Don't Miss Moments - Week 6 - St. Peter - Pastor Bill Monday
Don't Miss Moments
Week 6 - St. Peter
Pastor Bill Monday
Welcome back to our last message in a series that I found a lot of encouragement with the. Don't miss moments of Jesus Ministries. So, if you haven't had a chance maybe in a while to see those messages, or this is Nu T. I would encourage with this week go and revisit some of the highlights amazing moments Jesus ministry, you're so practical for us. All today is another one of those this highlight this moment where Jesus comes in. It of Prophecy to deliver God's people, from her greatest of enemies sin, death, and the devil. This is that week. We observed that and by week's end. He truly conquers in the fight and rises from the dad's. All of that begins today with that, before we jump into Luke's gospel, which will be the textbook consideration chapter 19 and following when we open up a prayer. That's correct.
Sanctify Us by the truth. Oh, lord. Your word is truth, man.
I don't know if it was because of March Madness and the NCAA basketball tournament, but I was thinking a lot about mascots and maybe it was because of st. Peter's, not this Saint Peter, but the other Saint Peter's. I guess there's a lot of out there, but the one out east from Jersey City. St. Peter's Peacocks. Remember Cinderella team. That went pretty far into the bracket for the tournament. They're kind of amazed everybody and they want, it was amazed about what st. Peters.
That their mascot is a peacock. Okay, not very intimidating. And I was wondering, what did they pick the peacocks? Because maybe they're looking for a lot of color choices for their uniforms. I mean, I guess that they got that going for them. But why? So like any of us, I searched Google. That's where we find so many answers and this is what I found back in the 1930s. Saint Peter's a Catholic institution. So that made sense was restored and the dean of students thought maybe we should pick an animal.
That's known in the area. And Jersey City apparently is the city of peacocks. So they made their mascot the peacocks, simple as that. I guess it dawned on me that mascots aren't always the most intimidating preachers. Sometimes they're picked because of Heritage or history because you know that very well being in the land of the Green Bay Packers, right? Why the Packers, you know the story?
I Curly Lambeau, I heard him back in 1919. He was forming this. This team is football team and they needed new jerseys and they needed a place to practice into play. So he went to his boss at the Acme, Packing Company in Green Bay and said, would you buy her Jersey Sports? Can we use your Athletic Field here? And he said, sure and therefore Lambeau names his team. The Packers because I was wondering like is that is that an intimidating thing seeing people just packing things is that history Heritage that's there and it's not just sports teams Nations, right? Our country. We have a mascot, the USA. What's our mascot?
The bald eagle. I kind of like that one. So, okay, the bald eagle and as opposed to, maybe Russia in the news and not for good reasons as of late, but Russia's mascots. The bear bear. Did, you know, there's actually a country in Africa, Mauritius Africa that has the mascot of the dodo bird. A flightless extinct bird. I don't know if that's it bodes. Well for a country that that's their mascot, but but that was where the dodo bird inhabited in the jungle. I don't I don't even know that's my the dodo birds from I guess. So mascots are kind of interesting. Now what I'm not just here to throw weird thoughts and history, nuggets of history and true that you that I have a purpose.
I was thinking back to our last series. Him, Jesus, right? So, if we were to have a mascot 14, Jesus, what would we pick even today? This don't want to miss moment in Jesus ministry. This is where users in his kingdom. So it's not just a team that we're on. This is a kingdom where about so what kind of mascot what kind of mascot should we have been going to Jesus team? Being a part of his kingdom. There was out of that. I got a few ideas.
Maybe maybe is a we're thinking about a mascot. We could adopt maybe thought about a lion. Anybody think about a lion. Yeah, my the only one thinking mascots may be okay. Just hang with me. So how about a lion, the lion of the tribe of Judah? That was a prophecy in the beginning of the Bible. That one would come from one of the 12 tribes Judah. He would be the king of kings. He would be the lion of the tribe of Judah. This actually, we visited at the end of the Bible in Revelation Jesus.
Being accomplished. All things. He is called The Lion of the tribe of Judah. In part from the Detroit Lions being, you know, the lions lions, not a bad mascot. Is it pretty Fierce intimidating? The king of the jungle would go with that. Well, how about maybe the lamb? It's not an intimidating creature. But I mean, hey, if somebody can have the peacocks, why can't we have the lamb? Anything about it? Jesus ministry, the very beginning? He was called the Lamb of God, who will take away the sin of the world. At the end of this week. We're actually going to be celebrating that fulfillment Jesus on the cross as the Lamb of God, bleeding dying sacrificed. So the angel of death passes over us.
Lambs, not a bad mascot. But that's not where I'm going today. I thought, maybe I'd ask you this first question, if you're filling in the blanks. Anyway, think a donkey would be a fitting mascot for Jesus, Reyna anybody. Okay, good, maybe one or two good. Well, that's going to be my job today is to try to convince you. Why a donkey actually for our time, and purpose might be a good mascot which would be weird and rare.
I actually looked at up to Janome schools in the USA, have a donkey as a mascot.
I found 11 from Bray, Oklahoma. Hey, that's what donkeys do they Brazil? Hey, the schools like let's be the donkey's. That's pretty much it. I think there is another organization a political group, right? It has a donkey as a mascot that the Democratic party. So I looked at up to was like, well, why would they pick a donkey? It's not the most amazing of mascots turns out. Maybe I'm giving you a lot of history today. Andrew Jackson, kind of the founding father of the democratic party when he was running for office. His opponent called him a donkey.
The Jack but you know, so call them that. And Andrew Jackson kind of liked it. He thought it was funny. So he said, okay. And I'll be the donkey anyone and he became famous and his supporters adopted, that seem simple. But other than that, nobody takes a mascot for donkey. So, why would we? Well, we're going to go right into Luke's gospel and see if Luke The Inspired writer, can kind of convince us.
Donkey is actually a pretty cool countercultural mascot, which this world needs. Let's take a look Luke in his gospel. That chapter 19 beginning at verse 28. I'll read that for us. This is after Jesus had said this, he told a story about how unique and different, his kingdom is a parable after he told that parable, he went on ahead going up to Jerusalem as he approached Beth the G and Bethany. Those are two little towns. Are they all called the Mount of Olives? He said to disciples, saying to them, go to the Village ahead of you. And as you enter it, you will find a Colt tied there. So, cold is kind of like a baby horse or
Your mule and which no one has ever ridden and It and bring it here. Now, in John's gospel. We find out that it's important, the choice of animal. Jesus would choose here. And it was actually a young donkey that colt and the reason is why I shared with you in our opening lesson from Zechariah hundred years of before, Zechariah, the prophet prophesied about the needed King. Who would come from God for us. That prophecy reads this way Rejoice. Greatly o Daughter of Zion. Shout daughter of Jerusalem. See your king comes to you righteous and Victorious.
Lowly.. Riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. So that was Jesus. Animals choice. Now we read on It says, “if anyone asks you, why are you untying it? Say the Lord needs it.” Those who are sent ahead went and found it just as they had. As he had told them. I'm just thinking that too. I mean, we just to be a disciple of Jesus in his ministry. He knows everything just to be like. Wow. How does he know? There's going to be a donkey like light up the roads. I do a post over here and how does he know that when we should be able to get it? And who is this guy? So they went ahead and they found everything just as Jesus and told as they run tying the colt its owners, they asked him.
Why are you untying the colt? They replied. The Lord needs it. It's good enough. And they brought it to Jesus through their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it as he went along. People spread their cloaks on the road and not just that other accounts tell us, they put palm branches down, which was kind of rolling out the red carpet in that day for someone important, by the way. I was talking to some of you before and very humbly. You said, I can we eat and step on these and I said, yes, you can. Because since Christ is King.
You're his brother and sister. You're also kings and queens by grace. So walk on them all you want there for you. But anyway, back to this animal of Jesus choice in riding into Jerusalem. What a donkey. I mean, how are you? Would you, would you picked a horse of stallion, steed of some kind? I mean, wouldn't you, you would have want to look impressive, right? Why would Jesus just the Romans? They had horses? I wouldn't Jesus choose something tough. Like a king would use.
Well historically, if you were to ride into a city and you are not the king there and you were to do that, on a horse, that would be an act of War. Forty years from the time of Jesus Titus, a general on behalf of the Roman Empire would actually ride into Jerusalem on a horse to destroy it. I think it's really interesting and important to recognize. Jesus did not choose a horse, because it's not that kind of King.
He chose. Because of the kind of reign, he has he didn't pick a camel, which I might have picked a camel if I couldn't find a horse because your little higher up. And if you wanted to be praised and exalted, why not a camel, Jesus, isn't there? First and foremost to be praised and exalted, he's there to do a job job that nobody else would want to do or could do. That's why he takes a donkey a donkey to fulfill zechariah's thought about the kind of King we need, which who kind of echo back to King Solomon. A thousand years before Jesus. Jesus, great ancestor. Who, when he was crowned King rode into Jerusalem on a donkey or a mule. That's half. Donkey have horse.
The reason why it's Solomon did that was because he was to be a king of peace. David had a lot of blood on his hand, his father. So Solomon would be different Solomon would bring in peace and prosperity and that's the kind of King the Messiah would be although he'd be different than Solomon too. And so please know the meaning behind the donkey. Let's do it this way. Their next fill in the blank, you know, that. Historically, when kings ride donkeys. It means their reign is to be marked by humility in peace. Humility. And peace.
Again, this is amazing because we just saw Jesus. He knows all things. We've seen Jesus before in these monumental moments of his ministry. Do all the things. He's all-powerful all-knowing. He knows everything that's going on and everywhere, present. And he would choose a donkey. That he would be a humble, lowly King and find Victory in that. How can that be? But just start thinking about the nature of Jesus’ reign, which is everything for us next thought. The donkey here expressly reminds us, that Jesus' reign is an upside down kingdom. It's completely backwards. It's completely different from anything. You would expect in this world where we praise power and influence in money and violence and war. Jesus’ kingdom is the exact opposite of that. Begin again, as you read through the scriptures, you read through the accounts of Jesus. You see that, for example, it was the same time when Jesus' disciples were arguing about like, who's gonna be the best disciple? Who's going to sit next to Jesus on the right and left and Rule.
They were arguing. Jesus came up to them and said. I don't think you understand the nature of my reign. You sound like the Gentiles who love the Lord it over others, boss, people around fight. Now, Jesus said I came not to be served, but to serve and give my life as a ransom for many. The first way that our King Jesus is so different than every other king is, in this thought, in this reign, the king rolls as slave of all.
I think it's interesting that even in our culture. We call our leaders, public servants “servants”, right? But do you like me? Do you often see corruption? He often see these public servants. Seems to be a little bit more about themselves maybe than about serving the people. On it, that is our nature. Every leader seems to be about. Hey, what's in it for me? How will you serve me? Jesus is the opposite. Think of this, the King of Kings, he rules by being a slave for you.
For me. What does that slaves work? In tail and big things, the small things that the next thought in this reign of Jesus, he serves full forgiveness which cost them everything even hell. And he washes, his disciples feet. We'll see that this week. If you come back on Thursday, you're going to see the King of Kings do something. Nobody else. Wanted to do a slave's job and to this day. Jesus still comes to you and me. And even though we are his, we've received the fullness of forgiveness by his word and to Humble Sacrament, which looks laughable to the world. Jesus still comes to wash you clean. The set you apart truly as God's forever. That's King Jesus.
Maybe the most striking thing about his Reign is his throne. This last thought about the different nature of Jesus reign in this reign. His throne is a cross. He is Seated on a cross. That's some gold amazing chair. Where everybody comes in the kiss the ring and they bow down. No, he's mods. Crown of thorns and enthroned on a cross.
All of that is symbolized in the donkey.
That's the kind of King that Jesus is so, do you like that mascot?
Why does it cause us to pause? Maybe put a pit in her stomach to see? Why would he love us in such a way? And then to praise him to say truly, he is unlike anyone else, but maybe wonder is this enough?
Well, this really gives us the victory we need or should we resort to a more intimidating beast as a mascot and fight as the world does? It's kind of an interesting thing, and maybe I could challenge you this way. Are you ready? Then to wear this donkey as a symbol for your life? We're talking with the expansion of the school. Our mascot here at St. Peters, the Comets. So to enhance with colors and so on and so forth with the new addition. So we're visiting that, what would it be? All right, if I suggest that maybe we should be the donkeys. I don't think the kids would be very excited about that.
I mean, if you're thinking about getting a tattoo to show your love for Jesus, would you be all right with having a donkey on your arm?
I think that all the cartoons way back with Bugs Bunny and so on when they were made of fool, what kind of face appeared on the donkey? It's the nature of Jesus Kingdom. Did you think about whether or not we can embrace? That is a symbol for our life. Let's just take a look at that first audience, the crowd and the Pharisees, and see how they reacted to this lowliness of Jesus. Our next verses.
We find kind of the conclusion of this Palm Sunday. It says, when he came near the place where the road goes down, the Mount of Olives. The whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices. Oh, catch this for all the miracles they had seen. Not because of his writing humbly and lowly on a donkey. And I said, blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord and other places Hosanna. Save us, peace in heaven and glory in the highest. So that sounds good. It sounds like the crowds receiving him. But for the right reasons, what about the Pharisees, the religious leaders of the day, some of the Pharisees, in the crowd said to Jesus, teacher rebuke your disciples. They thought it blasphemous. They looked at Jesus, you're too lowly to be the Messiah that we need.
Jesus responds, I tell you if they keep quiet. The stones will cry out. God's created order will prove that. This is the rightful king of all. This is striking text that, I think about that. Then in regard to the world. Did you catch the crowd? The crowd was, they're praising Jesus. Not for how he came into Jerusalem, but for the miracles, the power the influence they were open. Jesus would have come on a horse and even more destroyed, the Romans destroyed their oppressors.
But he wouldn't. Which is why our next thought, think about how this crowd rejected Jesus here. They're praising him blessed. Be the one who comes in the name of the Lord, but by weeks in their cry will change to crucify him. Crucify him Jesus. You are not enough, Jesus. That humility disgusts us. We want something more. You need to die. The Pharisees felt the same way. The Pharisees were all about what makes a regular Kingdom, run power and influence in Mike. I wonder if they would have like President Putin.
Jesus would be a little more like that.
Filling in the blank. The Pharisees want nothing to do with this kind of reign because they love the world's kingdoms. And if we're honest by Nature we feel the same way. Isn't that evident in who we glorify in our culture? Who we constantly talk about whom we praise the red carpets, we roll out for whom me. What's grab the headlines? As of late, as if this is the most pressing issue, the slap that was heard around the world Will Smith and Chris Rock, and we praise football, athletes, of various Sports mascots. We adore.
What? Even during covid we recognize who are really the great ones among Us. The people who kind of like Jesus, They don't get the wages they deserve. People like moms. And dads who are present and give up their life. So that their kids might have better. They don't praise such people. We kind of look down on motherhood, fathers are buffoons that we would rather praise guys who slap each other at awards ceremonies.
Isn't that the nature of our world? Are you thinking about? Doctors and nurses people on the frontlines. People would travel overseas in war-torn countries where they're just how we think about teachers, right? Who over the pandemic we recognize. Wow, he do a lot of hard stuff and why do they do that? It's not for the pay. It is because they want to make a difference.
We don't qualify that. We get caught up in things that don't matter.
You see how Jesus is the king? We need. You see why we need him to ride into Jerusalem, not on a horse, but on a donkey and you see to that when we bow down a King Jesus, when he reigns. Not only does he save us in this humility, this upside down kingdom, but he invites us to be the same way.
Let's talk. That I should give up my life. For others. Only can Jesus can make sense out of that. And praise God. I'm looking at a room full of people who are just like Jesus. Do we get this? Right? No, do we praise the wrong things? Yes, but that's all covered in the blood of Christ. And today, we begin again. Today we live out this Kingdom reign. That's so different. We take joy. In humility. We become slaves of everyone else. We're willing to be crucified if need be.
So that others might have a chance for life. Friends, that's what the donkey means. So let me just ask you. This last quote closing question, something to ponder all through the week, especially as you see. Jesus take his throne on the cross. What about us? Will we bear this mascot of the donkey for Christ's life? You know, you will. Let's do this then together. Let's encourage each other with Grace.
The kind of Reign of Christ. Amen.
