Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-19
"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:5
Sometimes people will ask, "Do you want the good news or the bad news first?" During the Easter season we have good news, then terrible news, then incredibly great news.
The good news was what we call Palm Sunday, the Sunday before the resurrection. As Jesus and His disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to two small towns, Bethphage and Bethany. Jesus told two of his disciples to go to the village ahead of them. As they entered the town they would find a colt no one had ever ridden. They were to untie it and bring it to Jesus. If anyone asked them what they were doing they were to say, “The Lord needs it and will send it back shortly.” The two disciples found the colt just as Jesus had said. While they were untying it, the colt’s owners asked them why they were doing that. They answered as Jesus had instructed, “The Lord needs it” and they were allowed to take it. They brought the colt to Jesus, threw their cloaks on it, and put Jesus on it. This colt, that had never been ridden, was apparently calm and docile under Jesus’ hands.
Then Jesus rode the colt into the city. Matthew 21:8 says, "A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from trees and spread them on the road." Spreading garments and waving and spreading palm branches, were all part of the traditional Jewish reception for royalty.
Matthew 21:9 tells us, "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.'"
Some of the Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke His disciples for praising Him and He answered, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:40) Jesus is indicating that nature itself would praise its Creator if people did not.
The Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem was an object lesson on who He is. He fulfilled Zechariah’s prophecy saying, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9) This is a preview of the worship and adulation due Jesus that will one day culminate when every knee shall bow to Him and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is indeed Lord.
The terrible news came one week later. Jesus was tried, condemned, abused, humiliated, and put to death on a Roman cross. Where were the worshipers of the week before? Were some of them fickle enough to join the mob that shouted, "Crucify Him!"?
Even nature mourned the death of its Creator with an unnatural darkness that lasted for three hours. It was the darkest day the world had ever known. None of the people at the cross would have possibly been able to imagine that this day would eventually be called Good Friday. But just wait! The incredibly great news is coming, and it's coming because Good Friday took place!!!
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