Hosanna!
The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' The King of Israel!" Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: "Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey's colt." His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him. Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!" [ John 12:12-19] Taxes were rising out of control. The government was taking away the freedom of the people with greater boldness every year; and many feared that soon they would no longer even be able to worship the True God in their own homes. The government officials had earned a reputation for corruption, so that an honest man was never sure that he would receive justice under the law. And anyone who dared to criticize those in power was viewed with suspicion, as if they were the cause of all the distress. "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' The King of Israel!" The crowd was overwhelmed with joy and shouted aloud in celebration! The Messiah has come! He has come to them from their enemies! He has come to set the prisoners free and declare the year of our Lord's Favor! Finally a TRUE King of David's line, someone to replace that old fox Herod and bring justice to the land! Finally a TRUE Savior, who with the power of the Living God backing the might of his arm, shall drive out the Roman oppressors and usher in a New Golden age for Israel! For the first time in centuries the common man was filled with new hope! The Pharisees were in a panic. "Look, the world has gone after Him!" Word of Our Lord's arrival had given hope to the masses that Herod and Rome would be soon overthrown! But what would happen to them? If Jesus triumphed over Herod and Rome: Would he carry them into glory as the rightful leaders of the new religious establishment? Or would he enthrone his vagabond disciples (fishermen, tax collectors and sinners one and all!) and cast the Pharisees out into the streets along with the trash! Clearly they could not allow Jesus to become King of all Israel. But it would be almost as bad if he LOST. Surely the crowds who followed Jesus could not stand against the terrible power of Rome's global empire. And Caesar already had little patience for the Jewish unwillingness to worship him as a god. If this "upstart messiah" started a revolt that brought down the wrath of Rome upon their heads, the suffering of everyone would be increased tenfold. The Pharisees could only hope that he would quietly go away, yet the crowd could not be silenced. "Look, the world has gone after Him!" "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' The King of Israel!" Of course, YOU know what happens next. In less than a week, they would discover their mistake. The teeming masses would realize that this Son of David had not come to lead a revolution, replace Herod and overthrow Rome. The Messiah had not come with a mighty arm to shatter the might of enemies and restore the "golden age" of Israel. He didn't even appear all that "righteous" in their estimation. He fraternized with gentiles and Samaritans. His disciples were common laborers at best and notorious sinners at worst. Matthew was even a TAX COLLECTOR! They began to think that they had made a horrible mistake in welcoming him to Jerusalem as Messiah and King. And so in less than 7 days, feeling betrayed by the one in whom they had put their hope, they cried out "Crucify Him". Clearly he did not come to bring revolution. He even expected them to pay their taxes. "But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? "Show Me the tax money." So they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They said to Him, "Caesar's." And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." [Matthew 22:18-21] How many today want to change the Our Lord Jesus Christ into some kind of "Bread King". There are those who welcome Jesus into their lives expecting that all of their financial problems will vanish, that their businesses will prosper, and that every desire of their hearts will be met in an instant! So they, like the crowds that lined the streets, welcome our Lord singing! "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' The King of Israel!" Yet sooner or later they must also discover the truth of the cross. They must come to realize that being a disciple of the Lord will not make your debt disappear and your businesses prosper overnight. They will come to discover that the World is no friend to the faithful Christian. How long will it take until their hosanna's turn to shouts of "Crucify Him!". How many people in our world today experience this same spiritual disaster? Lured into churches by promises of entertainment, or wealth, or personal Glory - they come into the presence of their King singing Hosanna's to His name! They think in their sinful hearts, "Finally, a religion that will make my suffering stop, my illness disappear, my behavior transform overnight, my bank accounts overflow!" "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' The King of Israel!" Yet what happens when the truth begins to be clear? When the illness returns and the faith healer fails to remove the cancer. When the persecution from the world begins and the glory starts to fade. When the luxuries they expected disappear and the daily bread begins to taste quite plain. [Is there nothing to eat but this manna?] When their sinful desires return and the guilt of their sin begins to gnaw deep inside. What will it take to turn their hosanna's into shouts of "Crucify him!" Will they blame the false prophets who enticed them by preaching only what their itching ears wanted to hear? Or will they turn against the Good Shepherd and cry out for vengeance because they believe he has betrayed their Hope? This is the danger of "market driven" or "needs based" theology. Brothers and Sister's in Christ, there is no room in our faith for false hopes and illusions. There is no room in our faith for "seeker services" that are truly nothing more than a "bait and switch". When the Real Jesus Christ, the one who died upon a cross for our sins, is obscured by false promises made by sinful men; the people of God are left with the bitter taste of disappointment in their mouths. And when hopes built on lies and misinformation are shattered in the light of truth - the sinful heart quickly turns to cries of "Crucify Him!". Which is why the Apostle Paul once wrote to the Corinthians, "For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. [1 Corinthians 2:2-5] In spite of the illusions of the world, there *IS* a real hope to be found in the Word of God. A REAL reason to welcome Jesus into the city of Jerusalem with shouts of thanksgiving and praise. For he IS the Son of David, the King of King promised of old who will establish an everlasting Kingdom. He IS the Savior of the Nations who has come to set us free from our enemies. He IS the one who has come to give us riches beyond imagining, and set us upon thrones of His Glory forever. "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' The King of Israel!" His Kingdom is not of this world. Anyone who tries to sell you a theology of glory in which all of your earthly endeavors will succeed because you follow Jesus is lying. Nevertheless His Kingdom is real; Jesus has WON the victory. He is seated at the Father's right hand in Glory and governs all creation for the sake of His people. He has promised to work all things together for your eternal good, and will hold you securely in the palm of His hand.. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? [Romans 8:28-32] It all comes back to the cross. Jesus enters Jerusalem to the cheer of the crowds with palm branches in their hands, yet he comes to die for the sins of the world. Upon the cross he will fulfill his purpose. Upon the cross he will achieve the victory. Upon the cross his blood will spill for the unrighteous ones. Upon the cross his heart will be crushed by the weight of our guilt and the wrath of God. This gift will not be in vain. This sacrifice will accomplish the ultimate Hope for all of sinful humanity. By His death, the sting of death will be removed; and by His rising again on the third day, the work of a new creation will begin in His Name. Behold the True Jesus Christ and give glory to God. He comes to bring forgiveness of sins to those burdened by guilt. He comes to bring hope to those who look to life everlasting. He comes to bring peace with God and the joy of salvation. He comes to bring new life and freedom in His Name. "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' The King of Israel!" He comes in the Name of the Lord. The King of Israel. The Hope of ALL nations. The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. The crucified and risen Lord who sets his people free from their enemies. He comes. He comes in a spoken word of forgiveness when we gather in His name. He comes in the washing with water and the Word as he pours out His Holy Spirit. He comes in the bread and the wine when he feeds us his Body and Blood. He comes in the power of the Gospel to free us from our sins. He comes. "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' The King of Israel!" Rev. Jeffery W. Grams St. John's Lutheran - Scottsbluff, NE <mailto:jgr...@actcom.net> revjgr...@live.com <http://www.stjohns-scottsbluff.org/> http://www.stjohns-scottsbluff.org/ Qui tacet, consentire videtur - "silence gives consent" (Luther's Commentary on the Alleged Imperial Edict)
