As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen. Hosanna! Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest! And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples.’ He answered, ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.’” Luke 19:37-40🌿
Today is Palm Sunday, the day Jesus entered Jerusalem on a lowly donkey amidst the roaring cheers of the people. As my husband told us in his sermon, the word Hosanna that they are crying out means “Save, Please.”
For generations the Jews had been waiting for a King, and descending down the hill into Jerusalem is the One they hoped would take control. And, it was Passover– a time when Jews from all over pour into Jerusalem, and just like we get caught up in the emotion of a crowd at a game or concert, the excitement was electric.
But over the course of the next 5 days everything changed. These same people only days later yelled, “Crucify Him!” as they convinced Pilot to turn Jesus over to be killed. The same people who were so pro-Jesus then lined the streets as a beaten and bloody Jesus bore his own cross through the city to his death.
I just walked the Via Dolorosa in November, so I know how tight it is. Only one car can pass through at a time, and as it does tourists scoot back against the shops but are still so close they can touch cars. This put Jesus’ walk to Calvary in perspective for me, as I now imagine Him hearing their curses, feeling their shoves, and being hit by their spit.
I can tell you what any of us would want to do– cuss, hit and spit right back. To humble ourselves, hold our tongue, turn the other cheek and not defend ourselves goes against every fiber in our being. Do you think it was easy for Jesus? Remember he was fully man! But He didn’t give in to the temptation.
Instead Jesus pressed on so He could finish the work He came to do– the work of doing it all right. And this record of perfection he was going to the cross to trade, taking instead the sin, condemnation and judgment we deserve not Him. When you really think about it, it’s hard to imagine someone willingly doing this for people like us, no different from that fickle crowd who spurned his love. Talk about one-way love!
In our culture of contractional relationships this is radical! We live as if others must perform to earn and keep our love and approval. But Scripture tells us, Jesus loved us first, while we were still sinners, not because we had done (or can do) anything at all to earn it.
This is mercy.
On that day Jesus entered the city, He rode in on a “beast of burden,” as the donkey is called, in order to bear our burdens. He didn’t come in triumph as a king returning from victory, but to triumph by entering into battle to claim His rightful Kingship and ensure victory over sin, death and the devil.
May pondering more this week of what He did move us to greater worship of the One true King!
Hosanna! Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
