The Palm Sunday story is told in all four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, but each of them tell it a little different. Luke’s version which we read today, surprisingly, is missing two of the most Palm Sunday things. First, Luke’s version of Palm Sunday doesn’t mention any Palms! On a recent trip to Florida our four-year-old son struggled to say “Palm Trees” when we saw them out the car window, so now and forevermore in our family they are called “Pom Pom Trees.” And that is what the palms are like today: pom-poms praising the coming king–but there’s a problem, pom-poms or no pom-poms. As Jesus is marched into Jerusalem, Jerusalem already has a king. So when this new king is paraded in, you know there’s going to be a collision. 

The other thing Luke’s version doesn’t have is the word “Hosanna.” Now, that’s likely because it’s a Hebrew word that means “Save us, Lord,” or “God save the King,” but Luke’s audience were mostly Greek speakers, so he leaves it out. 

But there are two other things which Luke’s version has which the others’ don’t. First is this phrase which the crowd shouts: “Peace in heaven, glory in the highest heaven!” It’s a phrase very similar to the one used by the angels in Luke’s version of the Christmas story. Here it is again just before Easter. 

The other thing we only find in Luke’s version is this line about stones, rocks. The Pharisees and religious rulers tell Jesus and the crowd to pipe down, be quiet; but Jesus says, “If they were quiet, the stones and rocks would cry out with praise.” In other words, Jesus says, the train has left the station, and no one can stop it now. 

Today, this week, we find Jesus on a collision course with the world as it is. 

The rocks come up again around Tuesday and Wednesday when Jesus and friends are walking around the Temple and some disciples look up at these massive walls which are a feat of ancient engineering, and like the out-of-towners they are they remark “Jesus, Woah! Those are some biiiiig rocks!” Jesus replies, “and before I’m done all of those rocks will be overturned.” 

No, he doesn’t start knocking down literal walls and stones as cool as that might be to my 4-year-old and me; but he does make a mess. He marches right into the Temple and starts pitching a fit, overturning tables and liberating lambs and turtledoves. It is quite a mess. Again, he is on a collision course with the powers that be, and the world as it is. He’s come to turn the whole world upside down. 

Did anyone notice a few weeks back when the news and social media were abuzz about an asteroid headed for earth? I don’t know how the algorithm knows it, but that’s my kind of doom scrolling so I went pretty far down that rabbit hole. For a solid 48 hours my phone had me convinced there was an asteroid headed for earth that around 2029 would collide with the force of a hundred nuclear bombs. 

Turns out, it’s gonna miss us, by a few hundred thousand miles. I am of course relieved about this, but again, I’d be lying if I said my inner four-year-old isn’t a little bummed we’ll miss seeing a big collision. 

The announcement of Palm Sunday is “Hey, wake up!” Pay attention. Grab your cloaks and your pom-poms. There’s a new king in town, and he’s on a collision course with the world as it is. The invitation to us all, each Palm Sunday, is–don’t let it miss you. Don’t miss this annual opportunity to collide with Christ. 

For, here’s that word again, behold! Behold, as Jesus enters Jerusalem and overturns the high tables and great big stones of the status quo. Behold as he collides with the walls constructed against him, the walls we’ve built between rich and poor, haves and have nots, outsider and insider, citizen and alien, and watch as ultimately he collides even with the wall that stands between life and death. 

Don’t miss it. And most of all, don’t miss his intended target. Don’t miss his intended collision with you, with your life, with your heart, whether stony and cold, or bruised and broken. Behold. Here he comes. This train has left the station, even for those whose pom-pomed Hosannas will soon sour to cries for his crucifixion. 

Even that won’t stop him, for he is highest heaven sent, and hell bent, on colliding with you with the full force of the love of God, in the shape of a cross. 

Thanks Be To God