OK, strange subject line and you're probably asking some questions. 
Why put Jesus and Hitler on the same line? Well, between 12:30am last 
night and 11:30am this Palm Sunday morning, I was shook up by a movie 
and a message that contrasted the final week of these two opposite 
historical figures. It's odd how much truth and insight can come out 
of paradox, irony, and contrast.

First about the movie, Downfall which documents the final days and 
hours of Hitler's hideous last stand in his hideout under the streets 
of Berlin. Months ago I ran across this title and put it on our 
Netflix queue list. It came this week and I finally watched it late 
last night. At the depressing end I was so bothered by it, I couldn't 
get to sleep. I was astonished how so many millions could blindly 
follow this modern day devil literally into the pits of evil and hell. 
I was overwhelmed by the senseless killing, death, murder, executions, 
and unknown atrocities committed in the name of nationalism and nazi 
socialism. So many lessons to learn and never repeat, "never again".

Then this morning our Pastor opened up to continue a series on "The 
Week: the last week of Jesus' life".  I've been thinking alot about 
that subject having preached the past two Sundays in an urban Philly 
and suburban Phoenix church on "Weeping Over the City" as Jesus 
started to cry in his final week for what he saw taking place in 
Jerusalem. Immediately as Steve was describing in amazing details 
Jesus' final hours on the cross and the parallels between that and 
Psalm 22, I was comparing and contrasting the passion of Christ to the 
poison of Hitler I had seen just hours earlier.

Both men gathered many followers and much acclaim. Both men had 
parades of praise in their honor, one riding in a black limousine, 
another on the back of a donkey. Both had big dreams, one to establish 
a 1,000 year reign, the other God's kingdom on earth as it is in 
heaven. Both men's closest comrades fled in fear. Both chose to stay 
in the city, one to fight to the death, one to give up his life in 
order to conquer death. Both died horrible deaths. One by his own 
will, the other because of His own will.

One committed suicide, the other was crucified.
One hunkered down in a bunker, the other rose up out of one.
One ordered millions to their execution, the other ordered up eternal 
resurrection.
One became the personification of evil, one represented the face of 
God and good.
Hitler's last official act was to hand out German Iron Cross medals to 
Hitler's Youth Squad
Jesus' last act was to hang on a Roman cross in order to seek and save 
those youth for God.
Hitler's last words were "The end has come, all is lost"
Jesus' last words were "It is finished" which translated means "The 
debt is paid in full"

At the end of the movie my soul was distressed
At the end of the message my spirit soared
We took communion as an act of worship and defiance against evil of 
all kinds.
One body, one Lord, one faith, one spirit.

And we sang a hymn I haven't heard for I don't know how many years and 
it brought me to my knees with holy tears.

"I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how he could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean.
How marvelous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be,
How marvelous! How wonderful! Is my Savior's love for me!

He took my sins and my sorrows, He made them his very own,
He bore the burden to Calvary, and suffered and died alone.
How marvelous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be,
How marvelous! How wonderful! Is my Savior's love for me!

When with the ransomed in glory, His face I at last shall see,
Twill be my joy thro the ages, to sing of his love for me.
How marvelous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be,
How marvelous! How wonderful! Is my Savior's love for me!"