Tennebrae April 22, 2011

Matthew 21:9
And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"
   Do not think for yourselves that Peter, James and John were the only Galileans who fell asleep while Jesus was praying in the garden olives and presses. Hundreds, thousands of people were asleep and drifting off after a long evening of Passover celebrating. They ate their fill. They drank their fill and now these folks who were so excited on Sunday at the coming Jesus into the holy city were getting to sleep their fill. They wouldn't quite wake at the crack of dawn this time. Rather the next day would start slow enough and be in itself busy enough getting ready for tomorrow's sabbath that they would miss the trials of Jesus held in the night and at first light and after breakfast that they would even miss the sentencing. Jesus was likey nailed to the cross before most of them found out!
   But let us go back a bit to examine Sunday and so better understand this Friday in the history of man. Jesus was recognized by many as the promised messiah. That much is clear from the shouts of that Sunday by the crowds lining the road. The palm branches and the cloaks that lined Jesus' path echoed the cries of the people.  Jesus in his humility accepted their praises but kept his face like a flint toward Friday.
   It seemed like the people's perception of messiah was on target. Jesus drove out those selling and buying in the Temple grounds declaring, "My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you make it a den of robbers." The blind and lame came to him there and he healed them. The scribes and the pharisees were thwarted in their attempt dishevel him. Both were silenced by his answers to their questions. He even silences the rest of us in his revelatory teaching of the end of time and judgement from that holy week as we try to present our works before the One seated in Glory. The crowds were right in believing here was a messiah who would get things done!
   While we use these words recorded by Matthew in our communion liturgy, we do so from a privileged viewpoint. These words are found in the Sanctus in settings one, two, three and four of the Lutheran Service Book and in the page 15 Divine Service Liturgy of TLH. There we rightly recognize what is said in the context of Christ's completed work and his ascension on High.
   They were right in calling upon this Son of David to save them.  But they were wrong in what they thought they meant. Abraham, Moses, Isaiah and all the prophets not only had a clue but also the right answer. This bunch, including the disciples who seemed to be either not paying attention or very slow learners had a clue but no idea what Jesus was really in town for.
   When we sing these words about Jesus we must remember to what lengths and depths he went to in order for them to have true meaning. In the context of that holy week the crowds of Galileans should have shouted something else. "Hosanna, hosanna, cursed is he that comes in the name of the LORD. Hosanna in  the lowest." Moses recorded God's words that one hung on a tree was cursed. St. Paul declared to the Galatian Church that Jesus' crucifixion showed that he traded his blessed state for our cursed one, we who did not, could not keep the law as required.
   Jesus' incarnation had one goal in mind. From the throne in heaven to the womb of the virgin Mary, Jesus a living man headed for Golgatha proclaiming the Work of God in him. It was on this day that God's promise to the Man and his Wife would come true for them and all their children. The serpent's head would be crushed as he tried to deliver death to the Blessed One now cursed. Cursed not by Satan, not by a misdeed, omission or rebellion as is the case with the rest of mankind, but cursed by the heavenly Father and by taking our sins and guilt onto his flesh. Here on the cross, Jesus would go to the lowest point. He became separated from the love, grace and mercy of God the Father. His humiliation was not just visible to man in the horror of crucifixion, but also to the holiness of God so that he turned away. Christ the LORD has saved us.
   For this reason the Father is turned toward us in love, grace, mercy, favor and in his eyes all is very good.