A story is told of when King George V of Britain paid a visit to the city of Leeds, England. Elaborate preparations were made for his coming. Excited crowds filled the streets to wave and cheer. There was a large elementary school in Leeds with a playground parallel to the railway line. His majesty agreed to wave to the boys and girls as the royal train passed by on the last day of his visit. The boys and girls crowded to the playground wall overlooking the railway. Soon the train moving slowly , emerged from a long tunnel and gradually drew alongside the playground. Then the king himself emerged from the royal coach and stood on a small platform where all could see him.
He wore no purple crown or purple robe but was dressed in a plain suit, just like an ordinary man. From his jacket pocket he plucked a bright handkerchief with which he waived to the cheering children. All too soon the train glided by and disappeared. Then the cheers subsided into silence, except for one little girl who was crying. One of the teachers asked her why she was crying. The little girl said that she wanted to see the king and all she saw was a man.
When the crowds saw Jesus ride into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, they saw a man- a man who was dressed and looked as ordinary as any other man. Yet this was no cause for disappointment. For it was no ordinary man who was riding into Jerusalem that day. It was the King of Kings, who became man to save us human beings. His purpose entering Jerusalem was not to wow the crowds with his majesty, but instead his resolute purpose was to die. He knew that once he entered the gates of Jerusalem there was no turning back.
In our gospel lesson Andrew and Phillip talk to Jesus about some Greeks who wish to see Jesus. Jesus answers as if this request is only about curiosity of those who want to see the majesty of a king. He answers the two disciples: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Jesus also reveals his state of mind on the brink of his betrayal:
27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. When Jesus entered Jerusalem he knew the hour was at hand, he knew there was no turning back now.
Brothers and sister in Christ, there is no turning back now. Today is Palm Sunday and we see that there is no turning back from the course Jesus set his face toward. Following the entrance into Jerusalem is always the sequence of events that leads to the cross.
For Judas, once Satan had entered into him, there was no turning back from his intention to betray Jesus. He already took the 30 pieces of silver, he already set in motion an apparent final scene for Jesus to face in Jerusalem during Passover week.
Jesus for his part knew what was in man, he knew emptiness and evil is in the heart of mankind, he knew the suffering and punishment that awaited him. There was no turning back, because he was faithful.
We hear in our Old testament lesson from Isaiah a conversation of the Son to the Father. The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary.
Jesus became man, he took on the tongue of those who are taught by God, he became the same as us. He did this so that his words would be words we knew and understood, so they would sustain us in our weariness.
Morning by morning the Son has his ears awakened to hear from the Father. This is a description of the Son learning the scripture day by day. Jesus learned the scriptures and the Father’s will for Him.
Jesus is obedient to this will that he should suffer at the hands of sinful men- “The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward.” The obedience of the Son is so great that he gives his back to those who strike, and his cheek he leaves unprotected. As the disciples were taught “But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
But this suffering ordained by the Father is never without purpose. All through it the Son indicates: “The Lord God helps me, therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know I shall not be put to shame.”
The Son is steadfast in his obedience and his determination because he knows that the Lord’s help is with him through it all. It is just as the gospel of Luke records about Jesus: “When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.”
The Son declares: “I know I shall not be put to shame, He who vindicates me is near. Behold the Lord God helps me; who will declare me guilty?” The Son is not afraid of the accusations of Satan the ancient foe. He says: “Let us stand together” This means let us face each other one on one, let us stand in court and let the chips fall where they may, for the Father will vindicate the Son and declare Him perfectly righteous and without fault.
There is no turning back now because we follow this Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. We seek to abide in Him and grow in Him, we seek spiritual maturity. Because to go back to old ways of sin would be to disown him. Here on Palm Sunday, it is especially clear that there is no going back, Jesus has called us to follow him. Jesus has called us to maturity in our faith.
This is the Father’s will that we achieve a maturity of faith. That is why the Holy Spirit inspired St. Paul to write: 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9
Often in our Christiana faith we want only the glory of God as found in the Transfiguration, or in the Triumphal entrance into Jerusalem, and then the joy of Easter. But if that is all we see, we miss our salvation.
Forgiveness and eternal life look also like the rest of Holy Week. A weakened body and a bloody man, his back shredded by the whip that plows out furrows of flesh with each lash. Do we see this as part of the story of our salvation too?
If you miss Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, you will think less often of the betrayal of Jesus, and the suffering of Jesus, you may not see how he emptied himself and humbled himself to suffer in our place. But there is no going back for the mature Christian, you need to continue the story, you should see the road of sorrows Jesus walked, the via dolorosa.
Let us listen to the warning Jesus gave in our gospel lesson after he taught the hour had come for the Son of man to be lifted up: “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”