The gospel of Mark finds the disciples on the way to Jerusalem. Oh Jerusalem! It was and is the city of God. No matter where you were, North, South, West or East, so many times in the bible, those on their way to Jerusalem, are said to be “going up” to Jerusalem. For going to meet the Lord is to go upward and onward.
Jesus and his disciples were said to be near
Bethphage – which we know very little about accept the name. Names and places
go in and out of style and in and out of usage. For example, most of us have
never heard a Chester County neighborhood named after Jerome Titlow from North
Coventry. Titlow was a second generation abolitionist who housed slaves
fortunate enough to have escaped. The Corner of New Hanover Street and
Cedarville Road is known to some Bethel members as “Titlow’s Corner!”
Bethphage was probably a little neighborhood
village. One source suggests it was known for growing a certain fig that never
appears to look ripe. They were a reminder that you cannot judge a book by its
cover. Bethphage was close to Jerusalem just as Titlow’s home on the
Underground Railroad was close to Bethel UMC.
Not only does Mark tells us that the Disciples and Jesus were near the barely known Bethphage, but they were near Bethany the home of Lazarus who was raised from the dead. One modern name for Bethany is “Azariyeh” an Arabic derivative of “Lazarion” referring to the place of Lazarus.
According to Mark, Jerusalem was also near the Mount of Olives at
Gethsemane where Jesus prayed with drops of blood – a sign of stress, before he
was falsely arrested then executed by crucifixion. Jesus and the disciples were
near these three places on their way to Jerusalem, the city of God. Bethphage,
Bethany, the Mount of Olives all real places, regardless of how true to any
facts.
Jesus sent, not one, but two of his disciples on
ahead for “donkey duty.” The bible says two is better than one. Many times,
disciples are sent in teams of two. Go get a donkey and if anyone asks you,
“What are you doing?” tell them, the Lord needs it. They did as they were
instructed. They found a colt. As they were untying it, bystanders did ask,
“What are you doing?” They answered as Jesus instructed, “The Lord needs it.”
And those questioning, did not try to stop them. It was as simple as that.
Life is simpler when we follow Jesus’ instructions!
We might say, the Christian’s life has some clear challenges, and that is true.
Yet, without Jesus, life is much harder in the end. We may all have our share
of donkey duty, our mess to endure and clean up. We may have to tame unridden,
unbridled spirits of fear, shyness, but we also get to walk in the victory
parade!
Verse 7 tells us when they brought the colt to Jesus,
they threw their cloaks on it; and Jesus sat on it. It was now fit for a king,
more comfortable than riding bare back. In those days coats were as important
as they are today, and to turn them into a saddle for Jesus was not only an
honor, but a sacrifice. It is not like they had five more coats at home in
those days.
First Century clothes came at a very steep price. By the time you fleeced a sheep for its wool, groomed an ox for his leather, a fox for his fur, harvested a plant for its fiber, or a worm for silk, you had spent weeks just to get the materials to make the clothes.
Finding sea creatures and plants to make dyes and crafters to decorate a piece of clothing involved even time. One could appreciate having only one coat, and one pair of shoes would be no reason to complain.
Just having a warm, sturdy blanket was so valuable
in ancient times that it could be pawned or put up as collateral for a loan.
Exodus 22.26 warns any Jewish loan officer to do justice and show mercy and
return the coat before sunset, to give it back – no doubt, regardless of what
was still owed. One blanket was all some had to keep warm and covered in the
cool of the evening.
Even in this modern industrial age when machines and
robots can do anything we can do, and do it faster, cheaper, and flawlessly, we
still recognize, appreciate and delight in many things made by hand from
scratch. Often a meal made from scratch is more nutritious and delicious than
one from a box, can, or bag. A quilt made with care and love, passed down from
generation to generation, is priceless and uniquely beautiful.
Experts say we have paid too high a price for conveniences. Fast food, for example has ruined our health.
The US may be the wealthiest country in the world, though, ironically, we research and develop more medicines, use more pharmaceuticals, and have the highest medical costs in the world. It has gotten to the point that we avoid the cost of going to the doctor and some cannot even afford to pay for medications, and they are costing a great deal more than they are worth.
That’s why we must pray. Only a miracle working God
can save us from our greedy, price gouging, immoral hearts that are so lacking
in compassion. During this pandemic while others lost their jobs and their
homes overnight, billionaires gained another 913 billion more. Yes. We are
grateful for unemployment benefits, the Payroll Protection Act, stimulus
checks, new laws that safeguard the interest of citizens, and churches and
communities working together. Yes, we are grateful. God has indeed blessed
America. However, the statistics testify that there is still much work to do.
The disciples fetched the colt and put their cloaks
on it so Jesus could ride like royalty. What are we doing? The world of fabric
has changed since the times of Jesus. Leather, silk, cotton, flax and other
natural materials don’t allow us to fill our closets to the brim. It’s too
expensive. Instead, we find labels that say - polyester, nylon, acrylic,
manmade, spandex, lurex, viscose, and other. Advocates for a greener planet
tell us that these human made fabrics contaminate us, effecting our lungs and
throwing our hormones out of balance. Still, it is hard to imagine our world
without Micky Dees that keeps us from spending hours in the kitchen instead of
on Facebook with friends or on the job making more money. What can we do
without wash and wear clothes that look perfectly pressed unlike cotton and
linen that stay wrinkled?
Every generation struggles with how to get back to
basics, to faithfully cooperate and care for this beautiful earth God has
created for us to meet our needs and enjoy. We may not be able to go back to
the “good old days.” We may not be able to repair the damage all at once. But,
if bystanders ask “What are you doing?,” In the midst of this cacophony of
conversation, we want to be doing what Jesus tells us to do. What is Jesus
telling you to do? If we are listening, surely Jesus has something to say to
every one of us! What do you hear?
The disciples put their coats on the donkey while others,
according to verse 8, put their coats on the road as they shouted Hosanna for
the coming of the king. What an outrageously bold and
humble way to show respect. Every culture has a way. Like his extraordinary
mother Mary, Jesus was blessed and highly favored. They were honoring him as
worthy of sacrifice and praise. They were honoring him as more valuable than
even their prized possession.
Those without cloaks cut leaves from the fields and
– again with no factory made machines to plant and harvest – those fields were
tended solely by the sweat of someone’s brow. What we have in our hands to
honor Jesus is not to be taken lightly.
“Hosanna, Hosanna,” they cried out as Jesus rode by.
It seems that day everything that had breath began praising the Lord, God the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, were praised without restraint.
“Hosanna.” You are the blessed one. “Hosanna.” You
are the one who saves. “Hosanna.” In the highest, the highest heavens. The
highest honor and the highest hopes were in those loud “Hosanna’s.” The highest
praise and the highest joy and happiness and desire for deliverance are in the
cross made from palm leaves that we wave while echoing the age old “Hosannas.”
The world is watching and waiting as Jesus rides by.
What are you doing? What prized possession can you lay down in order to show
the honor and respect due to the wonderful name of Jesus? What are you doing?
Amen.
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