Looking for a hero – Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday has been celebrated by Christians as a triumphal day. The day the King of the Jews came into Jerusalem. While it was a triumphal day, it was a day that was more an example of Man seeking an earthly solution, an earthly savior, rather than a savior who was and is God, the Creator of the Universe. The deliverer they wanted is not the delivered they got, and five days later they are shouting “crucify him, crucify him”, because he confronted their hearts and not the Romans.

Jesus, whose name means ‘salvation of God’, did not come to displace Roman rule, or the rule of the Sanhedrin. He came that all might have a one on one relationship with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He came that he might be a ransom for them all. It was as if they did not hear anything that he said in the last three years. Everyone had their own plans for Jesus, while Jesus only had God’s plan all along.

In the book of Samuel, we read where Israel comes to the prophet of God to ask God for a king. Samuel told them they did not know what they were asking. God even warned them what an earthly king – a king like all the other nations around them – would be like. They persisted, and God gave them a king – Saul.

What Israel at the time did was to tell God “We no longer want you over us. We want an earthly rule, someone we can see, to be over us.” Israel rejected God for a king, and God gave them a king.

Saul was tall, good-looking, and ‘kingly’ in appearance. Israel got what they wanted. They now were like all the other nations around them. They had a king. Then came taxes. Then came war. Then came death to families. Then came losing to neighboring nations and having to pay tribute – on top of taxes and all the rest. It never occurred to Israel to repent, to throw off kings, and let God be their king again. Even when prophets declared that God would send Israel and the world a savior who would be God in the flesh – they did not repent. They did not ‘get’ it. They did not receive it. And, by the time of Malachi had passed, and the Maccabees lost, and Rome took over for Persia, Greece, and Egypt, the descendants of Israel were scattered all over Asia, Africa, and Europe. Only a remnant of Judah remained in a province called Judea. And, they cried out for a savior.

To be fair, the common, devoted follower of God cried out to God for a deliver to deliver them from life under Rome, Greece, Judean kings, and the Sanhedrin. The rulers, lawyers, and Sanhedrin wanted freedom from Rome and Roman taxes and oversight. It seems the rulers did not want to give up rule so much as being ruled. When John, the cousin of Jesus, began prophesying the coming Messiah – also called Christ, the one anointed to be the salvation of the world, it seems that those who ruled Judea and Judaism forgot what the prophets had said. That the Messiah would be God – YHWH Elohim – in the flesh. So by the time that Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem the masses of Judeans were stirred up to receive a conqueror, an over-thrower of Rome, and a return to the triumphal days of David of Israel!

That did not happen. What they got was a Jewish rabbi who told them their hearts need to turn to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That their only salvation would be his death, his being crucified, and his sealing their life by his death and their belief that he would be the price of their return to favor with God. They did not like that. Many still do not like that.

Man would rather have a king or a hero and listen to him/her. Man would rather have someone tell them they are ‘okay’ and it will be alright and they do not have to change or admit to anything. That they can have a parade and celebration and call it good and it will be ‘okay’. Jesus said the opposite.

Jesus said it is their fault. Jesus said they fell short and they are the one to blame for their own failures and shortcomings. Jesus said they cannot come anywhere near God at all, because of their sin. Jesus said that he was the only way they could. He was the only way they would. They had to quit it, admit it, run away from it, and let it die like he was going to do for them; and if they believed that by his death – death on a cross, being lifted up like the serpent in the desert with Moses – they would live.

They did not like that one bit.

IF what Jesus said was true: they liars, cheats, thieves, murderers, lusters, and idolaters; and they had no hope of every coming near God. Well, unless they accepted that Jesus was the Messiah and by his death they lived.

And that was and is the case.

The Messiah was and is God. Yes, the very same God who created the heavens and the earth. He traded places in judgment so that we might live… if we believe. He made it super simple for us. Only believe. If we only receive him and the price paid – make a decision to follow him and live with him – all will be forgiven and we will be given new life.

Now, I understand the skepticism here. In a logical mind educated in the ways of Man, it does not make any sense ‘logical’ sense. However. Coming at the same question from God’s perspective, while not perfect, makes perfect sense.

You see, God so loved this world and all the people in it that he gave up His only son that all who believed on him would not die, would not be judged for their sin, but would have life everlasting with God – the Creator of the Universe.

So while the world is looking for a hero and a triumphal entry, God is looking for a servant son or daughter who would just believe Him and His son. Simple. Right?