Reflections on Jesus and Palm Sunday

The day Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the elated crowds cheered for Him. They had heard about His miracles, they knew the prophetic scriptures that spoke about the coming Messiah, and they truly believed He was their long-awaited king.

They laid their cloaks on the ground before Him, and waved palm branches—a symbol of victory—as He rode by. “Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!” they jubilantly yelled.

One short week later, they were screaming for His death. And not just any death—the most horrific death imaginable. When Pilate asked them why they wanted to kill an innocent man, their only answer was to scream all the louder. “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

How could this happen? Why would Jesus’ adoring fans turn on Him, reject Him, and so quickly?

He was the same man He had always been. He hadn’t changed. He hadn’t lied or reneged on any promises. He was exactly Who He had always claimed to be.

So why the hate? A hate so appalling it would demand His excruciating death?

Because He didn’t perform the way they expected Him to. He didn’t fit into the neatly-tied little package they had prepared for Him. They had their own expectations for who He would be when He finally emerged on the scene, and for what He would do for them as their mighty king.

They were suffering under Roman oppression and, in their minds, He would free them from their miserable circumstances and restore Israel’s glory. He would make them comfortable again. When it became clear that wasn’t going to happen, just like that, they turned on Him. Not only turned on Him, but suddenly despised Him.

They were rejecting God, their loving Savior—and didn’t even realize the heinous thing they were doing.

It doesn’t seem logical. Or reasonable. In fact, it seems downright ignorant and despicable.

But wait.

Don’t we sometimes do the same thing?

Don’t we put God in a neat little box, make Him fit into our own customized expectations—then get angry and reject Him when He doesn’t fit the mold? Don’t we turn on Him, reject Him, and determine to do things our own way when He does things differently than we want or expect Him to?

I know I have.

When we’re like that, how are we any different than the crowd in Jerusalem? When we reject God’s perfect love—because it doesn’t come wrapped in the package we expect—we embody the sin in each of us He died for. Willingly.

So what if, during this Eastertide season, we look at who Jesus is? Really is? Not who we expect Him to be. He’s a better version of a Lord and Savior and King than anything we could ever dream up!

He is almighty, all-knowing, perfect God. And He loves us! Sinful, imperfect, messy us! And His love is so immense He endured a painful death for us.

I’m thinking that’s reason enough to surrender ourselves to Him and let Him lead our lives—His way!

Hosanna in the highest!