Jerusalem March Madness March 25, 2018 Mark 11:1-11; Philippians 2:5-11

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1 Jerusalem March Madness March 25, 2018 Mark 11:1-11; Philippians 2:5-11 With many sports fans in this congregation, I know that several of you have been watching the National College Basketball Finals Tournament, affectionately known as March Madness. On March 15, 64 of highest ranked Division 1 basketball teams started the march toward the NCAA championship. The first surprising upset was the humiliating defeat of No. 1 ranked Virginia by the 16 th seed team, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The underdogs triumphed by 20 points, but then they lost their next game to No. 9 seeded Kansas State. Kansas State went on to play yesterday in the Elite Eight against another underdog team No. 11 seed Loyola Chicago. The Ramblers beat No. 6 Miami Florida, No. 3 Tennessee, and No. 7 Nevada to enter the Elite Eight last night. This Cinderella team story is made more delightful by the basketball team s chaplain of 24 years, Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt. This Roman Catholic nun has been a lifelong basketball fan for her 98 years! She gathers with the players for a pregame invocation, praying for the safety of the players, a fairly-officiated game, and God s assistance. This seems to be the year of the underdog in March Madness. Back around the year 30 AD about this time of year, there was a major Jewish festival that attracted throngs of people to Jerusalem. Passover was a celebration of liberation from slavery in Egypt. In this setting, Jesus and his disciples stage a parade, which ultimately leads to triumph, but first passes through a series of betrayals, denials, and even death Jerusalem March Madness. The crowds acclaim this underdog as their champion, but the authorities cite Jesus as a traitor and blasphemer. Only Jesus knows that this event is also his funeral procession. Just as basketball fans make their bracket picks and try to guess who will make it to the Final Four, residents of Jerusalem are trying to figure out who will come out on top. What kind of champion will Jesus be? A political leader, a religious leader, a military leader, or some combination? Jesus is a championship leader like none other. Let s look at some of the leadership qualities that make him God s champion. First, Jesus identifies with the underdog. He is willing to invest in people others would dismiss. Consider the disciples. They are not the religious elite.

2 They are common folk, fishermen, even a tax collector. Jesus dines with sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors. He speaks with women and men, children and adults, gentile and Jew, outcast and insider. He doesn t champion himself, but he champions others. He draws out their potential and equips them to serve with their God-given gifts. For the NCAA tournament fans use a championship bracket to tally the wins and losses of teams. The winners move closer to the center of the bracket until they lose and are eliminated from the competition. The process of elimination is used to hone in on each year s best college basketball team in the nation. One team receives the championship trophy. Jesus works the brackets in the opposite way. He has an inner circle of three disciples: Peter, James, and John. The group expands to include the full twelve disciples. Jesus following increases to include others, many whom are nameless and somewhat invisible. At one point he sends out seventy followers to cure the sick and proclaim the gospel. His welcome continues to widen as his circle expands to embrace all who long to know God s love. As a champion of the underdog, Jesus would reach out to all those teams who are abruptly eliminated from the NCAA tournament with a single sad loss. He would encourage them, noting that they are not losers, for any team that makes it to the brackets is a winner. With a warm embrace, Jesus would invite the losing teams to join his ever-expanding brackets. It sounds like the vision statement that we developed last year: this congregation has a vision to bring hope by inviting and embracing all on a life-changing Christian journey. Jesus champions the underdog, investing in people whom others dismiss. A second leadership quality of Jesus is a sense of personal humility. In describing the qualities of Level 5 leaders, Jim Collins, a 21 st century business leader, indicates that a sense of personal humility is an essential quality when combined with a ferocious resolve to do whatever is necessary to make one s mission successful. We see Jesus humility demonstrated in the mode of transportation he arranges for his parade into Jerusalem. It is not indicative of a champion. He chooses to ride into the city on a colt or a donkey instead of a horse, which evokes images of pride and war. Princes ride donkeys when they wish to signify peaceful intentions. Jesus is depicted as coming in peace. At the same time in Jerusalem, arriving for the Jewish Passover festival is the governor Pontius Pilate. He enters from the western side of the city with an excessive show of military pomp and circumstance. He rides an impressive

3 stallion and leads a large group of cavalry and foot soldiers. He is the highest representative of the imperial power of Rome in the area. One can imagine that the city residents stand motionless and quiet in solemn respect and awe of this great show of force and power. Pilate represents the emperor himself, who is known as the son of god, lord of all, and savior of the world. His entry into Jerusalem is a clear demonstration of the ever-present Roman power. On the west side of town, Jesus donkey is a stark contrast to Pilate s powerful horse. Gathered in the narrow streets are Jesus friends from Galilee, men and women, who have come for the Festival of Passover. They are a joyful group cheering and laughing. They celebrate this peaceful leader who has transformed their lives with his ministries of healing, teaching, and preaching. They hail Jesus with words of praise, Hosanna, which means, Save us. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven! The crowd spreads branches and cloaks before Jesus as a symbol of honor. Jesus humble, peaceful parade turns imperial notions of power and rule upside down. He doesn t enter the capital city in a demonstration of force and power. He enters peacefully celebrated by the poor and vulnerable. He is not coming to conquer, but to teach the ways of peace. Jesus does not violently resist the forces bent on destroying him. He allows them to gather their strength against him. Culturally we are taught to resist the actions of others that would defeat or humiliate us, but Jesus models something different. He teaches, You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven (Matt. 5:43-45a). The forces of false judgment and suspicion, fear and violence continue to attack Jesus. He names them for what they are and resists them unto death. He does not give up the struggle against evil, nor does he adopt the ways of evil. He humbles himself, even to the point of death on a cross. He demonstrates the truth of dignity within indignity. Jesus is a humble leader who did not grasp for power and privilege. He came to serve. Servant leadership is a third distinguishing quality of Jesus. On the last night of his life he washed the feet of his followers, a task usually performed by servants for their masters. He said to his disciples, Whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant. Whoever wants to be first among you will be the slave of all, for the Human One did not come to be served but rather to serve and

4 to give his life to liberate many people (Mark 10:43b-45). Paul said, Though he was in the form of God, he did not consider being equal with God something to exploit. But he emptied himself by taking the form of a slave and by becoming like human beings (Phil. 2:6-7). One of the great champions of the 20 th century was the missionary doctor, Albert Schweitzer. Soon after winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953, he arrived at the Chicago train station and was greeted by a large contingent of reporters and politicians. As Dr. Schweitzer stepped off the train, news cameras flashed, and city officials lined up to be photographed beside the humanitarian. Just then, the doctor saw something far off that attracted his attention. He excused himself for a moment. Dr. Schweitzer walked through the crowd until he reached an older African- American woman who was struggling under the weight of two large suitcases. Smiling, he picked up the bags in his big hands and escorted her to the steps of her bus. After helping her aboard, he wished her a safe journey. As all this was going on, the doctor s entourage had tagged along behind him. Turning around and seeing them, he simply said, Sorry to have kept you waiting. A member of the reception committee turned and said to a reporter, That s the first time I ever saw a sermon walking. Like Schweitzer, Jesus is a servant leader, which resonates with his sense of personal humility and his investment in the underdog. Jesus leadership style was counter-cultural for renowned leaders of his time. That s what confounded his disciples; he wasn t what they expected of a Messiah. But he is just the kind of champion leader they and the world needed at the time. He continues to be the kind of humble servant leader who invests his life in saving others, a leader like the world needs today. Jesus brackets of disciples have expanded over the centuries, embracing a multitude of followers. Our names are on those brackets today, having inherited his mission. This Holy Week let us recommit ourselves to following Christ s path of humble, compassionate service. We rejoice, O God, in the life and ministry of Jesus. We stand in awe as we contemplate his humiliating death and your resurrection power. You so loved the world, that you sent your Son to demonstrate the depths of your love and the transforming power of peace. We pray that the humble, servant presence of Jesus would be active and viable among us today.

5 We confess, O God, that at times we have been fickle, like the original disciples. We have shelved our faith for the easy and popular way of life. We have taken the expedient or glamorous path instead of the narrow, demanding road of discipleship. Forgive us and instill in us a passion for becoming like Jesus. Grant us a greater measure of courage to model a godly life even when it is not popular. May Christ s presence live in and work through us, transforming our broken world. In this Holy Week, we lift to you those who are suffering around the world, some longing for their homeland, others desperate for peace, many starving for food, many wounded by warfare or violence. May they experience the presence of Christ suffering with them, offering them hope for their futures. May Christ s presence hover close to those whom we know and love, feeling their pain and renewing their strength. We pray for healing and wholeness for. Abide with all who grieve. We give you thanks for those who offer their lives in the service of others. We pray for their protection and for health of body, mind, and spirit. Be present with law enforcement officers, members of the military, first responders, health care professionals, civil servants and elected leaders. Guide their actions and decisions toward the well-being of all. We dedicate ourselves to walking with Christ in this Holy Week, to consider the wondrous awe of his life, death, and resurrection. Draw us close to you that you might feel our heartache and raise us to new life with Christ. In his name we pray, uniting our voices together praying Rev. Lori Sawdon First United Methodist Church, Lodi, CA