In 2014 when the Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl by beating the Denver Broncos (with a blow out score of 43-8 by the way!), Patty and had I international students who were living with us at the time — 2 young men from China and 1 young man from Thailand. We decided to treat them to a fun American and NW experience by going to downtown Seattle for the Seahawks Super Bowl Victory Parade. It was indeed a cultural experience to say the least. It was so crowded downtown that we went to the nearest light rail station and took the train downtown instead of driving. We encountered a few other thousand people who had the same idea. It was an insanely crowded rail trip to downtown with people screaming “SEA – HAWKS” over and over again. When we actually arrived downtown at midday the streets were lined with enthusiastic, loud and overjoyed fans. We were able to enjoy and participate in the parade itself and even got to catch some skittles that “Beast mode” (Marshawn Lynch) was throwing to the crowd from the top of a vehicle (if you don’t know that story or make the connection — you just not a ‘with it’ Seahawks fan!). It was all great fun because it was a Victory Parade for our local team. The conquering champions had come back to their hometown and were coronated’ as world champions! There was NO ONE better than the Seahawks! (At least not that year).
Victory Parades have been around for a very long time. Throughout history from around the globe cultures have had their own version of a victory parade. The Romans 2000 years ago certainly had their parades after conquering foreign nations. Ceasar would arrive in downtown Rome and was hailed as the ultimate hero (I wonder if Ceasar threw skittles to the crowd???? — somehow, I doubt it).
In our study through Mark we have now arrived at the Victory Parade portion of the story of Jesus’ life and ministry. Please be aware for those of you who are paying attention, sadly I am skipping over much of Mark chapter 9 and really all of Mark chapter 10. It seems so wrong for me to do that because there is so much in those passages. I’ll explain Sunday morning why. But I am picking up our study in Mark 11:1-11. This is the “Victory Parade” story — better known as the “Triumphal Entry” of Jesus into the capital city, the holy city, the Temple city of Jerusalem. We are just a little past halfway through the Gospel of Mark, yet everything in this second half of the Gospel story is all about only the last week of Jesus’ life. And this week begins right here with the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. It is traditionally called “Palm Sunday” which begins what we often refer to as “Holy Week” or “Passion Week.”
As you prepare to come to worship with the LifeWay family this Sunday, read this story carefully. We are taking every Sunday from now to Easter Sunday (which is April 20) and walking through this last week of Jesus’ earthly life. Officially on the traditional Christian calendar the ‘lent season’ has begun this week. I pray that we use this season well, and the weekly studies in Mark that lead up to the resurrection help us grasp who this Jesus really is.
I hope to see you this Sunday morning as we open the story of Jesus’ Victory Parade, remembering this: This Holy week that started with cheering crowds bring us to His Friday crucifixion — but then the Sunday morning of His Resurrection. See you Sunday.
