Image from http://darthranma.com
Triumphant Entry, But Not Into All Hearts
Sunday's Palm Sunday Gospel Lesson from Matthew 21: 1 When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, just say this, "The Lord needs them.' And he will send them immediately." 4 This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, 5 "Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey." 6The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; 7 they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" 10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, "Who is this?" 11 The crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee."
This coming Sunday is when most churches will hand out palm fronds either to all who gather or just to children. Some churches will use children to process in with the pastor and choir. Some churches make the congregants wait outside with palm branches until all can process in as worship begins. Whatever is done is done to mark the event this passage shares with us; the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.
It was all orchestrated carefully, plans had been made and prophecies fulfilled, that to Zion "would come a king, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey." And this is what happened, Jesus secured a donkey and a colt and in rode Jesus to the pleasure of the crowd who spread their cloak and cut palm branches on the road. They yelled, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!"
It sounds much like what happens in churches most Sundays, and the result is usually the same. We have a great Sunday, we worship and praise God, we sing and pray. We receive the benediction and we leave as if the benediction was our permission to leave all the holy stuff there at church and it's business as usual in our lives. That is unless something in church bothered us and we feel the need to correct it or complain about it.
The same people who are shouting Hosannas on Sunday by Friday were shouting, "Crucify Him!" Having been in the presence of the king, also known as The Messiah, did not change their perspectives or hearts. Many of us think, Had we known who he really was or was to become, we would have acted differently. When I was in seminary in Dallas, I would visit and shop at a mall that is now closed and I believe demolished. It had everything in it, including bookstores. Yes, in a land before Kindle. This one particular day I walked by the mall's bookstore and at a table ladened with books sat the author, all alone. I read his name, Gary Larson and just smiled at him and walked away. Later, I would become a big fan of The Far Side, hilarious cartoons by this man, who it happened was selling his first collection of those at that bookstore. Earlier, while in college, a concert that was to be held right next door to the college in the armory, was billed as a 50¢ Pillow Concert by a band whom I did not yet know. I needed to study so I did not attend. The band? ZZ Top.
Friends, every time we pray or worship, we are so close to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, yet we sometimes forget that and walk away without knowing what a blessing is ours if we just realize and rejoice in the precious peace and power that is ours in those moments. The same happened that Sunday. Everything had fallen into place and all the crowd had to do was to believe and they would have been blessed. They had seen the King of Kings and Lord of Lords come into their city, what a difference in their lives had they allowed Him to come into their heart and lives.
For many still, Jesus is "out there" beyond reach. John Wesley's answer on that ship when asked if he knew Jesus replied, "I know Him to be the savior of the world." The counter-question, "Don't you know Him to be your savior?" Wesley had to, sadly, answer no. Friends, don't keep Jesus out there, bring Jesus in here, into your heart and into your life. The results become so much better, and life becomes abundant.
PRAYER: Loving God, don't let me rain on the parade meant for me. Let Jesus march right into my heart and life not just on Palm Sunday, but all days. This I pray in His precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
