Palm Sunday marks the celebration of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. By all the accounts we have, it is a scene of unbridled celebration and joy. Jesus is being welcomed into the capital city both as a king and Messiah. There’s a wild display of national affection and religious fervour. It’s kind of like the AFL grand parade on steroids but as most of you are either Crows or Port fans, this analogy is perhaps difficult to grasp. Yet while Jesus is being feted as their saviour, He is acutely aware of what will happen to Him during this week. How is it then that He rides on in majesty, fully knowing the fate that awaits Him?
Perhaps the answer is found in our reading from Isaiah. Here we have a reference to the suffering servant. The servant is someone who is sent by God to do God’s will. They are connected to God, so they know what God is saying to them, and they are instructed by God as to what to say. What is unusual is that the servant is very aware that they will suffer for their obedience to God. Yet rather than feel abandoned boy God, they know they are vindicated by God for doing God’s will. They are aware that while they suffer, God is with them. God doesn’t abandon the servant in the suffering but sustains and encourages Him. If we accept part of the identity of Jesus is the suffering servant then we can understand how He rides into the perfect storm in Jerusalem.
It’s no stretch of the imagination for us to imagine what it is like to suffer. As time goes on and the corona virus continues to spread, we are all suffering. You might be ill or fearful of getting ill. You may be anxious about how you will get through these coming weeks. You may be worried about how you can get food or the basic necessities that you need. You might be concerned for vulnerable family members. What these readings remind us of is that God does not abandon us in these times. We may well be suffering but we can be assured that God is with us in our suffering. Jesus was never spared His suffering, but He had the strength to endure it because He knew God was with Him. We may wonder why we are not spared our suffering, but we do not need to wonder whether or not God is with us. May you know the peace and comfort of God who is with us in our struggles during these coming days and weeks.