The Palm Sunday Transformation                       

Luke 19:29-40

29When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34They said, “The Lord needs it.” 35Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38saying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!” 39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” 40He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”

Historical Context

Despite headers in Bibles that claim this scene as a “triumphal entry,” Jesus summons an untested colt, trods along as people lay their cloaks on the road, and the crowd eventually breaks out in song—“Blessed is the king, who comes in the name of the Lord”! The symbolic nature of the event would not be lost on its ancient audience. Any messianic figure with a large crowd and (potentially) violent intentions would attract the agents of Rome who were generally stationed nearby during the Passover festivities. But no Roman representatives appear. Rather, a few Pharisees react negatively and beg Jesus to put a stop to the symbolic drama.

Theme: The Palm Sunday Transformation

The ancient city of Jerusalem during the annual Passover festival is a lot like Boston at the time of the Boston Marathon. The city swells with visitors from all over the world.  Every possible room is rented at a premium price. Everyone is out of doors. The visitors and pilgrims are readily identifiable by their clothing and by their manners, and by the bags hanging off their shoulders.

Until this day, the followers of Jesus had been just that: followers, largely passive, reflective. They had traipsed after Jesus all over Palestine. When he declared that the last shall be first, the first last, and the rich poor, they glanced around guardedly to see who was listening. When he kissed lepers and healed those of broken bodies, they whispered in fascinated awe.

But on Palm Sunday, today, a shift occurs, a transformation begins. And the shift? It’s seismic. As they enter Jerusalem, the followers begin to assume the roles of leaders. They walk onto the world stage of a capital city during a great annual festival. For the first time since they have known Jesus, they take up their roles as players and protagonists in the kingdom of God.

It’s our turn now, our turn to show the world what God looks like, to show the world what love looks like, to show the world what it looks like to love your enemies, not only your enemies, but the immigrant and the alien, the stranger, and the other.