Isaiah and his father Alphaeus were among the crowd on that day when Jesus rode into Jerusalem. This is their story....

Father, why is everyone cheering? Who is that man on the donkey?

Isaiah, his name is Jesus, and he has brought hope to our people. He has been walking all around Galilee. People have been healed. He has helped people understand God's way. The religious leaders have been threatened, because they thought it was their duty to explain God's way. Jesus' way was much different – he explained that God loves everyone – even prostitutes and tax collectors, beggars and people who are blind and sick.

But Father, why is everyone cheering as if he is a king. He doesn't look like a king. Kings don't ride on donkeys. Kings don't wear ordinary clothes. I don't understand why the people are cheering like that.

I said that he has brought hope to our people. You know how you can hear whispers from others about the Roman emperor? You know how people are saying that Herod is in the back pocket of the Roman emperors? Well, this man Jesus is helping them see things in a new way? He hasn't said much about the Roman Empire – but people are smart – they can see that what he has to say about letting God control our lives can lead to something new for us. That's why the rabbis and the people at the temple are scared too. They have their own power, but Jesus is helping people to see the power that comes from God.

Abba, Daddy – you sound happy and excited too – just like others in the crowd. Why are YOU so excited?

I've heard about this Jesus. I went to hear him when he was close to Jerusalem. I liked what he had to say. He helped me to feel good about myself, to feel that God was interested in me and interested in what I wanted. Jesus said things about God's way that was different from the way we learn about it at synagogue. It was more understandable, more like it was about me and my relationship with God and not about them. Like others I started to think that this is the kind of leader we need – a leader who will stand up to people who are trying to control things. That's why I'm excited. I think this means something important is about to happen in Jerusalem.

Alphaeus' excitement was inspiring to Isaiah and they watched as Jesus rode on with the adoring crowd all around. Alphaeus spoke to Isaiah about the things that might happen if Jesus was able to stand up to Herod. They left the parade feeling excited and in high anticipation. Isaiah, who loved his father very much, was excited too. They talked about watching to see what would happen in the days to come, now that Jesus was in Jerusalem.

Alphaeus and Isaiah watched to see where Jesus was staying and they decided that they were going to wait there and with others follow the actions of Jesus. They felt that something was up – they could sense it in Jesus' closest friends. There was one named Peter and he was all trembling as if something important was about to happen.

Jesus went about Jerusalem and everywhere he went the crowds gathered to hear what he had to say. To Isaiah's young ears the story was a bit confusing. Everyone was so excited, but he kept hearing Jesus talk about his death. Isaiah didn't get that. It was is if the people didn't hear those parts – they only heard the good things. Everytime Jesus mentioned the Kingdom of God – the people would nod their heads in agreement, and mutter approvingly, and some would even cheer. You could even hear some of them turning to their neighbours and saying – Here's the next King of the Jews. I just know it.

Alphaeus and Isaiah set up an informal communication network. They talked to some other friends – a few father and son combinations and some others who would wait for Jesus to go somewhere and then get the word out that Jesus was on the move and that he might have more to say. This way they could go about their lives and still not miss anything important that Jesus might do or say.

It so happened that Alphaeus and Isaiah were on the watch one night. There was a sense that something important was happening in a room upstairs where Jesus and his disciples had gathered. They could see the light pouring through the windows. Sometimes they could hear conversation pouring through the windows as well. Often it was the kind of conversation you would hear at any special meal where a lot of people were gathered – the kind of buzz that comes with good food and happy people. But every so often there would be a hush and one person could be heard speaking. They couldn't tell who it was, but they were pretty sure it was Jesus. Once when this happened, they could hear the disciples arguing about something – the buzz turned from a happy sound to a disturbing sound – almost as if a fight was going to break out.

Then things got quiet again and there was almost a hush. It wasn't too long before Jesus came out by himself and walked quickly off to the hill where there was an olive orchard. Alphaeus told Isaiah to follow the others that fell in behind Jesus at a distance while he went off to tell their friends that something was happening.

Isaiah followed with the others to the olive orchard. Jesus' friends came along right away as well. Together they sat huddled on the ground with Jesus. It was cold and they looked to be huddling together to stay warm, but there was more to it than that, it was as if they were also huddling together for protection. Isaiah was scared. He hoped that his dad would show up soon. He was feeling cold and he wanted to huddle with his own dad for warmth and protection. Someone in the group with Isaiah said that one of the disciples was missing. There were usually twelve of them, but someone had counted and there were only eleven of them here in the olive orchard.

After a while Jesus got up to go off by himself. Some of his friends wanted to go with him, but he shooed them back to their little huddle. The one named Peter tried extra hard to go with Jesus, but Jesus just told him harshly to go back with the others.

They could hear Jesus off by himself. It was if he was talking to someone, but there was no one there. Sometimes his voice would go quite high as if he was angry or scared, and then other times it would be very hushed. It even sounded as if he was crying sometimes.

Isaiah's dad finally showed up. Isaiah told him what had happened. He explained how he had a kind of bad feeling about something.

He had barely finished when there was a commotion. The missing disciple – someone said his name was Judas – came running into the orchard. He had some Roman soldiers with him. He went running right past the other disciples – shouting “where is he” as he went by. The other disciples got up and ran after them, but they were too late to stop him from finding Jesus.

Judas ran right up to Jesus – who stood up and confronted him. Jesus seemed to be angry with Judas – not about being there, but about being there with soldiers. Someone near Isaiah said he heard Jesus say – you didn't need to bring soldiers – you know that I would have come with you without force. I don't believe in force.

The other disciples rushed up all angry. One of them had a sword – Isaiah could not figure out where it had come from – but he took a swing at one of the soldiers and even though the soldier ducked, it looked as if he hadn't escaped completely, because all of a sudden there was lots of blood.

Jesus shouted at everyone to stop. And pretty soon they were all on their way out of the orchard. Jesus and Judas were in front. The soldiers followed – keeping the disciples away from Jesus and Judas. Isaiah and Alphaeus were in the small crowd of others that had watched all this happen from a distance.

It was late and the scary confrontation in the orchard had frightened Isaiah, so his dad decided that they should go home. But not before they asked one of their friends to come by the next morning to tell what happened next.

The next morning they heard a knock on the door and their friend Benjamin came to explain that they had all gone to the temple and the house of the Chief Priest. Benjamin had not been able to find out what happened in there, but he reported on a scuffle outside when Jesus' friend Peter was talking to some of the others about what had happened and what would happen next. One of them recognized Peter, but Peter denied it and then because it was getting close to morning a rooster crowed and it was as if that crowing reminded Peter about something. He hung his head and ran away. Some people said they could hear him crying as he ran the other way.

Alphaeus and Isaiah wondered what was going to happen next, so they started asking around to see if anyone knew what was happening. Someone mentioned that a crowd was gathering over at the Roman offices. They joined a gathering crowd.

The Roman governor was there. Jesus was with them. He looked as if someone had beaten him up. His eyes were black and there were bruises and marks on his face and shoulders. The High Priest and others were at the back of the raised platform. The crowd standing around Isaiah and Alphaeus was very agitated. There was anger and excitement. Isaiah recognized that some of them were the same people that were near them when they had watched Jesus come into Jerusalem.

Isaiah was scared. He didn't like the mood of the crowd. They worried him, because he thought that they might get angry enough to do something bad. Even his dad worried him. His dad seemed to be getting more agitated too.

The Roman governor seemed to be talking partly to Jesus, partly to the priests and partly to the crowd. He seemed not to want to do anything more to Jesus – but the priests kept telling that he should, that Jesus was dangerous. Isaiah didn't think that Jesus was dangerous at all. He looked sad and hurt and small. Then Pilate turned and said directly to the crowd – What should I do?

Isaiah could not believe it – they were shouting “Crucify him”. Alphaeus had talked about crucifixion before – that it was a bad thing that the Romans did to punish criminals. They hung people up on a cross – supposedly to teach people not to be criminals and to torture and kill the worst criminals. The Jewish people did not believe in this, but the Romans did. It was one of the reasons that the Jewish people did not like the Romans. But here were a whole bunch of people – many of them Jewish – yelling to crucify another Jew. The Isaiah was shocked more than he could ever imagine when he heard his dad join the shouting.

Isaiah began tugging at his father's robe. Dad, dad, what are you doing? What are you saying? Why are you shouting that with all the others?

They are right, Isaiah. Jesus had a chance. Our hope is gone. He could have done what everyone wanted him to do. But I heard him deny to Jesus that he was the King of the Jews. He said that's what Pilate wanted him to be. We're stuck here in this Roman city. We had a chance with Jesus – he could have changed things for the better. I'm angry and disappointed. All those good things I hoped for when he came to Jerusalem. I can't see how they will end up in a good way. I don't really mean to shout Crucify – but it's what everyone else is shouting. Oh Isaiah. What have I done? What kind of dad am I?

Alphaeus hung his head – the horror of what the crowd had led him to say began to sink in. He had disappointed himself. More importantly he had disappointed his son.

Isaiah was crying. He was shocked by what had happened. He thought back to the olive orchard and Jesus talking to himself by himself. He remembered Jesus crying and he remembered when they had gone to hear him in the days after he came to Jerusalem. He had talked about dying, but no one seemed to be listening to that part. They all seemed so excited to have someone who would be their new king – who would stand up to Herod and Pilate.

And now his dad had joined them. His dad, Alphaeus who had proudly said that Jews did not believe in killing people as punishment – was shouting Crucify him!

He felt like running away, but he was afraid what might happen – this crowd was so angry that they could turn on anyone at any time.

Then his dad began to cry. They watched what was happening up on the platform. Pilate kept trying to pacify the crowd, but the crowd had made up its mind – almost as if it was a person all by itself. Even though there were others like Alphaeus that had realized what they had said and done, and had changed their mind – it didn't seem to make much of a difference.

Isaiah was confused. Jesus wasn't doing anything to stop things either. Of course how could he – he was so small, and so bruised. But Isaiah could also tell that he was proud. He was standing up to Pilate and the priests – but in a different way – in a way that reminded Isaiah what he had heard Jesus say a few days ago.

And then it was all over. Alphaeus took Isaiah and still crying they quickly made their way from the crowd. Things were happening up on the platform too. Jesus was being led off by some very rough Roman soldiers.

Alphaeus and Isaiah did not talk all the way home. Alphaeus was still sobbing – sobbing for the way he had reacted, sobbing because he thought things could have been so much better, sobbing because he had disappointed his son so badly. Isaiah was just so scared. He didn't want to be with his dad, but he didn't want to be anywhere else – especially with that horrible crowd of people – that had changed so much and so terribly since Jesus' came to Jerusalem.

It was a bad time for the young man and his dad. They heard that it all turned out badly. They heard that Jesus had been sentenced to death. Alphaeus was in mourning – in mourning about his hopes for a Jewish king, in mourning for the way he had turned to join the crowd, in mourning for the death of Jesus – who had so inspired him, in mourning that his son no longer trusted him.

I wish I could say there's a happy ending to this story of a father and a son – but I don't know if there is or not. There were many others in that crowd whose hopes were dashed, who shouted crucify. Perhaps they were not drawn to do the re-think because of the absence of a son who asked the important questions, who did the necessary reality check.

And of course like all stories – it is a story not about something that happened only once a long time ago – it is our story – and we have a choice to live out our own ending. And so I leave the story with you...without even an Amen.