Good Monday morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
This is a special week all around the world, isn’t it? Palm Sunday was yesterday, Easter is coming next weekend. Now I wonder what difference those two significant historical events make in your part of the world? How often will those two days and their significance affect your lives, your thinking, your priorities this week? In fact, what difference have the events of those two days, 2000 years ago, made in your life…today?
I left you yesterday in the jubilant crowd on the hillside called Olivet, as Jesus was riding on a donkey colt, surrounded by waving branches and cheering people. It was the celebration worthy of a victorious king in the first century. It was a flamboyant experience, perhaps even a catalytic experience.
Why do I say that? Roman soldiers on the Jerusalem city walls were already tense due to the huge crowds in Jerusalem for Passover. Quickly word would have run from the watchtowers, on the top of the Jerusalem city walls to the Centurions and other officers and the alert would have been sounded. Was a rebellion forming on the hillside of the mount of Olives? Should the soldiers be rallied with swords and javelins in hand? Should even the mounted battle ready soldiers on their horses be called in?
And another group of leaders in Jerusalem would have been very worried and anxious as they watched the parade cheering Jesus as the disciples led the donkey through the crowds and toward Jerusalem.
The Pharisees, chief priests, and other religious leaders looked forward to Passover with great anticipation for the thousands coming to Jerusalem at this celebration time would show their respect and honor for these highly esteemed men of God in their flowing robes and ornaments of great scholarly achievement. Some would bow as the Pharisees walked by. But this Jesus, this miracle worker, was a rabble rouser who needed to be stopped, so they thought, and now the sound of the cheering crowds only fueled their anger and confirmed their plans to eliminate him.
And what about the disciples and those who were closest to Jesus, what do you think they were feeling as they walked along beside Him enjoying the cheers? Many people reached through the crowds just to touch them… Peter, John, James, Philip, Andrew, Matthew and the other very special friends of Jesus. Do you see them laughing and enjoying the great celebration? And what do you suppose Judas was thinking or Simon the Zealot or others of the disciples who hoped Jesus would finally rise up and become the Messiah they sought?
Listen, did you hear those voices? Luke writes: “…the crowd joyfully praised God in loud voices, saying: ‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd shouted to Jesus, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’ But Jesus replied, ‘I tell you, if they keep quiet the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:39,40) In this moment the whole world, all human beings, were represented by the people watching this event, and the full spectrum of attitudes toward God was on display. Jesus, God the Son, God in human flesh, was there, in the middle of this crowd.
Then as now, there were those who wanted nothing more than Jesus to be honored as God incarnate, their Savior and King. Then as now, there were others who didn’t understand anything that day, and were simply caught up in the euphoria of a crowd celebrating. They loved a party, any party, any time, for any reason! Then as now, there were those who did not want Jesus disrupting their lives or the predictability of their world. Then as now, there were some determined to kill Jesus, to push God entirely out of our world, if at all possible! Do you see them friends, as you look over the crowd? How similar or different are the attitudes that Palm Sunday from the attitudes in your city today?
Luke tells us something remarkable happened next: “As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it and said, ‘if you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace, but now it is hidden from your eyes.” (Luke 19:41.42) Once before, a few weeks earlier, John reports to us that Jesus wept, do you remember? It was at the tomb of Lazarus, surrounded by weeping, wailing people who were distraught at the reality of death. (John 11:35)
Jesus wept, I believe, as He grieved the ravages, the pain in our world, all a direct result of humanity pushing God out of our world, refusing the love relationship God had offered Adam and Eve and every person since. But instead humanity, in every generation and every place, invites Satan in, into our lives, into our families, into every part of our world, and the disastrous results are seen everywhere, in every society.
Jesus wept as He looked at this great city He loved. Why? I believe Jesus as God could look down through the centuries past and see so many wonderful moments of great celebration in this city Jerusalem as God’s people rose up in celebration and honor of their great God and God responded with an outpouring of His blessing on His people.
It happened when King David first brought the Ark of the Covenant to this city more than 1000 years earlier (1 Chronicles 15) and again 40 years later or so when his son King Solomon dedicated the newly constructed great Temple and God sent fire from heaven to consume the burnt offering on the great altar! (2 Chronicles 7) It happened several times when God defended Jerusalem by sending warrior angels to battle enemies attacking His people (2 Chronicles 14 with King Asa & 20 with King Jehoshaphat & 32 with King Hezekiah) It happened as some kings led the people in repentance of sin and return to God and God responded with great spiritual revival and blessing upon the land, as in the days of King Hezekiah or Josiah. It happened as God led Nehemiah, a cup bearer slave to come back to lead the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem. Oh, so many times Jesus could remember, with exact detail in His God mind, all the great times God had delighted in what took place in this city.
But of course, Jesus could also see a long line of horrific times in Jerusalem’s past when God’s people had turned away from God, had raised up idols to false gods, had even closed the doors of the Temple and outlawed worship of Almighty God! (2 Chronicles 28) And Jesus could see the future. Within less than one week, as Jerusalem filled with Passover worshipers the crowds, led by the Pharisees and chief priests, would be shouting “Crucify Him, give us Barabbas”! (Luke 23) Oh the contrast of the celebrating crowds all around Jesus on Palm Sunday, and the rejecting, blood thirsty crowds on Friday. Oh, the stronghold of evil, deep down in the heart of all mankind… yes, Jesus wept.
Let’s pause here friends and consider what Jesus sees today as He looks at your city and mine. The past, the present and the future of our cities. Is Jesus celebrating today or weeping as He reviews the spiritual history and current condition of your city? Is Jesus celebrating or weeping as He looks at the churches in your city on this Monday after Palm Sunday? And what is the response of Jesus as He considers how your city will honor Good Friday or Easter Sunday this year? And finally, as God looks at your heart and mine, your family and mine this Easter week… tears of joy or tears of sadness? I think we need to pause, spending some time with God listening as He tells us what He feels as He looks at our cities, our families, our lives?!
Today’s Scripture is Luke 19:37-44.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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