Palm Sunday

John 12:12-13

Flash mobs were cool a while back. In what seemed to be a random act, a great crowd would gather at a designated location and do something novel. Sometimes they might break out in a musical performance or dance number. Then, as quickly as they "flashed" on the scene, they dispersed. Onlookers who were not in on the plan were caught off guard, but usually entertained as well. Even the YouTube videos were fun to watch.

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The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ The King of Israel!”

John 12:12–13

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In some ways the scene around Jesus's "triumphal entry" was like a flash mob, except no one organized the event. Jesus knew what was going to happen, but those who shouted His praise were probably taken back by how they were caught up in the moment. They really liked this Jesus guy who healed people, did miracles that fed multitudes, taught the scriptures to them, and didn't mind standing up to the hypocritical religious leaders. If there was to be a Messiah of Israel, they wanted this guy.

I made the comment in our Wednesday night Bible study that we in the south love Jesus. Well, we love our idea of Jesus. Churches are filled with people who love their version of Jesus. The problem is, many of those people who "love Jesus" love Him until they learn who He really is. When they realize that He is not the caricature they have created for themselves, they do not like Him anymore.

That is what happened to Jesus after the triumphal entry. The people loved their idea of who He would be, but when His plan was presented, the shouting of "Hosanna'' stopped. Hosanna means "Save now" or "Save us now". It was a cry for a savior, but in this case, it was the cry of the savior of their choosing. That was not the Savior Jesus was going to be.

Many in this same crowd would be shouting “Crucify Him” at the end of the same week.  I have to wonder, how many people we know, who go to church regularly, would cry “Crucify Him” when they found out that Jesus was not who they imagined Him to be either.  I can hear people now, “You mean He actually wants me to give up my stuff?” or “He expects me to change how I act?”  Some would even complain “I thought He was supposed to be a God of love”.  When they realized that they couldn’t decide who Jesus is, they too would turn on Jesus like the mob did over 2,000 years ago.

We cannot control what other people do, but we should all ask “What would I do?”  I do not mean to ask this hypothetically.  I mean quite literally, how devoted are we to the Biblical Jesus?  Do we love the Jesus who said, “If you love me keep my commandments?”  If not, why not?  Any Jesus we make is: 1) an idol and 2) incapable of saving you from your sins.  It does not matter what name we place on a god we create, it is still an idol.  I promise you, you cannot imagine a better Jesus than the One who rode in on the donkey that day; the One who died on the cross and rose again to give us victory over death, hell, and the grave.

Father, I don’t want to worship an imaginary Jesus.  I want to worship the only real Jesus.  Help me to know Him better each day.  Where I lack faith, increase my faith as I trust in You and You alone.