Homily – Palm Sunday, March 24, 2024
Reading: Psalm 118:25
Imagine as we got out of the house today a friendly neighbour asked, Where are you going? And your response- The Church. Imagine there was a sequel- But Why? Why do I go to church?
Each time when we come to worship, is there a prayer within us? A deep desire that we wish to find fruition in our time with the Lord and with fellow believers?
Psalm 118 is considered to be an entrance liturgy to the temple mostly used around Passover Time. It is also seen as a pointer to the Triumphant entry into Jerusalem which we celebrate today with the Palm leaves. Though not specifically stated many scholars agree that the author could be David and the context could be the dedication of the temple that we read in the book of Ezra 3.
The Psalm celebrating the entry into the House of the Lord gives us several reasons to worship
Thanks for Sustenance
Exalting, Praising and Thanking God is the very essence of worship.
When we come to the presence of the Lord, with the Psalmist we sing
This is the gate of the Lord;
he who is righteous may enter.
We look at how worthy God is and how in abundance of grace God has found us worthy despite our shortcomings to come to his most exalting presence, counting us righteous enough to be in the presence of the holy one.
Worship is experiencing the bliss of God’s presence.
Our exaltation makes us count our blessings
Worship is celebrating the companionship of God’s people.
We praise the Lord for who God is and worship God with thanksgiving
Last week we celebrated World Sleep Day- The Friday before Spring Equinox
March 20th was International Day of Happiness
March 21st was International Day of Colour
March 22nd was World Water Day
Each of these just a reminder of the multitude of things we must be thankful for.
The Psalmist says
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; *
his mercy endures for ever.
I will give thanks to you, for you answered me *
and have become my salvation.
We pause, take a look at all answered prayers, and say Thank you Lord
We look at who Jesus is and you are my salvation
Thank you, Lord.
Worship indeed is a time to say thank you.
Strength in Times of Weakness
Look at the prayer of confession we used today from the United Methodist Liturgy
O God, you know us well. We are quick to speak of faith, but slow to live it fully. We shout “hosanna” as Jesus approaches, as did the people of Jerusalem many years ago; but we do not want him to come too close — not close enough to really see…
We are quick to claim faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior; but, like the throng who greeted his entry into Jerusalem, we are fickle, slow to live fully and everywhere as faithful disciples…
We are quick to want the blessings of faithfulness; but, like the Twelve who spent the last week with him, we are slow to accept the pain and suffering of authentic Christ-like living…
We need strength in times of rejection and the Psalmist says,
The same stone which the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone.
The Enduring Word Bible commentary points out,”these master-builders rejected David as an obscure, and treacherous, and rebellious person, fit to be not only laid aside and thrown away, but also to be crushed to pieces. And so their successors rejected Christ as an enemy to Moses, a friend to sinners, and a blasphemer against God, and therefore deserving death and damnation.” (Poole)
This is a strong and important statement in the New Testament understanding of the person and work of Jesus. Jesus quoted this of Himself in Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10-11, and Luke 20:17. Peter quoted it in reference to Jesus in Acts 4:11. Paul alluded to this verse in Ephesians 2:20, and Peter also referred to it in 1 Peter 2:7-8. No text in the Old Testament is quoted more in the New Testament.
When you face difficult situations in life, do not give up. The Lord is able to lift you up from the crevices you think you have fallen into.
When we sang Make Way at the beginning of the service our prayer was
He comes the broken hearts to heal,
the prisoners to free.
The deaf shall hear, the lame shall dance,
the blind shall see.
And those who mourn with heavy hearts,
who weep and sigh;
with laughter, joy and royal crown
He’ll beautify.
Worship is an experience wherein we encounter the transforming touch of the Lord.
Prayer for Salvation
Hosannah, Lord, hosannah! *
Lord, send us now success.
The Psalmist calls out in 118:25
The prayer that is celebrated as the liturgy of entrance reverberated through the streets of Jerusalem on that Palm Sunday as they shouted out
Hosanna
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord
Hosanna in the Highest.
This prayer is also prayer for a hope-filled future.
Hosanna could mean a Praise to God for saving or a Calling out “Save Us Now”.
Many a times we forget that the pew is full of people who are calling out- Hosanna- Save us from this situation O Lord
If you look deeper beyond the smiles that the faces puts up we see the pain, the angst, the tears.
If we are able to open our ears we will be able to hear the shout “Hossanna- Save us now” from all around us.
It could be the very people with whom we share hands, hug and share peace.
People who live in contexts of war and violence, who live as refugees and asylum seekers.
People who go through tough personal situations and home situations
People who struggle at workspaces, who find it hard to face the storms of life.
Do we hear that!
If not our prayer should be- Heal our hearing, that we be able to hear.
Heal our vision, so that we are able to see.
In whatever that is happening in our life are we should be able to see it as part of the greater tapestry that the master craftsman is weaving around our lives. That is why the Psalmist says
This is the Lord’s doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
On this day the Lord has acted;
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
This is the day that the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it: When Jesus quoted Psalm 118:22 (in Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10-11, and Luke 20:17), He did so in response to the praise and hosannas given to Him at what is commonly called the triumphal entry. Since this psalm is prophetically connected with that event, the day mentioned here can be prophetically understood as the day Jesus formally entered Jerusalem as Messiah and King. (Enduring Word Bible commentary)
Each time we worship we look forward for this triumphant entry of the Lord and the ultimate entry into the glory of the Divine passing through the lofty gates of heaven.
Conclusion
How do we make ourselves more sensitive to the shouts of Hosanna around us? How do we make our presence more meaningful
The project the AGM approved of would help us move one step forward
It aims at broadening our hearts of hospitality- Luke 14:12-14 reads Jesus said also to the one who had invited him, ‘When you give a meal or a luncheon or a dinner, do not only invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbours, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you offer a meal or give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.
It aims at reaching out to the last, the least and the lost trusting on the words of Jesus- the little you do to the least of these you do it unto me. (Matthew 25:39) We will do so through sessions of counselling and reaching out.
It aims at engaging our young people in reaching out to those in the margins to make life’s matter and better. We want to appropriate the promise of Joel 2:28 which promises that when the Spirit comes down our sons and daughters will be bold prophets, our elderly will see dreams and our young people will see visions of transformation. Our key motto would be to reach the young through the young.
Yes the world is crying out Hosanna and we are called to reach out and so we shall.
Vinod Victor
March 24, 2024
Freiburg Anglican Church 
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