“The Path to True Peace, Part 1: The Power of Peace” by the Rev. Dr. Don Wahlig, April 13, 2025, Year C / Palm Sunday - Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 · Luke 19:28-42
THEME: True peace requires the willingness to put others’ needs ahead of our own, as Jesus’ self-sacrifice showed us to do.
Like any great city, there is something about the Manhattan skyline that captures the imagination and makes people dream of new possibilities. Throughout the centuries, immigrants from all over the world have felt that way as they sailed into New York Harbor. One of them was Daniel Libeskind, one of the world’s most famous architects. In 1959 as a 13-year-old boy, he traveled from Poland to America with his family. As his ship sailed past the Statue of Liberty, it fired his imagination. It made him think of what could be. He said, “I saw that skyline, not just as a representation of steel and concrete and glass, but as the substance of the American Dream.”
Almost 2,000 years earlier, Jesus had a similar urban skyline experience. At the start of the Passover Festival, he and his disciples approached the city of Jerusalem from the east. They climbed to the top of the Mount of Olives. From the crest, they could clearly see the panoramic view of the entire city. That view inspired Jesus to dream of the possibility of peace. Peace is one of Luke’s primary concerns. Luke uses the word “peace” more than the other 3 gospels combined. Jesus is, of course, the one who brings that peace. But he does so in a way that is utterly unexpected, and completely contrary to the world’s notion of peace. That is our theme in this special two-part Holy Week sermon series, “The Path to True Peace.”
We begin today with Jesus’ triumphal entrance into the city. He tells his disciples to borrow a donkey, which they do. They then hoist him up on it and lead him through the crowds who form along the way. That may sound odd, but Jesus knows exactly what he is doing. He is deliberately drawing a connection to the ancient prophecy of Zechariah. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you. Triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey.” The crowds catch on quick. They begin shouting and laying their garments in the road, the ancient custom whenever a new king came to be crowned. Then they break into song. They sing the ancient psalm used for Israel’s royal coronation processions. ‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!’
For the crowds, it is an occasion of great joy, a time for celebration. But not for Jesus. He is driven to tears. He knows that the scope and the cost of the peace he brings are lost on the people and powers of Jerusalem. Looking over at the city, he laments, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.” He knows that what lies ahead is a time of trial, suffering, and death. He will give his own life in order to bring true and lasting peace in heaven and on earth. Luke is telling his readers that self-giving is the power source of the peace that Jesus brings. That is the lesson for you and me. Willing self-sacrifice for the good of others is the one and only true source of peace.
There are three ways that we enjoy this self-sacrificial peace. First, sacrificing our own desires for the good of others fosters a sense of unity and cooperation that is simply unparalleled. It is tangible proof that we are in this together, whatever it is. This is true within families, communities, even countries. It is also true in workplaces and sports teams. If you have ever been part of a highly successful team, you have experienced this. Second, self-giving is the key to resolving conflict. It is proof of a willingness to compromise. This encourages others to do the same, if only out of a sense of fairness. This is how we find common ground with those who differ from us. We sure could use more of that in our country today, couldn’t we?
Finally, at the most basic relational level, prioritizing the needs of others over our own builds trust and empathy. These are the foundation of harmonious relationships. It says, in effect, “I care enough about you and your well-being that I am willing to forego my desires so that your needs can be met.” I suspect that most, if not all of us have experienced this in our closest relationships. And here is the truly surprising part. Research has shown that generous acts of self-giving actually make the giver as happy as the receiver. Neuroscientists tell us that our brains are wired to release those feel-good hormones whenever we engage in acts of self-sacrifice for the benefit of others. In other words, seeking the well-being of others increases our own sense of well-being. Or, to put it differently, the surest path to happiness is making others happy.
As the ancient saying goes, “Help your brother’s boat across the river, and – lo! – your own has reached the shore.” So, the lesson Jesus teaches us is that true peace is not only mutual. It is 100% relational. That is what he showed us 2,000 years ago. When he rode into the city on the back of a donkey knowing that he would leave bearing a cross on his back, he was renewing humanity’s relationship with God. But that is not all. He was showing us how to renew our relationships with one another.
I worked in sales and marketing for 20 years. At the very beginning, when I was in college, I had the good fortune to go through a formal training program. That was where I learned the principles of sales. Many of them have stuck with me, because they do not apply only to sales. They apply to life. One of them was this little gem. It goes like this: If you help enough other people achieve happiness by meeting their needs, you are guaranteed to achieve your own happiness. If you think about it, this makes perfect sense. And the greatest proof of all is Santa Claus. Before you scoff at that, I am talking about the original Saint Nick. In the days of the Roman Empire, a man named Nicholas was born to a wealthy family in western Turkey. He grew up to become a priest, and later a bishop. As the story goes, when his parents died, Nicholas inherited a large sum of money. Instead of living in grand style, he chose to wander the land distributing his wealth to the poor.
One day, he came across a man who had been swindled out of all his money. That was bad enough, but the man had three daughters. He wanted nothing more than to honor their desire to be married. Sadly, that was no longer possible. He lacked the money for a dowry. That meant not only no husbands for them, but a future of begging in order to survive. Nicholas was greatly moved by their plight. He decided to help them. But he wanted it to be kept secret in order to preserve his humility and to protect their dignity. So, one night, under cover of darkness, Nicholas threw a sack of gold coins through the man’s open window. When the man got up the next morning, much to his amazement, he discovered the pouch. It contained enough gold to pay a dowry. So, the father promptly arranged for his first daughter to be married. The night after the first daughter’s wedding, Nicholas threw another purse of gold through the man’s window. The man was equally thrilled by this second mysterious gift. He used the money to enable his second daughter to be married.
By now, the man was curious to know the identity of his anonymous benefactor. So, on the night after his second daughter’s wedding, as Nicholas threw a third bag of gold through the man’s window, he encountered the father himself. The father fell on his knees out of sheer gratitude. Nicholas wanted no recognition or credit. He swore the man to secrecy. Seeing how happy his gifts had made the man and his daughters, was more than enough reward. Their happiness multiplied his own. Of all the stories about Saint Nicholas – and there are many – this is the one that has resonated throughout history. It is the source of our current notion of Santa Claus – Jolly old Saint Nick himself.
The original inspiration for all our happiness is what Jesus did – willingly sacrificing himself, so that our relationships with God and our neighbors might be renewed through self-giving love. That is only the path to true peace. It also happens to be the only path to lasting happiness.
Folks, today is not Christmas. But it is Palm Sunday. This is the day Jesus entered Jerusalem as God’s Messiah, the Prince of Peace. As we travel with him through this momentous week, let’s not only dream of his peace. Let’s give ourselves for others and make it a reality.
May it be so.
