This Sunday it’s Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday, providing churches around the world an opportunity to connect with Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and the suffering he experienced through his arrest, trials, flogging and crucifixion. At Ashmore Uniting we’re focusing on the Jerusalem entry, exploring clues about how we enter our communities with integrity.
There are quite a few film interpretations of the entry into Jerusalem. One of the most colourful and imaginative versions is in The Last Temptaiton of Christ, exploring the mixed motives of Jesus’ followers and the temptation Jesus has to struggle with. Does he come as the one who baptises in fire, giving courage to a resistance movement and overthrowing an oppressive regime? Judas would like to think so. The conversation between the disciples suggests that they’re looking forward to the post revolution era. Or is he there for another purpose?
We’ll be reflecting on the clues Jesus gives as he rides into town on a donkey. And the clues of the community expectations in the waving of palms, the shouting of the phrase “Hosanna!” (God save us!). We’re tempted to enter into our communities as rescuers and helpers. How do we instead choose the role of servant? In our 10-minute discussion groups we’ll be encouraged to share what we’re learning as we enter the communities of the local school (Kids Hope Aus etc), the Playgroup and the Op Shop in the local shopping centre, as well as the many work, volunteer and recreational communities we’ve joined.
The Lent Event project for this week is focused on Mwandi in Zambia. A useful resource we’ll be using is the 4.50 minute trailer for Seven Days, a documentary by Russell Brown and Jason Bray following a week in the life of Australian People in Mission volunteer Fiona Dixon-Thompson. Fiona works with children in Mwandi, Zambia, who have been orphaned after their parents died of HIV AIDS.
Click on the image below to play the video in YouTube (HD)
Music for this week? We’ll take the classic Vineyard Music song Hosanna (Carl Tuttle), and lead into “Rejoice in the Lord”, the song by Condy and Karen Canuto. We’ll use Iona Community’s version of “Ride On, Ride On” as a processional anthem. And finish with the Henry Milman hymn to the tune of Winchester New.
The photo above is from Managua, Nicaragua, 2009, photo by Esteban Felix. Also check out Christ’s entry into Jerusalem by Norman Adams (1927- 2005), from The Methodist Church Collection of Modern Christian Art, available to be used in the context of worship services or study groups.