A Life of Hope

Title: Living in Hope
Date: 02042023
Preacher: Dn Keng Wan Ling

Preamble:
Good morning brothers and sister!
“How are you? How’s life? Would you say “same old, same old?” If you look on the screen, “same old, same old” is one of the stages listed. These are possible stages in a story:
1. Status quo/normal life (“same old, same old”)
2. Approaching a crisis/rising action
3. Crisis/Epiphany/Dark Night of the Soul
4. Climax/Resolution/Transformation
5. Return to a new normal status
In today’s sermon, I will use some of these stages to frame our discussion. As I read an extract of today’s passage, see if you can identify where it might sit on the plot structure.
Palm Sunday Passage: :
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna[b] to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[c] “Hosanna[d] in the highest heaven!” 10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Context
Our passage today is a part of a story- a very pivotal part!
The stages we saw earlier are drawn from a classic plot structure. Think- Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, any superhero movie. The protagonist (the main character) will normally start from “normal life”, but there would be catalyst that leads him or her on a quest or journey. Along the way, he makes allies, friends, and encounters enemies. The action escalates until things get very bad, and he/she hits rock bottom (the Dark Night of the Soul). Then there is some big pivotal action scene, or some confrontation and our hero of the story rises up to WIN THE DAY and all is resolved!
For today’s passage- where would it fit into the plot structure?
- To us: We know, with the benefit of hindsight being 20/20, that incident triggers a series of events, that result in Jesus being crucified.
- To the crowds: They do not have the benefit of history. But they certainly have this feeling that SOMETHING IS UP! (Jerusalem is “all shook up” “the city was all stirred up”) they can feel something is in the air, they think, maybe some kind of coup will happen.
In the passage, Matthew uses the words “eseisthe” (from which we get “seismology”—the study of earthquakes) . Matthew is saying that Jerusalem is “all shook up.” [1]
Linking to the text:
When we say Jerusalem was “stirred up”, it’s not all positive. There’ a hint of Jesus’ enemies lurking in the background—angry (v. 14)—preparing to challenge Jesus’ authority (v. 23)—planning to entrap him with trick questions (22:15-40)—plotting to kill him (26:1-5). There were different types of reception:
a) Those who welcomed him (largely outside Judea [2])
b) Those who questioned him (inside Jerusalem, mostly the people of the city)
 I would like to use the 2 types of people as analogies for our sermon today. Christ has come, how are we receiving Him?
In our passage today, those who welcomed him a) lay down cloaks and branches, b) Shouted in welcome “Hosanna”…
a) Laying down cloaks and branches
This is an act of homage. Examples:
 Old Testament 2 Kings9:13–14. When Jehu, told God anointed him as the king over Israel, quickly, each man took his garment and put it under Jehu on the bare steps. Then they blew the ram’s horn and proclaimed, “Jehu is king!”
 The flower girl spreads flower petals on the runner as a sign of honour and respect to the bride
 The red-carpet treatment
Are you willing to get your “cloak” dirty for God?
Are you willing to mess up your plans for God? Get your timeline out of whack- maybe you thought by a certain age you would hit a career milestone, get married, have your own place, have 2 children.
Maybe you think you’re just an ordinary person, that you don’t really have much to give. “Let those who have more contribute more?” The example of the widow with her 2 pennies. Is the verse really alive for you- that in my weakness, God will be made strong?
b) Shout to welcome him
In my mind, I imagine that the people cut branches down not only to lay on the floor, but also to wave as symbols of victory and joy. The idea of cutting down branches is associated with the Feast of Tabernacles, one of 3 Jewish feasts that required them to return to Jerusalem, to remember their safe passage out of Egypt, and also to give thanks for the harvest. In modern day, this festival is still celebrated it’s called “Sukkot” (booths/huts)- and the modern Jews celebrate it by building a tent of sorts, with agricultural symbols, and celebrating it like that.
 Both of these acts are very public act of acknowledgement and adoration!
In our lifes, what is God calling you to lay down for Him? What and how is God opening up for you to life His name high? For some of you, God may already be speaking to you about how he wants you to move.
For others, one starting point I suggest is your online activities. If you’re into social media- think about curating what media you consume. If you’re a gamer or involved in online communities- well, pray and show concern for your online friends- and make it known that you follow Christ. If you’re venturing into the meta-verse (for work or in your personal life), be the salt and the light even in that digital space. You carry Christ wherever you go, claim the digital space for our God too!
Not everybody welcomed Jesus coming into Jerusalem. I imagine many mocked or rejected him, not thinking Him worthy of their time and effort to cloaks or branches or shouts of Hosanna.
I am going to leave aside those who are malicious or actively plotting against him; I wish to speak to those who may have thought of themselves as neutral, preferring to “stay on the fence”. They might not have wished Jesus DEAD, but in no way would be on “Team Jesus”. There is no neutral with Jesus, “if you’re not for me, you are against me.”
Why are this group of people holding back?
I think they fear being disappointed. They think, “Oh another one. This new one will just burn out, just like the rest. No big deal.” And they are not wrong. Jesus must have certainly disappointed many people when He died on the Cross. Our God does not do WHAT you want, WHEN you want.
There’s a meme: What I do. The Jesus version: What I did (enter Jerusalem on a donkey); what the Jews thought I would do (lead a military coup, establish a Jewish nation), and… what do YOU think Jesus will do (blank? Question mark…). [Would it be like the final battle scene in the Marvel movie, Endgame? ]
Delving into Disappointment
I don’t know if you’ve been disappointed by God, with God.
• I’m afraid I have bad news for you- I think at point, God will disappoint you. You will surely have expectations of Him that are not fulfilled. We have a movie in our mind that is wonderful, but… God doesn’t seem to know His part, His lines… the movie doesn’t play out in real life.
• This is made worse because you may be surprised at your negative emotions towards God, and trying to think positively.
• For others, we are afraid to be disappointed. So we are cynical, critical, never fully engaged, not daring to dream too much, telling yourself to expect the worst.
Brene Brown says- disappointment is like a paper-cut; painful but not long lasting. But enough cuts can damage your spirit and the relationship.
How do we deal with continuing with a God that will eventually disappoint us? Worse still, how do we evangelize and tell others about such a God?

Philip Yancey’s book, “Disappointment with God”, outlines the 3 broad areas for this: that God is unfair, that He is silent, or He is hidden. It’s worth reading for his perspectives, although his conclusion may or may not satisfy you.

I like to think about hope and faith as capacities. In the same way you an train your lung capacity with breathing exercises, I think we can train our faith- it is exercised and grows through trials and trusting in God.
 
How do we build the capacity for HOPE?
• It can be useful have reminders- weekly sermons, bible study, cell group discussion, BSF. Part of weekly service is to remind us- we of such short memories- of God’s goodness, to call us to worship, that we are sinners but forgiven etc.
• However- for me… disappointment, boredom, frustration, sadness, - these are all emotions; and to address emotions, we must speak to the heart.
So beyond teachings- allow your mind, spirit and soul to connect with God. Through songs and poems and drawings, and dance, and visions. Because the theoretical knowledge of who Jesus is, won’t be enough to move you, to lay your cloaks, to cut down branches, to wave them, to call out Hosanna.
May I invite you brothers and sisters, to build capacity for HOPE together this morning through song.
A reminder that Hosanna has 2 meanings:
- Praise God for the one who saves us (cries of thanksgiving) AND
- Save us, please we pray (Psalm 118)- pray for salvation.
(Worship team, please come up). My chosen response song to end the sermon with is a cry for help for this broken world, a plead for God to please, save us!!! https://youtu.be/6FEuAr8f6bo
Ending prayer: God says: - Be patient, do not forsake me. It’s coming. I am coming. Do not forget me, I have not forsaken you. Do not lose hope. Do not make me smaller to fit your idea of me.
(optional ending: Are we living as if Christ had not come? He who inhabits our body, our lives, are we treating him like a tenant, only allowed to come and go certain areas, at certain times, instead of a guest who’s honored and has free reign of the premises? He says- I stand and the door and knock. I’m not here to rent, I’m here for good. )

[1] Matthew uses this word 2 other times - when the earth shook at Jesus’ death (27:51) and when a great earthquake preceded Jesus’ resurrection (28:2).
[2] mostly Galileans, according to France, 5,7, 773

Bilingual Service Video Link: https://youtu.be/--UvpkBtQOo