Who Doesn't Love a Parade?
By Rev. Heidi L. Barham | April 13, 2025
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Read: John 12:12 – 16 (NIV)
The question I want to set before us this morning as we prepare to look at our New Testament lesson today is a simple one... WHO DOESN’T LOVE A PARADE?
Now, when I was growing up, I remember watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade on TV every year with Mom. There was always so much to look at... from the floats to the marching bands to the giant cartoon balloons... and all those people lining the streets.
But the first parade I remember actually going to in person was the Main Street Electrical Parade at Disneyland back in the early 1970s. The floats in that parade filled the night sky with bright colored lights as the Disney characters processed down Main Street USA... much to the delight of the children and families who were watching from the sidelines.
However, It was many years later before I actually had the opportunity to walk in a parade myself. It was the City of Lakewood’s Fourth of July parade... and I walked alongside members of an organization called Moms Demand Action at the invitation of my dear friends, Rev. Kris and David Eggert.
I do have to admit, it was a pretty amazing experience to be on the inside looking out at the crowds gathered along the streets... and to be on the receiving end of the cheers of support coming from onlookers.
Now, there is one other parade that I thought might have been fun to participate in... and that was back in 2016 when the Cavs won the championship and an estimated 1.3 million people lined the streets of downtown Cleveland... although, I am not one for big crowds... I saw the pictures and it was truly a sight to behold... I can’t even begin to imagine the excitement that everyone felt that day.
And prayerfully, if things continue along the track they are on... there just might be an even bigger and better parade coming to Cleveland in the not-so-distant future... which would be phenomenal because WHO DOESN’T LOVE A PARADE?
Now, as we turn our attention to our text this morning in the Gospel of John, we read about a parade of a different sort... this parade, which is often referred to as Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, seems to be somewhat of an impromptu celebration... one that gained momentum as the crowd that was gathered for the Passover heard that Jesus was on His way into town.
According to the Scriptures, the people took palm branches and went out to meet Jesus... using the branches to make a path and create a canopy... welcoming Him and hailing Him as the king they hoped was coming to save them from their oppressors... the king they imagined was going to fight on their behalf... the king they thought would restore their nation to its former glory.
So, the people lined the streets... shouting “Hosanna!” and crying out, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” and “Blessed is the king of Israel!” all while Jesus rode into town on the back of a young donkey... fulfilling what was written by the Prophet Zechariah, “Don’t be afraid, Daughter Zion. Look! Your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt” (see Zechariah 9:9).
Everyone was seemingly overwhelmed with joy and excitement... and who could blame them... after all WHO DOESN’T LOVE A PARADE?
But it would not be long before the cheers of “Hosanna” would turn to jeers of “Crucify him!” as the people began to realize that the King who had come into town was a very different kind of king than the one they had been anticipating... He was definitely not the military leader or warrior king that they thought would fight their battles and defeat their enemies on their behalf.
What He was, in reality, was the King of kings and the Lord of lords who would ultimately give His life in exchange for theirs (and ours) ...to save us from our sins and open the doors to eternal life.
And so, as we find ourselves on Palm Sunday at the start of Holy Week once again... it is that celebratory parade that wound its way through the streets of Jerusalem that we commemorate.
But it is just the start of a parade, or cascade, of events that will take us down the path that ultimately leads to Jesus’ betrayal, crucifixion, and burial... but praise God, that is not where the story ends!
However, we will save that part of the story for next Sunday.
As for this morning, I want to encourage us to carefully consider what implications Palm Sunday holds for us today...
We might start by asking ourselves whether or not we can see ourselves reflected in those who gathered and waved their branches to honor the arrival of Jesus?
Then perhaps we should assess our degree of complicity in following along with the changing tide of sentiment that resulted in the cries of “crucify Him” that would ring out only a short time later.
The fact of the matter is that it can be all too easy to get caught up with the crowd and simply go along to get along as they say... not fully realizing the serious impact that our words and actions may have on someone else.
I was reminded of this recently as I was looking at some of the posts on social media about individuals who have been caught up in the wave of detentions by immigration and customs enforcement officials.
There was one story in particular that stood out to me... about a woman who was in her car with her teenaged daughter who were on their way to work when their car was pulled over by officers.
When the woman did not immediately comply with orders to get out of the car and asked to see a warrant... the officers simply broke the driver’s side window, pulled the woman out of the car and handcuffed her as her daughter cried out for them to stop... pleading with them not to arrest her mother.
According to the Baltimore Sun News report, the woman was taken into custody and held overnight in Baltimore before being transferred to a facility in Pennsylvania, three hours away from her family. (Video: Maryland mother from El Salvador removed from car, arrested).
Despite claims that this woman has some connection with the MS-13 gang, the family and attorneys have still not been shown any evidence to support the charges against her (Video shows ICE agents taking Maryland woman into custody after smashing through car window - CBS Baltimore).
Now, as egregious and appalling as this woman’s arrest and detention are... what I found to be almost as disturbing were the posts on social media that suggested this woman “deserved” to be arrested... without any evidence of any crime... without any warrant being shown to her or her family... somehow this woman has already been found guilty in the court of public opinion... I can almost hear the cries of, “Deport her! Deport her!”
Oh how quickly we can jump on a bandwagon and join in the cheers that have turned into jeers...
So, I have to wonder... would we have done any differently had we been there in Jerusalem? Would we have gone against the prevailing public opinion that insinuated Jesus needed to be crucified... despite there being no evidence of Him having committed a crime?
We would like to think that we would not have joined in with the crowd... after all, we are good people at heart... we don’t want to see anyone come to harm... we want the best for everyone... don’t we?
But what happens when we choose to keep silent? Is it enough to simply not join in with the shouts of the crowd and keep our thoughts and opinions to ourselves? Are we really causing any harm by not saying anything to anyone?
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said it like this, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." He is also credited with saying, “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.”
As the church, the body of believers, we cannot simply sit back quietly and act as if nothing is happening around us. Political beliefs, ideologies, and party affiliations notwithstanding... there is something incredibly wrong when we can watch what is happening and walk by on the other side like the priest and the Levite... leaving our neighbors to fend for themselves as they lay beaten and bloody and left to die.
And while some may think this sounds overly dramatic... that is exactly what is happening as people are being picked up on the streets, on their jobs, and in their homes and are then being sent to detention facilities far from their homes and families without due process... the majority of whom have no criminal record (60 Minutes Investigation ‘Found No Criminal Record’ for 75% of the Venezuelan Migrants Trump Imprisoned in El Salvador).
So, we need to ask ourselves the question... is this okay?
Is this what Jesus had in mind when He said we are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves? (See Matthew 19:19, 22:39)
Is this what it means for us to “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31).
I think we know the answer...
As Dr. King is also credited with saying, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” We cannot afford to remain ensconced in our comfort zone and think that what is happening “out there” has nothing to do with us in here.
This calls to mind a quote from a Lutheran pastor, Martin Niemöller, that you may have seen or heard before. It is displayed as part of a permanent exhibition at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and it reads as follows:
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.As Christ’s disciples, we have been commanded to love one another... but what I see playing out around us on a daily basis does not look anything like the love that I believe Jesus was talking about when He issued that command.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
(Martin Niemöller: "First they came for the Socialists..." | Holocaust Encyclopedia)
And just to be clear... that command to love did not come with fine print or disclaimers... there was nothing that said we are only to love those we like or those who look like, think like, or act like us. There were no hidden exclusions that let us off the hook based on someone’s racial ethnic makeup, gender identity, socioeconomic or immigration status.
Jesus said love, period. And He set the ultimate example for us by willingly giving His life in exchange for ours... taking on the punishment that all of our sins deserved... explaining that “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).
And He tells us that we are indeed His friends when we do as He commands... and I don’t know about you, but I want to do whatever it takes to be Jesus’ friend... because I cannot think of anything better than that.
And while being one of Jesus’ friends comes with amazing benefits there are also certain commands that we must be prepared to follow... First and foremost being the command to love one another... and as we discussed in Bible Study on Wednesday evening... we have also been commanded to serve one another... and to remember Jesus... particularly His love and His sacrifice for us.
Let me suggest that one of the ways that we love our neighbors and serve them is by being willing to speak up and speak out on their behalf to denounce the injustices that are being inflicted upon them... remembering that this is what Jesus would do... and trusting that Jesus will be right there with us as we do it.
So, no matter how scary things may seem in this present moment, we do not have to be afraid because we are not in this alone... the Lord has promised to never leave us nor forsake us (see Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Joshua 1:9, Hebrews 13:5).
It is in Isaiah 43 (1 – 3a, MSG) that we find these words of reassurance:
But now, God’s Message, the God who made you in the first place, Jacob, the One who got you started, Israel: “Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end— Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior.The Lord promises to be with us every step of the way... through the good times and the bad. And that really is good news for us in the midst of what can be troubling and frightening times... because no matter how unsettling things may be... we have God’s promise that we are never alone... no matter where we are.
Now, throughout the Scriptures, we find the Lord meeting His children in the garden... those sacred spaces where they can commune with God one-on-one... we even read about Jesus stealing away to the Garden to have alone time with His Father where He can pray... something that we are encouraged to do as well.
It is there in the garden that Jesus waits for us... to spend time with us... to walk with us and talk with us and remind us that we are His own... and to reassure us that no matter what is going on in the world around us... regardless of the trials and tribulations that we are encountering... we can have peace because He has overcome the world (see John 16:33).
And so, on this Palm Sunday, I want to leave us with this thought... yes, there is work that we have been called to do... causes we have been called to champion... neighbors that we have been called to love... people we have been called to serve... but have no fear... because through it all, we have a Savior who has promised to be right there with us... every step of the way.
Amen.
Hymn of Discipleship: In the Garden #227 Back
