“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” Matthew 21:9
“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “crucify him.” Matthew 27:22
What a difference a week makes.
On the first day of the week, the crowd was exuberant. They were enthusiastically cheering, singing, and laying palm branches in the roadway before Jesus. They were anticipating a great victory and a conquering hero. The Romans would be vanquished, Israel would be restored as a world power and their lives were sure to improve dramatically. For years they knew that all they needed was the right leader and now they had one.
The disciples had a little strut in their step as they walked beside the one who was destined to be king, reveling in the unbridled glory and honour that was being lavished on their teacher and by association, on them. It would appear on this day, that despite some ups and downs over the past few years, they had chosen wisely when they decided to follow this young carpenter from Nazareth.
Little did they know that four days later this same Jesus would be arrested and by the next morning, the crowds that had yelled “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” would be shouting “Crucify him”.
I wonder if they cast their minds back at that moment to a sermon preached by Jesus early in his ministry when he said, “Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets” or if they were slightly haunted by words said just the evening before the crucifixion when Jesus said “Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.”
Such is the cost of doing God’s work. One day, you can do no wrong and the next, you can do no right but here is the thing to remember and it was uttered in the garden just before Jesus’ arrest, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
Whether we are living in popularity or persecution the only thing we can control is our choice to obey and we know that for the obedient, whether life has been easy or rough, “Sunday’s a coming” when all wrongs are made right.
Here is a good reminder of that truth.
Blessings
Major Mike Hoeft
Area Commander/Social Mission Regional Director
Prairies and Northern Territories