Matthew 21:1-11
March 28, 1999
Sermon preached by Rev. Donald Ng at the First Chinese Baptist Church of San Francisco.
Hollywood Celebrities
Last Sunday, they came in stretch limos. It was the 71st Academy Awards. They were in long white dresses and black satin tuxedos. Gwyneth Paltrow won Best Actress. Roberto Benigni won Best Actor. For today’s generation, there were the Matt Damons and the Ben Afflecks for young moviegoers to dream about. These were Hollywood’s beautiful celebrities. For those of us from a different generation, they had Sophia Loren to present and even James Coburn after acting in over 70 movies finally winning his first Oscar.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, he was hailed with palm branches cut from trees and the large crowds waved these branches like they were pompoms. Some people took off their coats and jackets and laid them on the road for Jesus to arrive for the big event. And when Jesus past by, the crowds followed the Lord seeking to find out who is this “prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.” Like Oscars night, the crowd must have been whispering and calling out to each other, “What’s the big excitement? Who’s the celebrity who is arriving now? Some who have heard about Jesus’ celebrity status called out his name, “Son of David,” hoping that they might catch his gaze. “Can we have your autograph?” they were asking.
For Hollywood stars, they want to be listed as one of the “25 Most Beautiful People” in People magazine or maybe Time’s esteemed “Man or Person of the Year” recognition. They thrive on the popularity and spotlights to the point of self-infatuation. The greatest honor, perhaps is to become immortalized so the story never needs to end: Frank, The Duke, Elvis, Jackie, Marilyn, and now Diana. Can you imagine if Jesus had been treated like a 20th century celebrity as he rode into Jerusalem?
The Celebrity Christ
While the celebrities of today are famous because they have hired promoters and agents, Jesus was recognized by a relatively small number of followers or groupies. In fact, some of these groupies were not too sure why they were even there, except for the fact that something drew them to this teacher, this holy man. He could heal them. He spoke in mysterious parables. He was very different from anything they had seen before. Jesus didn’t wear a black satin tuxedo either on his shoulders or in his lifestyle. And he loved them in a way they had never before experienced.
The Celebrity Christ, for only that brief moment entering into Jerusalem, felt the exaltation of his ministry when the crowds sang,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
He may have felt the warmth on his reddened face like we feel sometimes. All the attention he was getting of being celebrated and fussed over was a bit embarrassing. But this celebrity wasn’t interested in his own success and glory. Rather, this celebrity is very humble. You might say that when he got up on stage to receive his Oscar, he didn’t go on and on about himself. This celebrity, the Celebrity Christ, experienced four things that Hollywood celebrities are clueless about.
He Rode on a Donkey
By this time, the donkey has been supplanted by the horse as the preferred way of traveling and carrying heavy load for those who can afford it. If Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a horse, it would have been like a stretch limo. Rather Jesus asked for a donkey to fulfill the prophecy by Zechariah and to show that here is the humble servant. Jesus’ humility extends beyond the simple beast of burden scorned by the Romans. Instead of self-infatuation, it was more self-effacement for Jesus to proclaim quietly that true kingship is not what is “faster, greater, better,” of the time, but humility.
He was Silent about Himself
After Jesus was in Jerusalem for some time teaching and denouncing the integrity of the scribes and Pharisees, soon there arose a conspiracy to arrest him. He became a threat to the status quo when he went on and on criticizing the scribes and the Pharisees by saying, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” Judas, one of the disciples betrayed him by taking thirty pieces of silver. When he was arrested, and brought in front of the high priest to defend himself about his claim that he will destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, Jesus was silent. Although the high priest found Jesus guilty of blasphemy, Caiphas handed him over to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. When Pilate found him not having committed any crimes against Rome, Pilate asked Jesus, “Do you hear how many accusations they make against you? Jesus gave Pilate not one answer, not even one explanation for any of the charges. Pilate was amazed but couldn’t understand why Jesus didn’t defend himself.
Unlike last Sunday’s Oscar winners who seem like they couldn’t stop talking about how famous and great they were, Jesus remain silent. The Lord lets each person to draw his or her conclusions about himself. Otherwise, there would not be a need for faith. There are many times in our lives when God seems mute—dead silence. We find ourselves crying out for God to make himself known. The reason for why God seems to be silent is not that he’s not present and talking with us, but it is more like no one is listening. None of us really want to hear the truth. And it will take the action of the cross to catch the ear of a world deafened by sin.
He was One of Two Nominees
When Pilate didn’t want to be blamed for the death of an innocent man for any crimes against Rome, he nominated another Jesus to compete for the award. Jesus Barabbas was a notorious prisoner who was arrested in trying to violently
take the kingdom by a storm. Pilate said, “Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate gave the crowds a choice. And the “People’s Choice” award goes to Jesus Barabbas.
While the Jesus who was a man of violence went free, the Jesus, the man of peace, did nothing wrong. The crowds screamed out, “Crucify him. Let him be crucified!” What went so terribly wrong here? Jesus triumphantly enters into Jerusalem with his fans shouting “Hosanna in the highest heaven.” has now been betrayed by one of his closest friends, deserted by the other disciples, found guilty for speaking out, and now a criminal is set free while the wrong man is still sitting in prison about to be crucified. Doesn’t it sound like the “People’s Choice” award went to the wrong Jesus?
He Got the Wrong Credit Line
At the Academy Awards gala, under every one of the beautiful people who came up to either present an award or receive one, there was always a credit line flashed on the screen. We must not forget how rich and famous these people really are.
When Jesus was crucified, the Romans hung a sign over his head. Jesus’ credit line was the crime charge against him: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” The charge was false. Jesus never intended to be the king of the Jews, much to the disappointment of his disciples. He said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” Jesus’ plan was to usher in the kingdom of God for all people in the whole world. This credit line was wrong. Even at his death place, Jesus, the Celebrity Christ, was given a wrong credit title.
When Jesus died on the cross and rose again after three days, he guaranteed that the kingdom is open to all. No one who wants to love Jesus, should be excluded from his love. In Matthew 21:32, Jesus said look at the tax collectors and prostitutes who first believed in him after hearing John’s teaching. They will enter the kingdom of heaven.
If there were to be a proper credit line for Jesus, it must be: “Jesus Christ, Superstar, Savior of the Whole World.” Jesus shared his own spotlight with the rest of us. In his humility, we share in heaven’s rewards.
Story Never Ends
Throughout his life, Jesus always humbled himself. There was something about him that made people want to be with him. We want to be close to Jesus today. Against this celebrated Palm Sunday entry, the Jesus whom we want to be with is humble even during his last week of his life on earth.
In our cruel and violent world, where most people are interested in basic survival, Jesus regularly stirs up enough trouble in us to speak out for peace and justice to risk our safety.
In our culture where people shamelessly promote themselves, we are reminded that Jesus told those he healed to “tell no one.”
In our society where people follow fads and gimmicks to the detriment to themselves and others, we know that Jesus was never swayed by current trends.
In our world economy that watches the Dow Jones reaching up for that 10,000 mark, Jesus probably never owned a wallet.
His ministry was guided, nourished, and planned by the only Power that really matters—God.
When the Best Picture award went to Shakespeare in Love, thousands of movie goers rushed out to watch this film if they hadn’t already. And after spending $8.00 to get in and $2.50 on some popcorn, the two-hour long movie will come to an end.
The divine drama that Jesus starred in has been running for two thousand years! Because of God’s love, this story named, “Christ in Love” never ends.
It didn’t end in a procession in Jerusalem.
It didn’t end with Judas’ kiss on the cheek.
It didn’t end when Peter denied him three times.
It didn’t end when all his closest friends abandoned him.
It didn’t end when they flogged him, taunted him, and mocked him.
It didn’t end on a cross.
It didn’t end in a cave tomb on the property of Joseph of Arimathea.
The story continues. It continues in the lives of people like you and me in whom the living Christ continues to work wonders.
Whenever you and I say a “Thank You” to God for his grace and mercies, God is working wonders in us.
Whenever you and I can see that in the midst of grief, sadness, disappointments, and loss, there is still the joy of Christ in our hearts and the hope of a new tomorrow, God is indeed working wonders in us.
Whenever we bear witness to one of our young people accepting Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, God is working wonders in us.
Whenever we stop and look into each other’s eyes and see God’s love, God is saying, “You have been good and faithful and I am very pleased with the wonders you are performing in my name in the world that I love.”
We are all best actors and best supporting actors in God’s story.
The story continues in us who are called to keep it alive. This coming week is referred to as Holy Week in the church. You can continue experiencing this “greatest story ever told” by coming to the Maundy Thursday Tenebrae service when we will re-enact the Lord’s Last Supper and witness the power of Christ to be the light of the world when darkness falls. On Good Friday, there will be two worship opportunities for you to empathize with Christ on the rugged cross on Calvary. An finally, the day that we have been looking forward to all the days of our lives: Easter Sunday. On Easter, we sing alleluias that Jesus Christ, the humble Celebrity Christ, fought death and won!
Let me close with a little story. People in an African village purchased a television set. For weeks, all the children and all the adults gathered around the TV set morning, afternoon, and night watching the programs. Then after a couple of months the set was turned off and never used again.
A visitor to the village asked the chief, “Why do you no longer watch television?”
“We have decided to listen to the storytellers,” he replied.
“Doesn’t the television know more stories?” the visitor asked.
“Yes,” the chief replied, “but the storyteller knows me.”
Jesus Christ knows us personally, by our own names. We all have leading roles in God’ love story of the forgiveness of our sins and redemption of our souls. Our lives are a part of God’s divine plan unfolding every minute of the day to continue the story of God’s love in the world.
Let us pray.
God of all times and places, we confess that we would rather join the beautiful people of the world than to follow the Celebrity Christ who humbled himself for us. Lead us to continue your “Christ in Love” story by living our lives in faithfulness and in sacrifice to your plan for us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.