Today, on the First Sunday of Advent, on the First Sunday of the Church Year, Jesus invites us to bring to Him our humble places.
The gospel for the beginning of the Church Year reaches back to a prophecy of the coming of Jesus. “Behold, your king comes to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey” (Matthew 21:5).
He is a king who rules in humility. That is what lies at the heart of our gospel reading and what is woven throughout the life of the Church. Today, we begin a new church year. At the beginning of the church year, we have a glimpse of the end; Jesus entering Jerusalem. Normally, the appointment of this reading is used to remind us why Jesus came. He came to suffer and die for the forgiveness of sin and to rise from the dead and rule over all creation. At the beginning of the church year, it is good to remember what we are always and ultimately celebrating.
But I would like to consider how this gospel reading invites us to experience a different contemplation. This prophecy reminds us of a paradox. We have a king who comes, not in power and glory, but in gentleness and humility. He does not ride on a war horse but on a donkey. He is not surrounded by soldiers but by disciples. And He comes to reveal a different kind of kingdom and a different kind of rule in our world.
Jesus works in humility. It is an aspect of the faith that is worth remembering. As we approach another year of worship and as we approach the season of Advent, we remember how our Lord works in the humble places of our lives.
I was reading Malcolm Muggeridge’s biography of Mother Teresa, Something Beautiful for God. In this biography, he captures the humble working of God. Mother Teresa served at the Loretto convent, a religious congregation devoted to education. She was both a teacher and a principal of a school. In August of 1948, she left that position and walked into the slums of Calcutta. There, she began to serve the poorest of the poor.
Surrounded by children who had never been to school, Mother Teresa began to teach. She had no classroom, no desks, no chalkboard, no paper. All she had was her Lord’s love and these poor children... and the dirt. As she recounts the story, Mother Teresa knelt down and took a stick and began to draw letters in the dirt. From such humble beginnings of love and mud, God raised a movement, the Missionaries of Charity, who would spread across the globe. Such world transforming work began with humility, a little bit of dirt, and a portion of the Lord’s love.
Perhaps, her story is a bit too grand, something we would never be able to do. If that is the case, think of how God works in humility in our lives today.
Our humble King is willing to be in the smallest corners of our lives.
As a pastor, I love visiting families right after they have a baby. As family members gather and look at the baby, there is so much joy in the room. But there are dreams in the room too. I remember the dreams of the fathers in particular. Sheperd holds his baby Elouise. His eyes look at her face, but his mind walks to the horizons of her life. He is making promises, promises of the father he wants to be. He will be there for her, unlike his own dad. He will come to her games and her dance recitals. He will teach her to drive. He will make sure she finds a good man, a kind man, one who treats her with respect. He has such grand dreams and promises of what he will do.
But before he can act on any of those promises, he needs to do something simple. When holding Elouise, he needs to make sure he supports her head. Small acts, simple acts, but these are the beginning of the wonders of being a parent. Parenthood is something that starts small and into which he will slowly grow. It does not happen all at once.
Perhaps, that is what is so beautiful to me about this entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. We see something that is true about God’s work in our lives. Our humble King is willing to be in the smallest corners of our lives.
As Jesus enters Jerusalem, the crowds surround Him. They are calling out His name. To those who know and to those who do not know, they proclaim, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee” (21:11). Yet, within a week, this Jesus, this fulfiller of prophecy, this King of Zion, will be hanging on a tree. There will be no placard bearing His name, just a sign that mocks Him: “The King of the Jews.”
Yet, Jesus takes that humble place because He chooses to make all things new. He chooses to bear upon His body the sins of all people that He might take their bodies and make them into the children of God. He dies our death and rises from the dead to give us His life. It is a life that is known in the smallest and the humblest of places.
So, today, on the First Sunday of Advent, on the First Sunday of the Church Year, Jesus invites us to bring to Him our humble places. What is it you are ashamed of? What part of your life makes you feel less than others? What thought or word or deed would you like to hide away?
Come today and bring that here to Jesus. Yes, it is humiliating to even think God knows these things. It is frightening to invite God into these portions of our lives. But He has come to rule, and, in fact, He has chosen to rule there, in the humble places.
This is what He promises you. Your humble place will become, through Him, a palace of His Kingdom. He is a king who comes in humility and promises to work there for you.
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Additional Resources:
Craft of Preaching-Check out out 1517’s resources on Matthew 21:1-11 or 24:36-44.
Concordia Theology-Various helps from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO to assist you in preaching Matthew 21:1-11 or 24:36-44.
Lectionary Kick-Start-Check out this fantastic podcast from Craft of Preaching authors Peter Nafzger and David Schmitt as they dig into the texts for this Sunday!
The Pastor’s Workshop-Check out all the great preaching resources from our friends at the Pastor’s Workshop!
