“Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in their hearts; there is no fear of God before their eyes. For they flatter themselves in their own eyes that their iniquity cannot be found out and hated. The words of their mouths are mischief and deceit; they have ceased to act wisely and do good. They plot mischief while on their beds; they are set on a way that is not good; they do not reject evil. Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. O continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your salvation to the upright of heart! Do not let the foot of the arrogant tread on me, or the hand of the wicked drive me away. There the evildoers lie prostrate; they are thrust down, unable to rise.” Psalm 36

Verses 5-9 express the heart of the psalm and our grounds for hope. In contrast to doom and gloom, we hear of the G-d’s amazing grace and faithfulness. In contrast to hoping for the demise of our enemies, we hear of G-d’s righteousness which is high as the mountains and deep as the seas (5-6). This amazing grace is not limited to those of the Church — the suggestion here is that this wideness to G-d’s love extends to all peoples. The old hymn has it just right:

There’s a wideness in God’s mercy, like the wideness of the sea; there’s a kindness in God’s justice which is more than liberty.

Believers like to place G-d’s love and mercy and grace in a box — thinking it extends to just certain people. The Psalmist believed that the love and grace of G-d extended to the entire world — whether people recognize that love and grace or not. It is there for all to take hold of — to embrace. As such, our prayer should be like the prayer you will soon pray: “let the virtuous know your goodness and sinners feel your mercy, so that together they may drink from your river of delight.”

PRAYER

Lord God, source of light and life, by the light of your truth let the virtuous know your goodness and sinners feel your mercy, so that together they may drink from your river of delight and rejoice now and ever in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” Matthew 21:1-11

In just a week they will hang Jesus on a cross and nail a sign above his head stating “This is the King of the Jews”. Pilate will ask Jesus “Are you a King?” Jesus will not answer, in so many words. He has avoided the people and their actions to make him their king, and yet here he approaches and rides into Jerusalem in the manner of a King — but in a gesture of peace. And yet, in three and a half years he has modeled what kings are intended to do for their people:

He has healed the broken and restored them to full participation in community.

He has forgiven those who missed the mark of required ethical and religious standards and included them in his new community.

He has raised the dead so as to offer social security to those women who would be destitute by the deaths of the men (Lazarus, Widow of Nain)

He has raised and healed children to break the bondage of bad theology that blamed disease and death on the actions of the parents (Children of Jairus and the Canaanite woman)

He has been inclusive, unconditionally accepting, and unrelentingly restorative through his words and actions.

If his disciples understand nothing else about Jesus, he has at least tried to show them how kings should function – not to live off the backs of those who are at their bidding and who suffer for the fortunes of the king. Instead, Jesus as the king figure has done what he can to make the lives of people better, and to bring those outcasts back into community.

This is the king that comes into Jerusalem – this is the one that receives the “Hosannas”. It is time for Jesus to own up to being the King he was sent to be……

Pastor Dave