Palm Sunday + 1

Monday --- Day after Palm Sunday. I'm sure that at some churches people stood and waved palm fronds during the worship service and cried out "Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna to the Lord!"
The first Palm Sunday was a bit unusual in that it reveals the best and the unstated worse in mankind.

When Jesus entered into Jerusalem, the people came out and celebrated. Each one with an idea of what this even meant to them. Some had visions of a new dynasty of King David with Jesus ruling from a throne there in the city of Jerusalem. The dreaded Roman presence in the city would be cast out and driven from their country. There would be peace and prosperity just like when King David ruled. Jesus would usher in a new time and era of peace. Some weren't sure about this Jesus. They had heard stories and had followed him around listening to His teachings and watching His healing. Even with all this demonstration, they found it hard to believe that such man could command that a kingdom be established under His rule. Rome wore a hard boot and they like to keep it on the throat of every country they occupied. This coming king, this Jesus, might do more harm than good.

Out of the homes and shops they came to celebrate. As Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, coats and cloaks were laid in the patch and palm branches were waved as part of the celebration. Funny part was that in less than a week these people who were crying, "Hosanna, Hosanna!" would be the same ones crying, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"  The real heart of mankind would be uncovered as the perfect sacrifice for the world's sin allowed himself to be lead to the slaughter. Isn't that way of Jesus? He merely has to be in our presence and we uncover ourselves because of the magnitude of purity and righteousness He possesses? I think maybe it is.

So as we move through this Passion Week of Jesus' last days before his death and resurrection, I am reminded that there will be another Palm Sunday in the future.
Revelation7:9-10
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands, and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation to out God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."

This celebration will be for all the right reasons. The main one being that Jesus is worthy of any and every praise and worship we give Him.
Maybe Palm Sunday down here on earth is for practice for when we stand before the real deal.
Jesus the Christ.
Jesus the LORD.

God on you....
mb