“The Donkey’s Owner” by Clive Sansom.
Snaffled my donkey, he did --- good luck to him!
Rode him astride, feet dangling, near scraping the ground
Gave me the laugh of my life when I first saw him,
Remembering yesterday --- you know, how Pilate come
Bouncing the same road, on that horse of his
Big as a house and the armour shining
And half of Rome trotting behind him.
Tight mouthed he was
Looking as if he owned the world.
Then today,
Him and my little donkey! Ha! Laugh ---?
I thought I’d kill myself when he first started.
So did the rest of them. Gave him a cheer
Like he was Caesar himself, only more hearty:
Tore off some palm twigs and followed shouting,
Whacking the donkey’s behind ….. Then suddenly
We see his face.
The smile had gone, and somehow the way he sat
Was different --- like he was much older --- you know ---
Didn’t want to laugh no more.
Jesus has spent three years teaching and healing – seeking to open his followers’ eyes and ears to the truth that he has come, not to be a powerful king who would overthrow the Romans and oppress them in retribution for their treatment of the Jews but:
"to bring good news to the poor.
to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour."
Luke 4:18-19 (NRSV)
But, despite all his teaching, the people continue to long for a Messiah who would establish the Kingdom of Israel (the Kingdom of God) here on earth.
“Hosanna, save us,” the people cry. “Come and deliver us! Do it like David did! Make yourself king! Change things around here – turn the tables! We’re here to cheer you on so you can save us. Hosanna! Come and deliver us!”
But God does it God’s way – not our way. Jesus rides on with a different understanding of time and a different definition of saving people. Jesus rides on to the cross.
If this is our Messiah – one who stands over against our worldly ways: one who chooses servanthood over power; one who overcomes oppression with love rather than with force – then what sort of church are we called to be?
In Matthew 16 Jesus says, “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church” and then in John 21 we read Jesus’ simple instructions to Peter, “feed my lambs” “tend my sheep” “feed my sheep”.
The church is built upon Peter, and Christ’s instructions to Peter are about caring for his sheep - not only the 99 in the fold but more importantly the ones who are lost. It seems to me then, that the type of church we are called to be is one which is willing to leave the 99 in the fold in order to tend to the 1 who is lost.
The church is to be a fellowship of reconciliation – an instrument of Christ’s work and witness. We are reminded that it is God’s mission and Christ’s work and that God uses us to achieve what God wants.
We are a church that is constituted, ruled and renewed by Christ. When we look at Jesus riding on a donkey it is clear that this is no earthly ruler and so it follows that the church he chooses to constitute, rule and renew is not going to be a creation of our earthly desires and longings.
I am thankful for the wisdom of those who call me back to this image of a crucified and risen Christ who is the head of our church. I am thankful for the way in which they remind me of the sort of church we are called to be. There is no talk in the gospels of success, but there is much said about faithfulness to the Christ who rode towards the cross on a donkey rather than riding to the temple on a war horse.
If the church is the instrument of Christ then we must point to Christ. Some will point to Christ through their care, some through their ability to journey with people, others through their teaching, while others will point to Christ in their challenge to our comfortable existence. In many ways what we do is not as important as the way in which we point to Christ.
Like the people of Jesus’ time it is natural for us to look for someone who will save us, who will come and deliver us – after all no sane person wants to be the one who is oppressed, the one in pain, or the one who is without power. Time and again we look for leaders who will rescue us from all that is difficult in our lives. But to do so is to look in the wrong direction. As we journey towards the cross and the empty tomb may we look to Jesus – eating with sinners, healing the blind, and riding on a donkey towards the cross – for you, for me, for all people. Amen.
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