THE DIVINE PAGEANT

ACT 1 GOD AND MAN IN THE STR&ET

HE WAS RIDING ON A DONKEY AND PEUPLE CALLED HIM A

BO FLAGS, NO

SOLDIERS, NO SPEARS AND PHOPLE SAID THERE WOULD BE A NE
—— ——

B WAS NO_POMP,

NO PLOWING ROBES AND REGAL ATTIRE AND PZOPLS CRIED OUT Tam

i

THS HIGH sr) FIVE DAYS LATER HE WAS TO DIE LIKE A COMMON D YeT PEOPLE

| nl

: 4
SAID THIS IS THE MESSLA THEIR COATS

» THE ANNOINTED ONE OF THE LORD.) 4

i

PHE MADE HIS

—

AND BRANCHES FROM THE TRESS,{ PALM BRANCHES) IN HIS PATH,

um
yerveF
ENTRANCE INTO TH’ CITY OF SMD, A HUMPLE MAN RIDING ON

AND SO WE HAVE CALLED T DICING. THE DAY

Y, TRADITIONALLY

BEGAN A WEEK SO PACKED WITH ACTIVITY AND SIGNIFICANCE THAR MAG

PART OF THE

GOSPELS IS DEVOTED TO ITS RECORD. IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT

NOXLEDGE OF JESUS

CHRIST WE HAD WAS THAT CONCERNING THE ONS WEEK PERIOD FROE

—_—_—

[ 10 EASTER

$ Vous
A RESUME OF 5S
a

MORNING WE WOULD HAVE ENOUGH. IT WAS A WEEK THT COULD Wi

HOLE LIPY/AND ONS OF THS OUTSTANDING EVENTS IN THAT WEER MMPHANT ENTRY INTO

JERUSALEM.

® PALM SUNDAY IS

s
a

DWELL MAINLY ON Sf EVENT. NOT HOW T ACCUSES OR REVEEMB Uo» BUT WHAT IT MEANT

THEN_AND THiS, WHAT IT MEANT TO THE PEOPLE WHO CRIZ) HOSBANA, TO THE CHIEF PRIESTS

—_—_—— —

WE DO WELL AT Times TH COMCENTRATE ENT Ker LY
OUR LORD HIMSELF, OM, PME WWekds oF THE Bib/e| wivart a mrvef—t
on, ee See tTHLS 45 A as rab THAT 5 alala ‘FER

—— al

STRICKS!, THE HUNGRY AND THE SICK. THEY HAD HEARD RUMORS AND STORIES ABOUT THIS MAN

—_ a —

FROM AZARET 9 BOA A DAUD ABALE Dn SICK AND MADE THE Mok IN tates THEY HAD EVEN HiAliD
a
HAD TOLD TH iT J LDL} A_DONKEY WAS A FULFILLMENT OF PRO ZECHARIAH HAD
- —

IPING HUMELY ON THE FOAL OF Al
———— -
— —

EES | OV

His FACE THEY WERE OVERWHEL iD, TEARING THE COATS FROM THEIR BACKS AND STREWING PA
——<——$$ ——=— ne ia an
=a anreEy 1 - : 8 =P .
TA: CHES V TH 4 ( ) } ui 1 LL HT I j A I Me le L Yop i" LU e 2 SLA S THE VAN be DL

rAvyY Wh CAW Po TAL mir I nl m vy 1G Wy WWOAaCT " ote) hk a m™ rai?
WAY WE CAN UNDERSTAND THE HSARTFELT JOY OF THE OCCASI( Is TO COMPARE IT THE
— ee ee

WINNING TOAT A FOOTBALL GAME, IN SHEER EXUBERANCE HATS FLY INTO THE AIR AND THéne IS

——$————

ABSOLLTL

36

THE JOY OF THE MOMENT.

F THEIR LORD IS SIGNIFICANT

—___,

BUT AS WE SHALL SEE THRE

THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND SCRIRES SAT IN THE TEMPLE AND LISTENED TO THE TUMULTOUS DIN
‘on ‘ —_
AS THE PROCESSION APPROACHED THE CITY GATES. THEY HAD BEEN VERY MUCH AWARE OF THIS
pS _-
MAN JESUS ACTIVITIES OVER THE P FitW YEARS. HOW He HAD INSULTED
—_—_—_——
HEIR COLLSA IN OTHER CITIES, H 1s HAD OVERTLY BROKEN THE MOST SACRED LWAS OF
THE SADBATH: THEY HAD HEARD THAT SOME PROPLE WERE CALLING] HIM THE CHRIST, THE MESSIAH
—_
OF GO W THIS FRIGHTSIED THEM. THE SLIGHT WORRY TURNSD|JINTO ANXIETY AS THEY
——— —————y
%
THE IRONY OF THIS GROUP OF MEN IS TYPICAL OF THEIR ROLE IN THE WHOLE GOSPEL STORY.
—_—_—
THEY KNW THE SCRIPTURES AND LAW II ) OUT, THE WAS NOT ONE PROPHETIC UTTERANCE THAT
—_—_—_—— SO

wt HAD NOT COMMITTED TO OTED OVER AND OVER] THEY KNEW
ey THE NINTH CAHPTER OF ZECHARIAH'S PROPHECY * He COMSS YOUR KING, TRE UMPHANT
iND VICTORIOUS. RT DING LY AN ASS, ON THE FOAL OF AN ASS! HE BANISHES ALL CHARIOTS
neni dip de sna
“8 WORDS TH. PRISSTS AND SCRISES CHERISHMD DEANLY, THEY SPOKE OF A

Le

TIME ORF FULFILLMENT, Off RECKNONING ANDEED THESE MEN HAD

PRAYED FOR THIS KING MANY

TIMES, PRAYED THAT THEIR GH! ERATLON MIGHT BE THE ONE TO ft

iL

i a

SCELVE HIM.

(1s 1S SO HUMAN, THE SCRIDES AND PHANE SWES WATCHED

EYSS,. AND YET COULD NOT SEE IT. AS FREQUENTLY

« TiS HAN MUST BE
ichoaesy

GRANTED BUT THEY COULD NOT BELISVE Ir

THEY COULD NOT LET THE THOUGHT THAT HS WAS THES MSSSIAN EH

ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN HE MADE HIS APPEARANCE AT THI

AG AN

TIMSS, CALL THEM HYPOCRIT!

THEIR FONDEST HOPE WAS BEING
AN IMPOS'TER, A Bld SPHEMER.

rik THEIR MINDS FOR WORRYING
i THMPLE.

[RUE TO

bS, MAKE THEM LOOK SLLLY IN DEBATE

AND THEN H& WOULD PREACH TO THE PEOPLE AND THEY wOULD ] Ry
— oo

AS YOU WELL KNOW JESUS DID NOT DISAPPOINT THEM, THE FI
V———_—

THE TEMPLE Al) DRIVE OUT THE BY CHANGER

5
ar

4a Tathle
é ———-
THE MORE LSGALISTIC ) POLITICAL MINDED OF THS SCRIBES
—————
A ROAL THREAT TO THEIR VERY EXISTENCE IN A NUMBER OF DLYFE
ONLY FR DOM THE NE i5 HAD WAS FREEDOM OF RiLI ZON, BUT IF g
— ee

aid
CAUSE A RIOT OR FIGHT. THS ROMANS DESCEND

j

4 nto Monae
F | me oa © uri
—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_———

49

ol THING HE DID WAS To GO PO

DME RELIGION’ DISPUTES SHOULD

IN THEM, NOT ONY TAKING AWAY

_—_—
— isoheoh bi
ae

INVOLVED I!

ne

CAME INTO THEIR PRESENCE. THE LAMB OF GOD, THE ONE FOR WHOM
—_—_—— | aa

ANDUT TO ENTE THE CLTY, BUT TH, OF ALL PE Joes lam NOT
AS THE NOISE BECAME LOUDE : ‘ND DOUDER THE PRISSTS AND 4

Lt MAW TH 4

TO INCRIMINAT

a |

é

ARRANGED,

| COMMONPLACE, EVSRYUAY AFFAIRS THAT THEY GOULD

pe encanto

wre

YY SHOR TELY THEY COULD BREATH FREELY AGAIN.

\aus<

i

at TU

HUMAN JUST AS YOU AND I. THEIR ONLY RPROELEM, | AND OURS WO, FS THT TH

THEY HAD

sET RID

——

UITE A FOLLOWING THAT
rE hadiemtastah iotcl

“1 TP, wy TATE
tude LA UL Al LIN Ds

/

Wits THE VICTIMS OF

THE SCRIBES AND CHIEF PRIESTS,

MERE SO

ore +

NOT Si® THE DIVINE WHEN If

rey

WV rows eh at! py of ear tha
CRIPES BEGA! TOZSURV ‘&
——_—

¥ HIM QICKLY .

WITH THEIR DIALOLICAL PLOT

LT TOOK

THM FIVE DAYS TO
————

6.

IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON

IN JiSUS' MIND AS HE ROAD INTO
———

JERUSALEM ON THAT DONKEY. DID HE KNOW THE INEVITABLE R“SULT OF HIS ENTRANCE INTO THE
_——_———— —

ih

HOLY CITY, DID HE

WE CAN NEVER EE CERT ULSTLIC
pas

SHED ON THEN BY LOOKING CAREFULLY AT THE EVENT AS SUCH.

HCT TO CARRY ON OR DID HE iNOW HIS TIME HAD COME?

NS, HOWEVER, SOME LIGHT IS*

we

4

IF WE LOOK BACK THROUGH JESUS LIFZ WE DISCOVER THAT frat NEVER CAME RIGHT OUT AND
—_—_—_. ——————— er

STATS THAT HE WAS THE CHRIST. HE LET OTHERS
WHEN THEY QUESTIONED HIM ON THE MATT

DISCIPLES SU6 PICLONS
ce

merpee
ay F

GR A T A

—<$~—

‘OR HIS CONTEMPORARIES TO CCMPR wo. fst0i2

gfv IT FoR uf VAGUELY CONFIRMED HIS

PERHAPS IT WAS TOO

ae

pAL SCHOLARS CALL THIS

a

WRESTLED WITH

PHENOMENON THE "MESSIANIC SECRET."/ OUR LORD PROBABLY CONTENOUSL
——_—-"" <=
THIS PROPLEM: AT THE BEGINING OF HIS MINISTRY HE SPENT

TY DATS IN THE DESERT DECIULNG

HOW HE SHOULD BUST CAIRY OUT HIS FATHER'S WORK. HE DECIDE
JIVINS POWER IN A AGULOUS LEAP FROM THE Ti PL#: HE LIK

———

a

ALTERNATIVE OF TAKING OVER POLITIC AL POWER.
—_e"_ —

*ADDNTE ur) PTAN TS
GARI thy FER) PAN Do

———————

i

BSAHING PLANT. LITTLE BY LITTLY wOuLD HE

RWEAL HLS ML ool ¢

) AGAINST WIELDING HLS

WTS UIS CARED THE

Lu

A SEED, WATERS AND CULTIVATES IT AND BELPS 1T GROW TO A FRUIT
—_—_—_“«

IN AND NATURE TO HIS FOLLOWERS,

—_—_—_————,.

ee"

7)

)

7.
JUST PRIOR TO HIS ENTRY INTO JURUSALEM JESUS HAD HEAVIJY

A

IMPLI “D TO PETER THAT HE

Tf IT. HE KNGW WHAT HE

WAS THE CHRIST, BUT NOW THE TIMS HAD COME TO OUTRIGHTLY S17

MUST DO, HE MUST ENTER THE HOLY CITY OF JERUSALEM IN FI

IUING

—

NARRATIVE. THIS wAS JESUS' WAY OF ANNOUNCING THAT HE WAS

THE KING OF ISRAEL, THE ONE

GOD, THROUGH TH’ PROPHETS,HAD PROMISED. IT WAS ONLY A_Fa

DAYS LATER THAT HE WAS TO

)

Senna ed

JI ssTIOM

THE MOST MEANINGFUL WAY Hi COULD GET HIS MESSAGE ACROSS. PD
——————

mm
td

WE ALSO CAN

a
fe

ULE THT HE KNW WHT WAS AHEAD O
JOYFUL THRONG, SINING HOSSANA'S AND CLAIMING HIM KING THY

H\VE OCCURED ® HIM. HE REALIZED WHAT EFFSCT HIS PRESANCH

AND POLITICA: LEADERS IN THE GREAT CLTY, HE KNEW THAT THER

AND HIM, AND THAT THEY WOULD FIND A WAY OF GSTTING RID OF

4) HIM.

F HIM.

ry

iii

BUT FiR NOW, THIS WAS
EVLOUSLY HE SUCCEBDED.

WATCHED THE

AS HE

SHADOW OF THE CORSS MUST

WOULD HAVE ON THE RELIGIOUS
———

§ WAS NOT_ROOM FOR THEM

KNOWING THAT-HE WAS RIL

ary

Je DEATH HE ENTERED Js RUSALMI

TO DO

el

AND $0 TI!

HE RODE AMIDST THEM BEARING THE HEART BRE

SHOUTE NG "HOS SANA" WOULD VERY SHORTLY BE SCREAI

—————_

FONG "AWAY WIT)

LIS WHAT HE WAS APPOINTED

——

IN COMPLETE FORGIVENSS

PaTS SAME CROWD THAT WAS

wee HIM. *

8.
wor

THIS IS PERHAPS THE MOVING ASPECT OF THE ENTIRE DRAMA. | JESUS KNEW HE WAS THE

CHRIST, HE KNSW WHAT WAS EXPECTED OF HIM. HE KNEW TH\T H1g TASK WOULD NOT BE COMPLETED

. UNTIL HE HAD DIED AT THE HANDS OF THIS CROWD. HE REALIZEO, AS NO ONE ELSE AROUND HIM
—_ —

DID, THAT TO FULLY REVEAL THE LOVE OF GOD HE HAD TO SUFFER. THIS WAS HIS ASSIGNMENT.

HE DID NOT HESITATE, OR GO THE OTHER DIRECTION, BUT WILLINGLY WALKED INTO THE CLUTCHES
ee, -

OF patil HIS BELOVED MANKIND MIGHT LIVE. A

WHAT ELSE IS THSRE TO SAY ON PALM SUNDAY? CAN WE DO ANY MORE THAN RAMGiERs THe JOY, THE

TRAGEOY AND THE IRONY OF THE DAY? ‘THE STORY SPSAKS FOR I'SELF. AND IN THE PROSPECT

——_
IN ITS DETAIL.
IF THERE IS ANY PART OF THE PALM SUNDAY STORY THAT APPLALES TO OUR PRESENT DAY SITUA*

MON IT IS THE FLCKLENESS OF THE CROWD. THEY WERE FILLED WITH_ELATION AS THEIR LORD

ENTSRED THE CITY IN TRIUMPH. THSY WERE BY HIS SIDE SINGING PRAISES OF JOY AND THANKS*

GIVING, THROWING THEIR GARMENTS DOW! SO THAT HE SHOULD NOT] HAVE TO TREAD ON BARE GROUND,

— er

WHERE WAS THIS HAPPY GROUP WHEN PILATES PRESENTED J'SUS PROM THE PALACE BALCONY AND ASKED

————— ————————

IF HE SHOULD BE REL EASEO? WHERE WERE THE HOSSANA'S WHEN THE CRY RANG OUT CRUCIFY HIM{?

AS THE CHRIST SUFF©keD IN AGONY ON THE CROSS WHERE WERE THDSE GARMENTS THAT COVERED
—

—

THE ROAD TO JERUSALEM? WHY WE.“ THEY NOT THERE TD COVER OUR LORD'S OPEN WOUNDS?

a

HCT OURSELVES INTO THE PEOPLE

OVER Ti#= PAST FEW yi l Mg
Sail ‘pumniugiomes
fi0 WERE INVOLVED IN THE DRAMA OF CALVARY. HERE AGAIN WE PAN LOOK INTO THE MIRROR
et —
AND: S58 { EFLECT » A E NOT LIKE THIS FICKLS CiOwD THAT PRAISED THE
WHR LST J HIS awh TRI | Hy, BUT THAT VAN ISHED WHE THETI ING WAS HUMILIATED
AND CRUCIFIED
«
———
CA IMITED TO A SUNUAY A TH IN CHURCH, UT f5N WH FIND LT MAKING DEMANDS
oo QU IKE 5
ziti
Astor We
LIKE THE CR pt OR CAN WE SAY, "I AM WITH YOU LORD, WHATHVER YOU wGesieep ."'
ee
THIS HA ‘a Tl i tr i C i U T r | n Hl THRO GH . Lis Wor THEME AL i YO OT
‘ TO P IT ANY FURT F< UT AS WE OESHIVE THE FIRST ACT OF THE
Lee

JIVINE PAGEANT T SENE STICH ’ LIk ORE THUMB. ARE WE PART OF A CROWD
ns
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poids ia -_—
pa ics
gi
—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_——————————

HAD THIS ONE VERY SHORT {XPERI MICE OF VISIRLE VICTORY.

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