Journey to the Cross

Before I preach this on Sunday I need to think it out a bit more. As I read the accounts on Jesus' Triumphal entry into Jerusalem and prepare to preach on it this Sunday I can't find too much of a conclusion. But Then I had this thought: That's because its the beginning of Jesus' Journey.

Often, we, as preachers, find ourselves striving to find a major point to take from the text. And If we don't we feel as though we are failing the congregation. But, what about failing scripture. We fail scripture when we read INTO scripture. Sometimes there isn't a profound statement at all.

Maybe the profoundness in this Palm Sunday event is simple: Will we follow Jesus to Jerusalem? Weird right? Jesus is coming to the great city of Jerusalem and people are expecting him to take the throne to be King. Ironically, Jesus shows up on a foal of a donkey, not a powerful horse. The Jews were wrong, right? Well partly, maybe their timing was a bit off. I am still waiting for my coming King to take the throne!

This ironic story ends with no conclusion. In Luke we find Jesus weeping as he comes to Jerusalem for the people with no resolution. In Matthew the story ends abruptly by answering who this person is, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee." Mark ends it with "Hosanna." Clearly, this not the end of the story. It's the beginning of the climax of Jesus' purpose: The cross.

The simple, profound question for us is this: Will we take this life taking journey with him. Do we have what it takes to go into Jerusalem, be abandoned by our own people, beaten, and left to die? This is the journey, can we take up our crosses and follow him?