Leading Revolution Riding a Colt

“Leading Revolution Riding a Colt”

Mark 11:1-11

First Presbyterian Church

The Reverend Donald Ray

April 5, 2009

Palm Sunday

I can’t tell you where it was I read it or who wrote it. I don’t remember the exact words and of course have no way to look it up. It was only a few lines of commentary a couple months ago when the current down turn in the economy and job market was becoming serious. I do remember that the writer’s point was, that unlike other parts of the world, we need have no fear of revolutionary uprising. Being a civilized culture, we have other ways of resolving issues.

Perhaps indicative of my age, my first thought was; have the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles , 1965; north Philadelphia , 1964 been forgotten. We would like to think we have moved beyond much of that racial animosity. But the underlying components of hunger, poor housing, inadequate medical care, in equality in schools are still an issue and are so across racial lines. In the 1890’s, the 1930’s, the 60’s-70’s there have been populist movements that have shaken the political and economic power structures, not always in peaceful, civilized fashion. Now marks another 40 years in an apparent cycle of history.

Palm Sunday is set in revolutionary times. Festivals that brought crowds to Jerusalem offered prime opportunities for the discontents to stir rebellion against the political and economically repressive Roman occupation and the complicit Hebrew religious and civil rulers. Among the twelve named as Jesus’ followers was Simon identified as a Zealot—a revolutionary. It’s likely that Judas may have been one and his reason for betraying Jesus was in the interest of revolt.

Messianic fervor peaking, when reports circulated that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem , the crowds gathered. It appears they didn’t even notice the ludicrous image of his riding a colt. With their own agenda, they cheered:

“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!” (Mark 11:10)

Jesus could have retreated—walked away from Jerusalem and the crowds, leaving them disorganized and ineffective. He could have joined the rebellion. I am sure there were armed bands ready to do damage to the Roman legions with Jesus’ charisma to rally them.

Jesus chose to lead the revolution on his own terms. With deliberate resolution, he sent two disciples to get the colt for him to ride. He would lead as the one coming in the name of the Lord with the image of one bearing their burdens with them, sharing with the people in their trials. And he led the revolution not against the identified enemy camp of the Roman Consulate, but to the temple.

Mark’s Gospel is the shortest of the four. The writer gives the details of the story with little flourish. That coupled with the frequency of phases such as: “just as—just then—at once—as soon as” and the repeated use of the word “immediately” makes for breathless reading. Then, at one of the most critical times in his life and work, with a crowd prepared to supply all he needed to lead their revolution, he takes time to send two of his followers for a colt. Then, when he gets to the heart of the city, he does nothing “immediately;” only looks around and then returns to Bethany . When he reenters Jerusalem the next day, it is to the Temple , to home base, to the place he describes as intended to be “a house of prayer for all nations.” (Mark 11:17)

Revolution is a critical matter. When there is injustice, oppression, inequality, suffering and deprivation inflicted and perpetuated by the structures of a culture, the culture needs to be changed, dramatically. The United Sates lives, the product of revolution. But discontent swells to anger, rage and becomes uncontrollable. Protests and demonstrations provoke resistance; tempers flare, egos balloon.

Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple has been cited as evidence of his humanness. He became angry; in righteous indignation he wrecked the place. Therefore, we are human; it’s okay for us to erupt in anger. Had Jesus swept the marketers from the Temple the evening he arrived it could be seen as an enraged reaction. But, I think Mark is very deliberate in how he tells this story. The Gospel of Mark, written when followers of the Christ, scapegoats for the fire that destroyed much of Rome , were being viciously massacred, friends betraying friends. They needed no picture of anger and violence. In the face of trials and persecution, Mark provides a model of trust in God with Jesus’ style of leading revolution.

Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, “went into the temple, and when he had looked around at everything…” the tables where money was changed from street coin, to temple; cages of doves to be purchased for the proscribed sacrifices; the Roman legions alertly watching his every move for sign of insurrection; “he went out to Bethany with the twelve.” (Mark 11:11) Jesus had, in his own way assumed the leadership of revolution, taking it where the house of prayer might be its heart. Not finding it that evening, he went back to Bethany .

I find nothing in the Gospel stories of Jesus that would lead to the assumption that he spent the night ruminating on what he had seen in Jerusalem , his rage building to fury. Bethany , the quiet place he sought, was like the wilderness we have walked through Lent. Though Mark doesn’t write it, I see Jesus driven by the Spirit to the temple where he deliberately, coolly set about to clear it of that which kept it from being “the house of prayer for all nations.”

Revolution has been waged because of taxation without representation; racial inequality and oppression; economic inequality. Revolution has been waged by demonstration, strike, protest, blockade, war. The history is complex, but I think it credible to say all that is with limited success. Revolution too easily becomes about one side winning. But until all win, there is no lasting victory.

In 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Nonviolence and Social Change wrote:

“The dispossessed of this nation—the poor, both white and Negro (this was 1967)—live in a cruelly unjust society. They must organize a revolution against the injustice, not against the lives of the persons who are their fellow citizens, but against the structures through which the society is refusing to take means which have been called for, and which are at hand, to lift the load of poverty…

…there are millions of poor people in this country who have very little, or even nothing to lose. If they can be helped to take action together, they will do so with a freedom and a power that will be a new and unsettling force in our complacent national life…” (1)

Jesus taught his followers to pray that God’s kingdom—the reign of love become reality on earth as in heaven. Nearing Jerusalem , confronted with a revolution in the making, he chose to lead, riding a colt, creating the image of one bearing and sharing the burden of humanity. He led the revolution, not to the fortress of the enemy, but to the heart of that reign of love. He went to where he could have quiet to refresh that reign of love in himself, and then return to revive the house of prayer for all nations.

Ours is a time when millions have little or nothing to lose. Revolution could happen. Indeed revolution must happen that society may take means called for and that we have at hand to lift the load. The church must not follow, or too invested in turning its resources inwardly on itself, seek ways to stand clear.

I opened Henry and Kim Malarkey ’s Caringbridge Journal entry this morning. From a family visit to a Chinese buffet, Henry shared Ryan’s fortune cookie message he found uncannily appropriate for him—I think for the church, too. “Real courage is moving forward when the outcome is uncertain.”

Palm Sunday, in a time of revolution, when present culture fails so many, Palm Sunday affords the model of Jesus by which the church can lead in the power of God’s reign of love.

Amen.

(1) “Nonviolence and Social Change” Trumpet of Conscience (1967)

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