This morning I am reflecting on the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem as a King, which we celebrate as Palm Sunday. While the event in itself is worth reflecting on, I wanted to look at the context in which this occurred, as it is always helpful for me to look at the surrounding details of whatever occurance, and trying to understand the way those following Jesus might have experienced it.
Here are a couple of verses to focus my reflection - Mark 11:7-11 NIV:
[7] "When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. [8] Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields.
[9] Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna! ” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
[10] “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
[11] Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve."
I find verse 11 very interesting - like somehow Jesus had mistakenly planned His entry into Jesus too late in the day, and there was nothing to do but go home! I think that there is more to this situation than we would initially think.
It is clear from the chants and shouts during Jesus' entry, that people were thinking He was the Messiah, finally coming to Jerusalem to re-establish the earthly Kingdom of God, like David had done. They were expecting Him to become King, raise up a holy army and cast off the Roman oppression! IN their eyes, He was coming to restore Israel to glory!
The people who were shouting, the disciples who were following, everyone must have been stirred mightily, thinking the time had finally come!!!
And then, Jesus walks around, looks at everything and then says, "alright, lets go back to Bethany!"
I can just imagine the confused looks on everyone's faces!
This was supposed to be the moment, the big event, and yet nothing happens!
Talk about a let down!
My question is why did Jesus direct and allow this grand entrance, and then do nothing?
In my study this morning I read through chapter 10, and all the way through to chapter 14, to get a sense of what was happening here. In Mark 10: 32-34 Jesus very clearly tells His Apostles that He was going to His death. I mean you can't misunderstand what He said, and yet James and John in the next few verses (35-40) proceed to ask Jesus if He will make them His second and third in charge, seating them right next to Him, in His glory (on His throne). Talk about not listening, or not understanding!! In fact when the rest of the Apostles heard this, they all got angry with James and John... and apparently all of them completely missed the fact that Jesus had just said He was going to His death! None of them were upset that Jesus said He was going to die, they were all upset that James and John were angling for positions of power and authority in the new Kingdom Jesus would setup!!
Jesus was well aware of this, as He had to mediate the disagreement and drop some teaching on them to settle them down (see Mark 10: 42-45).
I am actually surprised that Jesus went ahead with the triumphal procession into Jerusalem, for this more than anything else, re-affirmed this wrong thinking of the Apostles. They had been waiting for a few years for Jesus to finally take His rightful place as Messiah, and this was finally the time!
I am sure, in light of what happened in Chapter 10, that they were all expecting a grand unveiling of Jesus as Messiah, watching the people of Jerusalem flocking to Him, seeing the Romans cast out of Jerusalem! In their minds I am sure they had visions of grandeur and awesome signs and wonders done by Jesus! I am sure they figured God was going to intervene as He had done so many times in their history miraculously winning the battle for them! All of this was likely rumbling around in their minds and hearts as they followed Jesus into the City!
And then Jesus walks around, looks everything over and says, "Lets go back to Bethany."
Talk about a massive let-down!
They were expecting revolt, rebellion, restoration, revival, signs and wonders, Jesus being glorified and set on a throne! They got nothing... except a parade.
I am sure there was some massive confusion on the way back to Bethany!
So, why did Jesus do all this?
I certainly don't have answers, but I do have a couple of observations.
First, Jesus always did exactly what the Father told Him to do, so this wasn't an accident! (John 5:19)
Secondly, the ways of God are not the ways of man, nor do we think the way He thinks (Is 55:8-9). The apostles were thinking man thoughts, and God had a totally different plan! So often I think I know what God wants to do, what He is going to do, and it makes perfect sense to me, and then He does nothing or something completely different, and His answer when I ask Him why, is always the same. "You are thinking like man, not like me!"
In this case, Jesus' Kingdom was going to be established, just not the way man thought! The Messiah was coming to save them all, just not the way they thought! Jesus was going to be glorified, just not the way people thought! God was going to move powerfully, just not the way they thought!
Thus, Jesus entered Jerusalem, but His actions were directed by the Father, not by man, and made no sense to man! That is what needed to happen, otherwise the Apostles and other followers might have tried to make Jesus King under their own power, and that would have ended badly! God's plan was vastly superior, they just couldn't understand it, even when it was told to them directly!
What does this have to do with me, or any of us?
I think I would do well to pay close attention to what Jesus is actually saying, rather than what I want to hear! I find that I struggle to get beyond my own thoughts about how the Lord is going to move! I get involved with something, and I think I have God's plan all figured out, what it will look like, etc. and then am surprised when the final result is nothing like I expected! Looking at this story, I am thinking that I need to learn to listen more and do less planning about how to take advantage of the outcome.
I think I need to learn to look at situations, and ask God for His insight and direction, rather than thinking I can figure it out!
I need to trust that even though things turned out completely differently than I thought they would, that the Lord is still in charge, and He is about things that I likely can't fathom! I need to learn to follow His lead and trust that He actually knows what He is doing, even if the situation makes no sense, or seems to be completely uneventful.
God doesn't act or think like me, and I just need to be ok with this! I am never going to figure Him out, nor grasp the complexities of what He is actually all doing! That being the case, He understands that about me, and will provide me grace and mercy. He will lead, guide and direct me, and I just need to learn to go with Him! All He asks is that I do my best to listen and hear, and follow Him.
Lord, help us to deal with our own frustrations and unmet expectations! Help us to trust that You really do know what You are doing! Help us to believe that what You tell us is true, even if we don't understand it! Help us to follow Your lead and not get offended when things turn out differently then we expected.
Amen! May You be Glorified in our Life!
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