This last Sunday Christians from all over the world observed what is called "Palm Sunday" or the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. This event is recorded in all four gospels and most Christians are very familiar with the story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. Luke's gospel tell us that a great multitude followed Jesus from the Jordon Valley up to Jerusalem. They thought that the kingdom of God would appear immediately. It was at that time as they would make the ascent up to the Mt. of Olives that Jesus told of the parable of the minas. When they arrived at the mountain called Olivet, Jesus would ride down on the back of a colt or young donkey fulfilling Zachariah's prophecy in chapter 9 verse 9. The multitude followed Him and Matthew's narrative tells us that a great multitude came out of the city of Jerusalem to meet Him. Matter of fact, Matthew writes that the whole city was moved at this time. The word moved in the Greek is the same word where we get the English word earthquake.
Jerusalem had never seen anything like it before. Jesus riding down the slope of the Mount of Olives across the Kidron Valley into Jerusalem. The people were crying out that Messianic Psalm, "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest!" (Psalm 118:26). The people were waving the palm branches and spreading their clothes on the road. As they were cheering, the religious leaders were complaining saying "Teacher, rebuke your disciples." Jesus responded by saying, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the very stones would immediately cry out." (Luke 19:39,40)
The people were cheering, the religious leaders were complaining and Jesus, as He rode into the holy city, was crying. He knew what they really wanted was a national, political, and material Messiah that would free them from the powers of Rome. It is later in the week, when the people realize that Jesus wasn't going to overthrow Rome and usher in the Kingdom, they would cry out "crucify Him." The disciples and the multitude did not understand that Jesus didn't come to Jerusalem to free them from the bondage of Rome, but a greater bondage and that is sin. Jesus was going to go to the cross to die for sinful humanity.
This "Holy Week" we are going through such difficult and challenging times. We pray that we will be healthy and not get this virus that has spread quickly throughout the whole world and taken many lives. We pray our family members and friends stay healthy. We pray we can get back to work or our business will survive. God cares about those things and wants us to cast our cares on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). My prayer is that we would desire for Him to come riding into our lives and bring true joy and comfort in our hearts because we are a forgiven people and we have the promise of eternal life. My prayer for all Christians is that we would long for Him even as David did when He was in the wilderness in an uncertain difficult time. David, in Psalm 63, wrote "My soul thirsts for You: My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land." I would encourage you to listen to my teaching from this last Sunday as we looked at Psalm 63 and Jesus' triumphal entry. The church website is calvarychapelgreeley.org or you can listen to the teaching on the church Facebook page. I believe it will help you to have joy in your heart as you truly let the Lord sit upon the throne of your heart.
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