Terry Paul Choyce
April 1, 2007, Brunswick Street United Church
Last week we talked about change, and how it is something that is inevitable, often desirable, and occasionally very fearful. This is the Christian week for change, as exemplified by the last week in the life of Jesus, over 2000 years ago.
Today is Palm Sunday, the day when we celebrate Jesus's triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The streets were full of people, all trying to get a glimpse of the "King of the Jews." Some were there because they believed that Jesus would free them from the tyranny of the Romans. Their homeland was being occupied and run by a foreign country. God had promised them a saviour, and now, here was a man who claimed he was God's son. There was much hope that Jesus would be able to overthrow the invading government, and restore the Jewish leaders back into power.
There were also many there who were not cheering the coming of Jesus. They were afraid of his power. They were people in power, and they had a lot to lose if this man started a revolution which would destroy them. Surprisingly, it was the Jewish rabbis who were the most afraid of Jesus, because he did not seem to honour their rules and practices. Their worst fears were confirmed a few days later when Jesus entered the most sacred temple in all of Israel, and in a rage, overturned tables and shouted that the temple had become a "den of robbers, instead of a house of prayer." (Luke 19: 46) After this, the rabbis and sadduces were determined to get rid of Jesus, and the threat he was to their authority.
This was the week of the Passover, a very important Jewish holiday. Jerusalem was full of people making a pilgrimage to the city, to celebrate the freeing of the Jews from Egypt, thousands of years before. When Jesus had been 12, he and his family had also made this journey at Passover. This was the rabbis first introduction to the wisdom of Jesus. And now, here he was again, when there were more Jews in the city than at any time of the year. And he was not coming to them for their advice and spiritual guidance. He was insulting them, destroying their most sacred place, and he was claiming to be the son of God.
Jesus had his disciples find a room for them to eat their Passover supper, called the seder. It was at this meal that Jesus told them that one of them would betray him. He gave them bread, saying that this was his body. And he gave them wine, saying this was his blood, which would be shed for them. At this meal Jesus knew that he would soon be betrayed by his friend Judas, and he would be denied three times by his very close friend Simon Peter.
That night the soldiers came to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus was with his disciples. Judas lead them to Jesus, and then kissed him. The soldiers took Jesus to prison. They beat and mocked him. Then at dawn he was taken before the council of elders. He was then taken to the Roman leader Pilate. Pilate could find no reason to harm Jesus, so he sent him to Herod, who was the man in charge of those from Galilee, as Jesus was. Herod mocked Jesus, but found no reason to charge him with a crime. So he sent him back to Pilate. Pilate wanted to release Jesus, but the Jewish leaders shouted and demanded that Jesus be crucified. Pilate gave them a choice of releasing Jesus or a known murderer, Barabbas. The people shouted "free Barabbas." And so Jesus was sent off to be tortured, then nailed to a cross, along with two other criminals.
Following the death of Jesus came the change that would transform the world. After being in a tomb for three days, Jesus rose from the dead and appeared, first to the women who went to anoint his body, then to several of his disciples. He said to them "The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning with Jerusalem." (Luke 24:46,47)
Very few of us ever have to endure the horrific physical, emotional, and spiritual pain that Jesus did. But all of us have times of sorrow, stress, and pain. These are a part of life, no matter who you are. In her book The Gift of Change, Marianne Williamson writes (p.190):
"Resurrection occurs when we hold to love despite appearances, and thus invoke a miracle....We have all known some form of crucifixion and then lived through a tomb time when it seemed as though the light in our lives might never return...Our crucifixions deal us a material blow, but in the hands of God the blow can become a spiritual gift. No matter what occurs in our lives, we can become better people because of it...There is nothing more illuminated than the resurrected body, the new personality that emerges when the old one has been laid to rest."
She goes on to say (p. 192):
"There is passion to the crucifixion, but there is passion to the resurrection as well. It cannot be seen with physical eyes, however, for the emergence of a reborn self is not a material occurrence. You have the same eyes, but there is a new light in them. You have the same brain, but it operates differently. You have the same heart, but it is beating with His now...It doesn't matter what anyone says or does to try to stop you. You're on your way to a brand new life, not just for yourself but for others as well. You are not a martyr; you're a teacher of love. You have seen the light and you are walking toward it. Just know who you are and Who lives within you. He is risen, and so are you."
I pray none of us will ever have a week like the one Jesus had to live. But I do hope that each of us will have the experience of transformational change, that is symbolised by the resurrection. I hope each of comes to the full realisation of the power of Love, the power of God within us. I hope each of us will be able to live our lives with compassion, forgiveness, and peace. I hope each of us will be an example to others of a person who has dedicated our lives to treating others with love and respect, as Jesus taught us to do. This is not easy. Being a true Christian is a very difficult path to follow. But with the help of God you can do it. As Marianne Williamson wrote, "He is risen, and so are you."
Breaking all the Rules
by Danna Faulds (yogapoems@aol.com)
There are moments when rules
are meant to be broken; when
bursting out of context is the
sole way to see with new eyes.
There are fences built only to
be torn down. The slats look
solid, but no one drove the nails
in tight. There are barricades
around the heart asking to be
breached. Sooner or later we
all run out of excuses for
staying small and safe.
©Terry Paul Choyce. Used with permission from the author.
