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"Oh Jesus, I am sorry that
You had to go through all this pain and suffering. I know You
did it for me. I know You had to die, but it was not through
any fault of Yours. It was because of my sin. I asked You,
Jesus, to forgive me. I know You have. Please make this story
a blessing to all who read it. May it show them that if they
reject Your sacrifice, then Your blood will be upon their
heads, as much as it was on the heads of those who condemned
You to die, on the cross at Calvary."
The following story is about Christ's last days on earth.
It is a series. Click on the link at the bottom of the
page to take you to the next study.
A Majestic Parade--The KING Is Coming -
Mark 11: 1-11& Matthew 21:1-11
Mark 11: 9 & 10 "And they that
went before, and they that followed, cried saying, Hosanna;
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.... Hosanna
in the highest." ("Hosanna" means "save, we pray.")
Historical setting:
Time: Thursday,
April 6, A.D. 30.
Place: Jerusalem.
Persons: Jesus and the disciples
I remember when the Queen of Britain
came through our small town in northern British Columbia in
the late '50's or early 60's. For weeks the town prepared for
her visit. On the day of her arrival the road was lined with
people. All necks were craned for one fleeting glance at Her
Majesty, as she was driven past in a limousine. The narrow
streets echoed with the shouts of "God Save the Queen! Long
Live the Queen!” So soon it was over! People all went
about their everyday lives, as if nothing important had
happened.
For centuries the teachers of the law had been
telling of the coming of the King who should re establish
David's kingdom. Now for three years the King had been living
among the people. They had seen His miracles, and many of them
had been the recipients of a miracle. On more than one
occasion the multitudes had wanted to declare Him King,
but He would slip away, and go to some quiet place.
As we begin our study of Christ’s last weeks on earth, it
is nearing "Passover," and Jesus' work on earth has nearly
come to an end, but He is the only one who knows it. Although
He has repeatedly told His disciples that the purpose of His
ministry was not to establish an earthly kingdom, they cannot
comprehend it. So they are not surprised at the notoriety He
gets on this trip to Jerusalem.
Jesus and His disciples have spent a quiet Sabbath day in
Bethany, the town where His friends, Mary, Martha and Lazarus
live. It is Sunday morning, and Jesus and His disciples are
about to set out for Jerusalem, where crowds are gathering for
Passover. He calls two of the disciples and says to them,
"Go into the next village, Bethpage. There
you will find a donkey tied, with her colt beside her. Untie
them and bring them to Me. If anyone asks what you are doing,
just say, 'The Lord needs them.'" Matthew 21:2
& 3
The two disciples hurry off, wondering what will happen
when they are caught untying someone else's animals. As they
had expected, someone does ask. With their hearts in their
mouths, they say what Jesus had told them. To their surprise
the owner of the donkeys gladly allows them to take the mother
and the colt.
The disciples put their garments on the colt, upon which no
one had ever ridden. They mount Jesus, and the donkey proudly
begins his trip, carrying the King of Heaven. As they journey
toward Jerusalem the crowd increases. And so does their
enthusiasm. "Who is this Celebrity who is riding on such a
humble beast?"...
Blind Bartimaeus, and others who had been healed, follow
along. Mothers with their children join the parade, spreading
out their garments for the donkeys to walk on. Little boys and
girls run joyously along, spreading flowers on the way.
Shepherds, who have heard the story of the Babe in the manger
for thirty-three years (not realizing that this Man riding the
donkey is that same Baby, now grown), join in the parade.
Merchants and tradesmen watch as the crowd passes by. The
enthusiasm grows. People grab palm branches from near-at-hand
trees, and spread them on the path. The song, "Hosanna in
Highest!" fills the air. "Our King has come! Glory to
God in the Highest! Salvation to our people!" Through all
this the donkey colt remains calm. And Jesus makes His way
into Jerusalem.
The multitude's fever of praise is at it's highest pitch:
"Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in
the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest." And Jesus,
who knows the fickleness of the crowd, knows that many of
these same people will (in less than a week) be shouting,
"Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" Now the crowd has made its way
into the city. The residents there look on in awe. "Who is
this Person?” they ask, amazed at the reception. He must
be a very important celebrity; yet they had not been told of
His coming. The response they received is, "This is Jesus,
the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee." It does not ring a
bell with the folks in Jerusalem, so they just go about their
daily lives, not paying much attention.
But the procession that had formed on the Mount of Olives
and proceeded slowly into the city of Jerusalem, and
accompanied Jesus to the temple, did not end its march that
day. It tarried, watching and waiting with broken hearts until
the glorious Easter brought a living Redeemer. And then it
tarried until the King ascended and sent the Holy Spirit to
fill the hearts of men. And then on the great day of
Pentecost, the procession took up the line of march through
the ages, and thousands crowned Christ King of kings and Lord
of lords.
"And still, that procession did not
end. It has marched from Palestine through Asia Minor, then
into Europe, and northward with each conquering army, until
that continent knew Christ; then it crossed the Atlantic and
planted the standard of the cross on the shores of the new
world; then onward triumphantly across North America, and to
the Islands of the sea. 'That the
earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the
Lord as the waters cover the seas.'"
(quote from Reverend Justin N. Green)
Hosannas are still being sung to the Son of
David, but instead of the garments spread in His way, lives
are laid at Christ's feet... Are we willing to lay our
"garments" (lives) at the foot of Christ so that all the world
may hear of His triumphal entry into Jerusalem? Of His
sacrificial death on the cross for us? Of His resurrection? Of
His coming again to complete His redemption of His saints?
Hosanna in the Highest,
I cast my
garments down.
I humbly bow before Thee.
On Thee I
place a crown.
You are my Lord and Savior.
You gave
your life for me.
I wave my palms before You.
From sin
You've set me free.
Hosanna in the Highest!
My praise
I give to Thee.
Exalted now in Heaven,
You'll soon
come back for me.
© Helen Dowd
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