Going Viral

Luke 19:29-44

 “Going Viral”

09 April 2017 St. Andrew’s Military Chapel Singapore

            What makes something go viral? You probably didn’t expect that question at the beginning of a sermon on Palm Sunday. Let’s take a look at a few things that have gone viral over the years.

            So, what do all of these have in common? Some are funny. Some are heartwarming. Some things that go viral have negative messages and are mean spirited. Some have a relevant message to today’s time. Things that go viral connect with us in some way (good or bad). Most of them are unexpected in either the message or the messenger. When something goes viral it can’t be stopped. It’s like nature itself is telling the story, or dare I say the stones are shouting, because wherever you turn you hear about the viral content.

Today, we look back 2000 years and remember the day Christ entered Jerusalem for the final time. Part of the most viral story in history. So much so that the Bible is the most printed book in history. The Bible was the first book printed on the modern printing press 500 years ago. Biblical references are all around us showing up in unexpected places.

We celebrate today because this dynamic story not only went viral, it’s truth has given it staying power and cultural reach that is unmatched in history. However, back on the day Luke describes in this story, only one person knew what was going on, only one person knew it was the viral story of the ages. That’s why Christ mentions that stones will shout if his disciples are silenced. Because you can’t silence the truth of Christ’s story.

When Christ entered Jerusalem, he came in through an entirely different gate than the one through which Herod would enter the city. Herod arrived with a parade and foot soldiers showing the rebellious and difficult Jerusalem that he was the one true king and ruler over their lives. Jesus entered on a donkey with a ragged, motley band of fishermen, reformed tax collectors, and other rejected and forgotten people. Yet his plain entry elicited excited shouts of “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Why?

The people of Jerusalem expected a warrior king who would come and destroy Roman rule over their lives. But, more importantly, and more pressing on their minds was the possibility of a new reality where a system that was set up to dominate every aspect of their lives and prevent them from ever getting out from under the oppressive weight of Rome was something worth publicly rejoicing over. They, like us today longed for a story much different than the one culture tells us every day.

It needs to be in our minds that these people who were shouting Hosanna to Christ were putting themselves in a very dangerous position. They were committing a seditious act in speaking out against Rome and Roman rule while Herod was in the city. Truth has a way of getting out in the face of danger and oppression.

For something to go viral and have staying power it had to be more than a military victory by Christ. A viral story points to something bigger than us. And resurrection is much bigger than anything we can imagine.

Resurrection of people. Resurrection of culture. Resurrection of faith. Resurrection of economies. Resurrection of dignity. Something that big, that important can’t help but go viral.

Jerusalem was full of resurrection people, but didn’t yet know it. Nor did they expect it to come only after death on a cross, both that of Christ and their own. Once they realized they were part of something other, that they were resurrection people, the story went viral.

When we make disciples of all nations, we give the stones reason to shout. We spread the Gospel to the world through our actions and nature can’t help but proclaim the works of God in the world. Making disciples keeps the content viral allowing the ultimate story to reach all people.

One denomination describes how making disciples keeps the story relevant, hopeful, vibrant, and contagious. “The Church is called to undertake this mission [of making disciples of all nations, demonstrating Christ through the love of its members to one another, ministering to the poor and broken, seeking justice and freedom for all people, and giving of itself to the service of others] even at the risk of losing its life, trusting in God alone as the author and giver of life, sharing the gospel, and doing those deeds in the world that point beyond themselves to the new reality in Christ.” That’s something for stones to shout about.

That’s a tall order, and we can’t do it alone. Nor do we have to because we have the Spirit upon us and Christ leading us, supporting us, prodding us, and walking beside us to accomplish this mission. It won’t look like we expect, nor will it follow any plan we make. So, the question we face on this Palm Sunday, how do we keep the story alive and viral, so that stones continue to shout the Gospel when we can’t?

Will we just make a living or will we live a life? Will we spend our lives on things for us or things for others? Will we seek our own promotion and glory or will we walk behind someone else letting them bask in the glory of our efforts? Will we spend all of our money on things for our benefit or will we set aside a sufficient amount to further the Kingdom of God here on earth? Will we spend more time watching television, on the internet, or playing computer games alone than we spend in devotional time and building and sustaining relationships with our fellow travellers in life? Will we love more than we are loved? Will we seek to change the world or be the conduit through which Christ changes the world?

When we focus our energy and time not on ourselves but on those who need the love of Christ in their lives, we become the people that can’t be contained. Because we are living out the Gospel for all to see. That’s something for stones to shout about. A life like that has no trajectory other than to go viral and spread it’s light throughout the world.

As we spend the next week reflecting on the wild turn of events in Christ’s life from today’s entry into Jerusalem to his death on a cross to a glorious resurrection three days later, let us seek ways to live out that story each and every day. All of us are part of a story bigger than ourselves, bigger than creation. It’s such a powerful and amazing story that the stones will shout it out in our absence or silence. We are part of the original viral story. Let us live into that each and every day of our lives.

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