PALMS UP

His disciples had been around Him long enough to know that where Jesus went the crowds would soon follow.  But this time it was different.  Jesus intentionally waited until the nation’s biggest holiday season known as “Passover” and then he drew a crowd of his own making.  No Government mandate was going to stop this public gathering. Today we might call it a “flash mob.” Despite numerous warnings from the authorities, the public, already geared up for Jesus arrival, rapidly converged upon Jerusalem’s main street as they heard the news.  An excited rumble was building to a crescendo, as a spontaneous parade erupted seemingly out of nowhere, much to the consternation of the religious officials.  All four of the Gospel writers attempt to describe this event while countless children and adults, who were swarming the parade’s parameters, doubtless retold their own versions of what happened later that night around their family dinner tables.

Forget about keeping six feet of separation, it was nowhere to be found.  The burgeoning crowd pressed against each other as they paved the way for the oncoming march by shedding and tossing their jackets, and palm branches, newly separated from their trees on to the road.  Shouts of praise and adulation were bursting out everywhere for their would-be Deliverer. 

Everyone sensed that their problems were about to be solved. They were sure their Roman oppressor was about to be vanquished.  After all, they were God’s chosen people and no problem brought upon them by another world power could stop them from getting the victory.  Not now, not this time!

Attempts to disperse this public assembly were futile, as a frenzied crowd waited for their chance to heap on their praise.  Then, suddenly, there He was, riding on a donkey and looking like a King.  This had to be the One the prophet had made the prediction about, so many years ago:  “Behold your King is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.”

With one voice the onlookers cheered, praising to God for this man and the miracles He brought. On one side of the street the excited bystanders shouted a group chant: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.” From the other side of the street they answered in unison, with increasing volume: “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.”

As the parade came to an end and its Hero dismounted, the authorities scrambled to recoup their losses.  In front of the crowd they confronted this “would-be” King with a demand for restitution: “Teacher, rebuke your followers,” they said. But Jesus, without batting an eye or backing down a single inch, shut them up and sent them packing: “I tell you, if these become silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Looking back, it is obvious that crowd of followers had no understanding of what was about to take place.  They were completely unaware of the fact that in five short days this “King” would become the sacrificial Lamb: That the only antidote for our eternal destiny separated from God would require the payment of His sinless life.  They had no concept that in one week’s time the King of Glory would reverse the effects of the disease, called sin that had infected every human ever born. They had no idea that with one magnificent act, His resurrection would cause a global impact that would forever change history.  The power of sin and death would be destroyed forever for all who believed.

It reminds us also, that when we look around at what is happening in this world, we have to shake our heads and admit that we too, often do not know why things are unfolding the way they are.  There are things events that are bigger than we are and we can’t begin to make sense of it all. Yet still, we can hang on to what we know about our God.  We know that He is good and He is in control. So, we trust Him, and we step forward in faith, trusting Him with our past, our present and our future.

And, one more thing:  I wonder how many of those vocal cheerleaders that couldn’t help but praise Jesus as He made his way into Jerusalem that Palm Sunday, would regret what they did?  How many of those, in the weeks to come, having witnessed the resurrected Jesus, alive and well, would feel they had made a foolish mistake?  I am willing to bet that in retrospect they cherished the memory and treasured the time they unabashedly praised the King of Glory, even when it made no sense. I am willing to bet that not one of them would be sorry that when they had the chance, even though they didn’t understand, they praised his name? I am willing to wager that if you and I take this opportunity this Palm Sunday to praise that name of Jesus, we won’t regret it either.   So, come on, lift your clean hands; raise your sanctified palms to the sky in praise of our King: Don’t let the rocks beat you to it!