While narrative preaching may not be the bread and butter of the pulpit, it can be a valuable contribution in a number of ways. In this case, a narrative sermon provides an imaginative alternative for high holy days such as Palm Sunday when the preaching text may be similar from year to year. The different approach allows a preacher to enliven a text in new ways across many years of ministry.
Secondly, a narrative sermon series can offer a unique way to develop sermons on a set of characters from scripture or a series of stories in a book of the Bible.
Additionally, preachers will find that occasional narrative preaching can also assist them as readers to see more deeply into texts, as for instance the very brief comments made by the gospel writer about the disciples coming to pick up the colt with the simple statement, "The Lord has need of it." What sort of background made that easy to do? Alternatively, was it more complicated than the gospel account explains? Asking these probing questions assists preachers to seek richer and fuller understanding of the text.
Finally, I would also say that retelling a scripture narrative as a sermon also opens the door for teaching scripture in context. The retelling can weave surrounding chapters and pericopes into the text being examined, using cultural, geographical, and social background as well as including details from other adjacent stories to elaborate the more focused narrative.
Luke 19:28-40 (Liturgy of the Palms)
I started the day looking for that son of mine. He went outside early, as expected, to
do his chores. It is the day after
Sabbath, so there is a little extra work to do with the animals—a little extra
cleaning the messes they make, a little extra stocking the mangers with feed, a
little extra spreading of straw on the ground.
I was saying morning prayers,
planning my day, waiting for Elazar, that’s my son’s name, to share breakfast
with me. When he did not come
inside, I finally stepped out to see whether he was having a problem with his
chores. To my surprise, he was
nowhere to be found. And the
donkey’s colt he loves so much was gone as well. I wondered if the colt had run away. Maybe Elazar had to go searching. The mother donkey was happily chewing
her food and did not seem to be bothered at all. I decided I had better start looking for them myself.
I stopped by my neighbor Asher’s
house first. Asher is a tailor who
makes and repairs fine cloaks and other garments. Of course, most of us do our own basic sewing and make our
everyday work clothes as best we can.
Still, Asher makes a good living selling fabric and garments for all the
special occasions when people may not have time or skill to make their
own.
Asher said, “Peace be unto you,
Simeon. Come into my home. It’s very busy now as so many travelers
are coming to Jerusalem for the Passover.
In these festive seasons I make much of the income I need to feed my
family for the year. But I always
have time for my good friend Simeon.”
I got right to the point to ask if
Asher had seen Elazar this morning or might have any idea where I might find
him. Asher said, “I did hear some
conversation outside in the early morning. I thought Elazar might have been talking with you, Simeon. But if it were not you, then I suppose some
other man must have stopped to talk.
Simeon, I’m sorry, but it seemed normal, so I did not bother to
check. Wait, my boy Zachary is
helping me this morning. Maybe he
saw something. Hey Zach, come speak
with Simeon and me for a moment.”
A small boy appeared carrying a
large stack of folded fabric.
Peeking over the top of the cloth, he listened to his father ask, “Did
you see Elazar going anywhere this morning? Simeon can’t find him or the young colt.”
Zachary replied that his mom had
sent him outside early to sweep off the threshold and the front yard. He added,
“I saw Elazar and my big brother, David, talking with two men. The men had come to borrow the
colt. When Elazar asked why they
wanted the colt, they said, ‘The Lord has need of it.’ Right then, Elazar and David got so
excited. They did not even think
to come in and tell anyone what was happening. They just asked those men, ‘Can we come along?’ That’s when they all left, heading back
into the direction of Bethany with the colt.”
I looked at Asher, and he looked
back at me. We paused a moment to
collect our thoughts. Then Asher
said, “Simeon, we knew this day was coming, but we did not know when.”
You see, Asher and I had been
following the news of Jesus of Nazareth.
Not so long ago, we had gone out into the wilderness by the Jordan to
hear the preaching of John. We
were convicted by his words, so we were baptized for repentance from sin. Later word came around that John had announced
Jesus as the promised one that we should follow. Ever since, we began to take whatever opportunities we could
to see him, to hear him, and to learn about him.
For a few months now, a small group
of people here on the edge of Bethpage and Bethany met together occasionally to
tell each other what we have heard and seen. We talk about the things Jesus is teaching and the mighty
works he has done. Recently, some
of his close followers dropped by our meeting to let us know that Jesus was
coming to Jerusalem. They said
that when he came, he would need our help to carry out his plans. They asked us to be ready to do what
Jesus would ask us to do. So our
families had agreed to be ready.
Elazar is still a by, but at his age he is also a son of the law. Like his elders, he has been drawn to
Jesus. That’s why this morning, he
knew to be ready.
I felt a rush of joy to know that
our humble family could now be of service to Jesus. We are simple people.
We keep animals. I hire out
my service to haul goods with my donkeys.
This young colt had never been ridden and never carried a heavy
load. He was almost ready for
joining the working stock. Yes, he
was ripe for work. But why would
Jesus need this colt?
Remember Asher pointed out that next
week is Passover. Of course, that
is the time when our children ask a question at the Passover table, “Why is
this night different from every other night?” I have to say the question came a few days early for me. Why was this first day of the week
different from any other day?
For a long time it seems, Asher and
I stood together pondering this news.
But soon we began to hear the sounds of a crowd coming out of the
direction of Bethany. We went
outside to get a view of what was happening. In the distance, there were people walking in the road, and
more people walking along beside the road. They were shouting and laughing. Some seemed to be singing. As they got closer I could make out what they were saying.
“Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail the Son of David!” People were cutting branches from the
palm trees and waving them. It was
as if a sea of green banners were waving and washing down the road--green waves
of hope, waving above our heads, signaling that change is coming.
In a way I was confused about the
words people were saying, even though I knew about Jesus and had high hopes for
what he might do. What marvelous
words these were! Who would say
such things as these? Of course we
all hoped for the Messiah. Asher
and I grew up studying the Torah and the Prophets, and we had sometimes disputed
what signs of the Messiah’s coming we should be watching for. Now, all of a sudden, right by my
humble home, people were shouting as if the Messiah was about to pass by.
Then, as I peered at the
approaching tumult, lo and behold, I saw Elazar, walking along leading our
colt. On the back of the colt sat
the great teacher Jesus. Just as
the Prophet Zechariah had said, he was riding into Jerusalem on a donkey’s
colt. I was so proud to see Elazar
there with him. And David, Asher’s
older boy, was running back and forth with many others, placing their outer
garments on the road as a carpet in front of the colt. It was a kind of moving carpet, as they
waited for the donkey to pass, then gathered the garments and ran carrying them
again to put them on the road ahead of Jesus.
I burst inside to get Rachel, my
wife. I told her to grab her
tambourine, come to the street, and join the people celebrating as Jesus rides
into Jerusalem. When we got back
outside, we found Asher and Zachary, and Asher’s wife Sarah, carrying beautiful
garments to spread on the road in front of our simple little colt.
In the crowd I saw familiar faces
of the fishermen, scholars, workers, and of course the women of every status,
disciples who had traveled with Jesus, had followed along to learn and assist
him in his work. Right beside the
colt was a beggar, shouting loudest it seems, calling Jesus the Son of David
and telling everyone that on this very morning he had been blind, but Jesus
gave him sight. Running along
behind was a very short man in the finest of clothes, trying to keep up. I heard someone say he was a tax
collector who was giving back the money he stole from people. Women were playing their finger
cymbals, jingling their bells, and beating their tambourines. Children ran and played in all the
excitement. It seemed that
everyone was joining the great parade of people praising God and following
Jesus.
We made our way into Jerusalem, and
the crowd continued to swell into a great multitude. Those who realized what was happening would join in the
celebration. Others followed along
to gaze at the spectacle, mostly out of curiosity. Such a scene attracted the attention of everyone, including
the authorities. Roman soldiers
watched suspiciously, and I saw them send a messenger toward the Prefect’s
court. I’m sure Pilate was not
pleased to hear what was happening.
Soon from the direction of the temple I could see officials of the
Sanhedrin and their temple guards hurrying in our direction. That made some people afraid, and the
crowd thinned out a little.
Those Pharisees and Sadducees went
straight up to Jesus and told him he should make all of us stop saying what we
were saying. They had hated him
for a long time, and this big show of popularity and symbolism made them
livid. As usual, Jesus had a
strong response ready. He said if
the people stopped shouting these things, then the very stones of the road and
the stone blocks of the structures would take our places crying out in praise
to God. What a thing to say! He never seemed afraid to get right in
the faces of those pompous windbags.
I kept thinking about the other
times I had seen and heard Jesus.
There were many times before that it seemed Jesus did not want to be
called the Messiah. But for some
reason today was different. He did
not hush it up. He did not deny it
or give some kind of vague and confusing explanation. He was willing to accept the title. He was even acting it out from the
teaching of the prophets.
Some were shouting, “Peace in
heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!”
It was like the story they tell about when Jesus was born. They say shepherds heard angels saying
those very same words. So much of
what had gone before seemed to be coming to fruition on this day, in my town,
in front of my house, and including my little donkey.
However, I noticed as we got right
up to the city where Jesus could look out across the temple, the buildings, the
streets, and the people, that Jesus’ face clouded up. He seemed to be weeping. Elazar later told me that Jesus had said something about the
people not knowing the way to peace.
They were crying out peace, but they did not know peace.
After taking a few moments of reflection
and resolve, Jesus gathered himself and went into the temple itself. He began to confront the merchants and
the temple staff. He quickly took
charge of the place. Many of the
crowd continued to cheer his actions.
Others watched in amazement or fear for what the guards might do. Jesus activity on that day was
relentless, it seems. But the
moment was passing, the excitement waning.
People got tired or hungry. Slowly, the crowds of people began to
go back to what they had been doing.
Rachel and I gathered the family and the colt, and we headed back
home. We found Asher and Sarah
preparing to wash the garments from the road and getting back to their
work. But none of us could keep
from stopping in the midst of our work to talk about what had happened. We kept puzzling over what it might
mean.
Jesus did not gather weapons and
utilize the crowd to rush the centers of power and take over Jerusalem. Some thought he would do that. I don’t know why he didn’t. But he also did not send us away
and say we had gotten him all wrong.
I think he was accepting the title Messiah, but just what kind of
Messiah is he?
I keep thinking about that moment
when he stopped to survey the city.
What hurt him so bad that tears filled his eyes in the middle of his
great day of triumph and celebration?
I would have expected him to beam with joy and to bask in all that
glory. But Elazar said Jesus was
feeling sad for the way that God’s blessing for Jerusalem and for the people
would soon be thwarted. He was
seeing that these enthusiastic crowds would be disappointed. He said that the people did not
understand or recognize the visitation of God. He incited a multitude, yet he was disappointed by the
response he got. What a strange
reaction to the day’s marvelous events!
I just don’t understand.
Jesus had asked for the colt so he
could ride into town. That must
mean that he wanted to stir the crowds to action. Yet he is showing no sign of organizing his forces for
battle. If not battle, what kind
of action does he want to see? I
wish I could understand what this man has planned for us. I am sure that he comes from God.
The words I’ve heard him speak stir
my heart. They make me yearn to
know God better. They raise hope
for a better life and a better world.
What will the next days bring?
Will he now show us the way?
What does he want from us?
If not taking up arms, then what means does he plan to use for transforming the world?
As this day is closing, God, I am calling out to you. Show us the things that make for peace. Visit us and make yourself known. Make us ready to follow Jesus wherever he may lead. Make us ready to become who you want us to be. Amen.
As this day is closing, God, I am calling out to you. Show us the things that make for peace. Visit us and make yourself known. Make us ready to follow Jesus wherever he may lead. Make us ready to become who you want us to be. Amen.
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