Read Matthew 21:1-11
It’s weird to think of crowds of people gathering together. You see images or pictures that show people hugging, embracing, gathered around each other without a care in the world and we think now, “How weird is that?” Only three weeks ago we were carrying on as normal with party plans, holiday gatherings, and services at church. How quickly things change. From surrounded by a crowd to completely abandoned. What happened?
Well, in our case, we’re not abandoned. The people who love and support us, still love and support us. We just can’t be physically within six feet of each other outside our homes. And that’s fine. We can do that for as long as it takes. But for Jesus, he actually was abandoned. People who once crowded around him pushing to get closer to him, one by one pushed to get away. And not because he caught a potentially harmful virus or disease, but in a sense because the ride was over and people saw it was time to leave.
I’m talking about the events of what we have come to call Holy Week. This Sunday, today, marks the start of that week, a week that started out with people crowding around Jesus. But how quickly things changed! By the end of the week Jesus hung on a cross with barely a handful of faithful disciples and the only one who would touch him with a ten foot pole would be the soldier to pierce his side proving him dead.
This Sunday, today, has come to be called Palm Sunday. And here’s why. It was on a Sunday in Israel just outside Jerusalem where Jesus was with his disciples. The festival of the Passover would be that week and Jesus would celebrate in the city. That, though, wasn’t the only reason Jesus set out for Jerusalem. In one of the recent conversations with the disciples he had explained this would be when he would be arrested, condemned, crucified, and raised to life. Jesus had a clear purpose in mind. The disciples were just along for the ride. Whether they believed Jesus or approved of this plan didn’t matter to Jesus. He didn’t need their approval to do what needed to be done.
What needed to be done needed to be done in Jerusalem. So Jesus makes plans to enter the city. Since this will be the last time Jesus enters Jerusalem like this, he will make it an entrance to remember. He instructs two disciples to go on ahead to a village where they will find a donkey for Jesus to ride. They find what Jesus said and bring the donkey back to Jesus. The gospel writer points out how this fulfilled the prophecy that read, “See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey.” (Matthew 21:5)
This is where the crowds press in. The people crowd around Jesus. Like people press in on their favorite Hollywood stars or professional athletes, or as kids press in on grandma for hugs and snuggles, so the people crowd around Jesus. They came out to show their love and support for Jesus ringing out to him in song: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Mt. 21:9). David was a king. The title of Son of David is a title for a king. So by pressing in on Jesus with these words of praise they showed their love and support for this man who would be their Savior and their King.
And from what they do next, we get the title Palm Sunday. People of the crowd “spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.” (Mt. 21:8) A king deserves not dusty dirty roads but the equivalent of our red carpet. They worshiped him spreading palm branches at his feet. They praised him with their songs. Jesus will be their Savior and their King.
But we have to wonder, where did the crowds go? When people were desperately asking about Jesus “Who is this?” (Mt. 21:10) the support for him quickly faded from addressing him as a prophet of God to pressing to get away from him. Even his closest disciple denied three times that he ever knew the man. From surrounded by crowds to completely abandoned, what happened?
This is a question we can ask every time a Christian turns away from active and heartfelt worship routines. What did you expect? When you went out to Jesus, what did you think you would find? When you heard of him as a Savior and a King was he supposed to put you on the donkey for the easy ride and spread palm branches at your feet for a smooth walk? Maybe some of the people of Jerusalem were thinking the same thing. Maybe they thought he would ride right up to the Roman governor and turn the tables on them and set up a powerful kingdom like David had back in the glory days of Israel.
But the next thing Matthew records Jesus doing in Jerusalem has nothing to do at all with Rome or any government for that matter. Jesus entered the temple and turned the tables of the money changers and animal sellers. Jesus had no intention whatsoever of opposing Caesar or any ruler ever. He made that clear on trial before Pontius Pilate confirming that he is a king but not of this world, not for any worldly gain or glory. Jesus cared about clearing a path for worship of our Heavenly Father.
The people of those crowds laid their cloaks and palm branches at his feet so he could enter smoothly into Jerusalem. Jesus laid down his life so we could enter smoothly into the New Jerusalem, our heavenly home. That may not have been the reason the people crowded around Jesus on Palm Sunday, but it’s the reason Jesus had in mind for us. He knew nations would rise and fall as one earthly power overthrows the next. But only he could raise us up to heaven. Only Jesus could give us a better life to look forward to after this life.
In many ways we are looking forward today to something so simple as a hug from grandma or a handshake from a friend. After a time of distancing ourselves for the sake of a spreading virus we will rejoice to press in and take hold of each other once again. So much more are we anticipating the end of our wait to greet our Savior and King. So much greater is our excitement to crowd around Jesus.
So let’s do that. Let’s crowd around Jesus. If we can’t grab palm branches and cloaks to spread at his feet, let’s take hold of a heart of praise, of thanks, of willingness to worship him as Savior and King. Let’s crowd around Jesus, let’s push in on him, the sin that would make us unworthy of his touch has been forgiven, you are covered in his mercy, washed over in his grace. Let’s crowd around Jesus. The voice telling us to draw away is the voice of the evil one who wants you dead in your sin. But Jesus rode that donkey on into Jerusalem to bring you life. While our government has authority to ask us not to crowd around our friends and family, the devil has no authority to keep you from crowding around your Jesus.
This week is Holy Week. It’s holy because Jesus made it holy. So keep it holy in your hearts. Set time aside especially to open God’s Word and read and remember the suffering and death of Jesus. This was the sacrifice of your King. Reflect deeply on your sin, the sin you were born in, the sin you live in every day, the sin that caused Jesus to be abandoned in your place. And when we get there, let’s call it Good Friday, because the best thing your hearts could ever hope for happened on that day. Jesus died to take away your sins. But he didn’t stay dead. Next Sunday is Easter. And nothing, not even a stay at home order can stop us from the worship of our risen and ever living Savior and King. This week and always, let’s crowd around Jesus. Amen.
Let’s pray:
Dearest Jesus, our Savior and our King, you entered Jerusalem to the shouts of praise and worship as the people sang, “Hosanna in the highest!” Our hearts rise to meet you and press in upon you, our Savior and our King. Forgive us for selfishly thinking you had other reasons to be our King. Bring us instead to our perfect home, that New Jerusalem, where we will worship you endlessly. Keep our hearts focused on the meaning of the days of this Holy Week. Draw us close to you to remember your bitter suffering, death, and burial. And fill our hearts with joy in the anticipation of our worship on Easter Sunday, the day of your resurrection. We pray in your holy name, Amen.
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