With our routines and world upended by the Shelter in Place Order that affects all of California, we are looking for ways to stay connected during a mandate to physically stay apart from one another. This is a continuation of our time together, even though we’re in different spaces.
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Welcome and Announcements
Pastor Kim’s email | Grace Weekly eNews Sign-Up | Maundy Thursday | Easter Sunday
Opening Hymn • Ride On, Ride On in Majesty
Gathering Prayer
Lay Leader: Palmer and Gren Families
The Palm Parade • Mark 11:1-11
Lay Leader: Rachel Gren
Hymn • All Glory, Laud and Honor
Tithes and Offerings
Checks can be mailed to:
Grace Community Church
C/O Rene Horton
P.O. Box 368
Auberry, CA 93602
The Anointing • Mark 14:1-9
Lay Leader: Mollie Schuller
Hymn • Jesu, Jesu
The Last Supper • Mark 14:10-25
Lay Leader: Adeline Gren
The Garden • Mark 14:32-40
Lay Leader: Cary Schuller
The Betrayal • Mark 14:43-50
Lay Leader: Taegan Palmer
The Arrest • Mark 14:53-65
Lay Leader: Mollie Schuller
The Denial • Mark 14:66-72
Lay Leader: Joni Palmer
The Message and Pastoral Prayer • Kim Williams, Authorized Lay Minister
Transcript
I’ll do my best be brief, the palm and passion stories are the central focus of today’s worship. It’s Palm Sunday. I’m sitting out here next to the little palm tree we bought last year in a panic because we didn’t have any palm fronds to use in worship in those tender first weeks of shelter in place. Now, an entire liturgical year later, this palm is pampered and babied on my patio, a reminder of the less-than-perfect but powerful job it did last year. Who knew we would need to call on it’s green leaves again to add to the at-home sacred space of online worship. But here we are, celebrating the imperfect parade of palm fronds and a makeshift parade float powered by a borrowed colt from our living rooms, kitchens, and back patios again. There’s a powerful dynamic that took place as Jesus rode into Jerusalem, and it’s one that we recognize well after a year like we’ve had. There’s joy to be found, but it is kept firmly grounded by a sense of foreboding.
The triumphal entrance, this makeshift parade using whatever could be found resembles a protest march more than anything you’d see on Thanksgiving day winding it’s way through the streets of New York. As a real parade is occurring on the other side of town, horses, soldiers, banners all bringing Pontius Pilate into the city, Jesus enters through the Mount of Olives side of town, a deliberately low-budget contrast to the spectacle taking place with the roman official.
Something I heard more often than usual in the last year is the phrase, “Don’t make this political” or “keep politics out of it.” This is usually uttered in an attempt to keep someone from talking about the harder truths that plague our society, it is said out of not wanting to be uncomfortable, or to have to acknowledge that changes must happen. Athletes, musicians, celebrities, and pulpits have all come under fire for getting too political this year. But here’s the deal: When Jesus rode into Jerusalem in the manner he did, at the time he did, with the deliberately shabby procession he had, he was being political. His whole ministry was one big political statement.
If we find ourselves upset because something seems too political in an arena where we don’t expect politics to show up, I offer an invitation to ask where that discomfort stems from. Be gentle with it. There’s nothing discomfort hates more than being probed and prodded and asked to explain itself. What is political? What is too political? For a church, too political looks like a partisan endorsement from the pulpit. But is talking about human dignity too political? I suppose if you equate human rights with a political party, then it may be too political to you, but then, I ask you to probe into that assumption as well.
Jesus challenged the status quo, was a disruptive nuisance in places where power dynamics were imbalanced, and was deemed too political. As we heard the story of the arrest this morning, the words “now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for testimony against jesus to put him to death, but they found none.” Those are the desperate actions of people in power who have much to lose. Jesus didn’t give in to the cries of “Stay in your lane! Don’t bring politics into this!” and stop his ministry, didn’t stop calling out oppression.
As followers of Jesus, we should not shy away from saying what needs to be said, pointing out the ways in which our society fails and harms people, or fighting for the dignity of all of God’s creation. Even if it makes others—and ourselves—squirm a little bit because it’s uncomfortable. Even Jesus had moments where he had to steady himself because he knew what he had to do was hard. Go re-listen to this morning’s “The Garden” reading. Jesus was troubled. He asked that he not have to carry out the rest of the plan. But in the end, he knew that what he had come to do for humanity had to run its course. It had to get political.
As he rode into the city for the final week of his life, as he was surrounded by supporters shouting Hosanna! and asking for salvation, he knew this parade was not the victory to be celebrated, not yet.
My prayer for all of us as we enter into this Holy Week is that we look at what we consider to be too political. That we don’t celebrate victory too early and sit back comfortably with knowing we had the parade and celebration without also acknowledging that we must also walk with Christ on the deeply painful and humiliating journey toward the cross. Do not stop at Palm Sunday, but instead be a disruptive nuisance in the name and tradition of Christ. Give water to the thirsty, personhood to the dehumanized, and challenge authority when it oversteps it’s bounds—even when and especially if they’re on whatever side you’re on. We will celebrate the great victory next week, but we still have much work to do to continue the ministry of Jesus Christ. Blessings on your journey.
Closing Hymn • Sent Forth by God’s Blessing
Liturgy adapted from Worship Ways.