Friday, March 30, 2012

Visiting King

VISITING KING

Matthew 21:9-11

“The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

“Jesus’ disciples brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.” (Matthew 21:7-8). Doesn’t everyone love a parade?

There’s just something about townspeople gathering together to cheer. Parades raise everyone’s spirits. In Bible times, ambassadors (am-BASS-a-doors mean diplomatic representatives) escorted a visiting king into the city.

This was a very big deal. Folks who lived in Jerusalem the day Jesus arrived must have known that something was up. They poured out of their homes, out of the market, to cheer for a prophet from Nazareth named Jesus. Spreading cloaks on the ground was an act of respect that honored royalty. How would you have felt as Jesus’ disciple walking alongside His donkey amid the throng’s praise?

Jesus was visiting His city (city of David). But nobody recognized that on this historic day. Nor did anyone recognize, except Jesus, that this landmark arrival marked the beginning of His Passion Week. In one week, the triumph of Jesus’ victory would be His resurrection from the dead!

Now that is the supreme big deal! But somehow Jesus had to make it through this coming week. He knew what was coming, and He knew how it would end. He just had to connect the dots between adoring mobs through His last supper, arrest, beatings, and crucifixion to arrive at His victory. A VERY LONG week.

We’ve all faced harrowing weeks. Sometimes they come upon us as a total surprise. Other times we welcome the disruption and discomfort to arrive at a better place or situation. Moving one’s entire household into a new and better location is on example. But never has any other human faced a passion week such as what Jesus faced.

Never has any other human had a better week’s end, either! But how can we compare a mere human to God-man?

Take Home Nugget

Easter joy is hard to define to a nonbeliever. Sure, chocolate bunnies and egg hunts have their delight, but they’re nothing compared to 1Thessalonians 4:16-17: “For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”

HAPPY PALM SUNDAY

J.D. Griffith




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