March 20, 2016
Stetson Memorial UMC
Palm Sunday
“A New Way”
Adapted Sermon
Series
by Marcia McPhee
“The Way”
All Scripture is
from the AMP Bible
Luke 19:28-38
“A New Way…”
Prayer for the
Spirit’s leading…
How
many of you are set in your own ways…you have your way of doing things and you
really don’t see the need in changing things up and learning a new way? We
really do get set in our ways and really don’t like it when a “new thing” comes
on the horizon. There is a certain way that things are supposed to be…that’s it…end
of story.
The
people in Jesus day felt very much the same way. They were looking for someone
to save them from the Roman oppression that they were under. It would be
someone like David who was a mighty warrior and conquered their enemies by his
might. They were looking for someone who would help them reclaim their way of
living and Jesus fit the bill…or did He? We
find out at the end of the week how they felt about this man they were singing
loud hosannas to today…
Today
we celebrate Palm Sunday. A day where palms were waived and they rejoiced in
the messiah who would take Roman by storm. This is the day when Jesus would
begin His last week of teaching and begin His assent to the top of a hill…for
you and for me. Jesus was called to an”Other
Way” of taking the world by storm…
We
are continuing our Lenten pilgrimage to the cross. During this journey we will
bring Marcia McPhee with us as we look at her sermon series “The Way”. We have
looked at the different “ways” or paths that we take in life. My prayer is that
as we journey together we will help each other and those in our lives find “the
way”.
We
began this pilgrimage on Ash Wednesday as we talked about “the way back”… taking a u-turn so to speak…back towards God…back
to the relationship that God intended from the very beginning. We have talked
about “the wandering way” when we
walk through that maze trying to find the way to the right path instead of
hitting those walls of a wrong turn. We talked about “the way around” when Erica told us that we need to follow God’s
plan in our life. We also talked about “the
high way” and realized we have a higher calling and that we are to think on
a “higher ground”, so to speak, and not the lower ground of the world. I think
one of the most important thing that we have learned is that there is always a
way home to the heart of God…like the prodigal son(or daughter) we are always
welcomed home… The last way…and even more important than the last…is the “Other
Way” as Jesus now demonstrated when He came riding on a donkey.
How
did Jesus show the first people who shouted hosanna and also shows us who shout
hosanna today an”other way”?
1. Kings
ride on horses- Jesus…the Messiah…rode on a donkey…a lowly animal not fit for a
king. Jesus was showing them and us that
we are to be humble not all that showoffy stuff that so many like to do. He
emptied Himself of all His deity and became a servant of all.
2. Kings
were tough and ready for the fight- Jesus showed loving kindness to all and was
meek and mild in His way. He cared more for others than He did Himself…this is proven at the end of the week as He
took on all the sin that you and I have…are…or will ever commit…
3. Kings
depend upon themselves and never show a sign of weakness- Jesus taught humanity
to depend on Him and on God not on ourselves. He and God have our best interest
at heart…This is shown by Jesus coming to
earth as human even though He was divine to save us from ourselves. It was the
only way for humanity at large to be saved and redeemed and that is what Jesus
did…for you…for me…for all of humanity.
4. Kings
of earth…fill in the blank…you get the
message…
Jesus
showed a different way…the other way…the way of God not man.
So
here is Jesus, getting ready to finish Love’s work. It must have been difficult
for Jesus. Here He is, entering Jerusalem, on a donkey. It was the beginning of
the end but a new way…an “other way”…was birthing. There would be no more
sacrifices to appease God because at the end of His ministry Jesus became the
sacrificial Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the earth… In the end
there was an “other way” to live our lives…where we come to an end of ourselves
and begin the “other way” of life.
Beloved
children of God, listen to the words of Marcia McPhee…”This moment on this road for Jesus feels both like the end and the
beginning. Such are so many moments in our lives, a pilgrimage may reach its
destination but the hope, the wisdom, the lessons learned along the way have
offered a new starting point for us.”
Jesus
offers us a new way…the other way…of living our lives.
Our
pilgrimage that we walk…our journey of faith…may offer new starting points but
my question is this…will you walk in it? Will we take what we have learned and
apply it to the new way God is calling us to walk in? Are you ready for the new
way or do you like the old way so much that the new way seems futile to you?
What are we to do when God puts upon our hearts a new way that He wants to use
us for His kingdom? What is our answer to Love’s call to our hearts?
Amen
