Sermon Illustrations for Passion/Palm Sunday (2018)
Illustration
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Standing for the Lord God when it is hard; this is the message of our text today. As I read through that I couldn’t help but be reminded of some of the early church fathers and the stand they took.
Polycarp was a disciple of John and an early church leader whose life ended when he refused to betray his Lord. Asked one last time to disavow his Christ, the old man replied, "Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I speak evil of my King who saved me?"
His prayer is recorded by the historian Eusebius. "Father of Your beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have received the knowledge of You, I bless You that You have counted me worthy of this day and hour, that I might be in the number of the martyrs. Among these may I be received before You today in a rich and acceptable sacrifice, as You have beforehand prepared and revealed. Wherefore I also praise You also for everything; I bless You; I glorify You, through the eternal High Priest Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, through whom, with Him, in the Holy Spirit, be glory unto You both now and for the ages to come. Amen." Eusebius adds: "When he had offered up his amen and had finished his prayer, the firemen lighted the fire."
Reading this account from Polycarp’s life is challenging. Understanding that the Lord’s Servant, Jesus went through even more is amazing. As Chris Tomlin wrote in a song, “Amazing love, how can it be? That thou my Lord should die for me?”
Bill T.
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Kevin Costner is an actor, director and musician who has won numerous awards for his work in movies and on television. In his last year in college Costner became interested in acting. After he graduated from college he started taking acting lessons. To support himself, Costner took work on fishing boats, as a truck driver, and giving tours of stars' Hollywood homes. He tried to model his acting after Richard Burton. Costner’s first film was released in 1981. Since then he has appeared in over 50 films. Perhaps his break-out role was in the movie Dances With Wolves, in which he was nominated for an Academy Award for best actor. In 2016, when Costner was 61-years-old, he was interviewed for his new film Criminal. Criminal is an action crime movie. The film is about a convict who is implanted with a dead CIA agent’s memory to finish an assignment. During the interview Costner was asked if had a recurring dream. Costner then related this, “I’m in a play and I don’t know any of the lines. And people are saying, ‘You’re not ready! How could you do this to us?’ ” Costner went on to share the meaning of the dream with these words, “Maybe it’s because I try to be really proactive in getting things right in my life.”
Application: There are many ways in which God can speak to us. We can hear the voice of God in a dream, from the words of a friend, during a sermon or as we read a daily devotional. But in each case, we are like Isaiah who said God “wakens my ear to listen.” For Kevin Costner, his dream awakened him to the fact that he must always be prepared for an acting assignment, as well as other endeavors in his life.
Ron L.
Isaiah 50:4-9a
The prophet notes at the beginning of this passage that “The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word.” Who is the prophet trying to teach? Those who are suffering and struggling. How does he teach them? Through his own suffering and struggling. This passage is often interpreted as pointing to the undeserved suffering of Jesus, which seems to work just as well. The prophet may be the prequel to the great drama of the cross and resurrection. And if so, we are the sequel. It is in our unmerited suffering that we most closely follow in the footsteps of Jesus, and in that unmerited suffering we offer the lesson of comfort to those around us who are also suffering though they don’t deserve it. We’re all part of a prophetic chain.
Frank R.
Philippians 2:5-11
If you don’t toot your own horn nobody else will. It is a mantra for success in today’s economy. Commenting on today’s business trends and their impact on our character, famed Sociologist Richard Sennett has claimed that the new economy’s stress on flexibility makes it difficult to measure success, except making sure that you establish your reputation as a “winner” (The Corrosion of Character). These values certainly stand in stark contrast to the themes of Passion Sunday and our lesson’s reference to Christ emptying himself (vv.6-8).
Contrary to those who narcissistically contend that you can’t love unless you first love yourself, Jesus’ emptying of himself was the ultimate expression of love (for us). Psychologist M. Scott Peck endorses this point (insofar as he contends that it takes self-emptiness to love or care about somebody else.) He writes:
Mark E.
Philippians 2:5-11
What does it mean to you to be of the same mind as Jesus? It’s difficult to think that way for it may mean sacrificing our own desires and plans for the desire and plan of God. Back before I went to seminary, I had a six-year argument with God about my call into ministry. I had plans for my life. I had a good job, a house, and a life. I was active in my local church but I didn’t think I could upset my whole life and go to school to become an ordained minister.
It’s funny though. When I decided to respond to the call of God on my life, a lot of the problems and issues I thought would get into my way didn’t. Rather God helped me to eliminate those barriers, God opened opportunities for me I hadn’t even imagined. When I focused on the plans God had for me, peace and joy filled me. I don’t believe that God is the puppeteer and we are the marionettes, but I do believe God places desires in our hearts and opens doors. I urge you to listen to the call of God as Jesus did, as I eventually did. You may be amazed at where obedience to that call takes you.
Bonnie B.
Philippians 2:5-11
I’ve had professors who thought no one was greater than they were. It sounds normal. Was Jesus normal? Is it normal to be humble? Sometimes it takes effort.
When Jesus rode on a donkey on Palm Sunday that should have surprised all the people who watched him go by. Any great general or king rides on a stallion. It is hard to believe that the greatest man in all the world should be humble and ride a donkey! That is a lesson for us.
I read about a few famous actors who hated to be approached by reporters or even by one of their admirers, but I don’t think even they were imitating Jesus.
I met Billy Graham at a breakfast in New York once. I was with a group of pastors from the area who were interested in the world’s fair that was soon to start in 1963. He told us that he had been given enough money to establish a pavilion for him and his ministry at the fair, but he didn’t want the other church pavilions to think he was better than us. He wondered if he should just be part of the protestant pavilion. There were three pavilions: protestant, Catholic and Mormon. We told him we would rather outnumber the Mormons three to one if he would opened his pavilion.
When I was invited to a great banquet in Ohio because they wanted a pastor there, I sat in the back of the dining hall, but they came and brought me up to the head table to ask the blessing. I had been thinking of that passage for today when I sat in the back.
One of the pastor’s in Nepal was winning people to Christ, because even when he was tortured and beaten he forgave the ones hurting him.
Can we give an example of humbleness to our children without loosing their respect?
One of my professors in seminary was very humble, and we loved him the most. This bothered some of the other professors.
These passages make me ask, are any of us humble enough to accept a humiliating death?
Because of Jesus’ willingness to die humbly on a cross, we can be raised from our earthly bodies to join him in heaven if we are also humble here on earth now.
Bob O.
Philippians 2:5-11
In 1643, Cardinal Francesco Barberini commissioned that 12 tapestries were to be made. In 1891 they were donated to the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York City. On December 18, 2001, a fire broke out behind the wall where the tapestries were hung and caused considerable damage. The Barberini tapestries, as they came to be called, were painstakingly restored and hung once again in 2017. The restoration process required an inch-by-inch work on each tapestry. Originally the tapestries, which are 16 feet tall and 12 to 19 feet in width, were hung 40 feet above the floor. Now the tapestries are hung at eye level. The Barberini tapestries, which once hung at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, depict scenes from the life of Christ. Only 12 of the 10 tapestries were able to be restored.
Application: One of the lessons in our lectionary reading is the importance of worship.
Ron L.
Mark 14:1-15:47 or Mark 15:1-39, (40-47)
Nowadays the cross is a common theme for Christian art. Despite our familiarity with this symbol, surprisingly little is known about the actual method of this gruesome form of execution. And perhaps we don’t want to know too much. One reason we know so little is that it was no secret to those who lived in the Roman Empire two thousand years ago. Crucifixion was so common Roman soldiers didn’t need a manual or illustrations to carry out this brutality. It was one of their regular duties.
In recent years two gruesome bits of artwork, graffiti from a wall in Italy and a red gemstone into which is carved a crucified figure, have been discovered. Both pieces of artwork show figures nailed to crosses, and in one case the flesh is horribly flayed from scourging. You can no doubt find these on the internet if you wish to use them in your Passion Sunday or Good Friday service. You can also read about them in an article by Ben Witherington III in the March/April 2013 issue of Biblical Archaeological Review.
Frank R.
Mark 14:1-15:47
Charles Templeton in the 1940’s gained a following as an evangelist. He was a friend of Billy Graham and many thought, at the time, how he might make a huge impact for the kingdom of Christ. In one of Templeton’s books, Life Looks Up, Templeton remarks how ironic it is that the course of human history has been affected so positively and negatively by events that have occurred in two small upper rooms. One of them is a drab apartment in London's Westside. It is dirty, curtain less, with stacks of articles on the table and worn manuscripts. Seated at that table a man labors, writing words that would overthrow governments, enslave millions of people, and affect the course of history for several generations. The man was Karl Marx. His writing was Das Kapital which became the handbook for the Communist revolution.
But there's another upper room that also figures in the course of human history: this one located in one of the oldest cities of the world, Jerusalem, and here also there was a table. Thirteen would gather at this table to share a meal and to hear the words of a man whose love and sacrifice would make an eternal impact on human history.
There is more to the story. Templeton’s observation is a good one and worth noting. Two small, upper rooms impacted the course of human history. The tragic part of this story is that in the late 1950’s Templeton abandoned the message of the upper room in Jerusalem. He renounced the one whose love and sacrifice he’d praised. Though he continued to respect his friend Billy Graham, his career ended with his last book, Farewell to God. Templeton noted the events well, but failed to internalize their meaning. From the upper room in London, Marx message comes forth: “there is no God.” From the upper room in Jerusalem comes a different message. Which upper room message matters to you?
Bill T.
Standing for the Lord God when it is hard; this is the message of our text today. As I read through that I couldn’t help but be reminded of some of the early church fathers and the stand they took.
Polycarp was a disciple of John and an early church leader whose life ended when he refused to betray his Lord. Asked one last time to disavow his Christ, the old man replied, "Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I speak evil of my King who saved me?"
His prayer is recorded by the historian Eusebius. "Father of Your beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have received the knowledge of You, I bless You that You have counted me worthy of this day and hour, that I might be in the number of the martyrs. Among these may I be received before You today in a rich and acceptable sacrifice, as You have beforehand prepared and revealed. Wherefore I also praise You also for everything; I bless You; I glorify You, through the eternal High Priest Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, through whom, with Him, in the Holy Spirit, be glory unto You both now and for the ages to come. Amen." Eusebius adds: "When he had offered up his amen and had finished his prayer, the firemen lighted the fire."
Reading this account from Polycarp’s life is challenging. Understanding that the Lord’s Servant, Jesus went through even more is amazing. As Chris Tomlin wrote in a song, “Amazing love, how can it be? That thou my Lord should die for me?”
Bill T.
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Kevin Costner is an actor, director and musician who has won numerous awards for his work in movies and on television. In his last year in college Costner became interested in acting. After he graduated from college he started taking acting lessons. To support himself, Costner took work on fishing boats, as a truck driver, and giving tours of stars' Hollywood homes. He tried to model his acting after Richard Burton. Costner’s first film was released in 1981. Since then he has appeared in over 50 films. Perhaps his break-out role was in the movie Dances With Wolves, in which he was nominated for an Academy Award for best actor. In 2016, when Costner was 61-years-old, he was interviewed for his new film Criminal. Criminal is an action crime movie. The film is about a convict who is implanted with a dead CIA agent’s memory to finish an assignment. During the interview Costner was asked if had a recurring dream. Costner then related this, “I’m in a play and I don’t know any of the lines. And people are saying, ‘You’re not ready! How could you do this to us?’ ” Costner went on to share the meaning of the dream with these words, “Maybe it’s because I try to be really proactive in getting things right in my life.”
Application: There are many ways in which God can speak to us. We can hear the voice of God in a dream, from the words of a friend, during a sermon or as we read a daily devotional. But in each case, we are like Isaiah who said God “wakens my ear to listen.” For Kevin Costner, his dream awakened him to the fact that he must always be prepared for an acting assignment, as well as other endeavors in his life.
Ron L.
Isaiah 50:4-9a
The prophet notes at the beginning of this passage that “The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word.” Who is the prophet trying to teach? Those who are suffering and struggling. How does he teach them? Through his own suffering and struggling. This passage is often interpreted as pointing to the undeserved suffering of Jesus, which seems to work just as well. The prophet may be the prequel to the great drama of the cross and resurrection. And if so, we are the sequel. It is in our unmerited suffering that we most closely follow in the footsteps of Jesus, and in that unmerited suffering we offer the lesson of comfort to those around us who are also suffering though they don’t deserve it. We’re all part of a prophetic chain.
Frank R.
Philippians 2:5-11
If you don’t toot your own horn nobody else will. It is a mantra for success in today’s economy. Commenting on today’s business trends and their impact on our character, famed Sociologist Richard Sennett has claimed that the new economy’s stress on flexibility makes it difficult to measure success, except making sure that you establish your reputation as a “winner” (The Corrosion of Character). These values certainly stand in stark contrast to the themes of Passion Sunday and our lesson’s reference to Christ emptying himself (vv.6-8).
Contrary to those who narcissistically contend that you can’t love unless you first love yourself, Jesus’ emptying of himself was the ultimate expression of love (for us). Psychologist M. Scott Peck endorses this point (insofar as he contends that it takes self-emptiness to love or care about somebody else.) He writes:
We cannot let another person into our hearts and minds unless we empty ourselves.We can truly listen to him or truly hear her only out of emptiness.Neurobiologists have adduced evidence that supports this insight, that we love more when we have emptied ourselves of our desires and sense of self. It seems that the part of our brain, the prefrontal cortex, which most distances us from our immediate needs, is activated when we engage in projects bigger than ourselves, notably when involved in intimate relationships. These activities are self-emptying (Daniel Amen, Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, pp.114, 264-267, 275-277). Self-emptying is a self-denial, which seems to hurt. But Mother Teresa has advice for us when it does: “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love."
Mark E.
Philippians 2:5-11
What does it mean to you to be of the same mind as Jesus? It’s difficult to think that way for it may mean sacrificing our own desires and plans for the desire and plan of God. Back before I went to seminary, I had a six-year argument with God about my call into ministry. I had plans for my life. I had a good job, a house, and a life. I was active in my local church but I didn’t think I could upset my whole life and go to school to become an ordained minister.
It’s funny though. When I decided to respond to the call of God on my life, a lot of the problems and issues I thought would get into my way didn’t. Rather God helped me to eliminate those barriers, God opened opportunities for me I hadn’t even imagined. When I focused on the plans God had for me, peace and joy filled me. I don’t believe that God is the puppeteer and we are the marionettes, but I do believe God places desires in our hearts and opens doors. I urge you to listen to the call of God as Jesus did, as I eventually did. You may be amazed at where obedience to that call takes you.
Bonnie B.
Philippians 2:5-11
I’ve had professors who thought no one was greater than they were. It sounds normal. Was Jesus normal? Is it normal to be humble? Sometimes it takes effort.
When Jesus rode on a donkey on Palm Sunday that should have surprised all the people who watched him go by. Any great general or king rides on a stallion. It is hard to believe that the greatest man in all the world should be humble and ride a donkey! That is a lesson for us.
I read about a few famous actors who hated to be approached by reporters or even by one of their admirers, but I don’t think even they were imitating Jesus.
I met Billy Graham at a breakfast in New York once. I was with a group of pastors from the area who were interested in the world’s fair that was soon to start in 1963. He told us that he had been given enough money to establish a pavilion for him and his ministry at the fair, but he didn’t want the other church pavilions to think he was better than us. He wondered if he should just be part of the protestant pavilion. There were three pavilions: protestant, Catholic and Mormon. We told him we would rather outnumber the Mormons three to one if he would opened his pavilion.
When I was invited to a great banquet in Ohio because they wanted a pastor there, I sat in the back of the dining hall, but they came and brought me up to the head table to ask the blessing. I had been thinking of that passage for today when I sat in the back.
One of the pastor’s in Nepal was winning people to Christ, because even when he was tortured and beaten he forgave the ones hurting him.
Can we give an example of humbleness to our children without loosing their respect?
One of my professors in seminary was very humble, and we loved him the most. This bothered some of the other professors.
These passages make me ask, are any of us humble enough to accept a humiliating death?
Because of Jesus’ willingness to die humbly on a cross, we can be raised from our earthly bodies to join him in heaven if we are also humble here on earth now.
Bob O.
Philippians 2:5-11
In 1643, Cardinal Francesco Barberini commissioned that 12 tapestries were to be made. In 1891 they were donated to the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York City. On December 18, 2001, a fire broke out behind the wall where the tapestries were hung and caused considerable damage. The Barberini tapestries, as they came to be called, were painstakingly restored and hung once again in 2017. The restoration process required an inch-by-inch work on each tapestry. Originally the tapestries, which are 16 feet tall and 12 to 19 feet in width, were hung 40 feet above the floor. Now the tapestries are hung at eye level. The Barberini tapestries, which once hung at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, depict scenes from the life of Christ. Only 12 of the 10 tapestries were able to be restored.
Application: One of the lessons in our lectionary reading is the importance of worship.
Ron L.
Mark 14:1-15:47 or Mark 15:1-39, (40-47)
Nowadays the cross is a common theme for Christian art. Despite our familiarity with this symbol, surprisingly little is known about the actual method of this gruesome form of execution. And perhaps we don’t want to know too much. One reason we know so little is that it was no secret to those who lived in the Roman Empire two thousand years ago. Crucifixion was so common Roman soldiers didn’t need a manual or illustrations to carry out this brutality. It was one of their regular duties.
In recent years two gruesome bits of artwork, graffiti from a wall in Italy and a red gemstone into which is carved a crucified figure, have been discovered. Both pieces of artwork show figures nailed to crosses, and in one case the flesh is horribly flayed from scourging. You can no doubt find these on the internet if you wish to use them in your Passion Sunday or Good Friday service. You can also read about them in an article by Ben Witherington III in the March/April 2013 issue of Biblical Archaeological Review.
Frank R.
Mark 14:1-15:47
Charles Templeton in the 1940’s gained a following as an evangelist. He was a friend of Billy Graham and many thought, at the time, how he might make a huge impact for the kingdom of Christ. In one of Templeton’s books, Life Looks Up, Templeton remarks how ironic it is that the course of human history has been affected so positively and negatively by events that have occurred in two small upper rooms. One of them is a drab apartment in London's Westside. It is dirty, curtain less, with stacks of articles on the table and worn manuscripts. Seated at that table a man labors, writing words that would overthrow governments, enslave millions of people, and affect the course of history for several generations. The man was Karl Marx. His writing was Das Kapital which became the handbook for the Communist revolution.
But there's another upper room that also figures in the course of human history: this one located in one of the oldest cities of the world, Jerusalem, and here also there was a table. Thirteen would gather at this table to share a meal and to hear the words of a man whose love and sacrifice would make an eternal impact on human history.
There is more to the story. Templeton’s observation is a good one and worth noting. Two small, upper rooms impacted the course of human history. The tragic part of this story is that in the late 1950’s Templeton abandoned the message of the upper room in Jerusalem. He renounced the one whose love and sacrifice he’d praised. Though he continued to respect his friend Billy Graham, his career ended with his last book, Farewell to God. Templeton noted the events well, but failed to internalize their meaning. From the upper room in London, Marx message comes forth: “there is no God.” From the upper room in Jerusalem comes a different message. Which upper room message matters to you?
Bill T.
