Palm Sunday - March Madness

(I preached this sermon today during the Palm Sunday worship celebration at Old Otterein UMC in Baltimore, MD)

Luke 19:28-40

I am an unapologetic sports fan. Football, track and field and basketball are my favorites, although just about any sport will satisfy my appetite. I love the excitement of competition and the cheering of crowds. This is one of my favorite times of year because of what has come to be known as “March Madness” – the annual spring college basketball tournament where there seems to be a never-ending string of games leading to the championship in just a few days.

One of the key characteristics of “March Madness” is that it seems that the excitement builds as the number of teams that remain in the tournament dwindles – from 64 teams at the beginning, down to 32, to the sweet sixteen, to the elite eight, down to the final four, and finally the two that will play to be champions – the excitement builds.

My favorite team – Maryland – and my second favorite – Georgetown – have been eliminated from the tournament this year, but I still love March Madness.

Although there has been debate by scholars as to the exact time of the year that Jesus and the disciples went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival that we know to be the Lord’s last Passover festival – surely the atmosphere was one that was filled with excitement and anticipation as was always the case. It was customary for large numbers of believers to converge on the holy city – and a certain madness filled the air.

Jesus and his disciples were pressing their way to the holy festival, and at the same time pressing toward the Lord’s inevitable time of reckoning which would ultimately lead to his agonizing torture, crucifixion and death. Madness was in the air as Jesus rode on a donkey into Jerusalem and the people in the crowd cut “branches from the trees and spread them in his path,” (Matthew 21:8) and laid down their cloaks (Luke 19:35), and the crowds cheered on the Lord’s arrival – praising God joyfully with shouts of “Hosanna – blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.”

The madness of what we know as Palm Sunday in some respects can be found in paradox of those who would cheer the Lord on this day – and then jeer and cry crucify him in just a few days. Madness is seen in how so many could not understand the work of God in Christ who came not condemn the world – but that through him the world would be saved. Madness is evident in those who were considered his friends – his disciples – who would deny that they had any association with Christ.

These are days when we witness similar madness – and not just in the context of college basketball. We witness the madness of division around health care reform, and immigration reform – the madness of continued racism, classism and other “isms” that divide us – the madness of economic crisis and recession - the madness of abject poverty and too many murders in our city and others (there were 238 murders in Baltimore last year)- the madness of the wars in which our nation continues to engage.

If anything, Palm Sunday affords each of us an opportunity to reflect upon our own discipleship – the ways that we as Christians choose to follow Christ. How is our faith in Christ shaping the way we deal with the madness around us?

Amidst the madness of Palm Sunday, Jesus prepared in just a few days to share one last meal with his disciples – those he had spent many intimate and often dangerous moments with him over the past several years. As they would break bread and share wine together, they would be invited to remember their time together, and God’s mighty acts in Jesus.

What Christ beckons us to is a consistent acknowledgement of the power of his presence in our lives – not just for a season, not merely for the spring-time, but for a lifetime. Indeed it is easy for us to become consumed by the hoopla of the season, and even to be swept up by the madness around us – but what God reminds us of in Christ is that God’s grace abounds through all of life. Through passion, Passover, Palms – God’s grace abounds. With cheers and jeers – indeed God’s grace abounds. With betrayal, disappointment and denial – God’s grace abounds. Even in death on a cross – God’s grace abounds.

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the lamb was spilt.

Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.