Triumph and Sacrifice

Good morning to all on this blessed Monday morning. I am finishing up my shift in Bainbridge GA and hitting the road to Atlanta. Mackenzie and Brooks flew home yesterday to their parents and my husband had a quiet evening at home. God is good and His sustenance takes care of all my needs.

I am continuing my journey in Matthew 21, verses 1-11, "As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away." This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: "Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.' "The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?" The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee." Amen and amen.

Most of us know this story as the advent of Palm Sunday. Now I don't know if it took place on Sunday and for that matter, the day of the week this took has no significance other than to mark the week before the crucifixion of Christ. He was greeted warmly by the same people who turned on Him and asked for His crucifixion! Isn't that human nature? We certainly have no problem going with the tide; most of us go with the tide and do so without thinking; some of the folk sing hosanna in the highest, were just joining the party and the significance of the party was lost on them. This praise fest just solidified in the minds of the Pharisees and Sadducees that Jesus needed to be dealt with and it took them a week to get it done. I wonder if anyone went home that night and thought about the Man they were praising? Thought about the message He brought? Thought about the salvation that would be provided to them through their faith? I am sure some did and the vast majority didn't because He had no open opposition to His death.

Jesus had the power to just give up on us, skip the crucifixion, gone back to Heaven, but He didn't. He went through the following week knowing He would be killed and He did so willingly so that you and I might have life in abundance. Hallelujah!  If you got up today and thought you had nothing to priase God for, Praise Him for His sacrifice. The One you knew no sin, became sin for us! What a love He has for us; He loves us despite of our sinful, crowd following, no thinking, no backbone selves. I want to thank Him right now for His courage and ask for forgiveness for the lack of mine. If you are part of the praise fest this morning, make Jesus proud. Do the right thing because His power lives in you.

Stephanie