Tag Archives: Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem

Sunday Scriptures – Praise Him

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In Luke’s account of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, he mentioned something Jesus told the Pharisees which I’ve always found interesting.

Jesus sent two of his disciples ahead of the group to secure a colt for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem. He told the disciples if anyone should ask why they were taking the donkey to tell them simply, “The Lord needs it.” No other explanation was necessary.

The two did just as they were told and returned with the colt, threw their cloaks on it, and put Jesus on the animal. As he went along the road, people spread their own cloaks on the road and joyfully shouted praise to God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen Jesus perform.

This praising disturbed the Pharisees. A lot of things concerning Jesus disturbed the Pharisees, actually, but at this particular point in time, the people’s praise bothered them greatly. They told Jesus to quiet his followers.

And here’s the part I love best …

In reply to their request, Jesus simply told the Pharisees even if his followers were quiet, the rocks and stones themselves would cry out their praises to him.

Jesus the Son was with God the Father and the Holy Spirit when the earth was created. Those rocks and stones which lined the road into Jerusalem KNEW who Jesus was. The Creator. The only one worthy of praise. He was the King who came in the name of the Lord. And if the humans who lined the road refused to shout their praise to the Lord, the rocks would. Creation will praise its Creator.

Do we look for God’s hand in the world around us and praise him? Do we see each sunrise and sunset as the work of the Master and praise him? Do we ache to shout our praises to the Lord for everything he has done, is doing, and will do in our lives?

Don’t you think if the rocks and stones know enough to praise Jesus, we should as well?

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When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Luke 19:37-40 (NIV)

I wish you well.

Sandy

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Sunday Scriptures — The Day After the Triumphant Entry

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Jesus and his disciples entered Jerusalem the day before in a triumphant parade surrounded by shouts of “Hosanna!”, “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

When the religious leaders told Jesus to make the people hush, the Son of God replied, saying even if the people stopped their praise, the rocks and stones themselves would rise up and sing.

After a night in Bethany, Christ and his disciples returned to Jerusalem to find money changers charging exorbitant fees and taking advantage of the poor who had come to offer their sacrifice to God at the temple. Merchants sold inferior animals at inflated costs. The commonness of a market replaced the holiness of the temple.

And Jesus was mad.

At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry he encountered the same thing. (John 2:13-16) At that moment, Jesus took the time to braid strands into a whip before he cleared the temple. Possibly he was counting to ten?

During this second incident there doesn’t seem to be the pause between anger and action. Jesus knew his present time on earth was coming to a close. He knew by the end of the week Judas would betray him, he would be handed over to the religious leaders, beaten beyond recognition, suffer unimaginable pain, be crucified, and pay the penalty for our sins by drinking the cup of his Father’s wrath.

My question for each of us is this…are we like those money changers who defiled God’s holy temple?

How do we treat the things of God? Of Jesus?

Do we revere the Holy Scriptures, read them, take them into our heart and apply them to our lives?

Do we regularly attend worship services with other Believers and praise our Lord’s name?

Or do we treat God’s house as nothing more than a social gathering, a place to network to further our careers? A common market place to buy and sell commodities?

We will all be held accountable for how we treat the holy things of God.

The next time Jesus clears the temple, he may not pause to braid a whip.

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When they arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus went to the Temple and began to drive out all those who were buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the stools of those who sold pigeons, and he would not let anyone carry anything through the Temple courtyards. He then taught the people: “It is written in the Scriptures that God said, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for the people of all nations.’ But you have turned it into a hideout for thieves!”

The chief priests and the teachers of the Law heard of this, so they began looking for some way to kill Jesus. They were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. Mark 11:15-18 (GNT)

I wish you well.

Sandy

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Bring Them To Me

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How many times have you read a passage of scripture in the Bible for the umpteenth time, and found something new in it, which you hadn’t noticed before?

Well, it happened to me again, when I read the scripture from Matthew about Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem the week before he was murdered on the cross of Calvary. There is no telling how many times I have either heard or read that passage and never noticed the word them.

I remember Jesus sent the disciples to bring him the colt he rode into Jerusalem, but this was the first time I saw he said to bring both the colt and the donkey. Have you missed that too? Or am I the only one?

Jesus rode the colt. He had no need of the mother. Yet, he said to bring them both.

Now to my maternal instinct, I understand why Jesus didn’t want to separate the two. What mother wants to be separated from its child no matter how noble the reason? Jesus sympathized with the mother. He would not cause her, or her child, distress for his sake. Bring them both.

Maybe she walked beside her young colt, kept an eye on him, and held her breath he wouldn’t stumble. Maybe she was led by one of the disciples, so she wouldn’t interfere. Maybe the mother told her colt to pay attention. This is Jesus. God’s son. Show him respect. Don’t go stepping in the mud puddles. Look sharp! And for goodness sake, keep your hoof away from your nose.

This whole idea of Jesus requesting both donkeys absolutely blows my mind, as those of us of a certain age might have said.

But what really blows my mind is that I never noticed Jesus said THEM before.

Jesus wants parents to bring their children to him. Children to bring their parents.

He wants us to bring our co-workers. Our friends. Even our enemies.

Jesus has a purpose for each and every one of us in his Kingdom. He told the disciples to bring them to him. Not just one donkey but both. Not just the colt but the parent also.

Just as he requested both animals be brought to him, Jesus is asking us to come to him. And bring those we love along. Sometimes that’s easier said than done. Still as our scripture tells us, “If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.”

What are your thoughts on the subject?

As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead.“Go into the village over there,” he said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me.If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.” Matthew 21:1-3 (NLT)

Leave a comment below to share your thoughts on the subject. If you think others would appreciate reading this, please share it through the social media buttons.

I wish you well.

Sandy

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