The week where Jesus knew what was ahead of him in only a few days. Even though he knew that he came to earth to save ALL men from their sins, he still prayed earnestly for another route. He knew how terrible crucifixions were. He knew they were brutal. Beyond recognizing the man being beaten and spit upon. BUT he prayed for God's will to be done. Oh, what a great reminder for me to keep praying those 'same old prayers' for those hurting around us!!! People dying of cancer. People with broken marriages and homes falling apart. People not seeing the "light". I need to keep praying! Praying for God's will to be done!!!
Palm Sunday was a day that Jesus was worshipped by many. How wonderful it must have been for the crowds to wave palm branches and sing and smile and have children being so happy as they lead Jesus through Jerusalem. Jesus surely would have felt then like the King of the Jews!!! For truly is was and still is!!! He loved how everyone was loving him!
It even says in John 12:17 & 18 that, "The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, gave record. For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle."
Jesus rode on a colt right into Jerusalem and the whole city was saying, "Who is this?" The multitudes that followed him said, "This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee." Then Jesus went into the temple and when he saw all the merchants buying and selling in the temple, "he overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves." He said to them, "It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." When all these merchants were scattering and trying to figure out all that was going on, the blind and lame came to Jesus in the temple and he healed them!!! Right after destroying their marketing moments, he healed the hurting!
What made the crowd turn on him just days later? Why in only a few days did they crucify him and kill him? Where was the happy crowd of people then? Why did everyone seem to turn so angry?
It was when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that Jesus did. It was when they heard the children crying in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the son of David." It was then that the chief priests and scribes were very displeased!!! They had enough of nerve to ask Jesus, "Do you hear what these people are saying to you?" Jesus said back to them, "Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?" Then Jesus left them and went to Bethany and stayed there.
The leaders back in the day were so mad and hated how the majority of the people were always drawn to Jesus. They had to stop this!!! They wanted the people on their side. In their control.
This is a song I heard this morning and how I love it's words!!!!
Read the whole story of Palm Sunday in John 12 and in Matthew 21.
"Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest." Matthew 21:9
