"Right, Ruler, Rally"

(Luke 19:28-40; Phil 2:5-11)

Palm/Passion Sun, April 13, 2025, FBC Amherst, JG White

Traveling the other day, I happened to be in the Annapolis- Acadie riding, and saw signs all over the place, of course. Red signs, blue signs, green signs, orange signs and so forth. Some signs are for the incumbent Member of Parliament, who, in some pictures, looks a bit like Rev. Jeff White. At least, so some of us thought, a few years ago, when Chris d’Entremont was running and then was elected as MP down there; and I lived there too. 

Once again, it is a time for choosing sides, deciding what leader to support, paying attention, maybe even attending a rally. It is, at least, time to get ready and vote. I chatted with one of our Baptist folks last week about how un-political and a bit uneducated she and I both are about all this. 

So, what sort of rally am I likely to attend? Well, I have signed up to go to the Nova Scotia Hiking Summit, the Atlantic Seminar in Theological Education, the Grand-Digue 15 km Run, the Nova Scotia Celebration of Nature, and two lectures in Halifax by preacher and author Diana Butler Bass.

You may have your own little list of events to attend, according to your own interests, priorities, and availability. This morning, we actually came together in this place, for Christian worship of God. We are among a select few who keep the spiritual discipline of worship together, this keeping of the sabbath, this rally for a Ruler named Jesus the Christ.

It is a bit of a ‘rally’ today, with our tradition of ‘Palm Sunday.’ We rehearse the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem, for a week of Jewish Passover celebrations, but which will end with His execution. 

There is a bit of history that makes an impact as we retell this story. For this was likely a day of two rallies, two parades into the Holy City of the Jews. This day was the beginning of the week of Passover, a celebration of the Hebrews being set free from slavery, centuries before. In the face of this, the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, would arrive from the west into the City. A column of cavalry and soldiers would parade in too, proclaiming the power of the Empire, and to keep the peace, lest these Jews get excited by their old stories of getting free from oppression. The officials and their army reminded one and all of the power of the Empire, and of the Emperor, who got called ‘lord,’ ‘saviour,’ ‘son of god,’ and who claimed to bring ‘peace on earth.’ 

In contrast to this, from the east came a traveling prophet from Nazareth, simply riding a donkey. Down the Mount of Olives, across the Kidron Valley, into the City He came, with a bunch of His followers cheering, shouting scripture that says, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the LORD! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!”

Roman power parading in from the west; prophetic peace parading in from the east. Which rally would get our attention? Who would we cheer for? Or who would we feel compelled to praise? We would choose the rally of the right ruler.

Perhaps you are like me and not very likely to attend either. No political demonstrations, no public religious rituals. No waving placards (or branches), no chanting the songs of the activists. What does attract us in life? What events gather us? As we look around, we discover what manages to group people together these days.

Last week, Canadian-born actor, Ryan Reynolds, was in the news for making a suggestion to Coburg, ON. The local sports arena, ‘Pond Arena,’ is to be renamed, and one suggestion is the name of a local athlete who died of cancer at age nine, Grace Bowen. 

When it was suggested that the Pond Arena could be renamed for Grace, [Ryan Reynolds] wanted to do anything he could to support that venture. So listen to this:

“That was Grace’s temple,” Reynolds said. “That was her church, that was her everything. Hockey was her life … It would be pretty beautiful if we were able to rename the arena the Grace Bowen Arena...” (Toronto Sun)

It is remarkable how some things that are not religion become, for people, their social and spiritual centre. I am sometimes fascinated by how pop-culture connects people when official spirituality does not. It is worth wondering about how sports can draw people together and connect them and actually help people. How the stories of film series or ‘television’ become the new mythology that express the meaning of life for people, instead of Bible and Church history. How music of any style - hip-hop, country, rock, classical - becomes a real heart language for people, and those who share it ‘speak’ that same language, even if just as lovers of it.

And it is worth pondering what kind of ‘rally’ does or would draw you in, and be most meaningful for you. A Nascar race would not do it for me. A field trip to see rare plants would!

As a Christian, a disciple of Jesus - along with you - I look for how these other gatherings of life express what our Faith is about. Connection. Meaning and Purpose. Goodness. Transcendence. Hope. Do the other things people do overlap with the Kindom of God? Or do they compete and rival true spirituality? Surely the answers are mixed. 

The scene of Jesus, cheered on as He rode into Jerusalem that day, is in contrast with ‘the powers’ that were running their region. With such humility and purpose we see Him there. I believe Christ is still humble. Humble enough to ride into our midst while we are on the golf course, at the jam session, gathered around the quilting frame, or at the rally of a political candidate.

Amid the gatherings we enjoy and make our priorities, amid the connections we keep and value, amid the ways people find to work together and do worthwhile things - is the overarching power of God. The purpose of life. The goodness that we trust is real and reliable. 

Go, and resemble your Leader. Get mistaken for Christ!

Let this mind be in you that was in Messiah Jesus,

who did not think of equality with God as something to grasp,

who emptied himself,

who humbled himself,

who obeyed until dead,

and is now exalted, as we bow,

to Jesus the Master.