Palm Sunday Revolution

On Palm Sunday we are confronted by the revelation of King Jesus as he begins the revolution. An eternal revolution as the Kingdom of God takes form in the world. The mission of Jesus comes to a climax. The world holds its breath. The dark powers of the world are confronted, exposed and broken by the love of Jesus. Here, this week, we see the Kingdom of God proclaim it’s victory.

The Palm Sunday Revolution of The Kingdom of God

The deep irony of the Kingdom of God confronts the powers of this world. It undercuts their dignity and their demands for respect. The horses, limos, and jet planes of world leaders are revealed for the vain and empty trash that they are. The true King of the universe rides on a donkey.

Here comes the king! His feet trailing in the dirt, his soldiers dressed in rags. This King’s procession is a rag-tag bunch of sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors, imperial collaborators, freedom fighters, thiefs, and the unwanted. Jesus makes a mockery of both the Roman triumph and the Maccabean royal entry into the sacred city.

The Kingdom of God is the weak and the suffering, not palaces, banks, stock exchanges, penthouses or golden ballrooms. The rejected and despised are the ones who recognise Jesus for who he is. Even if they had not seen him, the stones would have shouted out in praise of their maker. He who came to take up his throne.

Kingdom of the Broken and Weak

Because that is what all of this is about. The entry to Jerusalem, the events of holy week, the agony in the garden and the death and resurrection of Jesus, is his coronation.

It is a kingdom rooted not in power but in salvation. Not in oppression but in liberation. The crowd cry out “Hosannah!” Which means “Save us!” They cried out to their Messiah to save them from the Roman oppression. Jesus knows what they do not. That he has come to save them and set them free, but from something darker and more powerful than even the Roman Emperor.

Palm Sunday Revolution – Liberation of the Captives

The Liberation that God offers is explained through Holy Week. As Jesus gathers his disciples and makes his entry in Jerusalem he is laying down the gauntlet. The final confrontation between himself and the dark powers of this world, exemplified in the Sanhedrin and in Pontius Pilate, will come to a head. Jesus is daring them to do their worst.

On Palm Sunday, the Kingdom of God is close at hand. It is the day which announces the revolution of God has begun.

If you want to keep up to date, sign up to My Theology Corner Newsletter for a weekly lite-bite theology hit. Get short-form reflections from topics on the main blog and or on other interesting topics from that week.

https://chrisbutton.substack.com

If You Enjoyed This, Try These Similar Posts…