Accepting & Rejecting God

ACCEPTING & REJECTING GOD

(A Palm Sunday Sermon)

I never cease to be amazed how quickly the cheering crowd who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday became the jeering crowd who rejected him on Good Friday. The word "Hosanna" which fell so easily from their lips, soon became the word "Crucify".

Why? Why did the attitude of the crowd turn against Jesus so quickly?

To answer that question, we need to go back into history.

For many years the Jewish nation had lived under various oppressive regimes - the last being that of the Roman Empire.

In order to maintain their hold, the occupying forces employed ruthless methods.

Needless to say, the Jewish people looked forward to the day when God would raise up a new leader, as he had done many years earlier in the person of Moses, when they were held captive by the Egyptians. They looked forward to a leader who would overthrow the occupying Roman forces and usher in a new age of peace and prosperity; an age of justice and righteousness for all.

It was against this background that Jesus appeared at Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday, together with some of his followers. Over the years, this nomadic preacher had attracted quite a following as he preached about the kingdom of God. Now, this new age was about to be inaugurated.

No wonder the crowd welcomed him. No wonder they cut down palm leaves from the trees to carpet the road before him. No wonder they were excited. Here at last was the one - the second Moses – who would overthrow the occupying Roman forces. Here at last was the answer to their prayers.

Alas the same people quickly turned against him when he failed to come up to their expectations.

They expected a political leader who would use the power of military strength to achieve freedom. Instead they encountered one who sought to use the power of love to win freedom for his followers.

Military strength is much more tangible than love. It can be seen; it can be touched; it can be measured; whereas love cannot be seen, cannot be touched and cannot be measured.

And so, in their anger and disappointment, they turned against Jesus and had him crucified. The word "Hosanna" was replaced with the word "Crucify".

But you may ask, what has this to do with us?

After all, we would not have shouted "crucify". We would not have rejected Jesus. 'We would not have jeered at him.

But is that so?

I think not!

I think we, like the Jews, still expect God to exercise his power and come to our aid when we want him. We still look for the person of strength who will overthrow our enemies - be they real or imaginary - and save us.

We cannot accept a God who comes in humility - who lays aside his power and strength and comes to us as a helpless infant born in a manger, and dies also as a helpless victim upon a cross of shame.

And when God fails to come up to our expectations, we too reject him as did the crowd on that Palm Sunday.

We want a God who will do what we want him to do - to heal our wife as she lies dying of cancer; to give us that job we so earnestly seek; to allow us to be popular and well liked; to ensure we pass those difficult exams, and of course, to permit us to be happy and free from anguish at all times.

Oh yes, that is the sort of God we would like! That is the image of God we want to preserve. A God who intervenes and prevents the cyclone in the West Indies; the famine in Sudan, or the civil war Syria.

Such a God we find it easy to welcome into our lives, as did the crowd in Jerusalem, when Jesus entered into that city on the first Palm Sunday. Such a God we are happy to worship and offer him our "Hosannas". Such a God we can believe in, because he fulfils our expectations.

But to believe in a God who allows himself to be crucified and hanged helplessly upon a cross - that is another matter!! To believe in a God who appears to permit suffering and death is very hard to accept. To believe in a God who leaves questions unanswered and expects us to walk by faith, rather than by sight - such a God is often perceived to be asking too much of his followers.

And so we too reject him.

But such is the God whom we see revealed in Jesus in Holy Week. And provided we can remain faithful to him - both in good times and bad; both when he fulfils our dreams and when he shatters them - provided we remain faithful, we to will rise with him at Easter Day and experience new life he comes to bring.