April 1, 2012 Mark 11: 1-11 NRSV

April 1, 2012

Mark 11: 1-11 NRSV

When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them,

“Go into the village ahead of you,

and immediately as you enter it,

you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden;

untie it and bring it. 

If anyone says to you,

‘Why are you doing this?’

 just say this,

‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’” 

They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street.

As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them,

“What are you doing, untying the colt?” 

They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. 

Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. 

Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. 

Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,
     “Hosanna!
          Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
          Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!
          Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

Psalm 118 1-2, 19-20 NRSV

   O give thanks to the LORD, for the Lord is good;
     the Lord’s  steadfast love endures for ever!

    Let Israel say,
          “The Lord’s steadfast love endures for ever.”

  Open to me the gates of righteousness,
          that I may enter through them
          and give thanks to the LORD.

  This is the gate of the LORD;
          the righteous shall enter through it.

Mark 14: 12 – 17 NRSV

On the first day of Unleavened Bread,

when the Passover lamb is sacrificed,

his disciples said to him,

“Where do you want us to go

 and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?” 

So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them,

 “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you;

follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house,

‘The Teacher asks,

‘Where is my guest room

where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 

He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready.

Make preparations for us there.” 

So the disciples set out and went to the city,

and found everything as he had told them;

 and they prepared the Passover meal.

When it was evening, he came with the twelve. 

***

These Mark scriptures are amazing. Stories we know so well: the first scripture celebrated each year as Palm Sunday, the second celebrated each month as The Lord’s Supper. These scriptures make an indelible mark on our faith.

I remember as a child waving palm branches entering worship. I used to think it was my birthday parade since they often fell on the same day. I remember as child, gathered around the communion table adults handing me tiny cups of juice. I also remember making faces because I don’t like grape juice. Either way, birthday palms or yucky grape juice the scriptures of Palm Sunday, and of the Lord’s Supper stuck with me.

Now as an adult, they are still amazing scriptures, people laying down their cloth for Jesus to ride over, people shouting in the street, palm fronds waving in the air, Jesus riding toward his death and resurrection, Jesus in the upper room, Jesus breaking bread, the cock crowing, the sleepy disciples, the cross, and the empty tomb. This is the week where the scripture slows down and details the story of our faith. It is a Holy Week, and I encourage you to read the rest of Mark, because as amazing as all these texts are, and as much as they preach themselves, I will not be reading them all. I will not read them all because what caught my eye was not their climatic storyline, but the rising action.

What caught me were the moments in the beginning of the scriptures where Jesus was setting up what was to come. I am amazed at Jesus telling the disciples what will happen before it does. “You will find colt,” he says, and a colt they find.” “You will meet a man carrying a jar of water,” he says, and a man carrying a jar of water they meet. It’s like a little magic trick that leaves me wondering, ‘How did he do that?’ Did Jesus scout out the colt beforehand? Did he talk with the house owner, and together conspire to have the man with the jug of water be the sign? Or was this one of Jesus’ beyond human power moments, where the God part shows through, where the magic really is magic and not a trick at all. I want to know the secret. I’m stumped.

I’m even more stumped because it is not only the colt, and the man with jar that Jesus knows beforehand, it is the cock crowing; it is his violent death; it is his resurrection. Jesus knows the secret. Jesus is preparing for the secret. His ride into town fulfills a prophecy; the bread and the wine foreshadow a destiny. Jesus is preparing for what is to come. Jesus gives his disciples directions for this preparation. I ask are we prepared?

The palms are laid down, but have we shouted at the top of our lungs, ‘Hosanna?’ During this time of Lent have we been able to make Christ our king? We have given our offerings but what precious perfume have we prepared to wash Jesus’ feet? We have gathered together but have we found a room for Maundy Thursday’s Last Supper. The sanctuary is spotless but are we ready to see the stain of blood come Good Friday. We have prayed like warriors, but can we stay awake and hold vigil on Saturday? Are we ready for Sunday? Will only see an empty tomb, or are we ready to see the Lord clothed in white?

We have one week. Nothing can be skipped over. We have no idea how Jesus will work his magic, but we must follow his directions. What colt have you been sent to fetch; what man with a jar have you been told to meet? You, unlike the disciples, at least know the end of the story; you know how the tick turns out. Let us prepare in everyway we know, so we might behold the magic of the power and glory of Jesus, the Christ. Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna!