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Sunday's Sermon
April 08, 2007

1065
GOTTA SERVE SOMEBODY
The Rev. Dennis Posno

 

This is the way Mark, in his gospel, records the Palm Sunday story …

When they were nearing Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany on Mount Olives,
he sent off two of the disciples with instructions:
"Go to the village across from you.
As soon as you enter, you'll find a colt tethered,
one that has never yet been ridden.
Untie it and bring it.
If anyone asks, 'What are you doing?' say,
'The Master needs him, and will return him right away.'"

They went and found a colt tied to a door at the street corner and untied it.
Some of those standing there said, "What are you doing untying that colt?"
The disciples replied exactly as Jesus had instructed them,
and the people let them alone.
They brought the colt to Jesus, spread their coats on it, and he mounted.

The people gave him a wonderful welcome,
some throwing their coats on the street,
others spreading out rushes they had cut in the fields.
Running ahead and following after, they were calling out,

Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in God's name!
Blessed the coming kingdom of our father David!
Hosanna in highest heaven!

He entered Jerusalem, then entered the Temple.
He looked around, taking it all in.
But by now it was late,
so he went back to Bethany with the Twelve.

And with that, Jesus began what would be the last week of His life.
It is a week of extraordinary importance for Christians.
With its climax on Good Friday and Easter, it is “Holy Week,”
the most sacred time of the Christian year.

It is the week in which we remember the passion of Christ.
“Passion” is from the Latin noun passio, meaning “suffering.”
And it is His passion, His suffering, His agony on the Cross,
that moves us so deeply …
that is the reminder of how far His love would go.

But passion means more than suffering,
and as we think of Jesus on this day,
we need to remember that “we also use the word “passion”
for any consuming interest,
dedicated enthusiasm,
or concentrated commitment.
A person’s passion is what he or she is passionate about.”

As we look at the passion of Jesus later this week
we need to ask ourselves today,
What was Jesus passionate about? …
What was His consuming interest? …
To what did He dedicate His enthusiasm? …
For what did He own such a consecrated commitment?

As I said last week, to express it simply,
it was about ushering in the kingdom of God.

It was about proclaiming in word and deed
that which reflects our greatest devotion to God …
that reflects the way we serve God best:
by “acting justly, and loving mercy, and walking humbly with God.”

It was about living up to Jesus’ commandment ~
living up to it in word and in deed:
to “love God with all of our heart and soul and mind and strength …
and to love our neighbour as we love ourselves.”

It is all about “Who are you going to serve?”
God and others? Or somebody else?
Because, as we all know, everybody’s “gotta serve somebody.”

Bob Dylan, in his song “Gotta Serve Somebody,”
talks about that very thing.
I’ve taken that song’s theme,
changed the words,
put them into the mouth of Jesus
and with the help of Jim at the keyboard,
I want you to imagine that this is Jesus talking to us today.
Because as we know,
whoever we are,
whatever we do,
regardless of position,
inspite of circumstances,
without excuse,
it is who we serve,
the One to whom we give our loyalty,
the will help, or not help,
usher in the kingdom of God
about which Jesus was so passionate.

Introduction (fade in)

You may be a landlord, you may own the land
you may be a tenant, or just a hired hand
you may be a soldier trying to keep the peace
or you may be a victim, bent down on his knees
but you’re gonna have to serve somebody
yes, indeed,
you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
Well it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.

Maybe you’re a preacher, a spiritual man
maybe you’re a beggar, doin’ the best he can
maybe you’re a fisherman casting out his nets
maybe you’re a banker collecting all the debts
but you’re gonna have to serve somebody
yes, you are
you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
Well it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.

Maybe your life’s beautiful, a happy song and dance
maybe you would end it if you only had the chance
maybe you’re a shopkeeper, tryin’ to sell his wares
maybe you’re a high and mighty puttin’ on the airs
but you’re gonna have to serve somebody
yes, you are
you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
Well it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.

You may be a tither giving 10 percent
you may be a tired old man, crippled up and bent
you may go to church, say your prayers each day
you may be a wanderer, tryin’ to find his way
but you’re gonna have to serve somebody
yes,
you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
Well it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.

You may be a politician, wielding power and might
you may be a searcher, lookin’ for the light
you may have the whole world and everything it gives
or you may be a poor man, strugglin’ just to live
but you’re gonna have to serve somebody
yes, you are
you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
Well it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.

You may be my follower, you may be my friend
you may be against me, plotting for my end
you may be a faithful soul, righteous, good and pure
you may be a sin-sick soul, lookin’ for a cure
but you’re gonna have to serve somebody
yes, indeed
you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
Well it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.

Maybe you are English, Spanish, Italian, African, Dutch
maybe you walk on two good legs, maybe you use a crutch
you may say you love me, you may say you don’t
you may say you’ll follow me, you may say you won’t
but you’re gonna have to serve somebody
yes, you are
you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
Well it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.

Conclusion (fade out)

Everybody’s gotta serve somebody.
You’ve gotta serve somebody.
Question is: Who?

In the breaking of bread today,
in the sharing of the cup,
we remember One who came, not to be served, but to serve;
we remember the One, ‘cause everybody’s “gotta serve somebody,”
who served His God completely, unwaveringly, to the end;
we remember the One who came that we might have life
and to be the breath of life in us;
we remember the One who, more than anything else, loves us.

This is who we remember: Jesus.
Come, let us renew ourselves in Him at His table.

SOLI DEO GLORIA