THE STRENGTH OF THE POWERLESS

Dr. Richard J. Henderson April 5, 2009

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Isaiah 53:3-9
Mark 11:1-11

Introduction

What a festive event! People are flooding into Jerusalem for the Passover. Jesus joins that flow of people and it turns into a ticker tape parade. People cuts branches from the trees nearby and wave them as they shout, "Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

Finally Jesus is getting the reception and the recognition he deserves. The hero enters the city. People wave branches and cheer as Jesus rides down the dusty path to Jerusalem.

I

But Jesus is riding a donkey. Jesus chose a donkey rather than a stallion. He's sending a subtle message here. A stallion is what a conquering hero would ride as he came back into town after conquering an enemy. His troops would ride behind him, probably carrying the spoils they had taken from the people they defeated.

Jesus isn't riding a stallion into the city because he doesn't come as a conqueror. Riding a donkey says that he comes humbly, modestly, and with gentleness. If this were a contemporary parade, Jesus would choose not to ride sitting on the back seat of the Cadillac convertible, but walking in the street.

This subtle message is important because people don't understand what Jesus is about. They're expecting the Messiah in the religious/political sense. They were looking for someone who would take political control, pull together an army, rout the Romans, set up a religion-based government and rule with justice forever. When they thought "Messiah" they thought power, success, and political change. To rid them of that idea, Jesus sends for a donkey and rides into town as a humble servant.

II

It took a while for people - even the disciples - to figure out that Jesus was a humble Lord. He turned away from the glamorous hero figure, the idol, and showed people a very different God. Far from the successful, sword-wielding action figure, Jesus will go down that road to suffering, humiliation, pain, and finally death. Through it all he will barely speak a word.

Surely, this is not what people expected. I wonder if that same crowd would have cheered him on as he entered Jerusalem if they knew that he would go from there to be arrested, that he would be publicly mocked, that he would stand silent as he was accused, that he would be betrayed and beaten, and then nailed to a cross.

Surely not everyone would have cheered him on if they knew all that. Certainly some from the crowd would have yelled, "Loser." People are often angry when they don't get what they expect.

III

Jesus, in his teaching and his actions, points to the "Suffering Servant" in Isaiah. We read some from the passages about the suffering servant this morning in our Old Testament reading. He is one who suffers for his people. He is hurt, but he doesn't fight back; he doesn't answer violence with violence. He would rather take on abuse than give up on his people. He suffers on other people's behalf because he cares about them. He was wounded and hurt, but he remains faithful to his God.

Admit it. Wouldn't you just love it if, in the middle of his beating, Jesus turned over the tables of the torturers and smacked down the guards who were humiliating and abusing him? Wouldn't it make you feel good if Jesus suddenly lashed out and brought down the wrath of God on all the people who were hurting him? Picture Rambo fighting back against insurmountable odds and crushing his enemies. Jesus would walk away the mighty conqueror, showing them all who was boss. But that's not the kind of power Jesus uses.

A mother's daughter died. She talked with the pastor about how few people from her church got in touch with her during that agonizing time. She said, "I don't blame them. It takes huge courage to enter somebody else's pain. Better to say nothing than to be exposed to such pain as mine." She's right. It is very difficult to enter into someone else's pain. It hurts you too. But that's what Christ did. He entered our pain - and he still enters our pain today, taking on our pain and guilt and anguish.

That's what his silence and suffering is about when he is arrested and tortured. Rather than fight back and be seen as a winner he takes on our suffering, failures and hurts and absorbs them. That is a humble power.

IV

Jesus chose the influence of the powerless rather than the brute force of violence. He didn't take on the power of a king and rule over people, but opted instead to be humble, peaceful, and non-violent in the face of hatred, anger, and sin.

And yet the powerlessness of Jesus made him the most influential person in the world. If he had used bloody force and wiped out the soldiers who tortured him, he probably wouldn't have been remembered beyond that day. But because of who he is and how he acted, Christ is known around the world.

The Romans thought they had killed off another troublemaker. The crowds thought another loser got his. But from the way he entered the city, to his execution on the cross, Jesus showed he was a different kind of Lord. He didn't grab the headlines or show off his power toward those who hurt him; instead he was faithful, compassionate, and loving even toward those who beat and killed him. Jesus' mission was not to take power, but to demonstrate faithful love and offer healing and forgiveness.

V

That's the power Jesus has in our lives - not a force that coerces us into doing what he wants, but the influence that changes our lives. That's the power of Christ in his church - for a family of faith to live together the way Christ taught us - with compassion and forgiveness, and offering ourselves to other people.

A young woman went off to an Ivy League school. It was during the '60s and she, like so many students, was upset about the war in Viet Nam. She began to notice as she got more involved in protests that many of the people she was working with were people who talked about God and God's will.

She was not brought up religious at all but these people were captivating to her. They not only knew what they believed, but why they believed it. She got into a lot of religious conversations with these Christians. She had gone to the university to learn to write well. Her goal was to write short stories for the New Yorker.

But after a while she began to take some religion courses. Before she knew it she had enrolled in the divinity school. A little later she had more interest in writing sermons than short stories. Early on her sermons began to be published.

She is Barbara Brown Taylor, one of the most effective communicators of the gospel alive today - named by Time magazine as one of the best preachers in the English-speaking world. She didn't have any religious background, but by the influence of some dedicated people she was drawn to God. Throughout her life, God continued to draw her closer and closer. Her life is so different today from she thought it would be.

Conclusion

God doesn't draw in everyone in such a dramatic way. For some the walk with God is like a long journey together. They learn the stories of God among the toys and pictures and stuffed animals in the church nursery. At first they know about God more than they know God. But that changes over the years. They talk with God everyday and like friends who talk together they become closer and understand each other better.

In those times when their world is falling apart, they cry out to God for help. In the moments of great joy and satisfaction they celebrate together. The relationship grows as they travel together. So that when they have journeyed together for a long time, they know each other very well. They come to realize at some point that having this relationship is like having one foot in heaven already - it's that good.

Our Lord acts with humble strength, preferring influence over force - drawing us in rather than forcing our hand. God doesn't force anyone.

This humble influence of God has changed the world - and billions of people's lives.

Amen

© Richard J. Henderson 2009