Over 2000 years ago the Sadducees had a tradition they believed the Messiah would show up four days before Passover. They kept the gates of the Temple open so that he could walk right into his rightful place. Hebrew nationalistic fervor was always at its peak on this particular day. The Romans would have all the troops on high alert this day, they feared another revolt would be attempted lead by a religious radical – as had happened in the past. Tensions were high.
The people of Jerusalem knew their Scripture well and on that day, four days before Passover, I’m sure this Scripture would come to the people’s minds.
Zech. 9:8-9 But I will defend my house against marauding forces. Never again will an oppressor overrun my people, for now I am keeping watch. Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
This is the day that Jesus enters into Jerusalem, riding on a colt. The day as predicted by Zechariah. Now Jesus would have been coming from Bethany - the Mount of Olives; Riding across the Kidron Valley -They call it a valley, but it is more like a really a steep canyon. He would have ridden across and actually right past the original city King David had built which is now and was then outside the city walls.
And coming up the ridge he would have been right outside the city wall where the Temple would have directly been sitting behind that wall - By far the most prominent structure.
Today in Jerusalem the Dome of the Rock is the most prominent feature. An Islamic holy site having been built over the ruins of the original temple. If you have seen pictures of Jerusalem this large gold dome always stands out. Right there is where Jesus was entering the city, 4 days before Passover, on a colt, right outside the Temple….
What a scene! Can you imagine? For as long as anyone can remember, there has been this tradition that four days before Passover the Messiah would come on a colt…and here is Jesus, four days before, on a colt, clearly heading toward the Temple. So the people go crazy. They set out branches in front of him, to honor him and make the way before him beautiful.
There where many visitors in Jerusalem at that time, traditional at Passover, for us – 4th of July in Washington DC. Many of these visitors would walk to the Temple branches in hand to worship. As pilgrims walked to the Temple for worship they would sing songs. One of them – well known to all was psalm 118, which is what they say to Jesus as he enters the city. They literally say in Hebrew, Lord please save us, Lord please save us now.
Were the people just getting caught up in the emotion of the day, quoting a favorite psalm as Jesus rode by? A spontaneous parade of sorts for Jesus?
For Jesus this must have been a bittersweet time. For it truly was prophecy being fulfilled and he truly was the promised Messiah and truly he deserved the praise offered him. But many of the same people excited about his entry into the city this day are the same ones that mock him as he walks with a cross on his back through the city of Jerusalem on his way to death just a few days later - and Jesus would know who these people were.
So why is everyone so excited about Jesus and then either ambivalent or against him? Well at first they have great expectations of Jesus. They praised him for two reasons: One - He preformed miracles. Just before he arrives in Jerusalem he had raised Lazarus from the dead. You know word had gotten around about that. Two - They saw him as one who could make their life better. By freeing them from the political oppression of the Romans. Jesus does not perform any miracles for people after he enters the city of Jerusalem. His teaching is serious and tough to hear. He teaches mostly on submission and commitment. Not a message that the people expected a Messiah to teach. They wanted to know how he was going to make their life easier, they wanted to hear about getting rid of their problem – the Romans.
Jesus did come to make life better, and to deal with life’s problems, but not in the way they expect...Perhaps not in the way we might expect. Jesus doesn’t come to give us a life’s philosophy or to be a great example to follow, He doesn’t even come to make us good people.He comes to deal with the burden of sin that has infected our life, that has caused us such grief hurting our relationships, creating distance between those we love, leaving us empty, and with that comes submission and commitment to God.
Jesus is wonderful when he comes to make life easier to bear, but it becomes a different matter when submission and commitment come into play....
A few years ago Rosie O’Donnell was being interviewed, you know Rosie, the talk show host - when asked if she thought God would be disappointed with her when she stands before Him after she dies – she answered this way. “God ought to be happy, I’m doing the best I can”. Well to be fair to Rosie, what she says seems fair, I mean what better could I do than the best I can? To some degree couldn’t any one of us here stand before God and claim that? God, give me a break, I’m doing the best I can.
Do you really think that is going to be the criteria God will consider?
Sophie Loren was being interviews back in 1999 and the interviewer ask her if she was religious and what she thought of God. “Well I’m not really into it, I’m not a very religious person. But I should go to heaven. I haven’t done anything wrong – my conscience is clean, my soul is as white as orchids. I should go straight to heaven."
I think, especially in America, most people would echo Sophie’s words in one way or another.
What about the people who welcomed Jesus one day and cursed him the next or worse still, ignored him and went on with their life….as Jesus was condemned to death.
Weren’t they doing the best they could? I mean they all had obligations to fulfill. Couldn’t they say to themselves like Sophie, I haven’t done anything wrong – my conscience is clean - after all, how could they possibly be aware of the direct result their actions would have?
Ahh, remember last week as we were going through 1 Corinthians chapter four we saw: 1Cor. 4:4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.
We easily fool ourselves. A clear conscience really isn’t relevant. After all, many Nazi’s went to their grave with clean consciences. Just because my conscience is clear, that offers me no innocence.
When I consider Rosie’s theological standpoint, that God ought to be please that I’m doing the best I can...I’ve got to tell you, from a biblical perspective it just doesn’t hold water. Is God looking for us to do “the best we can”? Not once in the life and ministry of Jesus did he tell anyone, It’s ok, your doing the best you can.
Remember the woman who caught red handed in adultery? They were going to kill her by throwing bowling ball size stones at her. Jesus steps in and saves her from death. But then her turns and speaks to her saying, Go and do the best you can….No. Go and sin no more. In fact this is what Jesus tells people over and over. He doesn’t expect our best effort. He not like a tennis coach: Good effort, in that last game….
A God who is happy with me doing the best I can, is not the kind of God I need. If this is what we expect our whole perspective is off. Much like the people waving branches as Jesus passed by.
It is not about doing the best I can, leading a Dr. Phil prescribed life. We don’t need, personal self help guru’s, personal self help books or even help with our past life experiences.
I picked this card up in Israel this past January, It says: "Dr. Mark Cohen, PhD, Specialist in guided imagery, is the only person trained and qualified to work as a Life-Between Lives Therapist"…isn’t that great? I love this kind of stuff…then there is a description. "Life-Between Lives Spiritual Regressions begin with a two hour session in which you recall a significant past life"…fascinating…."After this, in one 4-hour session, you can recall in detail your experiences as a soul between incarnations, meet your spiritual guides and also the people closest to you as they appear as eternal souls"….are they thinner, better looking…."For the first time you will be able to understand why you chose your present incarnation with all its challenges"….Yeah, why didn’t I pick an Arnold Schwarzenagger kind of body – what was I thinking?
I wanted to go to this office and just see who was walking in and who was walking out. Who falls for this stuff?
What I love the most about these reincarnation people is that when they find out about their past lives they are always a princess, a great warrior or such, always something romantic – have you noticed? They are never an accountant, a truck stop busboy or a duck – because that my friends is boring, and as a past life therapist you will never get folks to come for a second session if your story isn’t romantic.
So that day, over 2000 years ago, when the people lined the streets and were thrilled with Jesus - You know they were doing the best they could with what they had and you know the commitment and submission Jesus spoke about...Well, they weren’t ready for it.
Let me take this a step further. We can judge the crowds because they turned away from Jesus. But everyone did. All of Jesus’ friends, all of Jesus’ disciples, everyone was his friend the day he rode into the city, but he died alone and despised days later. No one was a hero. Everyone failed. No one, even those Jesus healed, even those who Jesus protected even those Jesus raised from the dead. It turns out not one did the best they could.
And that my friends is the good news for us! Because Rosie’s wrong. God isn’t looking for those who are doing the best they can do. God isn’t interested in something so….bureaucratic. God is looking for people who can recognize that they have broken lives and can recognize that they need healing; That they need forgiveness in their lives. He’s not looking for people who can make it, those kind of people think they don’t need God….
You know what? I spoke this morning several times about the death of Jesus and that is a powerful thing, an awesome thing. But the resurrection of Jesus, there is power, there is real transformation. All of his friends, all of his disciples – but one, many of the Pharisees and Sadducees who condemned him to death and thousands, thousands of those who lined the streets waving branches as Jesus passed by and later betrayed him - they became fervent followers of Jesus Christ after his resurrection and for they experienced a great forgiveness from God. Such a great power, such a great awakening that even when threatened with death, they would not back down, because now they could rely on someone greater than themselves.
They had the mighty power of the Holy Spirit. It was clear they couldn’t do it on their own. They tried on the day of Jesus’ triumphal entry and failed a few days later. But now, after the resurrection, it is not about you or I doing the best we can but about the Spirit of God coming upon us doing the best he can for us.
May the blessing of the Lord Jesus be upon us all – Amen
Pastor Ted’s up front for Prayer, or if you want to speak to him aboutgiving your life over to Jesus Christ - So you don’t have to do the best you can anymore, but allow God to do the best he can.
