just enjoyed with his closest
friends.
Jesus was
exhausted.
Jesus was so
close to accomplishing his mission.
Jesus knew
human pain and agony.
Jesus knew
he must do this thing.
Knowing all
things, Jesus hoped he had missed something and there was another way.
Jesus was
with the closest of his closest friends.
Jesus was
alone as they fell asleep at the wheel.
Jesus knew
that the time to glorify the Father was near.
His glory would be in fulfilling this mission.
Jesus knew
that the time for his betrayal was even nearer.
Jesus would
fulfill the plan made before the earth began, but a plan doesn’t get you to the
cross.
A plan
doesn’t endure false accusations.
A plan
doesn’t turn the other cheek to a slap in the face.
A plan
doesn’t surrender its own life as a sacrificial lamb.
A plan does
not endure the scorn of leaders in place only by the will of the Planner
himself.
A plan does
not endure a crown of thorns.
A plan does
not endure physical torture.
A plan does
not suffer the cross when there is no crime.
A plan does
not suffer the sins of the world upon innocent flesh.
A plan
cannot utter, “Forgive them. They know
not what they do.”
But purpose
with passion will cry tears of blood.
Purpose with
passion will endure false accusations in order to get to the cross.
Purpose with
passion will bleed from the thorns or the whip and not cry out for the Father
to put an end to it all.
Purpose with
passion will take the sins of the world upon the only innocent flesh that could
bear them.
Purpose with
passion will go to the cross.
Purpose with
passion will forgive the executioners.
Purpose with
passion took away the sin of the world.
Purpose with
passion endured separation from the Father, if only for a short moment in
eternity.
Purpose with
passion is the only reason that we do not stand condemned today.
Jesus knew
that he had to go to the cross. There
was no other way. We cannot blame the
disciples for falling asleep. They were
like travels in the passenger seat. If
you are not the driver, it is so easy to nod off.
Jesus was
the only one who knew what was next.
He was the
only one who knew that his purpose and passion were required to fulfill the
plan of God.
Jesus came
to reveal the divine heart to us—God loved the world so much! A walk down the primrose path would not
suffice. He must suffer. He must die.
He must surrender his life as a sacrifice for undeserving humankind.
He knew that
this was the plan all along but that did not make it any easier. His passion and purpose were essential to our
preservation.
We talk
about the suffering of the Christ, but we are careful to do it only in an
academic discussion. It doesn’t make
good dinner conversation. It doesn’t go
with the flow of the playoff game on television. It’s not something that you throw in while
looking at the pictures of the grandkids.
But it is at
the heart of every ounce and breath and meter of life that we know. Absent the passion and purpose that compelled
Christ to continue to the cross, we would still be lost.
We would not
know the joy that so many of us cherish.
We would stand
condemned and far removed from our Creator when God’s heart desires us to enjoy
him fully and be in his presence.
Jesus who is
God and King and Messiah chose to continue to the cross and be Savior as
well. He chose to be an Unblemished Lamb
for us. He chose love but love required
all of his purpose and passion to die for us on an old rugged
cross.
On a hill
far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem
of suffering and shame;
And I love
that old cross where the dearest and best,
For a world
of lost sinners was slain.
Oh, that old
rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a
wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear
Lamb of God left His glory above,
To bear it
to dark Calvary.
In the old
rugged cross, stained with blood so divine
Such a
wonderful beauty I see
For 'twas on
that old cross Jesus suffered and died
To pardon
and sanctify me.
To the old
rugged cross I will ever be true,
It's shame
and approach gladly bear;
Then He'll
call me someday to my home far away,
Where His
glory forever I'll share.
So I'll
cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my
trophies at last I lay down,
I will cling
to the old rugged cross,
And exchange
it someday for a crown.
It was more
than just God’s plan. It was his purpose
and passion for us that caused that plan to be one that took all of our sin and
bore all of the suffering so we could live.
As we move
towards a celebration of resurrection, consider this week just how much God
loves you. Consider that you have been
at the heart of his purpose and fueling his passion since before humankind
began.
This passion
for you was always a part of his plan, but this plan was fulfilled in the
sacrifice on the cross. His purpose for
us becomes known in his plans and passion.
They are good plans and his passion is intense.
God loves
you. He loves you very much.
Let’s spend
this week—a week that begins with palms—trying to grasp just how great God’s
love is.
Let’s spend
this week—a week kicked off with a parade for a King, a path lined with palms,
and shouts of Hosanna—just being overwhelmed by the plan, purpose, and passion
that would take Jesus to the cross to die for our sins.
Let’s spend
this week knowing that God’s plan for our salvation has been completed. It is finished. The work on the cross is done.
If we will
do that this week; we will be ever so prepared to celebrate resurrection on the
Sunday to come.
Amen.
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