Monday, February 26, 2024

Palm/Passion Sunday (B)—Philippians 2:5–11; Mark 11:1–11


(A tribute to the late Richard  L. Manzelmann,

who many years ago used this as a Palm Sunday bulletin cover

at the New Hartford, New York Presbyterian Church, which

I then used in three or four congregations over the years.)

 

Philippians 2:5-11

 

Real Fundamentalism

 

Paul calls each Christian have the mind

Of Jesus, who was disinclined

To use the status he possessed

To save himself from danger, lest

The raison d'être for his life

Would fade at once in face of strife.

 

Instead, he did not fade, but grew

In hearts and minds 'til he accrued

The name that is above all names.

And yet, if we would still proclaim

This Jesus, what he really needs,

Is followers where he still leads.

 

Scott L. Barton

 

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross.Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

+  +  +

 

Mark 11:1-11

 

Donkey Rustling

 

How odd that Mark spends so much time

On things that hardly seem sublime;

It almost seems ridiculous

To know such details infamous

As how he got that ne'er ridd'n colt!

Who cares? Yet maybe his revolt

Against the principalities

Includes his personality

Involved in ev'ry action where

His followers, his name declare.

 

The coffee hour, the ushers' list,

The anthem sung, the meals dished,

The lesson taught in Sunday School,

The need to pay the bill for fuel,

The book group some came to in Lent,

The youth on mission trip just sent,

The prelude, bulletins, and prayers,

The greeter there atop the stairs,

The new hymn that the pastor tried,

The news a faithful friend has died . . . .

 

Such details of our life declare—

When done for him—that he is where,

By grace, we show that Jesus saves

By love, from cradle to the grave.

 

Scott L. Barton

 

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.

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