From hero to zero

Although I live on the outskirts of Leicester, I don’t often venture into the city.  If I do go into the city centre it is almost always with a specific purpose in mind.  I usually park the car about half a mile or so from the city and walk the rest of the way.  When I do, I pass a large mural which was painted onto the gable end of a property.  It appeared there a couple of years ago.

It is the face of former Leicester City FC manager, Claudio Ranieri, who famously and (some would say) miraculously led the team to the Premiership title in the 2015/16 season.  He is depicted as a Roman Emperor, with the words, “Veni, Vidi, Vice” (“I came, I saw, I conquered”) inscribed underneath.  Ranieri was lauded as a conquering hero, and when he and the team paraded through the city in their open topped buses they were cheered by many thousands.  The scene was joyous, celebratory and enthralling!

My mind went back to that momentous occasion, as I prepared for today’s Palm Sunday services.  If we were able to travel back in time around 2,000 years to the outskirts of Jerusalem, we would witness another large, excited and noisy crowd of people.  This time they were not waving flags but palm branches (a symbol of victory), as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.  Many believed that he was the promised Messiah, who would rid the nation of the hated Roman occupiers.  And so they celebrated, danced and shouted for joy!

Just months after Ranieri and his team were feted by the massive crowd, he was unceremoniously sacked from his role as manager.  From hero to zero.  Just a few days after Jesus rode into Jerusalem in triumphant procession, another crowd cried out: “crucify him, crucify him”.  Jesus was not the kind of hero they hoped he would be; he was not the kind of king to lead an earthly army.

Of course, we must not push the parallel too far.  When Jesus rode into Jerusalem to the acclamation of the crowd he was under no illusion as to what lay ahead of him; he had spoken to his disciples of his forthcoming suffering and death.  His journey into Jerusalem on this occasion was the culmination of a long journey which would lead to the cross.

Jesus was not an earthly king, but a heavenly king; not a warrior who would destroy the Romans, but a warrior who would destroy death; a Messiah who would suffer for the sins of all people.   He was and is the sacrificial lamb.