The Cheering Crowds

For those of us who grew up in the church, it is a familiar scene. Jesus enters Jerusalem to begin his final journey to the cross. Crowds are in a buzz about this teacher and healer, and they just want to catch a glimpse of Him, and as they do, they are all wrapped up in celebration, waving palm branches and shouting "Hosanna in the highest!"

But the trouble with familiar scenes is that they can often become mundane. When we hear stories throughout our whole life, sadly they can become too familiar and lose their wonder, and in the process, lose their impact.

However, I want to invite you to go back and look at this moment with fresh eyes. Imagine the sights and sounds. Picture in your mind all that is happening on that Sunday in Jerusalem.

First off, there is this great crowd that gathers. Matthew and Mark talk of this group as those who had arrived for the Feast of Passover. John adds to this how many in the crowd had heard of how Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead and they wanted to catch a glimpse of this amazing man.

Luke adds some more to the scene as he describes how a large number of them were established followers of Jesus, and in many ways the frenzied celebration was driven by this group.

Beyond the celebrating crowd, we see the religious leaders. They had already decided what to make of Jesus long before this moment, and they drew offense to the way in which the cheers welcomed Him. The anger and bitterness in their hearts were clear.

Looking closer, we see some individuals scattered throughout. We have his closest disciples—Peter and John. They had known Jesus since the beginning and had stood by his side all the way. Judas was also there, and his mind must have been racing as he was thinking about the possibility of Jesus beginning a new revolution, or perhaps at this stage, he was so angry that he just saw the moment as more evidence of the need for him to betray his master.

There were women in the crowd as well. Although it isn’t spelled out, surely Mary of Bethany must have been a witness to this. She had anointed Jesus with oil, wanting to honor Him but having no idea that she was in fact preparing him for death. And perhaps Jesus’ mother, Mary, was there as well. So often she had traveled to Jerusalem for Passover, and this certainly seemed like the fulfillment of all that the angel had told her Jesus would become.

So there is the crowd—some caught up with the spectacle, others angry at the disturbance, a few focusing on duty or opportunity, and a handful who reflected back to their own personal encounters with Jesus.

Each had decided for themselves who Jesus was—a great teacher, amazing healer, faithful son, political rival, good friend. But none of them understood Jesus for who He really was—the Wonderful Savior.

Can you imagine this group? Can you hear them cheer or jeer? Can you picture yourself among them?

If you were there, what group would you be with? Let’s honestly think about that. Who would you most identify with in this scene?

Are you walking through the Christian life just caught up with the crowd? The worship times are fantastic and the cheers fill the air, but we know what happens to this group eventually. They will abandon Jesus once trouble begins. They want the experience. They want the status. They don’t want Jesus.

Or are you like the religious leaders? You have placed God in a box on your shelf, and you are content to let Him stay there. Pride has overwhelmed you to the point that you cannot see what God is truly doing among His people.

Or are you like his disciples? Like Peter, do you boast in your faith, but having never really confronted the suffering that comes with it?

Or like John, are you there out of a sense of duty, willing to obey Jesus not because you understand Him, but because you are just doing what you are expected to do?

Or perhaps you even identify a little bit with Judas, someone who has grown frustrated because Jesus has not fulfilled your picture of who He should be.

What about the Marys? Both loved Jesus, but neither fully understood the depth of Jesus’ love for them.

Our week begins with this crowd, and it will end with an empty tomb. But along the way, spend some time to ask God to help you search your heart and see how you have labeled Jesus in some way the misunderstands or limits who He actually is.

Ask God to guide your heart this week, and as He does, prepare yourself to meet Jesus once again for the first time—not only the Hosanna who enters Jerusalem as the coming King, but also the Savior who claims his throne through a Cross.

Dr. Blake Killingsworth serves as Vice President for Communications at Dallas Baptist University.