Who is Jesus? Entering Jerusalem
Verses:
'After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ” Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They replied, “The Lord needs it.” They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” '
Luke 19:28
'As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” '
Matthew 21:1
'Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. '
Zechariah 9:9
'Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, '
Romans 8:1
'But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. '
Romans 5:8
Devotional:
Picture this in your mind: the day had come. Jesus stands resolute as He is walking towards Jerusalem. He knows what lies ahead of Him. Word begins to spread, and people are leaving their homes and businesses to come see this man, Jesus of Nazareth. Prophecy in Zechariah 9:9 is fulfilled as Jesus is seated on the back of a donkey’s colt, which no one had ever sat upon, and has begun riding into town. People began shouting and crying aloud “Hosanna in the highest!” Individuals began taking their jackets off and laying them on the ground and when they ran out of jackets, they cut palm branches to lay down. The path was laid for the triumphal entrance of Jesus.
The people were excited to see Jesus arrive! The entire town was in an uproar over these events. They were expecting that Jesus would come in and conquer their enemies, overthrow Rome, free them from Roman occupation, and elevate the Jews above all others. However, just a few short days later, the crowds would turn on Him and shout, "Crucify Him!" So where does that leave us?
Reflect:
How do we, today, knowing the events of the past respond to what has happened? What can we take away? It is important for us to remember that we do the same things that those in the crowd did, whenever we choose to sin over believing the promises of God. We say with our mouths "Hosanna in the highest," and we lay our jackets down, but then we choose to sin against Him, doing the very thing that would send Him to the Cross, which paid our sin debt in full.
Respond:
This week, as we lead up to Easter, I want to challenge you. Not to feel guilt and shame, because there is now no condemnation for those in Jesus Christ, but to truly understand what Jesus did for us on the cross. He knew while He was seated on that donkey the sin you, I, and the whole world would do. Even then, “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” In those moments where you want to sin, are tempted to sin, remember what Jesus did for us. Call out His Name and begin reading the Bible. Jesus loves us so much that He died for us, so let’s live for Him.
Pray:
Lord Jesus, thank You for what You did on the cross for us. Dying in our place, taking our sin debt, and freeing us from the slavery of sin. Let the words of our heart match the actions of our lives. Let us know who we are in You and reflect that in every moment of our lives. We love You, Jesus, and it’s in Your Name we pray, amen.