Text: Mark 11:1-10
Facebook live: Hope: God gives hope to the oppressed!
9 And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”
The question is asked, “What are you doing, untying the colt?”
The answer comes, “The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.”
As we think about Hope tonight. Let’s look at how hope is defined.
Hope can be defined as:
a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen, or it can be a feeling of trust.
The disciples went expecting to find the colt just as Jesus had told them things would happen and there was also for them a feeling of trust that what Jesus had told them would in fact happen just as he said.
We even see hope in the response of those who owned the colt.
6 And [when the disciples] told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go
Hoping or trusting that the colt would be returned just as they were told.
So how does this Palm Sunday and Holy Week text leading up to our Lord’s passion, death, burial, rest in the tomb, and glorious resurrection at the end of his earthly life and ministry fit as the Gospel reading for the first weekend in Advent?
In a word, Hope!
Hope is placed in that which is looked for and anticipated and in that which is promised.
The triumphal entry is that which had been anticipated and promised and Jesus is the hope of God fulfilled – the Messiah - the promised one of Israel.
At least that is what those who celebrated believed and hoped,
shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” Mark 11:9b-10
How quickly that changed from joy and celebration on Palm Sunday to Jesus’ trial, crucifixion, death and despair just a few days later.
21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Luke 24: 21
On Easter Sunday there was still doubt and concern at who Jesus was and what he came to do.
So we begin this Advent season in Hope.
Hope for God’s redemption in his Son.
Hope for the incarnate Christ coming as a lowly child.
Hope for his Virgin birth and sinless life so that he might stand in our place.
Hope for God’s forgiveness in Christ for all who believe.
Hope for his blessed return and second coming to gather his children to himself.
Or, as St Paul says:
24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Rom. 8:24
Many of us were waiting for good this year.
Good news, good reports, good outcomes, and what did we get?
Virus, pandemic, masks, politics, churches closed, shut downs, no school, kids home, vacations canceled and working for home!
I’m sure this is not what you or I expected.
Our hope though is not in these things but in the prospect of the future where cures, vaccines, handshakes, hugs, family - both biological and church members - might once again enjoy a life and gather together celebrating the unity we have one with another.
Some things have changed and some have remained the same and hope centered in this life is always going to leave us wanting, because this life is centered and wrapped in sin. No escape and no earthly cure around the bend or on the horizon for us in this life. Sin remains and death is the result as we see and are reminded of its curse daily and without end.
But hope is not lost!
Because this Advent season we wait.
We wait for the hope that does not disappoint.
We wait for a child promised.
We wait for God’s revealing.
We wait for a star to lead the way for the Magi.
We wait for his growing in knowledge and stature.
We wait for his public ministry.
We wait for his teaching and the calling of all to faith.
We wait for his triumphal entry on Palm Sunday.
We wait for our Lord’s passion, death, burial, rest in the tomb, and glorious resurrection.
And we wait for his blessed return, because Christ’s return is our Blessed Hope.
13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, Titus 2:13
Whether life brings trial or joy the blessed hope is Jesus and the peace of redemption that is only found in him.
So as we wait, let us look with hopeful eyes to his coming, as a child to begin his work.
Let us look to the reality of all that he has done to overcome sin, death and the devil for us.
Let us look to his coming again for the consummation of all things.
Let us look, not in fear but in hope that God in Christ will accomplish all of this for you and for me and all who are called to faith according to his purpose.
God be praised!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!
Amen
9 And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”
The question is asked, “What are you doing, untying the colt?”
The answer comes, “The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.”
As we think about Hope tonight. Let’s look at how hope is defined.
Hope can be defined as:
a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen, or it can be a feeling of trust.
The disciples went expecting to find the colt just as Jesus had told them things would happen and there was also for them a feeling of trust that what Jesus had told them would in fact happen just as he said.
We even see hope in the response of those who owned the colt.
6 And [when the disciples] told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go
Hoping or trusting that the colt would be returned just as they were told.
So how does this Palm Sunday and Holy Week text leading up to our Lord’s passion, death, burial, rest in the tomb, and glorious resurrection at the end of his earthly life and ministry fit as the Gospel reading for the first weekend in Advent?
In a word, Hope!
Hope is placed in that which is looked for and anticipated and in that which is promised.
The triumphal entry is that which had been anticipated and promised and Jesus is the hope of God fulfilled – the Messiah - the promised one of Israel.
At least that is what those who celebrated believed and hoped,
shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” Mark 11:9b-10
How quickly that changed from joy and celebration on Palm Sunday to Jesus’ trial, crucifixion, death and despair just a few days later.
21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Luke 24: 21
On Easter Sunday there was still doubt and concern at who Jesus was and what he came to do.
So we begin this Advent season in Hope.
Hope for God’s redemption in his Son.
Hope for the incarnate Christ coming as a lowly child.
Hope for his Virgin birth and sinless life so that he might stand in our place.
Hope for God’s forgiveness in Christ for all who believe.
Hope for his blessed return and second coming to gather his children to himself.
Or, as St Paul says:
24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Rom. 8:24
Many of us were waiting for good this year.
Good news, good reports, good outcomes, and what did we get?
Virus, pandemic, masks, politics, churches closed, shut downs, no school, kids home, vacations canceled and working for home!
I’m sure this is not what you or I expected.
Our hope though is not in these things but in the prospect of the future where cures, vaccines, handshakes, hugs, family - both biological and church members - might once again enjoy a life and gather together celebrating the unity we have one with another.
Some things have changed and some have remained the same and hope centered in this life is always going to leave us wanting, because this life is centered and wrapped in sin. No escape and no earthly cure around the bend or on the horizon for us in this life. Sin remains and death is the result as we see and are reminded of its curse daily and without end.
But hope is not lost!
Because this Advent season we wait.
We wait for the hope that does not disappoint.
We wait for a child promised.
We wait for God’s revealing.
We wait for a star to lead the way for the Magi.
We wait for his growing in knowledge and stature.
We wait for his public ministry.
We wait for his teaching and the calling of all to faith.
We wait for his triumphal entry on Palm Sunday.
We wait for our Lord’s passion, death, burial, rest in the tomb, and glorious resurrection.
And we wait for his blessed return, because Christ’s return is our Blessed Hope.
13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, Titus 2:13
Whether life brings trial or joy the blessed hope is Jesus and the peace of redemption that is only found in him.
So as we wait, let us look with hopeful eyes to his coming, as a child to begin his work.
Let us look to the reality of all that he has done to overcome sin, death and the devil for us.
Let us look to his coming again for the consummation of all things.
Let us look, not in fear but in hope that God in Christ will accomplish all of this for you and for me and all who are called to faith according to his purpose.
God be praised!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!
Amen
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