(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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