What's in a Name? - Palm Sunday - John 12:12-19

On this Palm Sunday, one name echoes over the shouts of "Hosanna," the name above all names. Join us as Dr. Larson explores the humble King who rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, emptied Himself to become a servant, and willingly went to the cross for you. Discover the power, love, and salvation wrapped up in the name of Jesus.

Information about The American Association of Lutheran Churches (TAALC) can be found at www.taalc.org

Transcript

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In the cascading layers of noise in our ever-changing world, discovering a space for reflection and inspiration is increasingly rare. Welcome then to Faith Comes by Hearing, a unique podcast series that cuts through the clamor, carrying the timeless messages of the gospel into our lives with renewed relevance. Join Dr. Carrie Larson, the presiding pastor of the American Association of Lutheran Churches, as he ventures into the challenges of everyday life and the deep need to hear the truth that we are saved by grace, through faith, through Christ Jesus alone. Each episode is an invitation not just to listen, but to truly hear and embrace the good news of Christ Jesus for you and for all.

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What's in a name? What's in a name? We seldom are concerned about the literal meaning of names. We've kind of lost that tradition to some extent. Perhaps you were named after someone important in your family's life, but if you look in the Bible, there's a lot of names that actually have really deep meaning. The one who goes by king, who Jesus comes as the son of David is the more proper Hebrew pronunciation of what we would call David. It means beloved one. Elizabeth means God promises. Outside of scripture, the word, the name like Kelly, I'm assuming both male or female, means warrior. I looked up my name one time, Carrie, Dweller of the Hollow. I don't know what that means. Is that good? There are some names that don't need any introduction, and there is only one of these. Now there may be other people that are named this name, but there's only one who comes to mind. George Washington, Marilyn Monroe, Johnny Cash. And then there's names that carry no honor. Names that we don't use. Nobody's told you not to use them. We just don't use them. Judas. Benedict, as in Arnold. And since World War II, not many boys truck around with the name Adolf. What's in your name? How is your name valuable? What does your name mean to family and co-workers and to friends? Who's your name attached to? Let us pray. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life. Amen. Hosanna, Hosanna to the Son of David. Hosanna to the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna. Who is this? That all these Hosanna's are attached to. This name that goes by the Son of David, the one who comes in the name of the Lord. A name that we have all spoken. A name that we hold as precious. Because that name is attached to promises, the promises of life, the promises of hope, the promise of peace. It is truly the name above all names. You know that name. That name is Jesus. And what do we know about this one who holds the name Jesus? The one whom we love. The one whom on this day we remember his humble entrance into the city of Jerusalem. And yet, in spite of his humility, Hosanna is cried out. In a matter of moments, you will confess who he is. He is a deity. He is the deity. He is God. He is the one who is one with God in essence and in nature. He is one with God in works. He is one with God in glory. True God of true God, begotten, not made, being of one with the Father, through whom all things were made, is what you will say in a matter of moments, acknowledging that Jesus is indeed God. But what's really crazy is that the skeptics and others will wrestle with, well, he never said he was God, and they'll actually put weight into some fictional work written by a man named Dan Brown, who went by the name Da Vinci Code, then reading the accounts of Matthew the disciple, who traveled with Jesus, who was personally called by Jesus to walk with him, or John Mark the pastor, who followed Peter and Paul, or Doc Luke, who himself said to you in the beginning of his account that he sat down with those who were witnesses to get an orderly account for you, dear Theophilus. Or what about John? John the Apostle, John the Evangelist, John whom Jesus loved. I wonder if we miss in our comfort of our faith this most remarkable thing. Yes, we can understand that Jesus is God in the flesh the best we humanly can, but there's something truly remarkable about this that I think often we just pass over. And today we intentionally focus on Palm Sunday and his humble ride into Jerusalem for this reason. The remarkable thing is that Jesus, God in flesh, did not take advantage of his power and his position. He did not seek personal gain. He did not seek personal fame. And what kind of gets lost in us here in the 21st century is you need to appreciate that in a culture, while not Roman or Greek, but influenced by the Romans and influenced by the Greeks, the culture was this: that immortality was based on memory. Immortality was based on the glorious works that you did, dying in battle or the sorts, being a phenomenal person, and your immortality will be based on people remembering you. However, Jesus, whenever this opportunity presented itself, would actually turn away from it. We read in two accounts where Jesus feeds 500 people, 5,000 people rather, out of nothing, really. Just a pittance of food. And people ate to their fill, and they were so enthrilled by it they wanted to make Jesus their bread king. And he kind of quietly went away to be in prayer with his father. He would often tell people when incredible things happened, people cured, people healed, people rising from the dead. We in our sinful nature must confess that we have a tendency of doing the opposite. We look for our glory, we look for opportunities to be picked out from the crowd. Even in our pious actions, even the actions are for the glory of God, gifts are given to the church, and yet there's placards that are so big that there's no doubt who gave the gift. There are churches in this land that, quite honestly, I think, are being held together by brass plaques. And if we can make a living out of our notoriety, all the better. Shown by his ride on a humble beast, a donkey. He whom all things were created, nothing was created except through Jesus Christ, takes on our human flesh. He takes on creation and serves in the most lowest way as servant. The review of the Gospels would show you that he usually did not make use of his majesty and glory, but always walked in great humility. To all appearance, he looked like a regular dude. To all appearance, he was void of all divinity. To all appearance, he was just flesh and blood. The prophetic message that you have heard already, but you will hear again in this week from the Old Testament prophet is that we he was so plain we would esteem him not. Jesus' stomach growled when it was hungry. Jesus was thirsty. He needed to sleep for rest. Jesus did everything that your body requires. But more important than that, instead of power and prestige, fame and glory, he took the position of a servant. Back in the days when copy machines and printing from computers was not even really part of life in the working world, I remember my young working life, one of those jokes, those little pithy jokes that get copied over and over and over and over again to the point that they're almost elect, you can't even read one of them. They're so dark, they've been copied so many times. And I remember in one of the first places I worked and got a little bit of a paycheck, was this little poster on a piece of paper, and it had some sort of illustration that I don't remember, but I do remember the message. Slaves have to be sold. When Paul wrote to the church of Philippi, and to you across time, thanks to the Holy Spirit, we're told that Jesus emptied himself to be a servant. But actually, if we look at the word, it's far more deeper, far more humbling than just a servant. Jesus is not some sort of glorified butler, some waiter, some sort of life coach that he humbles himself so that you receive glory of this earthly world. The word for servant actually means slave. He enslaved himself for your sake. He enslaved himself to the will of the Father. He enslaved himself to the love for you, for you. He enslaved himself to die where you should have died, where I should have died. He enslaved himself to the punishment, the wages of our sin. He who knew no sin became sin for us, so that we might be the righteousness of God. He came in humbly that day in Jerusalem. Not as a conquering king on a mighty white steed, but he came in on a donkey. John and Paul tell us that the Son was obedient to the Heavenly Father. And out of his love, out of his love for the sin-entangled world. My friend, this is just you and me right now. Out of his love for you, for you, he came into Jerusalem, knowing fully well that those who cried out, Hosanna, Hosanna to the highest, Hosanna to the Son of David, Hosanna to the one who comes in the name of the Lord, by the end of the week they're gonna cry out, crucify him! He knew that for you. And we honor this name. The age old cry, Lord, save us, has now become our doxology. Hosanna, which equals God be praised, praise God and praise Messiah. We are saved. All hail the power of Jesus' name. Let angels prostrate fall, bring forth the royal diadem, and crown him. Crown him. Lord of all. Guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Now and forever.