Sunday 16 March 2008 PALM SUNDAY Philippians 2:5-11 Bruce

We are each on a journey, from the cradle to the grave, and beyond. Some started this journey a long time ago, and are, perhaps, nearer the end than others. This morning, we in this place find our paths connected and intertwined. And we are invited to connect with another Journey.

We have followed Jesus since the Christmas story told us of the beginning of his journey. Today, we remember when his journey brought him to Jerusalem (Matthew 21). To the casual observer, all is going very well as Jesus receives a hero’s welcome. But we have been paying attention, and we have observed that Jesus has persisted in giving warnings that he will be betrayed, tortured and killed, but that he will rise again on the third day (Matthew 20:17 ff.). During Holy Week we will follow Jesus, meeting him for his Last Supper on Thursday, marvelling at his sacrifice for us on Friday, waiting through cruel silence of Saturday, before rejoicing with abandon on Easter Sunday.

Paul gives his commentary in his letter to the Christians living in the Roman province of Philippi. He says we need to have the same attitude that Jesus had. It appears that the journey that Jesus undertook was even longer and greater than we had imagined. From before time began, and from the splendour of the heavenly presence, Jesus had the nature, the morphe, the very essence of Godhead; in his human life he adopted the nature, the morphe, the very essence of servanthood; the paradox is that to be God is to embrace humility and not grasp for position and worship. He is due it, he is worthy of it, but he does not need it.

The journey continues. He is found in the passing appearance or likeness of humankind; he is obedient in the way that Adam and Eve should have been, the way that we should be, but never are. He travels further into obedience, which leads to death, even the most shameful, degrading death that the people of that age could imagine – a slave’s death, a rebel’s death – on a cross.

I wonder if there was a shocked pause when the Philippian Christians first heard that read out. Where had this journey taken our Lord to?

But there is also the beginning of a wave of optimism, hope and rejoicing as we think about the consequence of Jesus’ love, obedience and humility. The journey continues, but now on an upward curve. Therefore – in direct consequence of the path that Jesus has walked so far – God has highly exalted him. His name is high above every other name. Every knee shall bow, whether of those visible on earth, or those invisible in the unseen but so real heavenlies.

And what will we all confess? That he is Jesus – the one who will save us from our sins. That he is Christos – the Messiah, the deliverer promised through the long ages and now arrived to bring salvation to the whole world. That he is kyrios, the LORD, the name used to refer to YHWH God when translating the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek. Jesus never fought for the status of God, but he is to be recognised every where and every when as one with his Father God.

And as we enter Holy Week, we are called to have the same attitude as Jesus, in our journey here on earth. We are to be humble, obedient, working to build community and allowing God to work through us. We may find ourselves going down into the depths, for all sorts of reasons to do with health, relationships, employment or anything else; but we are confident that we will be lifted up, perhaps in this world, but certainly in the next. We have many opportunities in the services this week to link with others and draw closer to God.

We are each on a journey, from the cradle to the grave, and beyond. Some started this journey a long time ago, and are, perhaps, nearer the end than others. This morning, we in this place find our paths connected and intertwined. And we are invited to connect with another Journey.



QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

God is so great that he is revealed to us in many ways. Which do we find more helpful: Christ revealed as the humble servant, or Christ exalted in glory? Why might that be?
How do we react to the story of the cross? With shame, revulsion, thankfulness, perhaps a mixture of these or other emotions?
How helpful do we find the circle of the church’s year? In what ways, if any, does this come into contact with the journey that we are individually taking?
What are the lessons that the St Michael’s church community, and each of us individually, can learn and put into practice as we follow Jesus on his journey to the cross and beyond?