Crowds, Friends and Critics

This Sunday (13th April), the Christian church around the world will gather together and most probably mention an event in the life of Jesus that is written about in all four of the Gospel accounts. After approximately three years of public ministry, Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem. Approaching the climax of the earthly mission, he sent some disciples ahead to get the colt that was tied up and had never been ridden. In fulfilment of the words of the prophet Zechariah roughly 500 years before, he strides into the ancient city on the donkey:

"Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

Now I’m sure you’ve all heard a considerable number of sermons, heard different teaching, or even read book or two about Palm Sunday, maybe you’ve even delivered a few sermons yourself. For this reflection I’d like us to consider the different groups we find around Jesus during this moment. Where might you find yourself if you’re placed into the story? As usual, I can imagine different parts of us, of our lives, that connect and resonate with different characters and themes evident in each Bible story. The old adage comes into play here, sometimes we read the Bible, but mostly the Bible reads us!

Let’s start with the crowd. Jesus had been creating quite a stir in recent days, weeks, months and years. There was a buzz in the city, always was at a festival time. The road into Jerusalem from Bethany was busy with people walking to and from the city. When they saw the disciples walking into town with Jesus the Nazarene sitting on top of a donkey, they stopped, mouths open with wonder. There are rumours he is the Messiah. Noise and excitement begin to swell. Spreading their cloaks on the road before him, an honour for a king. Waving palm branches and laying them down also, palms being a symbol of joy, harvest and victory, particularly a spiritual victory. They shouted cries of Hosanna, salvation has come. I wonder how many of them meant it, truly knew what they were saying? How many were swept up in the energy of the crowd?

But perhaps more importantly, how many would be shouting crucify him in a week’s time? How many would once again be swept up in the energy of the crowd without really slowing down long enough to consider the implications of what they were saying and doing? How many would later walk away from a darkened hill outside the city boundary, holding their head down, wondering what on earth has just happened, and what did they do?

It’s really easy to follow the mob, to get swept up. The challenge for the followers of Jesus is how to navigate societal changes and cultures whilst remaining true to Jesus’ teaching, true to his message, remaining true to the one we love in the face of overwhelming temptations, distractions and other paths and people to follow. The challenge is to grow into people of conviction and resilience whilst remaining life-long learners willing to mature and grow. We must remain sensitive, merciful, loving, forgiving and gracious to a hurting and broken world. The challenge is not to become jaded and cynical by the news stories and the realities of our time; not to engage with cancel culture, gossip and unhealthy demeaning chat; not to be swept along by the tides of polarisation, tossed and turned by waves of public opinion.

The letter to the Romans reminds us - Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. (12:2 Message).

How might you relate to the crowd in your life today?

The second group are the disciples, the friends of Jesus. Ideally, this is where we all should be, where we desire to be, and hopefully where we all are at this stage in our lives. Jesus began his ministry life with this group when he invited them to be followers and students. He would be their Rabbi. Along the way, he teaches them that they are in fact sons and daughters too, with him under God their father. He also shows them how to be servants, to be humble with each other and all who they meet. And then, at the crucial part of the story, in the quiet intimacy of a shared meal, he calls them his friends. What joy this must have been! A few years ago, these men were looking at a lifetime of fishing or tax-collecting, or whatever other trades they had. And now they sat at the feet of the One they called Messiah and Rabbi, and he called them friends.

These men and women walked into Jerusalem as friends of the Messiah, the Saviour and restorer of all life, the one through who all things were made, as he travels on a bone-shaking donkey ride. The white horse would be the usual mode of transport for royalty in his day. We hear more about that later in Revelation, but for now the humble donkey is the way.

Do you know Jesus as friend? The invitation remains open to us as followers of Jesus today. You may know him as your Saviour, as King even; you may regularly read the Gospel accounts of this man who is God; you may be inspired and seek to follow what he says; you may even sing songs about him or talk to him from time to time. But do you know him as a friend, deep union and companionship with a shared heart? We’re invited into something altogether transcendent and holy, a sacred friendship and what is often called The Divine Dance of Father, Son and Spirit, do you dance with them as a friend?

Our third group are the critics. We could say these were the religious elite, the Pharisees, Sadducees, perhaps even the Essenes and the Zealots. Sceptics who see not the promised Messiah that they have been waiting for, but a heretic and a troublemaker. They are worried about Jesus’ teaching, but they also understand the crowd and they worry about the tide of public opinion. For now, the crowd love Jesus, and the crowd must be silenced. The critics of Jesus are so stuck in old their ways, hold so firm to their teachings, traditions, ceremonies and laws that they can’t see God-incarnate walking around in front of them. Their struggle is to hold onto the life, status and power that they currently possess. Jesus is a heretic, he has upstaged them with public healings, miracles and teaching that is somewhat contrary to theirs. He has exposed them on several occasions by now, he has amassed quite a following. They have an agenda, they have ‘right doctrine’ to protect, they have a way of life for all Jews to uphold, and this carpenter is seriously messing with that.

And we all know how far they were willing to go.

How do you relate to these critics? How do you respond when someone comes with a different view of the Kingdom; of God or of Jesus; or maybe a different theology on the atonement? Are you willing to sit and listen, or do they need to be shut down before they cause too much chaos to the loyal flock? Perhaps within your home, ministry or church you hold a certain degree of control and influence that you’d love to keep hold of, how do you navigate that? Do you grip it tightly, unwilling to learn or budge in any way, or is there a student within you still, willing to be stretched, to learn and to grow? Critics all too often act as gatekeepers, marking the way to holiness and to God. In truth there can be only one gate and only one shepherd, and that is Jesus.

This Palm Sunday, immerse yourself into this narrative, allow the story to read you. Where do you find yourself? How does Jesus arrive in Jerusalem for you? Like a friend, like a hero, like a humble King?

Or do you let the opinions, the theology or the views of the crowd shape how you experience Jesus? Do you follow the general consensus this week and then next…..well whatever that brings you’ll consider?

Or does criticism or even cynicism shade and shape your experiences of Jesus? Do you hold fast to traditions, laws and your comfortable ways of doing things that you’re unable to see and hear the new song that God is singing?

Enjoy this Palm Sunday. I hope that whatever is stirring in your heart, you wave a palm and shout Hosanna……and then keep shouting Hosanna week after week after week.

Jon Timms

Director, Scotland and Northern England