“This is the generation of them that seek him; even of them that seek thy face, O God of Jacob” (Psalm 24:6, BCP)

  When I first read that verse, in preparation for Morning Prayer, I was struck to the heart. It is surely true. We yearn for our God to save us. From the pain, the sorrow, the injustice, and the confusion of this world. We cry out “help us, please!”

  This would have been much the same thing felt by those in Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday. For the prophets had been silent for 400 years… 400 years. We who are apt to grow doubtful if God has us wait 400 minutes, let us alone 400 days. We cannot fathom faithfully waiting for God for 400 years.

  For this reason, we can understand with what joy, what excitement, they must have finally felt at seeing the long-awaited Messiah. The anointed one. Their hope. Who would set up an everlasting kingdom.

  And Jesus of Nazareth appeared in every wise to be him. If not by His miracles (which they had heard of) or by His preaching (which they were told), then because he came just as foretold 500 years before by the prophet Zachariah:

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, thy King cometh unto thee! He is just and having salvation, lowly, and riding upon an ass and upon a colt, the foal of an ass.” (Zechariah 9:9)

  Which is just what He rode as He entered Jerusalem to the people’s prayer and praise. They laid palm leaves at His feet. Palm leaves had been a sign of kingship since the time of King David. Jesus Christ entered triumphantly. The people compelled to cry out:

“And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:

Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.” (Mark 10:10)

  They thought He was a King like David, who would conquer their enemies. Avenging their people by the sword. Their people who had been in bondage to one empire or another for so long. And so, they cried out with gladness.

  He had brought a sword, but it was not a sword of metal. No, it was much stronger. His sword was the Word of God.

  Teaching them and offering them the promises of God, God who is always faithful.  For he was here to truly save them. Reminding all hearers to:

“Fear not them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul” (Matthew 10:28)

But the people seeing He was not a King like they had expected, would again cry out. But this time saying:

          “Let him be crucified” (Matthew 27:22)

  It has become a passing event for many, but at the time crucifixion was considered the most terrible and shameful way to die. It was the death of a slave and a blot on all those associated with it.

  It was a death of suffering and agony.

  Yet, the Son of God not only died one of the most excruciating deaths imaginable. One that came to fruition by slow suffocation from His own weight. Pain would have stretched throughout every limb, as he had been so badly bruised, torn, and broken. But on top of this we must remember what else He bore on that day, according to St. Peter:

“[Jesus] Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24)

  He bore our pain.

  He bore our guilt, so we must ask, “How could those same people that praised Him on the first Palm Sunday, turn so far from Him to call for His death, not one week later?”

  We should know, for do we not do the same? When we suffer. When what we want does not come to about as we planned.

  Are not we angry or confused or upset with God?

  But so is the mercy of God. For even though we turn away and reject Him, choosing ourselves over Him. God, when we chose ourselves, He chose us and gave Himself for us.

  To suffer in our place.

 

  Yes, this generation seeks the Lord, but I tell you the truth, never forget that Jesus Christ seeks us. Each one of us. If you are hearing these words, then He is calling to you.

  Not because He needs us, but because He loves us.

  He loves us more than we can even understand.

  For Jesus Christ thought it not a shame, being equal with the Father, to be made flesh and to suffer for our wrongs. Because our God wants more for us than we could ever want for ourselves, and so He gave to us what we could not give.

  It was a gift undeserved, and more immense than we could have ever hoped for.

  He has given Himself for us, let us now give ourselves for Him, all the days of our life.

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Deacon Nick Acker