Palm Sunday: Being Jerusalem

I woke up this morning thinking about today being Palm Sunday. Thinking about this final week of Jesus’ mortal life on Earth. Today the church remembers Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem when he was honored as a king. Just days later, He would be rejected, mocked, and ultimately crucified.

I was reflecting on how fickle the people of Jerusalem must have been to have such a quick, and extreme, change of heart.

And then, the Holy Spirit convicted me.

Maybe, just maybe, I’m Jerusalem today.

When I recognized my need for a savior and made the decision to follow Jesus, He made a triumphant entry into my heart. As a new, born-again Christian, I was praising Him and declaring Him Lord of my life. I was clearing the path and laying down the proverbial palm branches to welcome Him and follow Him, just as the crowd followed Him down into Jerusalem.

The tough thing about Jerusalem was when Jesus arrived, He wasn’t content to be a crowned king and sit on a throne in a court.

He didn’t start with kicking some Roman butt and expelling the forces that had been occupying Israel and imposing external laws and taxes on God’s chosen people.

No. He started with God’s chosen people. He started with God’s temple.

When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, ‘Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!'”

John 2:13-16 NIV

I’m pretty sure this wasn’t the triumphant entry of the Messiah that Jerusalem had in mind. They wanted a warrior, a glorious king who would redeem them from Rome’s oppressive rule. Someone who would deliver them to freedom.

To Jesus, the stakes were so much higher. He came to resolve our separation from God. Jesus came to offer humanity true freedom…freedom from sin by substituting Himself as the blood sacrifice God required under the law of the Old Testament.

And yet, in Jesus’ day, most people couldn’t see past their vision of freedom to accept the better gift that God had provided.

And again, I’m convicted.

When I asked Jesus to live in my heart…when I accepted the Holy Spirit and said I wanted to follow Jesus…if I’m going to be honest, I had my own agenda too.

Jesus, help me know you more.

(okay, not a bad start)

Jesus, help me find a husband who loves you and loves me.

Jesus, help me grow in my career.

Jesus, please bless us and help us to have a baby.

Jesus, please heal my friend who has cancer.

Maybe there’s not anything wrong with those prayers, just like there wasn’t really anything wrong with the Israelites wanting to be rescued from their occupation by Rome.

But, just like Jesus started with His temple in Jerusalem, He starts with His temple in me…my heart.

He wants to drive out my selfish tendencies. He wants to flip the table on my pride that keeps me from humbling myself and admitting my need for a Savior from my sin, not my circumstances.

Jesus didn’t come to Earth as a Holy Genie to grant our wishes. He came to overhaul our hearts and save us from our sin, to restore our ability to be in relationship with God the Father.

When Jesus didn’t behave in a way that was expected of the Messiah, He was ultimately rejected.

Today, I have a choice to make. When Jesus points me in a different direction than what fits my plans, what will I do?

Will I honor him as the triumphant king that I joyfully welcomed into my heart years ago? Or, will I reject my Savior and push that nudging from the Holy Spirit aside and try to figure out a way to work my own agenda?

Jesus, thank you for your sacrifice…for suffering, giving your life, and enduring that separation from your Father to pay for my sins. Please help me to stay focused on what is most important to you. Help me to welcome you into my heart as my Messiah every day…to cherish the freedom you have provided me. Show me how you want me to live on this earth. Give me the courage and the wisdom to be obedient to your plans for me, not focused on my plans and what I want from you. Amen.