“I Am The Vine…” – Jesus Revealed Part XII

Sermon Title: “I Am the Vine…”: Wave Those Palm Branches

Good News Statement: Jesus establishes connections with us

Preached: Sunday, April 02, 2023 at Dogwood Prairie and Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NRSV): John 15:15 Today’s scripture reading comes from the Gospel of John chapter fifteen verses one thru five. In these verses we realize that those palm branches waved so many years ago as Jesus rode into Jerusalem are reminders that in moments of defeat and victory we are connected to Jesus, who is the vine and we are the branches…

Jesus the True Vine

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. ² He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. ³ You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.

This is the Word of God for the People of God; And all God’s people said, “Thanks be to God.”

 

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

11 When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples ² and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. ³ If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’” ⁴ They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, ⁵ some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” ⁶ They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. ⁷ Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. ⁸ Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. ⁹ Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,

“Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
¹⁰     Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

 

Introduction:

Today is Palm Sunday! Today we gather as God’s people to triumphantly welcome Jesus into our community. Today we shout for joy that he has arrived. Today we wave our branches high. Today we recognize the coming of a Savior who will save us from our sins, fill our hearts with eternal love, and nurture our spirits with heavenly sanctification and grace. Today we are not only reminded of the victory found in Christ, but we are also reminded of what comes next; what comes next for Jesus and what comes next for us as disciples. At the end of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, Mark writes in the eleventh chapter of his Gospel, “Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve” (Mark 11:11). Today, we realize that Palm Sunday is just the beginning to Jesus’ resurrection. From now until then, Jesus is going to be looking around in search of those who have asked for forgiveness, accepted him into their life, live the truth, and seek the way to eternal life. We must continue to wave our palm branches high.

Day One of his Passion Week begins with the crowds greeting Jesus with cheers as they hail the coming of David’s Kingdom. The crowd, with great shouts of praise, adores Jesus by saying, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Mark 11:9). When Jesus came into Jerusalem, many were anticipating a messiah who would lead an armed rebellion against the Romans. The people were so eager to welcome Jesus that they not only shouted but laid their cloaks on the ground before him and waved palm branches high in the air as he rode into town on a humble and never before ridden donkey. The people were seeking a warrior. However, Jesus sorely disappointed the people. Instead of war, “Jesus,” according to Adam Hamilton, “taught [the] people to love their enemies and [to] pray for their persecutors.” The one who comes to Jerusalem comes as the king of the entire world and dies for all people (David E. Garland); and is not the one who will conquer the Roman empire but will conquer our heart.

Today is Palm Sunday, and we must, even though we know the outcome, not be afraid to wave our palm branches high because Jesus has entered our life for a reason and he has come, riding on a donkey, to remind us that he is always with us. The palm branch in which you hold symbolizes your connection to Christ yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Body:

Let us remind ourselves of this triumphal story. Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem is recounted in all four Gospels, but the one that I will share with you now comes from Mark 11:1-11. Mark wrote, “When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ just say this: ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’ They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, ‘What are you doing, untying the colt?’ They told them what Jesus had said, and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,

‘Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’ Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple, and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.” (Mark 11:1-11)

Upon entering the city of Jerusalem from Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, Jesus directs two his disciples to fetch a colt, a young donkey, and says to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it” (Mark 11:2). Jesus also warns the disciples that they will be challenged when they try to take the colt. The answer the disciples are to give is “The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately” (Mark 11:3). Jesus impresses the animal, the colt, as a king would who is entitled to whatever he needs; but, unlike, plundering kings, Jesus will return the animal immediately.[i]

Jesus orchestrates a grand entrance into Jerusalem. Mark writes, “Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’ (Mark 11:8-10). This grand entrance—this triumphal entrance—of praise and respect is different than other entrances by Jesus. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John record Jesus entering towns or villages either by walking everywhere or by using a boat to cross the lake. The decision to complete this last journey to Jerusalem riding on a simple, humble, hard-working animal symbolizes quite possibly the kind of savior Jesus is and not the aggressive, plundering, warrior the people are seeking. Jesus enters Jerusalem pictured as a warrior, a fighter, and destroyer, but exits as a savior, liberator, and restorer.

Mark reports that the disciples saddle the colt with their own garments (which does not happen in John’s account), and the crowd strews the way with their garments. Jesus’ followers and those pilgrims caught up in the excitement of the moment also line the streets with leaves and waving palm branches and fill the air with a chorus of “Hosannas” (David E. Garland, 428). In the act of showing reverence to Jesus, people lay their cloaks on the ground. A cloak, a long, heavy, robe-like coat, was an Old Testament symbol of authority. For a prophet in Israel, it was a symbol of the power of God resting on him. When Elijah first met Elisha (1 Kings 19:19), he threw his cloak around him. So when the people cover the ground before Jesus with their cloaks they are symbolically suggesting that Jesus is powerful, Jesus has authority, and Jesus is more than they are. Placing one’s cloak is an act of reverence and respect. But what about the palm branches?

Palm trees are abundant in the land of Israel and have been mentioned in the Bible multiple times pertaining to important historical moments. For example, one of Israel’s judges, Deborah conducted court meetings under the shade of Palm branches (Judges 4:5), and King Solomon had carved the walls of the temple, both inner and outer sanctuaries with figures of palm trees (1 Kings 6:29). Historically, Jericho has been recognized as the city of palm trees for it has the finest palm branches (Deuteronomy 34:3). Furthermore, in the Book of Leviticus, the palm tree is an important symbol of victory for Israel after God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt (Leviticus 23:40-43). Today, palm branches symbolically represent the ability to gain victory in Christ.

The idea of waving palm branches stems from a Jewish family, known as the Maccabees, who in 165BC forced the Greeks out of Jerusalem. When Simon Maccabee, the leader of the family, returned, it was reported that the people took palm branches and waved them in front of him as a sign of victory (Hamilton, 24 Hours That Changed The World, 70). Therefore, as Jesus entered Jerusalem, in a triumphal manner, it was fitting for the Jewish people to give him the same praise as they did to Simon Maccabee because they believed Jesus came to overthrow the Roman government that had seized Jerusalem—to give the people a triumphal victory. The people found their warrior so they waved palm branches and shouted “Hosannas” from the street which translates to “Save us now.”

Hosanna is a word that is loosely translated as “Save us now!” So when the Jews waved palm branches as Jesus came down from the Mount of Olives, they were saying, “Jesus, be our deliverer. Save us from the Romans. Cast out our enemies, and free us from their awful oppression. Save us now. Save us now.” The Jews, through their adored “Hosannas” were shouting what many of us shout today. We seek to be saved. We seek to be born again, renewed by the Holy Spirit. We seek to be delivered from our past. We seek a king that will overthrow those who persecute and trespass against us. We seek the same messiah that the Jews sought: a messiah that will save us now. We give praise; we wave our palm branches, without knowing the real reason for our praise and waving. So today, on this Palm Sunday I invite you to think about what it is you are doing as you shout “Hosanna” and wave your palm branch. Our cry to be saved now is more than a cry it is a prayer. And our palm branch waving is more than action is it a reminder of our triumphal surrender to Christ who is the vine to our branch.

John writes in the fifteenth chapter of his Gospel something that we often don’t think about on Palm Sunday. We often don’t think of that famous “I Am” statement which begins “I am the vine; you are the branches…” (John 15:6). Listen to the words of John who recounts Jesus’ words: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.  He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you.  Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:1-6).

So far in John’s Gospel, the trajectory between Jesus and his followers has been consistent. According to Matt Rawle, “Jesus leads the way, and the disciples follow. Jesus is the light, and we walk by the light. Jesus is the bread, and we feast on his presence. Jesus is the good shepherd, and we listen to his call.” However, this “I Am” statement changes: Jesus brings us into the mix. Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches.” We are the branches. We are connected to the vine. John writes in his Gospel when quoting Jesus, “You didn’t choose me, but I chose you” (John 15:16). A branch doesn’t choose its vine; the vine chooses its branch. And from that branch we begin to allow the vine to abide in us because without it we can do nothing.

As Jesus rode into town, on a cloaked covered colt, the people waved palm branches because they knew how important it was to let Jesus know that they need him in their life. Each palm branch that was waved was pruned; each palm branch that was waved was waved by a branch that extended from Jesus, himself; and each palm branch that was waved was a prayer saying, “Save us for we are ready to bear fruit, devote ourselves to you, and be connected to you so that we may not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).” The palm branch in which you hold today is your reminder that Jesus is the vine and you are the branches; and without that vine in your life, you can do nothing, not even bear fruit.

Embedded in your palm branch are the words prayed by the centurion solder, who stood at the foot of the cross, “Truly this man is the Son of God.” Running through the vine are the words Jesus stated from the cross, “It is finished,” and “Into your hands I commit my spirit.” In each branch is the prayer of the Psalmist, “In you, O Lord, I seek refuge; do not let me ever be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me. Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me. You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for your name’s sake lead me and guide me, take me out of the net that is hidden for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.” And when that palm branch is waved it resembles Jesus’ final “Hosanna,” an absolute trust in God (Proverbs 3:5) that we have eternal life in him.

Conclusion:

The palm branch that was waved as Jesus triumphally entered Jerusalem, was more than a palm branch cut down from the field. It symbolized our eternal connection to Jesus, who is the vine, who nurtures us, who strengthens us, who loves us unconditionally, who hears us, who sees us, who walks with us, who lays down is own cloak for us, and who abides in us as we abide him as we do our best to produce faithful fruit for today and tomorrow. The vine that connects us all is the vine that will sacrifice his life for us. As a branch of Christ, we are all connected and loved and sought after.

So on this Palm Sunday, wave your palm branch high because that palm branch is your reminder that you are forever connected to Christ—yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Christ is the vine of the palm branch, and we are the leaf of that palm branch. There is victory in Jesus; and on the day of his resurrection we will wave our palm branch high and proud because he abides in us as we abide in him. Without Jesus as our vine, we are nothing. But with Jesus as our vine, we are everything and more. What does the palm branch symbolize to you? How will you extend your branch to someone else so that they may experience the vine of Christ in their life? The palm branches that were waved as Jesus entered Jerusalem symbolized for us our eternal connection to Christ. And in combination with shouts of “Hosannas,” the waving of our palm branch is a prayer to be saved and healed by Christ. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches…” Let it be so.

 

Closing Prayer:

Let us Pray… Dear Jesus, you are the vine and we are your branches. As you entered Jerusalem triumphantly we ask that you enter our heart the same way: Jesus abide in us so that we may abide in you. Hear our prayers of “Hosanna” and give us the strength to wave our palm branches high as we witness your crucifixion and a wait your resurrection. All honor and glory is yours. Amen.

 

Benediction:

Whisper to yourself: “Jesus is the vine, I am the branch. I commit to His will, and seek to live His ways.” As you prepare your heart for what comes next for Jesus, remember that you are forever connected to him. Jesus will be crucified but he will rise again. He is our vine and we are his branches called to fulfill his will, be his disciple, and be the church he needs us to be. May Jesus bless you and guide you and abide in you. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, go out into the world waving your palm branch And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.

 

[i] Mark uses the term “immediately” approximately twenty-seven times. Scholars have taken note of this repeated occurrence and have surmised that Mark treats Jesus’ ministry as a process that removes hesitation as it strives to get to the crucifixion. Mark wants Jesus to get from point A to point B with haste. The disciples obey Jesus, and everything takes place as Jesus said it would.