Sticks and Stones

 STICKS AND STONES – SUNDAY APRIL 13, 2025

Luke 19:28-40: “When Jesus had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ” 32 So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They said, “The Lord needs it.” 35 Then they brought it to Jesus, and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37 Now as he was approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38 saying,

“Blessed is the king
    who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
    and glory in the highest heaven!”

39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”

➖

Christians call this day “Palm Sunday,” remembering the palms people waved as Jesus entered Jerusalem. It was the first day of the weeklong Jewish festival called Passover. “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!”

For Christians those words identify Jesus as the Messiah – a spiritual, redemptive figure. For first century Jews those words voiced the hope for a political/military figure who was to liberate Israel from Roman occupation. Passover commemorates the Exodus, God’s intervention in the lives of Jewish ancestors in slavery under the Pharaohs of Egypt. God had liberated the people once and had promised to do it again!

I’m thinking back on last Saturday, April 5, and the millions or people who demonstrated against the Trump Administration. I have not read of any violence associated with those marches, but it could easily have happened. It was the same with Passover. You can bet both Roman soldiers and Jewish police were out in full force. King Herod and Pontius Pilate were both in town, other dignitaries as well. Passover was a riot just waiting to happen.

So, why was Jesus stirring the pot?!

People like to say Jesus wasn’t “political” or never “demonstrated.” Perhaps not, but historians assures us that there was at least one zealot (insurrectionist) among the twelve disciples. After the “Last Supper” later that same week Jesus asked if any of his followers had a sword – perhaps to make a point at his upcoming trial. And riding into town on a donkey? VERY provocative!!

So, on that first day of Passover, as Jesus rode a donkey into town whipping up the crowds, the Pharisees told him to knock it off. “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.”  ‘This is going to get out of control, and somebody is going to get hurt!!’ But Jesus didn’t back down.

Rather - “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.” he said.

If nobody has ever mentioned this before, let me be the first. Jesus was quoting the prophet Habakkuk here, and the sentiment needs to be heard by the Trump Administration today as much as by the Rome Administration and the accommodating Jewish leaders of Jesus' day.

Here's the message:

“You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many peoples;
      you have forfeited your life.
The very stones will cry out from the wall,
     and the plaster will respond from the woodwork.
Alas for you who build a town by bloodshed, and found a city on iniquity!” 

                                                                                                                              (Habakkuk 2:10–12)

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