“When Emotion is Not Enough”
March 16, 2008
A little boy was sick on Palm Sunday and stayed home from church with his mother. His father returned from church holding a palm branch. The little boy was curious and asked, "Why do you have that palm branch, dad?" "You see, when Jesus came into town, everyone waved Palm Branches to honor him, so we got Palm Branches today." The little boy replied, "Aw Shucks! The one
Sunday I miss is the Sunday that Jesus shows up!"
Don’t be too hard on the little boy – they got it wrong the first Palm Sunday, too. Let’s take a look at the story of Jesus’ triumphal Entry in Jerusalem one again.
“After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ’Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ’The Lord needs it.’ "
Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?" They replied, "The Lord needs it."
They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. 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."
As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.” Luke 19:28-42
There was a lot of emotion going on that first Palm Sunday. We think of the jubilation – the celebration of the King. People were happy! I think there were tears of joy as the people shouted praise to their King and Deliverer. Can you imagine what it must have been like? Have you ever been so caught up in your emotions that you broke a limb off a tree to wave – or taken your coat off for the esteemed person to walk on? The closest we come is when our favorite team wins a championship. Sometimes we will cheer and wave banners. After a victory and when soldiers come home – we parade them through the city streets and cheer wildly as confetti rains down on them. I think that’s about as close as we get.
These people were an oppressed people, ruled by harsh invaders of their country. They were a proud religious people – and now they really believed the Messiah had come to deliver them. They believed Jesus was going to set them free. That’s what the Bible said the Messiah would do.
Jesus WAS going to do all they wanted and more – but in His timing. He was going to free them from the bondage of sin and the penalty of rebellion – which was death. He was going to heal them of all their diseases and provide forgiveness of all their sins.
They didn’t realize all that. They were cheering the immediate Deliverer and Jesus would disappoint them in that regard. Maybe that is one of the reasons that they turned on Him so quickly and a week later He was crucified. Unfulfilled expectations cause disappointment and frustration and resentment – which quickly turns to anger.
But then there was Jesus’ emotion. If this had been you or me – the emotion would have been one of pride and joy. But not with Jesus. He knew the real score. And He wept. He looked over the sinful city of Jerusalem, the city of His beloved David, the City of God – and He wept over what was going to happen to it and what they would do.
I can never read this passage without wondering how many times Jesus has wept over me. I wonder how many times I have disappointed Him and brought Him to tears by my action. I know there were time when I was in the army in Korea. I know there were times in my youth. Probably a few time as an adult. I know there are times now when I do or say something stupid that Jesus must shake His head and sigh and say – “Oh, Andy, Andy. Are you ever going to learn?” Aren’t you glad that Jesus loves us so much that He weeps over us?
There was the emotion of anger that first Palm Sunday. Before the parade, when the disciples were getting the donkey colt, the guys says, “Hey! Where are you going with my donkey!” I imagine I would be a little angry and upset if that happened to me.”
Some scholars think Jesus had all prearranged this and when the disciples gave the prearranged code “It’s for the Master” that the man know it was okay. I think it was more than that. I think the Holy Spirit spoke to this man’s heart – and when he found out it was for Jesus – he gladly offered his animal to use.
After the parade the Pharisees were angry. They had these preconceived ideas about how things would go down and they prided themselves on their knowledge and wisdom – and Jesus was always showing them up as being shallow and immature and sinful. How quickly our ire is raised when someone shows us up. And that anger became cold and hard and bitter. And a week later Satan was able to use it to motivate them to crucify the King of kings.
Ecstatic Joy, Sorrow, Anger, Pride, - there was a lot of emotion present that first palm Sunday. And emotion is good – when it is used for good. It’s bad, sometimes VERY bad, when it isn’t used for good. Consequently, we need to be very careful when making an emotional decision. Often they are bad choices.
Emotion is just one area that our choices and decisions are made. I divide up our choice making center into 1) the flesh or emotionally based, 2) socially based (peer pressure), 3) Intellectually based, and 4) Spirit based. The quality of choice can be illustrated by putting these things into a pyramid.
Flesh
Social influence
Intellect
Spirit
The value and the correctness of choice is usually in that order. If you make an emotional choice, otherwise known as a fleshly choice, it is often wrong. It is better to consult friends and ask their opinion. Even more solid and correct choices are made when you ‘think’ about it. Of course the most dependable and most correct choices are when it is spiritually based. “God said it – I believe – that settles it!”
Unfortunately, we have that decision making pyramid upside down. Too many of our important choices in life are made from an emotional or fleshly base. We are attracted to someone of the opposite sex and decide to spend the rest of our lives with them – without giving it too much thought or prayer. Divorce is the common remedy these days. We see the car we have always wanted and without calculating our finances – we impulsively buy it. The result is being enslaved to debt. I would venture to say that most of our daily decisions are made from an emotional base. Everything from when we get out of bed to what we eat to how we spend out time. And that is a very shallow and immature and unstable way to live.
The second tier is social influence. Sometimes we call this ‘peer pressure’. Sometimes our peers help us to make good choices. The Bible says,
“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”
Proverbs 15:22
“for waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers.”
Proverbs 24:6
You will make better decisions if you consult others – especially if they are wise and thoughtful. On the other hand – we all know what peer pressure can do. Our peers can pressure us into stealing, drinking, lying, smoking, voting wrong – you name it. Social influence can be powerful. The key is having the right peers.
Even better choices will be made if you ‘think’ about it. Intellectually based choices are much more stable. Unfortunately, we can only go on the facts we have. We don’t know what the future holds. We don’t know if what we have been told is true. But the chances of making a better decision is greater if we weigh all the evidence and facts at our disposal – and then make our choice.
Of course this isn’t always accurate either. I remember a conversation I had with one guy who made his intellect the supreme foundation for truth. He said he believed parts of the bible – but not all. I asked him how he chose. He said He just used his head. He believed he was smart enough to know. I asked him if he ever heard of dementia or Alzheimer’s or insanity. I told him I didn’t trust my intellect. I make too many mistakes that are well intentioned and well meaning. I said my most important base for choice is God and the Bible.
That brings us to the last base for choice – the spiritual. If you are going to make an important choice – pray first. Jesus did. Before He chose His disciples He prayed first. Before Jesus went to the cross – He spent time in the garden. We need to do the same. We are emotional creatures and we are tempted to make too many choices from that base. We are social creatures, too, and it is better if we get advice. And it is always a good idea to think before you act – but most importantly – we need to find out what God things of our choice. Even when it seems bad – it will work out for good, if God is directing us.
At the parade on Palm Sunday, there was a lot of emotion – but behind it all was a divine plan. There was a divine Intelligence that was working everything out in just the right way. You can trust God. Even when you don’t understand – you can trust Him. He is the Rock. He is the Anchor. He is the foundation we can build out lives on. Don’t get caught up in the emotion of the crowd. They may lead you the wrong way. Don’t even trust to your great intellect – like the Pharisees did. Trust Jesus. He will lead you through the battles of life and through the valley of the shadow of death and to the gates of Glory. Praise Him emotionally. Praise Him with your peers. Praise Him intellectually. But most importantly – praise Him in Spirit.
Song: All Hail King Jesus
