We hope this week's devotional will encourage you in your spiritual walk.
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Luke 19:28-40
Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
28 After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
29 When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32 So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They said, “The Lord needs it.” 35 Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38 saying,
“Blessed is the king
who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
and glory in the highest heaven!”
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”
Devotional Thought - Jesus was the wrong Messiah!
The crowd cheers him on, oblivious to the significance of the moment. Their minds are fixed on their own pain, their own oppression. Desperate for freedom, they pin on him all their hopes and dreams. With reckless abandon they throw down their coats to provide him with a red carpet welcome into the city of peace, the city of God, the Holy heart of their ancient people. They strip the trees of their branches and wave them about like battle banners.
This was their day of liberation! Too long they suffered under the boot of the Romans, the Greeks, the Persians and empires before them. Rulers who used them as a pawn in their lust for Power and Wealth. That is the way of the world. It was back then … and it still is today.
And here comes Jesus.
The tradie from up north turned preacher and healer, with his ragtag “army” of fishermen, and farmers; sell-outs and one or two hotheads … a bunch of women! And a borrowed donkey.
What does this gentle Jesus, meek and mild have to offer us?! Is he able to fight off the bullies that bother us? Is he able to right the wrongs that are so deeply ingrained in our society that we don’t even notice them anymore? Is he able to bring us the freedom we want?
Some time in the years before Jesus those expectations had been articulated by an unknown writer. A psalmist whose work, while influential in the day, had not made it into the Bible – the Psalm of Solomon 17 sang of the coming messiah, majestic and mighty. That's what messiahs are. That’s what messiahs do - they save us! – or else what’s the point?
And yet Jesus confronts the POWERFUL with HUMILITY.
Jesus stands before the WEALTHY with a life spent for the POOR.
And Jesus resists evil with arms open wide – a lamb to the slaughter.
The scene looks so wrong. Love and grace hangs mangled on a cross. Humiliated. Trampled as we knew it would, by the powers that be. How can we resist the injustices in this world and expect to get away with it? How can we think that we will break the power of the Rich and Famous without them pouring out their wrath on us? There is no easy salvation. There is no cheap grace.
But in his face we see the heart of God.
In his death we trust in the name of God
And in his resurrection, we will celebrate the freedom from Sin and Fear. This is our day of liberation. Jesus IS the right Messiah.
Rev. Richard Giesken
Associate Lecturer in Biblical Studies and Missiology