LIFE VERSES JOHN 3:16, HELEN BOLT RUMC APRIL 30, 2017

LIFE VERSES JOHN 3:16, HELEN BOLT

RUMC APRIL 30, 2017

John 3:16… probably the best-known scripture in the entire Bible.

 You all know it… say it with me. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

There are only 26 words in John 3:16, yet I’ll bet that all the other verses in the Bible put together have not been mentioned as often  as this one verse.

If I say, John 3:17 for instance, most of you could not quote it, but you know John 3:16. We don’t even need the name of the book. If I say, 10:15, or 8:28 you might think I am telling time… but if I just say 3:16, most of you know exactly what I mean.

 We see John 3:16 at sporting events, in cartoons, and even painted on walls.

 If you look closely, you find it printed on the bottom of one fast food chain’s coffee cups.

We all think we know what John 3:16 says, but I see a goldmine of truth here that would take a lifetime to unpack.

 Helen Bolt chose this life verse. She has been carrying this life verse with her for a long time… her memory of it begins when the very strict pastor appointed to this church made the confirmation youth learn Bible verses. Then he called on them to recite the verse in front of the whole congregation. She was one of those poor confirmation youth.

Helen has carried this verse with her through all of the ups and downs of life: getting married, raising her kids, spending almost 40 years at what is now trucks grocery, and losing Maurice last year. Through all of that, she hangs on to it. You know, that if I called her up here right now, she could recite John 3:16 without even thinking about it.

Just as Helen says she remembers unlocking the church door with the numbers 316 when she and Maurice walked in here in the wintertime, for her John 3:16 unlocks the door to the heart of God.

She is not alone. Martin Luther called it the gospel in miniature. It has been called the gospel in a nutshell. It has been called a love letter from God. All of which makes it very famous, but also makes it harder to preach, because we have to chew through years of  preconceived  colorful, hard-candy-shell before we can get to any meat at the heart of the passage.

That hard candy shell misses the heart of the passage. Many of us come out of Sunday school learning the gospel something like this…

Now I’ll warn you that this is a little harsh, but this is how some people understand John 3:16. It goes something like this.

God allowed free choice, people made bad choices and there was sin. Even though God gave the free choice to start with, he could not stand that people exercised free choice and sinned. God was so mad that someone had to be punished.

Here’s where Jesus comes in. Jesus was God’s only son… his only little boy: perfect and innocent in every way. God loved that little boy like we love our children, but because you stole a candy bar, or  lied to your mom, of swore, or any number of terrible things, God killed his son because … like I said… someone had to be punished.

So now we are supposed try real hard to obey and to be good, and most importantly believe in this perfectly just God, so that we can spend eternity with him heaven.

Hearing it, you may think that’s terrible, but I would venture to guess that some of you, if not most of you, grew up with some kind of understanding like that. Is that really what John 3:16 say? No.

 First of all, it ignores the word” LOVED.” God LOVED. That’s the subject of this verse. That is the essence of the verse… that God so LOVED. That doesn’t sound like a God who is so powerless that he had to pay a ransom to the devil to get his people back. That does not sound like a God who was so angry he couldn’t be appeased by anything but bloodshed. That does not sound like a God that is so unfair that he would allow an innocent man to suffer because of the sins of others. That doesn’t sound like a God who is so inflexibly just that he could not be satisfied until someone paid the price. 

Now I don’t want to be too critical of traditional orthodox theology like the ransom understanding that says Jesus paid the price to the devil for our souls, or the satisfaction understanding that God’s justice could not be satisfied until someone died, or the substitutionary understanding that someone had to pay the price. There is something we can learn from each of those understandings of Christ’s work. 

However, they all start in the wrong place. The longer I live with God the more I understand that God is not motivated by anger, but LOVE. God is not motivated by strict justice, but LOVE. God is not locked into legalism, but is free to LOVE. And most of all, God is certainly not beholden to the devil so that he had to bribe the devil to get us out of hell. God is only obliged to LOVE.

We can associate that LOVE with mother LOVE. The following ad appeared in a Boston newspaper years ago.

TO MY BOY WHO LEFT HOME MONDAY NIGHT, SEPTEMBER 15. My darling boy, if you should see this, which I pray our Heavenly Father you may, please let your distressed mother know where you are.

The notice was signed with one word - "Mother.” That was all. No name. Nothing to let the world know who she was. Not a word about whose fault it was. No blame. No reproach. Just the reaching out of a mother’s LOVE seeking to bring her wanderer back. Even a mother’s LOVE, however, falls short of the LOVE of God.

God so LOVED. Let there be no mistake. This golden passage teaches first about God’s extreme, unqualified, infinite, unchangeable LOVE for us.

 The second thing we often miss if we hold on to that traditional simplistic view of this passage and salvation, is the word GAVE.

It doesn’t say “Paid.” That is what the IRS makes me do. God didn’t pay with his only son.

It does not say, “Surrendered.” Surrender is the last resort before defeat. God did not surrender his son because God cannot be defeated.

It does not say, “Sentenced.” That’s what happens in a legal proceeding. God did not sentence Jesus to death.

It does not say, “Exchanged.” That’s when two parties make a deal. God did not exchange Jesus for us.

No, God GAVE his only son. Jesus was a GIFT, GIVEN to those whom God loved so much that he was willing to GIVE not just everything he had… because Jesus was not God’s property, but he was God himself. Jesus was a GIFT GIVEN to those whom God loved so much that we was willing to GIVE everything he is… he was willing to GIVE himself for our salvation.

Most of the GIVING we know about is GIVING that really has no element of sacrifice in it. God did not GIVE cattle, or silver and gold, or GIFT cards. He GAVE himself, all he was in the person of his Son. "He GAVE," means suffering. We think a lot about the suffering of Jesus, but have you ever thought about the suffering of the Father? Could you stand in a window of your house and watch an angry mob spit on, beat, abuse, and kill your son? Could you allow that even though you had the power to stop it in a fraction of a second’s notice? God could have stopped it… I’m sure God wanted to stop it… but God GAVE... God GAVE because he LOVED.

 There is so much more here… a lifetime of learning about God. In part, though, John 3:16 is an antidote … an antidote to the simplistic and sometimes frankly ugly ideas that people have about God.

God so loved the world that God gave his own breath to speak into existence that which was not.

Then God so loved the world that God gave his own breath another time, breathing life into dust to create humanity. Humanity, however, did not live up to the image in which we had been created.

So once again, God’s breath was given to us in the cry of a newborn baby. For God so loved the world that God gave himself self to it in the form of a son. God so loved the world so much that God walked among us as love.

For God so loved the world. For God so loved soldiers, and Roman authorities, and prostitutes, and traitors, and unwed mothers, and soccer moms, and CEOs, and ex-cons, and farmers, and children and the elderly that God gave of himself in the form of Jesus. For God so loved you and me that he gave himself to us to love us, to save us, and to share with us a life that will last long after the breath of life leaves our bodies. 

For God so loved the world that he gave… his only begotten son that whoever believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.

“I chose you” Reinbeck UMC confirmation Sunday 2017

“I chose you”

Reinbeck UMC confirmation Sunday 2017

Remember, in school lining up and the PE teacher chose two captains? They took turns choosing their team for the game of the day, be it kickball or baseball, or dodge ball. I don’t know about you, but being a scrawny, uncoordinated kid… that was about as bad as it got… until it got worse. It got worse when they got down the last 4 people and the PE teacher would say OK you go here and you go there, because he knew that neither team wanted those of us who stood in the leftover line.

It would have been nice to be chosen at least once in a while.

When I was in youth ministry, we had an exceptional football player in the group. He was visited and courted by all 4 big Iowa colleges as well as some big name out of state colleges. I talked to one of his teammates one time. He admitted that he was happy for his teammate, but just once, he’d like someone to notice that he was a pretty good player too.

It would have been nice to be chosen by at least one college scout.

Sometimes it is nice to be chosen. Having someone choose us to be a prom date, or spouse, or for a promotion, or for an award, or even as a friend; feels pretty good doesn’t it? It feels like a compliment. Mark Twain once came right out and said, “They say that you cannot live by bread alone, but I can live on compliments.”

In today’s scripture, Jesus says, “You did not choose me, I chose you.” I suspect that is more than a compliment. What does it mean to be chosen my Jesus? What difference does it make in our day-to-day discipleship?

Jesus said, in the 15^th chapter of John, “You did not choose me, I chose you.” Is that even true? It seems like we have a choice in the matter don’t we? No one twisted the disciple’s arm to follow Jesus. No one is forcing these young people to be confirmed. No one dragged you into worship and locked the door. No one forced you to become a Christian, or to live as a disciple. Those are our choices, aren’t they?

Yes, we do choose how to respond to God. However, that is not what Jesus is saying.

Let’s turn it around. If someone says, “I DID NOT CHOOSE YOU, YOU CHOSE ME.” That is a very different thing. In other words, “you don’t have to be here. You are the one who got yourself into this. I have no investment in you. You can walk away any time you want.”[1]

If we turn it back around, then, I don’t think Jesus is really concerned about who chose whom first. He is telling the disciples that they can count on him.

Think about the context. This is the 15^th chapter of John. The last supper is over. Judas has been identified and is betraying Jesus even as he speaks. Jesus says something to the effect of, “You did not choose me. I chose you.” In other words, “I got you into this and get you out. I wanted you on my team, and I’VE GOT YOUR BACK!” Jesus says, “Don’t worry. You can count on me.”

For Jewish men, brought up in the synagogue, Jesus’ words, “you did not choose me, but I chose you.” might bring back memories of Deuteronomy 7. God says,

“GOD, your God, chose you out of all the people on Earth for himself as a cherished, personal treasure.

^7-10 God wasn’t attracted to you and didn’t choose you because you were big and important—the fact is; there was almost nothing to you. He did it out of sheer love”[2]

There was nothing special about Israel and there was nothing special about the disciples. Jesus didn’t choose them because they were special. They were just fishermen, and tax collectors, and peasants. Why did Jesus choose them? The same reason God chose the Israelites… HE LOVED THEM.

You are chosen not because you are rich, or powerful, or smart, or good looking, or better than anyone else, or even because you are lucky. You are chosen by God for one reason and one reason only… because God loves you. Always has… Always will. That is a fact you can take all the way to the cross and back from the grave. Jesus chose you, and he has your back. Don’t ever forget that. You are not chosen because you chose God. You are not chosen because of anything you do or have ever done. You are not chosen because what you are talented. You are not chosen because you are better than anyone else is. You are not chosen because you are smarter or better than anyone else is. You are chosen simply because you are loved.

When you go to choose a puppy from a litter, do you choose the one that can do the most tricks? The one that can fetch you slippers? The one that won’t make a puddle on your kitchen floor? NO. You choose the one with which you fall in love. You take that puppy into your home and choose to love and care for that puppy forever.

When I officiate at a wedding, I don't ask, "John, do you love Susan?" I ask, "John, will you love Susan?" It is easy to love someone for a minute. It is harder to love them for a lifetime. Love is a choice… it is a promise we make “Till death do you part.”

It is a promise God makes to you by choosing you… God loves you to death and beyond. Jesus death on the cross couldn’t even stop God’s love for us. Being chosen by God is forever, because being loved by God is forever.

That would seem to be a good place to stop… except it isn’t. That is only ½ time. Jesus goes on to the second half. “You did not choose me, but I chose you and I appointed you to go and bear fruit, Fruit that will last,”[3]

I guess I should have stopped when we were ahead. We want to feel chosen… we don’t necessarily want to feel obligated. Jesus, however, sends us out to bear fruit that will last.

Let’s be clear that Jesus didn’t choose you in order to bear fruit, he chose you to be loved. Nothing can change that. You are loved whether you bear fruit or not.

 Those who are loved and chosen, however, are also sent to bear fruit that will last. Can you guess what the fruit is? In order to find out we have to go just a little further. Jesus goes on to say, ^“I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.”[4] …. LOVE. In verses 8-9 Jesus said, “^My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. ⁹ As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.”[5] LOVE. Love of God and love of others is the fruit that lasts.

You are chosen to be loved, and sent to share love. “Every person in ministry” means that every one of us is chosen to be loved, and sent to share love. What are you passionate about? What is your talent? What makes you angry enough to do something about it? What opportunities do you have to love others?

Bearing fruit is going to look little different for each of us, of course.

Let’s see this kind of fruit bearing in action.

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What are you passionate about? Do it.

What is your talent? Use it.

What makes you angry enough to do something about it? Do something…. Anything.

What opportunities do you have to love others? Love them.

You are chosen… you are loved… and you are sent. AMEN

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[1] http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/i-chose-you-to-bear-fruit

[2] Deuteronomy 7:6-8 (Msg)

[3] John 15:16b

[4] John 15:17

[5] John 15:8-9

“HE CHOSE LIFE… WHAT WILL YOU CHOOSE?” Easter 2017 Reinbeck UMC

“hE CHOSE life… WHAT WILL YOU CHOoSE?”

Easter 2017 Reinbeck UMC

We all know why we are here don’t we? I mean, I doubt that anyone came to celebrate Thomas Jefferson’s birthday, which was Friday! We are here to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ! THAT IS EASTER! Easter is about Jesus walking out of the cold dark grave, the power of life defeating death, grace defeating sin, and hope conquering despair.

Those are great words. We can also say great words about Thomas Jefferson, however, and I doubt that anyone even remembered his birthday. No, Easter is much more than great words.

If Easter were just great words, it would have no power. If Easter were merely an historical fact, it would have no power. If Easter were just a holiday on the calendar, it would have no power. If the Easter story were to sit quietly on the pages of the Bible, or safely contained in one 24-hour day; then Easter would have no power. I assure you, however, that Easter power is very real.

The real power of Easter Is unleashed in the lives of people like us:

·        Easter is for people who feel like the walking dead because they are too busy going through the motions to actually live. If that is you, the power of Easter is for you.

·        Easter is for people who feel like they are trapped in a dark tomb of shame, or guilt, or unforgiveness, or hatred, or bitterness and they can’t figure out how to escape. If that is you, the power of Easter is for you.

·        Easter is for people who are drowning in grief, hunting for hope, or wondering if life has any meaning or purpose. It is for people grasping for something to hold on to, when the whole world is spinning out of control. If that is you, the power of Easter is for you.

·        Easter is for people who just feel empty, like there is nothing inside, they have to hide their true self because no one can possibly understand let alone love them. If that is you, the power of Easter is for you.

At the beginning of the service, you all heard what we generally think of as “the Easter story.” The Easter story, however, is bigger than the events on one Sunday morning 21 centuries ago.

It begins with a choice God made in the beginning to make human beings in God’s image. One of the things that means is that God created us with the blessing (and sometimes it seems like the curse) of being free agents; able to chose between possible futures, or at least between possible courses of action.

The problem is sometimes we feel we don’t have a choice. We feel trapped. We feel like we are up to our armpits in quicksand and the only way to go is down. We feel like we are stuck in the left lane of the interstate in Chicago going past exit after exit because we can’t change lanes. Do you ever feel trapped like that? I do. The power of Easter is for people like us.

Philippians explains why that is so. Permit me to give you my own paraphrase

Though he was God,
  Jesus chose not to hold on to divinity.

He chose to empty himself,
  He chose to be like a slave,
  He chose to be born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
Jesus chose to humble himself
 Jesus chose to be faithful all the way to death—
  even death on a cross.[1]

He chose all of that! In Jesus, God exercised his free will to become one of us, and live as one of us. Jesus exercised his free will to be the perfect revelation of God no matter what the consequences. People exercised their free will and killed him.

I’m guessing that, at least in part, all of those people felt trapped.

·        Maybe Judas felt trapped by hatred for the Roman occupiers. He felt like he had to goad Jesus into doing something before it was too late.

·        Maybe the leaders of the Jews felt trapped by their greed and fear of losing their wealth and power.

·        Maybe Peter denied Jesus three times because he was trapped in fear. And then fled because he was paralyzed by guilt.

·        Pilate wanted to do the right thing, but was trapped by the pressure exerted by the crowd.

·        The guards were trapped under orders just going through the motions.

By Palm Sunday, because of their greed, shame, bitterness, hatred, emptiness and fear they were all stuck in that left lane of traffic. No matter how badly they might have wanted to exit, none of the characters felt they had the power to change the end of the story.

By Maundy Thursday, the boulder of their sin was already gaining momentum and it seemed like there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. Finally, on Friday night, that boulder slammed into place sealing Jesus body in the tomb. It was dark. He was dead. The end.

NOT QUITE… NOT SO FAST…out of the darkness, the glory of God blinds us.

The power of God overwhelms us.

The love of God warms us.

You see we forgot that while almost everyone in the story felt trapped, there was one who was there by choice. Jesus was not the victim in this story. He chose the cross and the tomb saying, “Father, thy will be done.”

 Jesus chose to be faithful even though it meant death—
  Jesus chose to humble himself and accept death on a cross.

Jesus chose to humble himself to lie in a tomb.

While everyone else was trapped by sin, Jesus was there by choice.

BUT NOT FOR LONG

Jesus chose life and the resurrection changed everything!

Jesus chose life and death no longer had the last word.

Jesus chose life and snatched victory from the jaws of sin.

·        Jesus chose resurrection and gave Judas the opportunity to choose hope instead of hatred. Sadly, he didn’t, but he could have.

·        Jesus chose resurrection and gave Pilate the opportunity to choose to rule justly. Sadly enough, as far as we know, he refused.

There were many who did accept the freedom and power to choose that Jesus offered.

·        Jesus chose resurrection and gave the leaders of the Jews the Easter power to choose faith instead of fear. Some like Joseph of Aramathea, Nicodemus, and eventually Paul did just that.

·        Jesus chose resurrection and gave Peter the Easter power to choose grace over guilt. That choice changed the rest of his life.

·        Jesus chose resurrection and gave the Roman guards the Easter power to choose faith and forgiveness. One was heard to say, “Surely this was the son of God.”

ü Because Jesus chose the resurrection, we have the Easter power to choose forgiveness.

ü Because Jesus chose the resurrection, we have the Easter power to choose eternal life.

ü Because Jesus chose the resurrection, we have the Easter power to choose to trust him to conquer all the darkness in our hearts.

ü Because Jesus chose the resurrection, we have the Easter power to choose to trust him to fill all the emptiness and futility of our lives

·        Because Jesus chose the resurrection, you have the Easter power to step out of that grave and live a daily life in Christ who said, “I am the resurrection and the life.”

·        Because Jesus chose the resurrection, you have the Easter power to step out of the darkness, shame, guilt, hatred, bitterness, or unforgiveness to follow the one who said, “I am the light of the world.” And to prove it, he pierced the darkness of evil as he hung on the cross by saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

·         Because Jesus chose the resurrection, you have the Easter power to stop hunting for hope, or purpose, or security; and choose the joy and security of following the one who said, “I am the good shepherd.”

·        Because Jesus chose the resurrection, you have the Easter power to choose to abide in Christ who fills all our emptiness and loves our unlovableness.

·        Because Jesus chose the cross and the resurrection, you now have choices. You have the option to choose death but you also have the Easter power to choose life.

It is said that we make up to 35,000 choices each day.^[2] The vast majority of those won’t change your life or anyone else’s life. Which shirt do you wear? Do you have a second cup of coffee? Which TV show do you watch, or which way do you drive to church.

A few times in a lifetime, we make choices that make all the difference in the world. The choice of whether to be an Easter person is one of those choices. You can choose death or life, guilt or grace, hatred or hope… you can choose whether or not you want to live as an Easter person.

A story is told of an African man who became a Christian. His friends asked, “Why have you become a Christian?”

He answered, “Well, it’s like this. Suppose you were going down the road and suddenly the road forked in two directions, and you didn’t know which way to go. There at the fork were two men, one dead and one alive—who would you ask which way to go?”[3]

Personally, I choose Jesus Christ who faced all darkness and death but lives again as the lord of Easter.

How about you? Will you be Easter people with me?

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[1] This is my own paraphrase emphasizing God’s freely chosen independent  action.

[2] researchers at Cornell University (Wansink and Sobal, 2007)

[3] Experiencing the Resurrection, Henry and Mel Blackaby

Jesus Chose a Donkey Reinbeck UMC April 9, 2017

Jesus Chose a Donkey

Reinbeck UMC

April 9, 2017

A donkey? Really?

•           It would have been a lot more impressive if Jesus had come in to Jerusalem in a big stretch limousine.

•           It would have been more memorable if he had come into Jerusalem in a military tank.

•           It world have been more convenient to skip the crowds and come into Jerusalem in a helicopter.

•           Jesus would have looked cooler if he came to town in classic corvette.

•           It would have made more sense for him to come on a camel.

•           It would have been sneaker for him to walk in by a back road.

But he didn’t. He chose a donkey.

 Mathew even says two donkeys. Actually, he says “a donkey and the colt of the donkey.” How does that work like this? Let us get that question out of the way.

 Actually, Jesus didn’t ride two animals. Matthew is quoting from Zechariah 9:9, which is in the middle of a poetic oracle consisting of chapters 9-12.

No one can explain why Matthew didn’t follow the customary way of reading Hebrew poetic parallelism. He took the colt from second line (which customarily expands on or clarifies the first line) and turned it into a second donkey. When he decided to do that, he had to include the second animal in the story of the disciples retrieving the animal for Jesus. That is where we get this strange story of Jesus riding on the donkey and the foal of the donkey. Mark and Luke are clear that there was only one animal. 

If you insist that, there must have been two because Matthew wrote it that way, you might consider how many provision they would have needed for Passover and perhaps the second donkey was a pack animal tied to the side of the one Jesus rode.

Be that as it may, let’s get back to our study of “donkeyology.”

From a practical perspective, donkeys were a common form of transportation. They are strong and reliable. Apparently, Israeli donkeys are not as stubborn as their Americanized cousins are. A donkey would be a natural choice if Jesus had a load to carry, or was tired from his journey, and he might have been.

 If you look at Matthew chapter 20, the last geographic reference we have in the book of Matthew before he gets near Jerusalem and asks for the donkey, you will see that Jesus was in Jericho. Jericho is the lowest city in the world at 846 feet below sea level. One literally went up to Jerusalem… way up… climbing 4,646 feet of elevation in 15 miles. That’s a pretty steep 6% grade, which is the steepest grade on most highways in our country, and you had to walk that steep grade for the full 15 miles. That’s a chore. Perhaps from a practical perspective, a donkey might be in order.

 More than that, however, the donkey is important to the theology of Palm Sunday. Let me give you a quick lesson in “donkeyology.” The donkey made a statement about whom Jesus was. We have been studying the I AM statements of Jesus: I am the bread, I am the good shepherd, I am the vine, I am the way, the truth and the life. Throughout Lent, Jan has been decorating around the cross with symbols of these I am statements.” The donkey is, in essence, another “I AM” statement acted out without words.

 First, Jesus chose a donkey to say, “I AM THE MESSIAH FOR WHOM YOU HAVE BEEN YEARNING”

I am the one Zechariah foretold.

Anyone watching would have immediately thought of the words of Zechariah 9,

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!

 Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!

Lo, your king comes to you;

    triumphant and victorious is he,

humble and riding on a donkey,

    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

These words echoed in the minds of the disciples, and apparently the crowd. The crowds along the street started waving palm branches. In Rome, the palm branch was a symbol of victory. Olympic champions were awarded palm branches as symbols of their victory.

In Israel and the surrounding regions, the palm branch was a symbol of immortality. Thus, we can interpret the crowd’s branch waving as a proclamation of Jesus as the eternal victor. Perhaps the one who would free them from Roman occupation once and for all. Perhaps the one who would provide victory to Israel forever. Perhaps the one who would save them for all eternity.

However you interpret the palm branches, it is clear that Jesus chose the donkey to make a statement that he is the one for whom they have been waiting, and the people believed it. He is the one foretold by Zechariah, and Isaiah, and Daniel and about a dozen prophets in total.  Jesus chose the donkey to say, “I AM THE ONE YOU HAVE BEEN EXPECTING.” “I AM HERE TO SAVE YOU.” “I AM THE MESSIAH.”

 Second, Jesus may have chosen he donkey to say, “I AM THE PRINCE OF PEACE.” Whereas horses were symbols of war, donkeys were symbols of peace frequently used when going to negotiate a treaty.  In the ancient Middle Eastern world, leaders rode horses if they rode to war, but donkeys if they came in peace. Solomon rode a donkey on the day he was recognized as the new king of Israel.  Judges and 2 Samuel also have stories about kings riding donkeys. 

The verse that immediately follows the prophecy from Zechariah says, 

He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim

    and the war-horse from Jerusalem;

and the battle bow shall be cut off,

    and he shall command peace to the nations;

his dominion shall be from sea to sea,

    and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Note the many details symbolic of peace:

•           “Take away the chariots”: the main vehicle of war.

•           “Take away . . . the warhorses”

•           “The battle bow will be broken”: no need for bows or arrows.

•           “He will proclaim peace to the nations”

•             “His rule shall be from sea to sea”

By choosing a donkey, Jesus may have been saying, “I AM THE PRINCE OF PEACE.” Remember the angel’s song when he was born. “ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

It was also likely, (since Passover was kind of the Jewish Independence Day, celebrating freedom from Egyptian slavery) that Pilate would have made an annual militaristic triumphal entry to Jerusalem. He likely rode in with a warhorse, chariot, and weapons just days before Passover to remind the pilgrims that Rome was in charge. Thus, Jesus chose a donkey to remind all those waving Palm branches that Rome was the new Egypt, and the Emperor was the new Pharaoh.  Perhaps he was saying, “I AM THE PRINCE OF PEACE COME TO BRING ETERNAL PEACE TO GOD’S PEOPLE.”

 Finally, Jesus may have chosen a donkey to say once and for all, “I AM THE HUMBLE SON OF GOD.”

There are so many ways Jesus was the perfect picture of humility. From being born as a baby,  to washing the feet of his own disciples, and then riding into Jerusalem… not on a grand stallion… or even the old gray mare… but on a lowly donkey. Of course, this is only the beginning. By the end of the week, the humility of the donkey will give way to the shame of the cross. The humble donkey carries him today but by the end of the week, it will give way to the shame of crucifixion.

Soon the “Hosannas” will fade will away to the cries of “CRUCIFY HIM!”

Soon the cilppity-clop of the donkey’s hooves on the stones will fade away to the clang of the centurion’s hammer piercing flesh and crushing bone with every blow to the nail.

As Philippians says:

Although he was in the form of God,

   (he) did not regard equality with God

    as something to be exploited,

but emptied himself,

    taking the form of a slave,

    being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form,

he humbled himself

    and became obedient to the point of death—

EVEN DEATH ON A CROSS.

With a donkey Jesus was saying, “I AM THE HUMBLE SON OF GOD.”

 By Friday the one who chose the donkey to fulfill the prophesy saying, “I AM THE MESSIAH FOR WHOM YOU HAVE BEEN YEARNING” will fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy that he would “be pierced for our transgressions, (and) crushed for our iniquities.”

 By Friday the one who chose donkey to say, “I AM THE PRINCE OF PEACE,” will hang upon a cross to fulfill another prophecy that says, “The punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

 By Friday the one who chose the humble beast to say, “I AM THE HUMBLE SON OF GOD” will take one a shallow, excruciating gasp, and cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

 Jesus readily chose a donkey…and a cross to bring you salvation.

You have a choice to make too.

You can choose to take your hosannas and leave here and go about your merry way.

Or you can choose to follow Jesus this week as he faces the betrayal.

You can choose to follow Jesus this week as he feels the sting of the whip on his back.

You can choose to follow Jesus this week as he experiences the searing pain of the nails driven through his flesh.

You can choose to follow Jesus this week as he suffers and dies not because he deserves it, but because he loves you so much that he wants you to live in his grace rather than die in your sin.

He chose the donkey. He chose the cross. He chose you. 

Whom will you choose this week?