A Crowd Sensation
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." Mark 10 v 45
Have you ever met a member of the royal family or perhaps a famous singer? Did you wait in line for hours, perhaps in the rain to catch a glimpse of the person? Friends of mine recently spent hours trying to get tickets for a big artist, have you been there? I remember being a teenager and all the different artists, trends and fashions I followed.
As we enter what is known as Holy Week, it got me thinking about Jesus and his public appearance here on earth. Jesus was and is the son of the most high God and yet he came to earth and walked amongst us, to get to know us, to understand us. He was the servant king, the prince of peace, who washed his disciples’ feet, who ate with sinners and tax collectors and never rejected anyone. He was down to earth, he came down to this earth, but as he says in John 18v36 “My kingdom is not of this world”. For although he was made man he was fully God, yet he never once acted like a Prince or a King.
Today is known as Palm Sunday or the day when Jesus made his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. It’s funny when you think of a king’s triumphant entry, you think of chariots and victories, pomp and ceremony. This story is detailed in all 4 gospels (Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-40; John 12:12-19) and is a significant moment not just for Christians at that time but for us today. We celebrate Palm Sunday today in remembrance of this momentous day. His purpose that day was to make his entry into Jerusalem as the Messiah and King. He didn’t do that riding on a chariot, dressed in royal robes but instead on a donkey, just as the prophet Zechariah foretold “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey”
The crowds gathered that day and the disciples laid down their cloaks and the people waved their palm branches as they shouted "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest heaven!" Matthew 21v9. However how genuine was their praise? Did they shout out Hosanna in the hope that he would lead the revolt against the Romans, only to realise that that’s not how Jesus works. Only to then turn their shouts of praise to shouts of “crucify him”.
Jesus Christ comes not to wage war, but to demonstrate love. He is the servant king who brings peace. He doesn’t come to steal and win the nations but he comes to win our hearts and capture our souls. Today if you have made your way through the crowds of this life, if you have made your way to Jesus and received him as your King, you can be assured that he has made his triumphant entry into the depths of your heart and he lives there forevermore.
Think back on your life on some of the trends that have come and gone, what does it mean to you today to follow and worship the King of Kings who stands beyond time? He is more than a passing phase for his love is everlasting.
Until next time
Debbie
