Pastor Thanael Certa-Werner
Scripture | Philippians 2:5-11 (NIV)
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; 7 rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the Name that is above every name, 10 that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
In 2012, when I was in High School, then Vice-President Joe Biden came to Superior, WI for a rally. He was going to speak at Superior Middle School and my mom was invited to say the opening prayer for the meeting. Talk about a big honor! So, my whole family attended to watch my mom go in front of hundreds of people and pray for our country, its people, and its leaders. I remember it so clearly: standing in front of the stage, watching her come out and pray, watching the Vice President speak, then going out to celebrate.
At that time, there was a restaurant called Old Country Buffet, have any of you heard of it? It was a glorious place where even picky eaters – of which my sisters belong – could find something to eat. So it was our go-to spot for celebrations. We got in the car and went across the bridge to Duluth, MN heading towards the restaurant, but as we drew near, we were stopped and redirected by police. Soon we found ourselves in a long line of cars who had been redirected from the main road and were now waiting – for what we didn’t know. We sat there for a good ten minutes until a symphony of police cars, ambulances, and secret service cars all began to pass in front of us. We were about to witness the motorcade for Vice President Biden.
Have any of you every witnessed a presidential motorcade before? They are incredibly impressive things. They typically include 40-50 cars and carry every kind of tool, weapon, and vehicle that could possibly be needed to escort the president or vice-president safely throughout the country and the world. The jewel in the crown of this impressive feat of logistics and protection is, without a doubt, what people call the Beast. It’s the presidential limousine. Weighing in at about 20,000 lbs., this car truly is a beast. It’s bullet proof, sealed to prevent chemical gas from getting in, has its own air supply, is protected against missiles, powerful enough to out drive most vehicles, and carries essential items for saving the president’s life. It is an incredible car and seeing it in person, surrounded by its entourage, makes you realize the power it symbolizes.
At about the same time, I was reading about another presidential motorcade and presidential car found elsewhere in the world. I like to read up on cars and learn more about other countries, so while I was reading a car magazine one day, I learned about the president of Uruguay. The then president was José Mujica. This man was a simple farmer who became president – and his people loved him. One of the reasons they loved him so much was for what he drove. During his time as president, his presidential car was his own 1987 light blue Volkswagen Beetle. This car wasn’t a special car, just a normal, old, regular car that came right off the assembly line from the factories in German like all the other Volkswagen Beetles.
At the time when it was produced, the car cost an average of $4,000. That’s in comparison to the Beast which drives the President of the United States, which coasts about $1.5 million to purchase. Think of how strong a difference that is, to see the power on display and the pageantry of the presidential motorcade for the United States compared to the simple, humble beetle which escorted the president of Uruguay around. José Mujica was no less of a head of state – nor was he even paid less – than that of the president of the United States. Yet the approaches to transportation and to life couldn’t be more different.
Imagine if the President drove through Milwaukee today and showed up in an old, beat up 1966 Toyota Corolla? How would people respond? Would they be upset because the President which represented their country was making them look weak or poor? Would they take the opportunity of relaxed security possibilities to take him out? What would happen if the most important person in the world showed up in a dump of a car?
If you want historical precedent, all one has to do is look to the ancient Israelites of Jerusalem. All of Israel, Judah, and the Ancient Near East has been conquered by the Roman Empire. Israel especially has been suffering under the rule of the Romans. God had promised them that they were His chosen people – that He would protect them and lead them to living the best lives possible for any humans to live. Yet, when the people of that time looked around, they did not have anything that looked like what God had promised. They were under the rule of another government. They were ridiculed for their faith across the known world. Even their so-called-kings who ruled in Caesar’s stead where a mockery of what the Davidic Kings were supposed to be.
But the Jews of that time and place held on to a promise which God had made to them. This promise was that God would send His people a savior – a Messiah – who would free them from their bondage and would restore them to that best life possible to be lived status. And rumors had begun to spread. For three years, there was a man who was going around Israel and performing incredible miracles – miracles which many believed to be the possible proof that this guy was the Messiah people had been waiting for. He was wise; He could out think the smartest religious leaders. He was powerful; people had seen Him even throw out demons. This had to be the man who God was talking about.
As the feast of the Passover drew near, it was rumored that He would be returning to Jerusalem with some of His followers. This stirred all kinds of excitement! When the day arrived, and Jesus of Nazareth rode into town – the people erupted in joy! Their Savior had come! “Hosanna!” they shouted. They cut down palm branches and threw down their clothes to make a red carpet to line the streets for their coming King.
But there was something shocking for the people who gathered to see Jesus there. He was not riding in to town surrounded by a mighty army ready to protect Him. He was not riding in on a beautiful chariot driven by four horses of the finest breeding. He wasn’t even entering town on a horse! Jesus rode into town, in simple clothing, riding the 1987 Volkswagen Beetle of horses: a donkey. Imagine, seeing the most powerful person in the world riding into their capital on a donkey. This is shocking.
And it just gets worse. You might remember from last time we explored this story what the Jews were expecting of Jesus. Remember that they were waiting for the person who would free them from bondage and help them live the best lives possible. So they expected that Jesus would ride into town and by the power of God, overthrow the Roman occupiers. He could had ridden right up to their fortress and with one word, destroyed their stronghold – and this is along the lines of what people expected Jesus to do. But what does Jesus actually do? He turns away from the Roman fortifications and the Roman strongholds, and instead goes to the heart of the Jews: the Temple of the Most High God. Talk about shocking! Here Jesus is supposed to be ending oppression and bondage and setting His people free, and He goes to the Temple – the one place where no one would think He needed to go!
This makes us beg the question, what is Jesus after? What really is the reason that Jesus came to the earth? Ask yourself those questions. What’s the answer? He came to set His people free. But not free in the ways which seem most obvious or that we might think is required. The people of His day thought that the thing which was holding them bondage was the Roman Empire. They expected their messiah to be the one who ended that oppression and bondage. But the root of their bondage did not go to the steps of Rome. It went to the steps of the temple.
When the people of Jerusalem remembered the promise of being God’s chosen people living God’s chosen life, they imagined lives full of riches, of power, and of control over others. But the heart of God, and the heart of Jesus Christ is not one of boastfulness and opulence, but of beautiful humility and meekness. Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey because He chooses not to ride in style but to ride in humility. Jesus goes to the temple not to free His people from the bondage of the Romans, but from the bondage of selfish pride and self-serving faith. What is He after? Not wealth, nor power, nor fame, nor acclaim – but the hearts of His people.
As Christians, our folly is choosing the opposite of this. We can compartmentalize our lives making it easy to hear one thing in church and apply another thing in life. Some of us under correct ourselves when we act out of selfish want, or don’t see the disconnect between or thoughts and actions. Some of us overcorrect ourselves – constantly worrying about if we’ve done as we ought. But what Christ is calling us to is the humility of giving Him our hearts. He’s not asking for us to turn over everything at once to Him. He’s also not asking for nothing. Christ could choose to demand our money, or our sins, but he doesn’t worry about those things, He cares about their root. He doesn’t attack the symptom; He works on the source.
When Jesus enters your life, there might be singing and dancing and shouting of hosannas, but be ready. Jesus isn’t going to go where you might think He will. You might think He’ll go straight for your drinking problem, or your porn addiction, or your eating habits. Jesus is going for the heart of the issue: your heart. Today, we remember what Paul describes in his letter to the Philippians. “Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!”
Paul continues, “Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the Name that is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Our greatest call is not to the presidential limousines of our world, but to the donkey. Jesus came to Jerusalem those 2,000 years ago to ask for the heart of Israel. Today, Jesus is in this place asking for your heart. He doesn’t want your money, or your power, or your fame. He doesn’t need any of those things. But, what Jesus is asking for is your heart. A simple, but beautiful and powerful gift. The question is, what will you do with His request? Will you choose the humility it takes to offer Jesus your messy, blackened, gross heart? Will you trust Him enough to hand over something so precious and essential to you.
Jesus says in John 6:37, “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” If we give to Jesus our hearts, He will never drive us away. No matter our sin, no matter our mistakes, no matter our addictions and crutches – no matter what, Jesus will be with you. So trust Him. Humble yourself before Him. Give Jesus your heart.