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12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! ” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”“Blessed is the king of Israel!” 14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: 15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” 16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. (John 12:12-16 New International Version of the Bible)
Dear Friend, happy Monday for you! May this week be extra special for you and your walk with Jesus. Jesus loves you so much that this whole week will be about all that Jesus was willing to go through to save you and give you eternal life. Let us begin this day with prayer. Make it a prayer of thanksgiving; thanking God for all that you have and all that you are. Also, pray for a young man named Paul, whose younger brother took his own life this past week. May God's comfort be with him as he prepares to make final arrangements for his brother, whom he helped raise during a crucial time in his life. Pray for those whom God knows are thinking similar thoughts; who have given up on life and believe suicide is the best way to cope with things. May God change their hearts and minds and bring them peace. Pray for yourself and your needs. Friends, I just received word that Mrs. Audrey J. Bradley, wife of The Rev. George Bradley, died this Sunday morning (3/37/2024) while George was in church. No other details are available, but we ask you pray for George, the family and all who loved her and worked alongside her. May she rest in peace.
I have been blessed in having been present at two championship parades. The first was in the early 90s for the Houston Rockets. I moved to Houston in 1965 and during those years I waited and waited for any Houston team to be champions in any of the pro sports in which they competed. The Rockets came first, and what a ride that was! To stand on the curbs of that downtown street and await the start of the parade was awesome. As the minutes ticked by, we all noticed the parade was not starting on time. Word quickly spread that the star of the team, Hakeem Olajawan, had to say his daily prayers as a Muslim. Once he finished the parade started and the celebration began. A city long hungry for a championship was truly and joyfully celebrating this win and this team. I cannot begin to express how I felt as an adopted son of Houston. It felt good. The second parade came years later, 2017 to be exact, when the Houston Astros, long the joke of MLB, now paraded Houston streets as the World Series Champs. Again, unexplainable joy and happiness.
Imagine being a citizen and a son/daughter of Israel being on the curbs of the streets of Jerusalem on the day most people believed the long-awaited Messiah or King of Israel would make his way to the capital to take over the reign of Israel. The day was long awaited and we're talking two thousand and thirty years (2,030, and no Houston has not been around that long - though it sometimes seems like it does!). We're talking long-held traditions of family and temple; where parents taught children, who taught their children, who taught their children to hold on to hope (Just like the families who still believe in the Dallas Cowboys. I can say that since I once was one myself, thanks to Tom Landry). "The day is coming my daughter, when God will send His anointed one to take the nation back to where it once was; at the top, ruling all the world. It was something that was hard to believe in given all the defeats and different nations that ruled over Israel. As Texans we take pride in the idea of six flags; there's not a flag pole big enough to hold all the flags!
The rumors might be true! The Messiah was to make his entrance into the holy city today! Most of the people of Israel had heard about the traveling rabbi, who was teaching things and doing things not common for the day, and as he makes his way into Jerusalem, he might just reveal that he is indeed the new king! Excitement ran high and so did their hopes for their prayers to be answered today, at long last. So, the word is to prepare, to make ready the entrance of He who might be our king! And this during the celebration of Passover! Perfect timing on God's part, no? The people gathered palm branches and prepared for this triumphant parade. The shouts began, "Hosanna!" and "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" And, also "Blessed is the king of Israel!" We can only imagine the excitement on the part of the people, believers and nonbelievers.
Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, fulfilling Biblical prophecy where it was written, "Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt." Jesus knew what this was all about, His disciples did not. It would not be until after Jesus' glorification that they would understand all of these things. Yet, amidst the jubilation of the crowd, there is an underlying sense of irony and mystery. Jesus, the promised King, comes not riding on a majestic steed but on a humble donkey, symbolizing peace and humility rather than earthly power and conquest. This humble entry foreshadows the true nature of Jesus' kingship and His ultimate mission of sacrificial love and redemption.
As we reflect on this passage, we are reminded of the paradoxical nature of Jesus' kingdom. It is not characterized by worldly standards of greatness and authority but by humility, servanthood, and sacrificial love. Jesus, our King, leads not with force and coercion but with gentleness and compassion, inviting us to follow Him on the path of selfless love and obedience to God's will.
PRAYER: Loving God, We thank You for the example of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who came not to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many. Help us to embrace the humility and sacrificial love that characterized His life and ministry. May we, like the crowd in Jerusalem, welcome Jesus as our King and Savior, and may our lives reflect His kingdom values of love, mercy, and justice. In His name, we pray, Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Let us respond to the humility and love displayed by Jesus in His triumphal entry by humbling ourselves before Him.
I love you and thank God for you!
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
