Originally, this sermon was to be a two-person sermon with Lisa, our Associate Pastor, and I preaching and walking to visualize the stepping theme of the sermon. We also had intended to have some drumming to give sound to the idea of the crowds walking. If we had done the sermon that way, the content would have been somewhat different. When we gathered with our drummer on Thursday to see how it would fit together, we could not get the drumming, stepping, and preaching to fit together so the sounds, preaching, and walking worked as we wanted. So, we punted to just a regular sermon preached by me.
We have done such a strong emphasis on palm Sunday/Passion the past few years, it felt a like the sermon did not quite do what I wanted it to do for Palm Sunday.
“Final Steps” March 28, 2021; SAPC, Denton; Dr. Richard B. Culp Philippians 2: 5-11; Lenten 2021 series “Postcards from the Wilderness”
Philippians 2: 5-11
Let the same mind be in you that was[a] in Christ Jesus,
6
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
7
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
8
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.
9
Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
10
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Move 1: Lots of people stepping out to see Jesus ride through the streets of Jerusalem.
Lots of people stepping out shouting, "Hosanna, blessed is the one who comes in the one of the Lord”
Lots of people will step out and follow Jesus to Golgotha and see him crucified.
Lots of people will have to decide if their next steps will be to follow Jesus, believing him to be the Messiah, the Son of God, the one sent to save them
Lots of people will have to decide if they want to step away when Christ is crucified when the challenge of following Christ gets difficult.
Move 2: It might be easier if it were just a group decision.
Just do whatever everyone else does.
If the crowd steps out with Christ; so do we.
If the crowd steps away from Christ, we do the same.
But we cannot hide in the crowd. For each person, for you, for me, it is a personal decision.
will your next step be toward Christ, to commit to him, to follow him?
Or, will you turn away from the new challenging places where he is leading you?
Move 3: Our Lenten journey comes to an end as we take these final steps through the figurative wilderness.
Like the Israelites whose final steps in the wilderness led them to the Promised Land (remember, we began Lent with the story of the Israelites crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land), we ponder this week where our final steps in the wilderness lead us.
How have you been changed on your Lenten journey?
As you make your final steps through the wilderness, where will your next steps lead?
Move 4: For me, that is the question that comes with Palm Sunday and Holy Week.
Are we ready to embrace the new life and possibilities God sets before us, or are we overwhelmed, unable to recognize the new path?
how do we summon the courage, or find a reason to go to the new places God sends us.
In part, we remember our Lenten journey.
go back to the stones of Gilgal where we began our Lenten journey.
The stones that are the building blocks of our faith.
Remember the steps we have made in our Lenten journey to explore how those building blocks give us the foundation for discipleship.
Remember the stories when you have stepped out in faith and God has met you there and led you to a new place.
Remember when you have longed for things in the past and cried out for God to provide for you in the moment, and God did.
Remember those stories that reveal how God’s love has shaped you and provided parameters for how you live your life.
Remember those worship experiences where you have been transformed and put on a new path.
those memories give you the confidence to take these final steps in the wilderness and move to the next steps in the new place to which God calls you.
the new places to which God calls us as a congregation.
Move 5: As we make our final steps in the wilderness and look to the next place, what signs might we see that indicate we are headed in the right direction?
a. New life
1. “john says that the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on ‘Palm Sunday’ was a direct reaction to the raising of Lazarus.” He then quotes John 12: 17-19 What Jesus Meant Garry Wills (97)
2. In the Gospel of Mark, the healing of the blind man Bartimaeus just one chapter prior serves a similar purpose.
3. The crowds flocked to Jesus not because of his looks or charismatic personality (well, maybe they did a little), but mostly because Jesus gave them hope and new life.
4.
b. We also have the example of Jesus' emptying himself, or pouring himself out.
1. When we see that next step and it involves giving ourselves over for others, emptying ourselves for their sake,
2. If the focus point is all about you, you may have taken a wrong turn!
c. John is a middle-aged man who seemingly has everything going his way. HE comes from a good family and is in the process of raising a good family. His life seems to be one success story after another. there were of course the occasional setbacks, but by and large, everything seems to have gone his way. In truth, John hasn’t really abused the good fortune that has seemed to smile on him. No one would call him greedy, although he clearly is affluent. No one would call him selfish, although he seems to get everything he wants.
But now his life seems unsettled. There’s some nagging feeling that something is wrong. he’s scared to discuss it with his wife because he doesn’t want to scare her. he loves her and the kids, but something seems to be missing. those closest to him know something is bothering him, but they know he’ll snap out of it. It’s probably just a mid-life crisis. Most men his age go through it, don’t they.
it finally dawns on John what this nagging concern of is, or at least part of it anyway, when he heard the guest speaker at the civic club last week. they had the usual -- a person from Hospice, giving a speech about what they do for cancer patients. A few stories are told and then the pitch for money is given. The typical speech.
but that night something in the speech triggered some soul searching in John. There was something about listening to this person talk about all they received from their volunteer work with cancer patients. As he rode home in the dark, John’s mind began to wander and he began to categorize how he spent his money and where his time went. And perhaps more importantly, what he truly valued in his life. it suddenly began to dawn on him that he had created a wonderful life that revolved around himself and his family. there was nothing particularly wrong he could find, but he seemed to be missing giving to others. he wonders how he could have made all the right choices and still ended up feeling so empty. he wonders what can he do now?
d. it’s lunchtime at a Jr. High someplace. The usual scene is about to play itself out. the mad dash to get the food, eat the food and then have time to talk and play with friends.
Even with the social distancing rules because of the pandemic, the cafeteria is the place to hear the latest gossip; invite your friend over for the weekend; share the latest joke; talk about the latest love of your life.
but as Amanda makes her way through the cafeteria line with her friends and begins to head to the usual table with her friends, out of the corner of her eye she sees Susan. Susan is different than her friends. her friends usually make fun of her. They won’t have anything to do with her, and Amanda usually doesn’t notice her, but today she does.
And her mind races back to the last few Wednesday nights at the youth Zoom meeting. she’s never paid much attention to the fact that Susan is in the youth group. Susan never came very much when they met in person, and she was easy to miss sitting off by herself at the back of the room.
but on Zoom, Amanda sees her face the whole time. she hears her when she speaks.
Amanda might not be able to tell you what the lesson was on Wednesday night, but she knows Susan was there with her on Zoom.
Now Amanda notices Susan sitting there. More than socially distanced. all alone. For some reason, Susan’s presence draws Amanda’s attention. Susan looks up as her eyes meet Amanda’s for a brief second. Somehow these two are connected, but Susan's friends are hurrying her along to their usual seats. Already the usual conversation is beginning to take place. And Amanda wonders what would happen if one day at lunch she went and sat with Susan. not to be friends, really, but just to be nice to her. Amanda wonders what her friends would think about her. how they might react. She goes to her usual seat, but she wonders how different sitting next to Susan would be.
e. The Session is meeting again to consider the future of their beloved Presbyterian Church. The Session takes its responsibilities seriously. As the church faces some serious decisions, the one thing the Session knows for sure, they do not want to make the wrong decision. Some of those ideas being presented tonight are risky. if they chase one of those ideas and it does not work out, it could be a big problem. The church does not need any problems - it’s already hard enough dealing with the changes in the world, people seeming to be less interested in church, and, of course, the last year with the pandemic has been really rough. Shouldn’t they play it safe?
Conclusion: The Israelites took their final steps in the wilderness and looked to their next steps. What would they do as they entered the Promised Land?
We take our final steps of Lent with Easter calling us? Are you ready?
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