On the Sunday of Passion Week, Jesus came into Jerusalem riding a colt. As Jesus entered the city people started shouting praises. The air was electric. The moment was poignant. The excitement grew as the crowd was just moments away from crowning Jesus as their King.
The people shouted HOSANNA!
Hosanna “the cry, which is addressed to Yahweh in Psalms 118:25, expresses the prayer that God will grant help and success” (Theological dictionary of the New Testament) When the people shouted this statement they weren’t looking for an earthly king that could fail them. The people were calling for the KING OF KINGS! They wanted a King that could take care of all their needs. They were calling on Jesus to be the conduit for something better.
William Barclay tell us how the Jewish leaders reacted:
As the crowds met (Jesus), they received him like a conqueror. And the sight of this tumultuous welcome sent the Jewish authorities into the depths of despair, for it seemed that nothing they could do could stop the tide of the people who had gone after Jesus (The Gospel of John, Vol. 2).
There were two reactions to Jesus’ triumphal entry. There were people who were elated and people who were in despair. Does Jesus make you shout for joy or does He leave you feeling hopeless? Our viewpoint of Jesus matters. The way we worship Jesus matters.
This week we will be partaking of The Lord’s Supper. As we partake of the foot washing, the bread and the grape juice, we do so knowing that the Lamb Wins! We don’t say this as a past tense statement meaning Jesus only conquered death at the cross. We say the Lamb Wins because Jesus is still winning. No matter what those in opposition to Jesus try to do, it is still a fact that the Lamb Wins. Let us praise Jesus as we engage one another and our Savior during this special service.
May you always be elated by the fact that the Lamb Wins!
Pastor Geraldo
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