Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard Sunday, April 14, 2019 Palm Sunday False Expectations Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard Sunday, April 14, 2019 Palm Sunday

Triumphal Entry (Matthew 21) “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” References to Psalm 118, a ritual cry for a Messiah/Deliverer

Crowd Turns People wanted a King They got Something they needed but didn’t want “Crucify!”

False Expectations Sense of betrayal Anger Desire to strike out

Hints from Jesus Unlikely religious view Two sons . . . (Matthew 21)

Or Matthew 25 . . . Sheep and Goats

Matthew 25: 31-46 (The Message) And here’s why: I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.’

Kolasin: punishment or correction? Depends on what you believe about the nature of God (and how much you want your enemies toasted!) Aristotle made a distinction between kolasin and timoria So did early church fathers like Clement of Alexandria

Clement of Alexandria (c. AD 150-215) For there are partial corrections which are called chastisements [kolasis], which many of us who have been in transgression incur by falling away from the Lord’s people. But as children are chastised by their teacher, or their father, so are we by Providence. But God does not punish [timoria] for punishment [timoria] is retaliation for evil. He chastises, however, for good to those who are chastised collectively and individually (Stromata, Book 7, Chapter 16).

Rebecca Trotter, “The Upside Down World” It is significant that both the Pharisees and Essenes speak of timoria <Josephus> while Jesus uses the word kolasin. According to Aristotle (Rhetoric 1.10.17): “kolasis is corrective, timoria  alone is the satisfaction of the inflictor.” We see these words used just this way in other Greek texts of the day—timoria indicates vengeful punishment. Kolasis always indicates correction or chastisement. They are similar in that they both deal in some way with a form of punishment, but clearly not interchangeable. 

Rebecca Trotter, “The Upside Down World” Timoria is for the benefit of the one who inflicts it – generally in repayment for some wrong done. Kolasis is ultimately for the benefit of the one being chastised. So, when Jesus says that the wicked will be sent to aionian kolasis, he is saying that they will be sent for correction, not simply for punishment and suffering. God’s purposes are always redemptive.

Why present an angry god? “We see through a glass darkly . . .” (1 Cor. 13) We expect God to be like us To a certain extent: We create our gods in our own image

A Better Way: Philippians 2:1-11 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 

5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 

9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Power from Above vs. Serving from Below

Upward and Downward Spiritual Mobility

The Wonder of “Might”