March 26, 2013
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The Dirty God
As Jesus came to Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he gave two disciples a task. He said, “Go into the village over there. When you enter it, you will find tied up there a colt that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If someone asks, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say, ‘Its master needs it.’” Those who had been sent found it exactly as he had said.
As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
They replied, “Its master needs it.”They brought it to Jesus, threw their clothes on the colt, and lifted Jesus onto it. As Jesus rode along, they spread their clothes on the road.
As Jesus approached the road leading down from the Mount of Olives, the whole throng of his disciples began rejoicing. They praised God with a loud voice because of all the mighty things they had seen. They said, “Blessings on the king who comes in the name of the Lord.Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heavens.”
Some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, scold your disciples! Tell them to stop!”
He answered, “I tell you, if they were silent, the stones would shout.”
Luke 19:29-40 (CEB)
I’ve always enjoyed Palm Sunday, even before I knew it’s significance. This paints an odd picture of this penniless man from Nazareth that started a movement that completely changed the face of the planet. Jesus rode into the Holy City on the colt of a donkey and was greeted not as a pauper, not as a stranger, not as a trouble maker, but as a king. What is the significance? It’s hard for us to see today after the great successes of the Christian movement. With how ornate our churches have become, we have the tendency to forget the humble beginnings of our faith.
Jesus was no stranger to controversy. He was a trouble-maker that ended up getting himself killed. Now as harsh as that sounds, it’s the truth. Jesus is loved by billions today, but he used to be despised by those he crossed. He corrected many. He interpreted the scriptures in a new way causing some of the more traditionally-minded people to have a hard time accepting it. He lifted up the lowly and down-trodden and spoke against those with power. Yet at the same time, he loved. He taught. He healed. He put others before himself. As despised as he was, there were still many who recognized the man he was.
While entering the Holy City of Jerusalem, he was greeted by the people who’ve heard of his good works. They waived and laid down palm branches at the feet of the donkey he was riding and they shouted “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heavens!” Their shouts were yelled out in reverence and in sincerity, but even they did not realize Jesus’ worth, for Jesus said, “I tell you, if they were silent, the stones would shout.” All creation knew of the glory of Jesus, even while humanity was blind to it.
But Jesus was right. This trouble-making miracle worker from Nazareth was worth more than our limited minds could understand. The stones could cry out to Jesus because they recognize their creator. Yet even the creator of all that is known and unknown became limited so we could better understand God. It took Almighty God becoming human for us to understand the love of our creator… God became flesh and bone and was given the name ‘Jesus’. And Jesus lived a servants life, showing us that God is for us. We may worship God, but we have to remember that it is God that takes care of us. And as a servant, Jesus was praised as king on the road coming down from the Mount of Olives, though, these people praising him were unaware that in only a few days time, he would be dying the death of a criminal by their own hands.
What a humble life Jesus lived. He taught us what true power looked like. It looks like feeding the hungry at a soup kitchen. It looks like visiting the convicted felon in prison. It looks like giving your coat to the beggar on the sidewalk. It looks like visiting a stranger in the nursing home. It looks like taking care of the beaten man on the side of the road. It looks like loving your enemies. It looks like turning the other cheek when someone wrongs you. All in all, it looks like treating others as if they are better than yourself… because as Jesus said, “Whatever you do to the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you do it to me.” True power is seeing everyone as they were created to be- an image and likeness of God. If we can’t do this, then even the stones will become greater than us. After all, we are all nothing more than dirt anyway.
Comments (13)
I wonder if riding into town on a colt is like riding into town in an expensive car? Somehow the cultural significance of the colt is sort of lost in history.
The significance of the Pharisees and Sadducees is like the political parties of the Democrats and the Republicans. One conflict was class, between the wealthy and the poor, as the Sadducees included mainly the priestly and aristocratic families.
Goodluck Jmallory in your quest to seek G-d.
Actually, Jesus would get kicked out of a lot of churches that claim to follow him if he went in looking like an ordinary person in the respective culture. Christians these days would probably quote bible verses at him, and tell him he’s wrong.
“Jesus is loved by billions today, but he used to be despised by those he crossed. He corrected many.”
i wonder how would the billions today react if Jesus is here today, and he keep correcting various things that the billions are doing today.. i think it is true that it is easier “to love” if we don’t actually have to change (or we thought we don’t have to)..
@Rejected_Stone - Jesus would get crucified in a lot of churches, lol.
This is the ancient equivalent of grand theft auto. He jacked some dude’s ride to come into town in style. He was a regular pimp daddy.
Messed up.
Nicely written. I know it is popular to bash churches, but I moved 20 times in 40 years and always went to church. I think they are doing the best they can to share the Gospel and teach the Bible and Christian living.
One well know pastor has said that 95% of church goers are not really Christians. lol That false negative view sells lots of books and gets attention from the church bashing crowd..
You did a beautiful job in writing about Jesus today–really, really good. Thanks
frank
@Rejected_Stone - You underestimate the powers of Jesus. Then again he is a sort of hybrid human/G-d.
I would surmise that Jesus would know how to sucker people at church to be corralled into a position that they will self realize important for their future.
In a way Jesus uses an Aikido sort of philosophy. He knows whose heart he cannot change. He got some of the Temple people angry and knew how to keep his distance. Many times they tried to grab or Capture Jesus but he was too smart to let himself get captured. Only when the time was ripe did Jesus allow his “betrayal” and court trial.
No way could Bible quoting people could stump Jesus. Basically if you were a true Christian student you would never even consider the Bible could be used as a tool for the Devil.
@agnophilo - You would think that maybe the Westboro Church would crucify Jesus? Read the salon article:http://www.salon.com/2013/03/24/my_day_at_westboro_baptist_yes_jesus_hates_you/
(the link got mangled and you need to search google westboro baptist church and check news.)
Actually the worst that any Church would do to you is throw you out (excomunication is not that bad of a punishment)
at church this morning we studied that passage. that last line just kept echoing in my head. the rocks would cry out, the rocks would cry out. for some reason that last line struck me. with all that we are going through in this country–wanting to silence us–the rocks would cry out. nothing can stop jesus from being proclaimed the King of Kings.–karen
@PPhilip - Nah, they wouldn’t crucify jesus. But if somebody did they’d crash the funeral : P
And yeah what did they do this time? I would google it but they do so many detestable things there’s no telling what particular detestable thing you’re referring to.
@HUMOR_ME_NOW - Ironically most of the people you think aren’t real christians would say the same about you. Everybody thinks their church/religion/doctrine/philosophy is the right one. I see protestants saying catholics aren’t real christians and catholics saying they’re the only real christians and mormons saying they’ve got the only true doctrine etc, etc and I have to just laugh. It’s such a mess.
What I like about science is it’s not based on authority or supposed revelation or doctrine, it’s based on evidence. So if you ask a scientific question to a protestant scientist, a catholic scientist, a mormon scientist, a muslim scientist, a jewish scientist or an atheist scientist, you’ll likely get the same answer. I can’t help but thinking the only truth in religions is that which transcends individual dogmas, like the golden rule. Principles and ideas found throughout all cultures.
@PPhilip - I didn’t mean they would stump Jesus. I meant that’d be like Pharisees and say that he’s wrong and quote verses at him to supposedly prove it.
@PPhilip - Thank you. You know, I wanted to add a bit to my blog regarding the significance of the colt of a donkey. I think there is something to be said about the king of kings coming not on a war horse, but on something a little less than the typical animal a normal, poor person at the time would ride.
@Rejected_Stone - He would. Too many. And I pray every day that he would not find such an inhospitable spirit in my church.
@maniacsicko - There is wisdom in those words. And it’s true. Many people refuse to allow God to soften their hard hearts. These people go through life believing that they have done everything required of them simply because they “believe” in Jesus.
@agnophilo - The Gospel writers were too smart to record an instance of Jesus stealing. That would have ruined the theology of each book. It is implied that he was allowed to take this donkey and/or colt because no one ever refused him.
@HUMOR_ME_NOW - Thank you for the kind words
@lifeontheWink - Agree
@lifeontheWink - The words ring similar to “this is my father’s world:
1.This is my Father’s world,
and to my listening ears
all nature sings, and round me rings
the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
his hand the wonders wrought.
The link where I got the lyrics also plays the melody:
http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh144.sht