David Bahn – Reflections

John 12:12-19

The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. ¹³ So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” ¹⁴ And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,

¹⁶  His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. ¹⁷  The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. ¹⁸ The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. ¹⁹ So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”

The Pharisees are none too pleased as they watch the spectacle of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. All they saw were people who had been hoodwinked. This man from Galilee had done a few magic tricks and the crowds had gone gaga for him. They had lost all sense of sensibility and there would be trouble brewing with the Roman leaders. Their disdain spews out in a sarcastic dismissal: “Look, the world has gone after him.” Would that it was so.

Take a look at this “king” today. He is riding a donkey – for crying out loud! Sure the people are praising him. But he has gathered no army. He has no henchmen. As far as we know the whole lot had only one sword among them. This group of fishermen, a tax collector, and the rest of his crew were not impressive. The only thing Jesus had going for him – humanly speaking – was the hearts of the people were with him.

But, wait: there’s more! Jesus also had God with him. He was coming in the name of the Lord. He actually is the King of Israel. And truth is a difficult thing to set aside. Truth has a way of coming back to bite you – even three days after you think you’ve dealt with it.

There are times when people utter God’s truth unwittingly. There are times when we speak a truer truth than we realize. Our speaking doesn’t make it so. God’s speaking, however, does make things so. And now we see a foretaste of the ultimate glory that Jesus will receive when God’s plan is completely accomplished. Jesus will die – he rides this day toward Good Friday’s death on a cross and burial in a borrowed tomb. But Jesus will rise again. And God will also exalt him to the right hand of the Father. And one day “every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord – to the glory of God the Father.”

Until that time, let us join with the angels and archangels praising this Jesus who comes to us today humble and lowly, on a donkey. He comes to save us from the destructive power of our sins, from Satan, from death. He brings salvation with him. He alone deserves our praise!