Luke 19:39-40

            Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"

            "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

 

 

            According to the dictionary, a “paradox” is “a statement that appears to contradict itself or be contrary to common sense but that may be true.” 

 

            There was a little girl who was lost in a big city.  As she sat weeping on the street, a policeman came to her side.  “Are you lost?” he asked.  “Yes,” she replied.  “Can I help you?” he continued.  “What can you tell me about where you live?  Do you live near a store or a school?”  “No,” she continued to cry.  “Do you live near a park?”  She kept on sobbing.  “Do you live near a church?”  Her eyes brightened, “Yes, I live near a church.  It has a cross on top.  Take me to the cross and I will be home.” 

 

            We can smile as we understand the ultimate truth in the little girl’s statement.   The obvious paradox here is how can an instrument of death in this world be home?

 

            Today, Palm Sunday, takes us from one moment to the next in Jesus’ last week entering his suffering, death and resurrection.  All of this stands in opposition to how we think from day to day how things should be accomplished in life.  All of this contradicts the rules in this world, both natural and political and social. 

 

            The Pharisees and leaders of the Temple have already decided to set a trap for Jesus and eliminate him from the people.  They wanted to get him out of the way.  They recognized his great popularity with the people. They planned to use the Roman governor to move the blame from themselves to secure and improve their own standing and position of power with the people.  Maybe this would even result in the overthrow of that oppressive occupation and restore Israel to its prominence not seen since David and Solomon.

 

            On Sunday the people were welcoming Jesus.  Cheering his arrival, many were hoping to make him their king.  They recognized him as the Son of David.  This Jesus of Nazareth spoke with authority that was beyond any they knew, including the prophets and even the late John the Baptist.  He healed diseases, even the incurable leprosy.  He strengthened crippled legs and gave sight and hearing and speech to those who had none.  He dispelled evil spirits from those possessed.  He fed thousands miraculously from an individual’s lunch and had raised no less than three persons from the dead.  He was so perfect and good he appeared to be the natural leader to follow.  He was so perfect and good others wanted to eliminate him entirely.

 

            It is interesting here, that the Pharisees recognized that they had no power over Jesus’ followers as they commanded Jesus to rebuke his disciples.  Jesus answered that if the people were quiet, even the stones would cry out.  How can stones cry out? 

 

            Later that week, Jesus would not let others defend him as he commanded Peter and the disciples to put down their swords in Gethsemane.  Later that week, Jesus would stand mute to his accusers before three different courts.  Later that week, Jesus would only say words that others would use to convict and kill him.  Later that week, today’s cries to exalt him would call for his crucifixion and to seal and guard his tomb to guarantee that there would be no resurrection scene.   It doesn’t sound like any stones crying out here.  But that unjust death and hurried burial would exalt him higher than any glory those lining his way today could even begin to imagine.

 

            Today, almost two thousand years later, people throughout the world sing “Hosanna to the Son of David.”  Today, almost two thousand years later, people call him Lord and King.  Today, almost two thousand years later, people carry palms in one hand and a cross in the other, praising God with both and praising God because of both. 

 

            The great paradox here is submission overcomes power and authority.  Serving others overcomes the hierarchical structure of this world of economics, political and military power.  Taking nothing for oneself overcomes consolidating power and authority in one camp or the other.  The great paradox here is that one man overcame and accomplished for all what all people on earth together cannot overcome and accomplish for just one.  The great paradox here is that today we celebrate the death of Jesus.  The great paradox today is that because of his death and resurrection, we celebrate the earthly death of loved ones who believe in him.  The great paradox here is that death overcomes death. 

 

            God promised, in Isaiah, the price he himself would pay to buy you, his dear children, back from the helpless condition in which you live in your sinful self.  Paul reflected back on the fulfillment of this promise.  Jesus willingly emptied himself out, he left nothing behind as even his clothes were tossed away in a spiteful game of chance. 

 

            Jesus states the great paradox that no matter what we do, God is going to prevail and make his glory known throughout the earth.  The statement in faith that Jesus is the savior is a statement that not even the gates of Hell can prevail.  [Matthew 16:18]   Bribing guards not to speak of the resurrection failed to keep their witness from the ears of others.  Purposeful and approved persecution has never stopped the Gospel from being spread throughout all parts of this earth and in all circumstances.  Stephen was stoned but the followers in Jerusalem grew.   Paul and the disciples were beaten and put in chains.  All of the disciples excepting John were presumably put to martyr’s deaths, but the church grew and many more evangelists went out and went out and went out.

 

            Throughout time and still today there continue conscious efforts by many today to curtail this message of God’s love for all in his one and only Son.  But the Gospel continues being proclaimed in every corner of the world today.  It is as if even rocks cry out. 

 

            The great paradox today is that although we celebrate Jesus’ death, we are not a death society.  We are a life society.  We are a resurrection society.  And today we can sing “Hosanna to the Son of David” because Jesus is our king, our savior, our brother, and will come to take us to be with him in his glory at the right hand of God.  Amen.