Servants of the servant king (Palm Sunday)

 I like Palm Sunday because it is a happy time when Jesus reveals His identity as the Servant King. The symbolism is important. Jesus is honoured as a king riding into his capital city – the gold of Epiphany. Not on a horse as a worrier – on a donkey no one else has ridden on – a humble holy man, a priest – the frankincense of Epiphany. He is teaching us how to live as a servant of the servant king.

 

1.   Servants listen to their Lord

Isaiah is “wakened morning by morning…like one being instructed.” (50.4) This has been my experience, waking up with what I believe is a ‘word of knowledge’ possibly but not always from Holy Spirit. This is enormously helpful in writing and teaching:

·      Gives Isaiah a “well instructed tongue”

·      Challenge is to stay focussed on what you hear 

·      Guidance on trying to market an important book on spiritual truth with everyone focussed on Trump and an election

·      Who we listen to is a test of our faith and loyalty

 

2.   Servants Obey their Lord

That’s why they are called servants – they obey and serve. Isaiah served God. This put him in the middle of a spiritual conflict with those who had rebelled against God and put themselves out of God’s kingdom.

·       God desires a love relationship with humans

·       God is holy, so to be in this love relationship requires personal holiness

·       Holiness requires obedience and loyalty as a sign of our love of God

·       Love relationship also includes freedom to chose to not love God, to walk away from relationship

·       Those who walk away are not listening to God 

·       They cannot hear warnings of consequences.

·       Prophets like Isaiah listed, obeyed and served God by warning those who were not listening.

·       This is very dangerous work because it challenges people 

·       Satan raises up false prophets and incite conflict with real prophets.

·       Prophets were often killed (Like John) when they offended rulers and the establishment

·       This is all a test of obedience and faith

3.   Servants endure persecution

Today is the 33^rd. anniversary of my ordination as a priest. One of my calls to ordination came as Lucille was driving me from Bashaw to Rimbey where I was leading morning and evening prayer services as a layperson. I was reading the Isaiah passage in the car and the words “Therefore I have set my face like flint.” (50.7) jumped out at me. I was 44 and very familiar with the debates raging in the Church about women priests and same-sex blessings. 

·      I sensed I would have to choose to set my face like flint to endure persecution as a priest.

I like the story of Jesus riding a colt into Jerusalem because it is the only happy time He comes out as Lord and is honoured as Lord. He is modeling His full identity as a servant king:

·      Spiritual authority

·      Listening to God

·      Obedience, Humility, Endurance and great courage