By Rev Jean Baptiste Rock, PhD
04-02-23
Let us pray: Almighty God, as we enter Holy Week, turn our heart to life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.- guide us to practice his humility so that we may be the change we want to see at St John’s, all for your glory. In the name of the living God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
To serve God’s purpose we must be humble. It is not about us, it is about following Jesus as the best example.
Today, we are celebrating Palm Sunday, which is considered the beginning of the Holy Week. This celebration reminds us of the people of Jerusalem using palm branches in their hands to wave the name of Jesus Christ as he victoriously entered the Holy City, Jerusalem.
During this Holy Week we continue with the celebration of the institution of the Eucharist here at St John’s on Maundy Thursday with people of Christ Church Easton at 7pm; the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday at Christ Church Easton at noon; and finally Easter Sunday, or the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ here at 10: 00 a.m.
I ‘ve been preaching on Palm Sunday for over 33 years and I always focus on the celebration of Jesus’ victorious entry into Jerusalem.
I always focus on the moment where Jesus rode on a Donkey- and I ask the question: why did he choose to ride on a Donkey? Why did he not ride on a special horse trained for a King?
Why did he prefer to ride on a Donkey?
Does he want to teach us a lesson on humility?
Yes, humility, this is what I want to talk about this Palm Sunday.
The definition that we adopt is that humility is a position of heart for serving God and to rightly serve others. It is a position of heart for blessings and to be a blessing and have access to the glory of God.
Jesus has access to this glory. Listen to that:
All the way to the City of Jerusalem, a crowd greeted him with joyful enthusiasm by laying their clothes on the ground, to welcome him, to praise and glorify him as the King. This crowd cried with a loud voice all the way from the mount of Olives to the city of Jerusalem: “Blessed is he who in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.”
Jesus was comfortable to ride on a Donkey.- greeting everyone on the road. We can imagine the crowd who proclaimed him as the King of kings- Giving thanks to him for all his healings and the miracles he has done.- We can hear Jesus who replied – keep praising God.- All glory be to God who has sent me to save you all.
We should not keep silent at this moment. It is time to glorify the Holy God from whom we receive life and well-being. The one who hears our prayers. The one who stands by us in our failure and shame. The one who does not hide his face when we call.
Jesus riding on a Donkey is the best strategy to teach his disciples, and all of us today, how to practice humility.
He came down from heaven not to do his own will, but the will of his Father that sent him (John 6: 38). At a certain point, Jesus gave up his divine privileges. He put others first.- He lays aside selfishness and treats others with respect and common courtesy.
Jesus rode on a Donkey, enjoying his moment of exaltation. This is not an accident; that can happen for each of us if we follow his teaching.
In Matthew 23: 12, Jesus said: “those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
One of my teachers of the New Testament, Raymond Brown said this: Palm Sunday is the result of Jesus’ humility from the beginning of his ministry, from the river Jordan where John said to him: I need to be baptized by you and do you come to me? Jesus replied, “Let it be so now, it is proper for us to do this to fulfill God’s will, and God’s glory.”
Wow, what humility, what modesty. Come on John, just do it, that’s fine.
Jesus gave up his divine privileges, and he is doing all for God’s glory, allowing to treat everyone equally with respect and dignity.
What lesson do we learn from this great event of Palm Sunday? To be a disciple of Jesus is not about us, but it is about God’s purpose. – God’s purpose is to see all his children have the same joy to praise and glorify him, as the people of Jerusalem with branches of palm and crying out: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest.”
Do you want to know how to practice humility?
The first thing that I am asking you to do is to let Jesus get into your heart now.
He is knocking on the door of your heart, let him enter to transform your heart, mind and soul forever, from the glory of Palm Sunday to the glory of the resurrection.
What do we want to do, if we want to be part of the glory and the exaltation of our Lord Jesus Christ? Is it to practice humility in our daily life? Or Is it to put God’s glory first?
I can tell you this today: I have great admiration for all senior parishioners, those who have 20, 30, 40 years and more in this congregation because they have a lot of experiences to share that make this church stronger day by day.
My greatest vision is for all parishioners, all three congregations English, Spanish and Haitian to live united as one even though we are diverse culturally. – My greatest vision is to see all parishioners are connected and become one family under God. My greatest vision is to see everybody feel good, and comfortable in this sacred place, in this house of prayer, for we all are children of God, and we all have the same right to participate in his mission.
More than ever, we need to be united. In 162 days, September 10th at 10am, we are going to celebrate the 275 years of existence of St John’s and 150th anniversary of the building in which we worship God every Sunday. The question is that what do we really need to make that event a success, and at the same time to make St John’s a stronger faith community? Is it money? I don’t think so. What does it require?
The answer is from what Jesus is teaching us this Palm Sunday riding on a Donkey as the King of kings.
The answer is humility, a position of heart full of love, kindness and generosity. Jesus is our ultimate example of humility. He humbled himself all the way to the point of death on the cross.
Following Jesus’ example we will be able to open our arms to receive and welcome all newcomers by creating a space for them to participate and to say something as everyone on the road Jerusalem on the Palm Sunday: “blessed is he who is in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.”
I want you to know those three principles:
First, start being the change wisely;
Second, love more than you fear;
Third, seek the best and highest for all. This is all about humility, the key we really need to make St John’s a stronger faith community in Bridgeport, and in the world.
Leave a Reply