On a Sunday morning in the spring of the year about 2,000 years ago, Jesus mounted the colt of a donkey and crested the Mount of Olives offering Himself to the Jews as their Savior – “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
When the masses saw this Rabbi from Nazareth (not from Bethlehem) fulfilling Zachariah 9:9, “Your king will come to you lowly, riding the colt of a donkey”, they were swept up in preparing the way for their King by making straight and smooth the way with garments (Isaiah 40:3-4) and excited and thankful for God’s provisions past and present expressed in palm branches (Revelation 7:9-10). They were shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD,” (Psalm 118:24). “Save now!” That day in history was big to them and it ought to very BIG to us, and Jesus wept! All around Him were people He created and loved who, for the most part, were not truly lovers nor followers. How sad, the rejection of the only One who could save them!
There were five kinds of people in the crowds that day and you are in one of the groups.
- Luke 24:21, But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel.
They were looking for Jesus to redeem their country – to restore it to the glory days, to free it from foreigners and “immigrants”, and to reestablish it as a world power and in fear of no one. Others were looking to Jesus to “redeem” their marriage, a wayward son, their health, their bank account, or other. Many today look to Jesus to fix their life – fix it to their standards. You?
- John 12:17-18, Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.
There were those who saw Jesus as a “rock star” – a happening that they wanted to be part of. They eagerly jumped to a different church for it had better music, was more techy, had a flamboyant pastor, was full of “grace” which let them live their way without guilt, and was full of their age group and a cool place to be. They love the energy and power of positive thinking.
- Matthew 21:10, And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”
The peoples of Jerusalem were given to following the rules, traditions, and rituals laid down by their priests and leaders. They weekly, even daily, went to services, did their duties, and offered prayers. They were “righteous” and proud of their place before God. BUT – they did not know Jesus! How many today are very religious – even zealous to obey the Bible – AND are not saved!
- Luke 19:37, 39, The whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen…And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”
The Romans, priests, and secularists saw Jesus as a distraction, a problem, disruption, and a pain and wished He and His would be silent or go away. Many liberals and secularists today see Jesus and Jesus’ people in the same light. He is a crutch for weak ones. You?
- John 12:3,7, Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil…But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.”
Matthew 26:6-7, 12, And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table…For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial.
And there were those who got it. They understood what He had been saying, what He was doing, and where He was going. They were deeply moved and desired to cast their greatest tokens of love on Him for His coming sacrifice for them that they might be saved. They got it! Do you?
You are in one of these groups! Four claim to be Christian, but only one truly is. You?
a PK Musing 
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