Sunday, March 20, 2016 - Palm Sunday
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Sunday, March 20, 2016 - Palm Sunday “Jesus Causes a Stir” - Matthew 21:1-11 The road from Jericho to Jerusalem was a treacherous one, through difficult passes, and climbing from near the Dead Sea at 1300 feet below sea level, to the peak of the Mount of Olives at 2700 feet above sea level (a climb of 4000 feet) in about 25 miles. To avoid Samaria Jews from the region of Galilee would travel south along the east bank of the Jordan River, about 65 miles, then cross the river at Jericho, and proceed west up to Jerusalem, the religious capital of Judaism. Large groups would make this journey together at the time of the Passover. It is possible that several hundred pilgrims were accompanying Jesus as He made His way to the feast. They saw His miracles and were amazed by Him. As the entourage passed through Bethany, the town of Mary, Martha and Lazarus, and approached Bethphage at the top of the Mount of Olives, Jesus pauses long enough to send two disciples on an errand - to go into the village and get a donkey's colt, in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9. The people travelling with Jesus were religious enough to make the connection - Jesus is riding the donkey's young colt, so He must be the king! The crowd is frenzied as Jesus gets on the beast, and they throw their outer garments on the road before Him, with palm branches, and begin crying out the words of honor reserved for a king - "Hosanna, Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna in the heavens!" The crowd leads Jesus the mile or so of road down the Mount of Olives, past the Garden of Gethsemane, and across the bottom of the valley, up the winding road through the gate into the temple precinct. As they enter the city proper, the residents of Jerusalem and other visitors to the city ask, "Who's this?" The crowd is eager to answer: "this is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee." Immediately after this, in Matthew's account, Jesus enters the temple and drives out the swindlers, proving His authority over the goings-on in the temple area. The shouts of the crowd, the testimony that Jesus is the prophet, and then the outrageous disruption of business as usual during the feast upsets the Jerusalem Jews. The Jews who live in Jerusalem are different from the outlander Jews from up North. The Galilee Jews like Jesus, while the Jerusalem Jews do not. Jesus is a healer to the Galileans, but a threat to the hierarchy in the capital. The residents of the capital are the ones who, in a few days, will be calling for Jesus to be crucified. Over the course of this last week Jesus will have a mixed audience of Galileans and Jerusalemites, and the debates in which He engages will move the believers to be more devoted to Him, and the unbelievers to more religiously seek His life. We divide over who Jesus is. Even Christians fight over His identity, and division is the result. In Christian we refer to this "Palm Sunday Event" as the "Triumphal Entry." Jesus is definitely presenting Himself to the Holy City as a savior, prophet and Messiah. The people are acknowledging Him as the chosen and anointed descendant of David who is to sit on David's throne. His praise originates from On High (Heaven), and makes its way back there. The people are calling out to Him for salvation - most likely from the Romans. Jesus decides what He will deliver us from, and we must accept His choice. He does not always deliver us from the bullies of life, but promises to be with us as they persecute us. He does not always give wealth or health or ease, but He does promise forgiveness and deliverance from sin and its curse, and, of course, to prepare a place for us in His Father's House. Your issue: are you the believer or the opponent? .