Easter 2024

I have tried to take time through this Lent Season and especially this past week in preparation for Good Friday and Easter. I came across something, I thought was pretty awesome, I’d like to share with you. It may look long, but it’s an easy read and I know you’ll be encouraged to hear his thoughts.
I’ll see you at the end. ;)

From Ian Simkins:
Palm Sunday:
”If you listen carefully, you can hear the crowd. Off in the distance, a muffled roar, then a cheer, and then finally a chant: ‘Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna!’ … Hosanna doesn’t merely mean ‘Save us’ it means, ‘Save us now!’ It was a cry of desperation for immediate, divine rescue, It was a cry for deliverance.

If you look closely, you can see the brightly colored clothes of festive pilgrims gathering in Jerusalem. The Passover is not for several days, but people are restless. A rumor draws them from their sightseeing: ‘The Messiah has revealed himself!’

You can feel the press of the people as they gather along the road from Bethany to Jerusalem. You can smell the dust, the donkeys, and those gathered…

You can sense the excitement in the air and break down a palm branch and begin waving it. You find yourself shouting ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

Maybe you ask yourself ‘Who is this man on the donkey that people are treating like a king? If he really is
a new king, am I supposed to be his subject?’

Imagine what the disciples must have been thinking. As they approached the city, looking across the Kidron Valley at the shining city of Jerusalem, as Jesus climbed on that donkey’s back, a string of excitement must have snapped within them…

Jesus never did anything without a purpose, so he must be saying something here. Gradually it dawned on them: Jesus is publicly accepting the title of ‘king.’

The disciples had longed for this, but wondered if it would happen. Once they realized what was on his mind, though, they did all they could do to make this a royal procession. They draped cloaks over the donkey’s back to make the donkey more presentable…

The road was already packed with pilgrims and many of them knew about Jesus, so it was not difficult for the disciples to stir up the crowd’s excitement. Soon the road was jammed with travelers and locals alike. They joined the disciples by laying their cloaks on the ground to show King Jesus honor.

Others took branches from the palm trees and began to wave them in the air, and spread them on the road.

The last time Israel had been free was a 100 years prior when Judas Maccabees overthrew the Syrian oppressors and reestablished worship in the temple. He led them to victory and they were ready for victory once again. His nickname was ‘The Hammer’ and he adopted the palm branch as the symbol of his victory. He put the image of a palm branch on his coins and had them used in the temple feasts to celebrate their victory over Rome.

When the crowds rushed to grab palm branches, it was not just because they were convenient. By waving palm branches they were showing that they expected Jesus to be another general of the armies, one who would lead them to overthrow the Romans. They were saying that they were ready to pick up their swords if He would lead them!

But Jesus didn’t come for that purpose…

Jesus was the only one in the parade who knew why he was really going to Jerusalem - to die.

He had a mission, while others had an agenda.

They were singing.
He was weeping.

Waving branches
preceded flipping tables.

It’s easy to be in the right place with the wrong heart.
May we not miss the true Jesus of Holy Week.”

I am very grateful and overwhelmed by what Jesus did for me. He came as an answer to my desperate cry for help. He would face hatred, humiliation, beatings, rejection and the cross. He bled from seven parts of His body - for me - for you - for our salvation, our healing, our protection. He endured the painful and agonizing death of crucifixion. The heart-wrenching separation from His Father, for the first time ever. And then! He rises from the dead! His eternal mission complete.

May we not miss this Jesus. When things aren’t going like we prayed and hoped for. When we are disappointed by people. When we are thinking one way, but God has an eternal perspective we don’t know yet.

We are seen by a Savior who has faced everything we have or will. We have a Savior who fights for us. We have a Savior who walks with us. We have a Savior who loves us.

As we celebrate the risen Jesus, may we gather with the right hearts.

May we not miss this Jesus!
All My love ~
Jodi

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