Palm Sunday 2025

Author: kj
April 13, 2025
Isaiah 50:4-9a
The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens— wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. It is the Lord God who helps me.

John 12:12-16
The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord— the King of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written: “Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!” His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him.

Following – Doubting – Naming – Faltering – Learning – Denying – Proclaiming.

These are words I use to describe the stepping stones of the disciple, Simon Peter’s, faith journey. Largely based on the texts we’ve spent time with this Lent, although I did peep into Peter’s future a bit to add the last two: denying and proclaiming.

This year we are in the Gospel of John’s version of the Palm Sunday parade. It is here that we find actual branches of palms being waved, and a young donkey for Jesus to ride on. What we don’t find is explicit mention of Peter. We have to just assume he is part of the crowd and included in verse 16: His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him.

I wonder, as Peter watched this parade, which of his stepping-stones was most prominent in his mind. Was he going way back to Jesus calling him to follow? Was he remembering the silencing of the storm or the moment where, he cannot deny, he was walking on water? Was he recalling the time when he named that Jesus was the Son of God?

Now that they were on the outskirts of Jerusalem, was Peter wary of the religious authorities that were around and very much paying attention? Was Peter remembering that Jesus told them he was going to undergo great suffering and be killed? Is there any chance he remembered that Jesus also said and on the third day be raised?[1]

Was Peter “all in” at this point, or was he starting to doubt?

Did Peter wave a palm?

Many of you know that I participated in the protest in Harrisburg last Saturday. Some of you were there – and I saw you. Some of you were there – and I never saw you. It was that crowded.

Will asked me before I left, “Are you going to have a sign?”
        “Nah… the clergy collar is enough. Folks will know that I’m there in support.”

The truth is, in my mind, having a sign was next level. As ridiculous as it sounds - I could just be a bystander/happen to be there – but once you add in a sign – then it’s clear that I meant to be in that place and at that time.

I found a group of people I know. One had an extra sign, “here you go.”
I took it. And it didn’t take long for me to proudly wave it.

Why was I so hesitant for people to know what I believe?

I wonder if that was like Peter’s experience. He was just one of the crowd. Some might have known he was a follower of Jesus, but others wouldn’t. He could just be a bystander/happen to be there.

Did someone come up to him with an extra palm, press it in his hands, and say, “here you go.”

And did he then proudly wave it?

That’s a lot of midrash/extra story telling around the four verses of the Gospel of John. I base it on how we know Peter reacted after the arrest of Jesus, when the crowds were gone, and individuals questioned his allegiance.

Following and Proclaiming Peter became Doubting and Denying Peter.

Why was he so hesitant to let people know what he believed?

Let us remember how this all began, the stepping stones of faith that led up to this moment: with an abundant catch, and a charge to drop everything and follow. Peter has walked on water and clung to Jesus for rescue. He has pronounced his faith confidently and been told to get out of Jesus’ way. He has asked questions and learned about the expansiveness of grace. And now, the end is near. He stands among the crowds as they wave palm branches and sing songs of loudest praise.

Following – Doubting – Naming Peter; Faltering – Learning – Denying Peter…
or Proclaiming Peter.

Here on the sidelines of the parade, surrounded by palms of protest and proclamation…

How will he respond?

Following – Doubting – Naming – Faltering – Learning – Denying – Proclaiming.

How many of these are stepping stones from your own faith journey?

And now faced with the prospect of moving from our bystander privilege into a parade of protest…
How will we respond?

Is that too much preacher hyperbole?

As I wrote this sermon I wondered, is this too much of a leap from Sunday morning palms to existential angst?

Scripture says that the disciples didn’t remember in the moment everything that Jesus had told them. It was only after Jesus was glorified that they remembered.

So for Peter, in that moment, he felt like the end was near.
It’s not nearly so dire for us, right, I mean, is the end near?

I guess it depends on who you ask.

For the average global citizen that depends on a solid American economy – is the end near?

For the child in Uganda who is no longer protected from the Ebola virus – is the end near?

For the Palestinian whose only home has been Gaza where even emergency workers are fair targets – is the end near?

For student visa holders taken from the streets and thrown into prisons miles away from family and systems of support because they organized a protest[2] or walked through a protest[3] or wrote about a protest[4] or had nothing to do with a protest but they jaywalked once[5] – is the end near?

For the Afghan translator who stood by the side of our military and was given safe haven in the United States so they would not be put to death by the Taliban[6] – is the end near?

For the parent trying to make private, family decisions to keep their kid alive and feeling affirmed in their own bodies being arbitrarily cut off from care that will help their child’s mental and physical health – is the end near?

For the woman sent home to bleed out a lost pregnancy and then arrested because she miscarried[7] – is the end near?

Following – Doubting – Naming – Faltering – Learning – Denying – Proclaiming.

How will we respond?

All of those stepping stones in Peter’s walk of faith built up on one another and led to him becoming Peter – the Rock.

Right now, the world needs us to gather our stones and be rocks too.
Be more than a bystander/happen to be there. Grab a sign. Write a script down and make a call to our representatives over and over and over again. Protest. Donate. Relearn how our government works because right now we need to know.

Read Matthew 25 beginning with verse 31 to remind yourself that only a Christian Nationalist thinks that God does not call us to have empathy for all Beloved Children of God.

Leave Doubting and Denying behind. Now is the time for Following and Proclaiming.

Trust God.

Hear the prophet Isaiah when he says:
The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together (7-8).

The Gospel of John says: His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him.

They get stuck in a Good Friday world – where Jesus is dead. We could too… BUT unlike the disciples, we know Easter is coming.
So what are we going to do?

Will we hide our palms after today’s service?
Will the hard truths of the events we have witnessed and will continue to witness silence our praise?
Will we be doubters and deniers?

OR Will we shout our protest in this Good Friday world?
        When all seems lost?
                When the end feels near?

Will we step up and follow, not just at the parade, but also at the foot of the cross?

Will we step out and step up, boldly proclaiming that the love and light of God is not just for this all.
        God’s love and light is for all y’all.

Will we speak up and proclaim at the dining room table? In the office hallways? On the sideline of the game?

Push back on what you know is wrong and proclaim what you know is right.

God’s love and light is for everyone.

Leave behind the doubting.
           Let go of the denying.

Now is the time to follow.
Now is the time to proclaim.

In the name of the Creator, the Christ, and the Holy Spirit – Amen.


[1] Matthew 16:21ff, Mark 8:31-33, Luke 9:22
[2] https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/judge-order-columbia-student-mahmoud-khalil-rcna200835
[3] https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/international-students-revoked-visas-reasons-why-rcna200313
[4] https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/tufts-graduate-student-detained-rumeysa-ozturk-video/
[5] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/07/trump-student-visas-deportation
[6] https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/5245561-dhs-deportation-protections-tps-afghan-refugees-cameroon-noem/
[7] https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/04/04/georgia-woman-miscarriage-charges-dropped/
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