“Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, the Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, The Lord needs them, and he will send them at once. This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, ‘Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King is coming to you, humble, mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden. The disciples went and did as Jesus directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and He sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before Him and that followed Him were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!’ And when He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, ‘Who is this?’ And the crowds said, ‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee.’ And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, ‘It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you make it a den of robbers.’ And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ they were indignant, and they said to Him, ‘Do you hear what these are saying?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Yes, have you never read, Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babes you have prepared praise.'” – Matthew 21:1-16
What are you expecting on this last Sabbath of our Lenten journey together? Today we celebrate Palm Sunday which commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem for His final Passover. Finally He is here! This was something that had been anticipated for thousands of years. This was not a surprise. This grand entrance into the Holy city of Jerusalem was not something that just happened. It was planned…prophesied…expected.
Sometimes I hear people talk about this event as if Jesus and His disciples were just the victims of a first century “flashmob”. Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus organized this event. He knew exactly how it would go. He planned for this grand entrance. He wanted people to know who He was without a doubt. He had made the arrangements from the beginning.
He also knew that some would rejoice and some would not. The keepers of the temple (the Church) were not happy. Jesus showing up messed up everything! The blind and lame came into the temple, the children were running around singing…with no supervision, and Jesus starts moving the furniture! This will not do.
What are you expecting this Sabbath? Jesus is here. How will you welcome the Messiah? Today is as much His plan as the first Palm Sunday. Will you shout with the children and welcome His presence or will you be annoyed that He has interrupted your schedule?
Let’s praise!