Date: 28^th March 2010 (Palm Sunday)

Preacher: Chris Green

Churches: Draycott & Cheddar

Readings and psalm:

Isaiah 50, 3-9a

Philippians 2, 5-11

Luke 19, 28-40

I think that the roads to Jerusalem just before the Passover must have been noisy, jolly places- perhaps a bit like those round Pilton during the Glastonbury festival. Huge numbers of Jews flocked to their capital for their most holy festival. Passover was important for lots of reasons. Most of all, it marked liberation of the Jews from slavery. It was the birth of the nation, and its discovery of God. There is a whole section of holy songs for this journey- the so-called ‘psalms of ascent’ (120-134). And it must have been a marvellous experience to approach Jerusalem from the east as Jesus and his disciples did. You would have crested the Mount of Olives, and seen Herod’s magnificent temple before you, with the city spread out behind it, and the Golden Gate ahead of you.

This was the scene for Jesus’ triumphal entry. He had already achieved fame, in the provinces and in the capital. Now the people went wild with expectation, and gave him a King’s welcome into the city.

It seems barely credible that five days later, Jesus would be dead, deserted by all his followers. How could this be?

Well I have been doing some reading about that first Holy Week, and came across this little detail. At about the same time as Jesus was entering Jerusalem from the east, there was another procession heading in from the west. The Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, took up his residence in Jerusalem for the festival, with a troop of imperial cavalry and soldiers, ready for trouble. As if at the beginning of the Glastonbury festival there was a column of armed police moving to take up position as well. And it is not too much to say that the two processions symbolise the clash of cultures that led to the terrible outcome of Jesus’ passion.

So having heard about Jesus’ triumphal entry, I thought we might hear from a witness to Pilate’s procession. His name is Simon, and he is a small merchant in olive oil and spices, living in a modest street behind Herod’s palace on the west part of town.

To be honest I’m relieved when I see these Romans marching into our city each year- there’s a lot of agitators about, and with all the extra people you never know what might happen. And they’re a fine sight- disciplined, well turned out. Helmets polished and glinting, mounted centurions with their fine red cloaks. And there’s the governor, Pilate- always very upright and soldierly. One day we Jews will govern ourselves again, when our Messiah comes to restore the Kingdom of David. But until then, we could do a lot worse than the Romans. Good roads, an empire full of Jews paying their temple tax. A good understanding between Caiaphas the high priest and the governor. And if we stay in line, pay our taxes, they leave us alone, and business is good.

But some people are never happy. Take this Jesus of Nazareth, with his crowd of ragamuffins from Galilee. Everyone is talking about him, how he heals people, his great teaching, how no other rabbi can stand against him in argument. I hear that right now his followers are even staging a kind of demonstration the other side of the city. But he couldn’t run a country. He couldn’t even run a tavern- drinks would always be on the house!

For one thing, he seems to be against rich people, teaches that the poor are blessed! Well that obviously goes down well with the rabble that follows him around. But it’s ridiculous if you ask me. The rich are that way because they deserve it! They create wealth for everyone else. We should be looking up to them.

And what kind of an example does this rabbi give his followers anyway? He heals on the Sabbath, hangs about with the worst kind of people, has no respect for our traditions. He might talk a lot about God, but if you ask me, he’s against religion.

But what really worries me is what the Romans will think. Jesus has this phrase- ‘the Kingdom of God’. Now what is that going to sound like to a Roman? As far as they are concerned, they have the Kingdom- their Empire- and they have the God, Tiberius Caesar. A Jew preaching the Kingdom of God, that’s insurrection! This Jesus is going to have to be stopped before we all suffer.

Some of us have been following the diocesan Lent course over the last five weeks. It looks at the ways we are challenged by the gospels to change the way we live- to move the world around us towards the Kingdom which Jesus preached.

Again and again in these discussions I have found how difficult it is to contemplate change. Not only spiritual change- actual change of life; more simplicity, less consumption, more justice for the powerless. How are we to do anything to address these global challenges? I can almost sympathise with people like Simon. The demands Jesus was making- is making- are wholly unreasonable. We aren’t bad people- we are going our best. Why can’t he leave us alone?

We now look towards holy week, with its confrontations and gathering threat towards Jesus. And I find myself asking this question- on that spring morning outside Jerusalem, whose procession would I have been in? Would I have followed the radical rabbi from the country, preaching a new, risky way of life? Or would I have just played it safe, and accepted Caesar, Caiaphas and a quiet life?

I wish you all a prayerful and peaceful holy week.

Amen.