Understanding Brings Confidence, Part 2

When we say the principal thing is Wisdom, we are saying in essence that the principal or main thing is Christ because He is the Wisdom of God.  “But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24).  (Christ) “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:4).

But whoso hearkens to me [Wisdom] shall dwell securely and in confident trust and shall be quiet, without fear or dread of evil (Proverbs 1:33, Amplified Bible).

We see here in Proverbs that when we listen to Wisdom (Christ) we will be confident in the Lord.  We must daily ask the Holy Spirit of God to guide us with His Wisdom, the Wisdom of God.  He guides us in what we read, what we say, where we go, and how we do things.  He is our Guide and Teacher and Helper.  It is His desire to give us what we have asked for.  He desires to give us more than we desire to receive.

But desire is not enough.  It is a starting point, but we must go beyond that to faith and love and patience.  Patience is consistently believing God is willing to perform His Word for us and not only willing to but WILL perform His Word for us.

So what if it has been a long time.  So what if His Word has not seemed to work in our lives.  That does not change the effectiveness of His Word.  His Word is still true for you and me.  How many times I used to question God and tell Him that I did not understand and get so upset with Him and those around me who seemed to be getting their prayers answered.

This is a word in due season for someone.  Don’t give up.  Never give up.  Always go forward.  God is there for you.  I know from experience that He will not fail you.  Continue to trust Him, even when it looks like it is not doing any good.  Trust Him.  Believe Him.  Have confidence in Him.

Know God loves you unconditionally, no strings attached.  Your dear Heavenly Father loves you.  Decide to love Him and believe Him, if you never ever get one prayer answered.  He is more important than one answered prayer.  Your relationship with Him is vital to your sense of peace and well-being.  All of us must come to the point where He is more important than anything we will ever receive from Him.  When that happens, the receiving is easy.  Love makes receiving easy.

Understanding Brings Confidence, Part 1

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom:  and with all your getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:7).

We as God’s children must know that God’s Wisdom is what we must acquire in order to operate effectively in this world.  Get wisdom.  With all your getting of wisdom, you will get understanding.  In order to be successful and walk in victory in our lives, we must understand how God operates His kingdom

Understanding brings confidence to us regarding God’s desire and total ability to take care of us.  Yes, God greatly desires, longs for and passionately wants to be the One Who is allowed to give us everything He has—-health, prosperity, love, joy, peace, contentment, happiness, and days of heaven on earth in our relationships.

God is not holding back anything from you and me.  What happens is that we don’t always understand how to allow Him to do what He loves to do.  He loves to pour out on us all the benefits of His whole kingdom.  The challenge is not in His giving.  The challenge is in our receiving.  We get annoyed when things don’t happen AS we want them to happen, WHEN we want them to happen.  We blame God and get upset with those who teach that He is a good God and rewards faith.

God’s Word is true for you and me whether we see it operating in our lives or not.  If it is not operating, it is not God’s fault.  When we finally accept that fact and swallow our pride and admit that we missed it, then in our humility we can ask the Lord to show us how to receive.

We lose battles because we are not assured in our inner man that God will come through for us.  After all, we reason, He has not done anything for me so far, and it’s been a long time.  It makes no difference how long it has been, God still is waiting with the answer for you.  It’s still there.  Don’t give up now, when you are so close to winning.

Up From The Grave He Arose, The Resurrection of Jesus

Matthew 28:1-20; Mark 16:1-20; Luke 24:1-53; John 20:1-31, 221:1-25

When the Sabbath was past, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the sepulcher.  They had brought sweet spices that they might anoint Him.  They said among themselves:  “Who shall roll away the stone from the door of the sepulcher?’  There was a great earthquake, and an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.  The angel said to the women:  “Fear not; for I know that you seek Jesus, Who was crucified.  He is not here; for HE IS RISEN, as He said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay.  And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goes before you into Galilee; there you shall see Him; lo, I have told you.”

They departed quickly with fear and great joy and ran to bring His disciples word of His resurrection.  As they went, Jesus met them, saying, “All Hail.”  They came and worshipped Him.  Then He said to them:  “Don’t be afraid; go tell my brethren to go into Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

Some of the guards who saw all these things, went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had occurred.  The priests gave money to the soldiers and told them to say that His disciples came by night and stole Him away while the soldiers slept.

When Jesus had risen, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene.  When she went to tell the disciples that He was alive, they did not believe her.  He also appeared to two others, as they walked, and went into the country.  When they told the others, neither did they believe.

Afterward, when Jesus appeared to the eleven as they sat at meat, He reproved them for their unbelief and their hardness of heart because they had refused to believe those who had seen Him after he had risen.

The 11 disciples went into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.  When they saw Him, they worshipped Him, but some doubted.  Jesus approached them, breaking the silence and said to them:  “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.  Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have told you.  Behold, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

Later, Jesus ate with His disciples and said to them:  “Thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.  And that repentance and remission or forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.  You are witnesses of these things.  And, behold, I will send forth upon you the promise of My Father, but remain in Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Then Jesus led His disciples out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.  And it came to pass that while He was blessing them, He parted from them and was taken up into heaven.  And they, worshipping Him, went back to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple celebrating with praises and blessing and extolling God.  Amen, So be it!

HE IS NOT HERE!  HE IS RISEN!  FOR GOD SO LOVED THAT HE GAVE——-!

Go into all the world and tell them how much Jesus loves them.  His love is unconditional, unfailing, never ending!  Once you have experienced His love for you, you will never be the same again.  His love marks you for life!  He will do anything for you.  In fact, he already has.

Jesus Crucified

Matthew 27:32-66; Mark 15:21-47; Luke 23:26-56; John 19:17-42

Jesus was crucified on Friday, even though this Pearl is printed on Saturday.

When Pilate heard what they said, he was the more afraid.  He went again to Jesus and said to Him:  “ Where are You from?  To what world do You belong?”  But Jesus did not answer him. So Pilate said to Him:  “Will You not even speak to me.  Do You not know that I have authority to release You and I have power to crucify You?”  Jesus answered Pilate:  “You would not have any power whatsoever against Me if it were not given you from above.  For this reason the sin and guilt of the one who delivered Me over to you is greater.”

And when He was accused of the chief priests and elders of many things, he answered nothing.  Pilate said to Jesus:  “Have You no answer to make?  Do You not hear how many serious charges they are bringing against You?”  Jesus did not answer a word, so that the governor marveled greatly at Him.

Pilate continued seeking to release Jesus but the Jews cried out:  “If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar!  Anybody who makes himself out to be a king sets himself up against Caesar, is a rebel against the emperor!”

Hearing this, Pilate brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat.  It was noon on the day of preparation for Passover.  The people shouted:  “Away with Him!  Away with Him!  Crucify Him!”  Pilate said to them:  “Crucify your King?”  The chief priests answered:  “We have no king but Caesar.”

So when Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere with them, but that rather a riot was about to break out, he took water and washed his hands in the presence of the crowd, saying:  “I am not guilty of nor responsible for this righteous man’s blood; see to it yourselves.”  And all the people answered:  “Let His blood be on us and on our children.  Then Pilate set Barabbas free for them; he had Jesus scourged and delivered Him up to be crucified.

Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the palace, and they gathered the whole battalion about Him.  They stripped off His clothes and put a scarlet robe upon Him, and weaving a crown of thorns, they put it on His head and put a reed in His right hand.  And kneeling before Him, they made sport of Him, saying:  “Hail, King of the Jews!”  They spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head.  When they had finished mocking Him, they stripped Him of the robe and put His own garments on Him and led Him away to be crucified.

Jesus bearing His cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha.  They crucified Him with two others.  Pilate wrote a title for Jesus’ cross:  JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.  The soldiers gambled for his garments.  The chief priests and scribes and elders mocked Him and others reviled Him.  His words concerning them were:  “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”  Jesus bore our sins and sicknesses and diseases on Himself so that we could go free.  When He had borne the fullness of our punishment, He cried:  “It is finished!  Father, into Thy hands I commend My Spirit.”  Darkness covered the earth for a period of time.  The veil of the temple was rent in twain from top to bottom, the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; graves were opened.  The centurion who witnessed this feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God.”  When evening was come, Joseph of Arimathaea, a respected member of the Sanhedrin, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Joseph took fine linen cloth and taking Jesus down from the cross, he wrapped him in the linen, laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of rock.  Then he rolled a very large stone against the door of the tomb.

Jesus Before Pilate and Herod

Matthew 27:1-31; Mark 15:1-20; Luke 23:1-25; John 18:28-40, 19:1-16

As Jesus stood before the governor, Pilate asked Him:  “Are you the King of the Jews?”  Jesus answered him:  “Are you saying this on your own initiative or have others told you about Me? It is just as you say.  I AM!”  Pilate’s reply was:  “Am I a Jew?  Your own people and nation and their chief priests have delivered You to me.  What have you done?”

Jesus answered:  “My kingdom is not of this world.  If my kingdom were of this world, then My followers would have been fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.  But as it is, My kingdom is not from this world.”  Pilate said to Him:  “Then are You a King?”  Jesus answered:  “You say that I am a king.  This is why I was born, and for this purpose I have come into the world, to bear witness to the Truth.  Everyone who is of the Truth hears My voice.”  Pilate said to Jesus:  “What is truth?”

When he had said this, Pilate went out again to the Jews and said to them:  “I find in Him no fault at all.”  But they were the more fierce and emphatic, saying:  “He stirs up and excites the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee, where He began, even to this place.”  Upon hearing this, Pilate asked whether the man was a Galilean.  And when he found out certainly that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem in those days.

And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad, for he had eagerly desired to see Him for a long time because of what he had heard concerning Him.  He was hoping to witness some miracle done by Jesus.  Then he asked Him many questions, but Jesus answered him nothing.  Meanwhile, the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Jesus.  Herod with his soldiers, treated Him with contempt and scoffed at and ridiculed Him; then, dressing Him up in bright and gorgeous apparel, he sent Him back to Pilate.

Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people.  He said to them:  “You brought this man before me as One Who was perverting and misleading and turning away and corrupting the people; and behold, after examining Him before you, I have not found any guilt in this man in regard to your accusations against Him.  No, nor indeed did Herod, for he sent Him back to us; behold, He has done nothing deserving of death.  I will therefore chastise Him and release Him.”

Pilate said what he said because at the Feast of Passover, the governor was in the habit of setting free one prisoner whom the people chose.  At this time there was a notorious robber and murderer named Barabbas whom they held as prisoner.  So when they had assembled for this purpose, Pilate said to them:  “ Whom do you want me to set free for you, Barabbas, or Jesus Who is called Christ?”  For Pilate knew that it was because of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.  The chief priests and the elders prevailed on the people to ask for Barabbas and put Jesus to death.  “Away with this man!  Release to us Barabbas!”

Again, the governor said to them:  “Which of the two do you wish me to release for you?”  They said:  “Bababbas!”  Pilate said to them:  “Then what shall I do with Jesus Who is called Christ, the King of the Jews?’  They all shouted and kept shouting back at him:  “Let Him be crucified!  Crucify Him!  Crucify Him!”

And Pilate said:  “Why?  What has He done that is evil?  What wrong has He done?  I have found no guilt in Him, nothing deserving of death.  What I will do is chastise Him and release Him.”  But they were insistent and urgent, demanding with loud shouts:  “Let Him be crucified!”  Pilate said unto them:  “Take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him.  The Jews answered him:  “We have a law, and by our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.”

Jesus Before Jewish Authorities

Matthew 26:57-68; Mark 14:53-72

The band and captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus and bound Him.  They brought Him first to Annas, father-in-law of Caiaphas who was the high priest that year.  Caiaphas is the one who said that it was expedient that one man die for the people.  (Little did he know how he was prophesying Jesus’ death for all of our iniquities.).

Then they took Him to the hall of the high priest Caiaphas.  With him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.   Simon Peter and John followed Jesus at a distance to the palace of the high priest.  There Peter denied Jesus three times

The chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put Him to death and found none.  There were many who bare false witness against Him, but their witness did not agree.  There were certain false witnesses who said that they heard Him say that He would destroy the temple that is made with hands and within three days build another made without hands.  But there was still no agreement between their testimonies.

The high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus:  “Do you answer nothing?  What is it which these witness against You?’  Jesus did not answer at all.

Again the high priest asked Him:  “Are You the Christ?”  Jesus answered him:  “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I also ask you, you will not answer me, nor let me go.  I am He and you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”  Then they all said:  “Are you then the Son of God?”   He said to them:  “You say that I am.”

Then the high priest tore his garments and said:  “What need have we for more witnesses?  You have heard His blasphemy.  What need have we of further evidence?  What is your decision?”  And they all condemned Him as being guilty and deserving of death.  They spit on Him, blindfolded Him, and struck Him with their fists and said to Him:  “Prophesy to us, Christ.  Who is he that struck you?”  Again they hit him with blows of their hands.

Early in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council.  Then the whole assembly of them got up and bound Jesus and led Him from Caiaphas to the hall of judgment, Pilate’s house.  They delivered Him to Pontius Pilate, the Governor.  They did not go into the judgment hall so that they might not become ceremonially unclean and might be fit to eat the Passover.  (Once again, how little they knew that they were already unclean with their sins.)

Pilate went out to them and said:  “What accusation do you bring against this Man?”  The chief priests accused Him of many things.  They said:  “If He were not a criminal, we would not have handed Him over to you.  We found this fellow perverting the nation and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”  Then said Pilate unto them:  “Take Him yourselves and judge and sentence and punish Him according to your own law.  The Jews answered:  “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.”

The Garden of Gethsemane

Matthew 26:36-56; Mark 14:26-52; Luke 22:39-53; John 18:1-11

I believe that John 14-17 was Jesus words to His disciples at that Passover meal before they went to the Garden of Gethsemane, because we see in John 18:1 these words:  “When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the winter torrent of the brook Kidron or Cedron, depending on the Bible translation you read, where there was a garden into which He and His disciples entered.  We know from the other gospels that garden is Gethsemane.

When Jesus came to Gethsemane, He said to His disciples:  “Sit here while I go and pray.”  He took Peter and James and John with him, and he began to experience grief and distress of mind and was deeply depressed.  He said to them:  “My soul is very sad and deeply grieved so that I am almost dying of sorrow.  Stay here and keep awake and keep watch with Me.”  And going a little further, He threw Himself upon the ground on His face and prayed:  “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, not what I desire, but as You will and desire.”

And He came to His disciples and found them sleeping.  He said to Peter:  “What!  Are you so unable to stay awake and keep watch with Me for one hour?”  “All of you must keep awake, and watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation.  The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  PRAYER IS ESSENTIAL TO RESIST TEMPTATION AND LIVE LIFE AS GOD DIRECTS, A LIFE OF JOY AND PEACE.

He went away a second time to pray:  “My Father, if this cannot pass by unless I drink it, Your will be done.”  And again He came and found Peter, James and John sleeping.  Leaving again, He prayed for the third time, using the same words.  Then He returned to His disciples and said to them:  “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?  Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.  Rise, let us go.  See, My betrayer is at hand!”

While Jesus yet spoke, Judas and a great multitude of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees came with swords and clubs.  Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss as the sign of the one to seize.  Judas said:  “Whomsoever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.”  When He kissed Jesus he said:  “Hail, Master!”  Jesus reply was:  “Friend, for what are you here?”

Jesus said to the multitude:  “Whom do you seek?’  They answered:  “Jesus of Nazareth.”  His answer:  “I am He.”  As soon as He spoke that statement they all fell backward to the ground.  He asked them again:  “Whom do you seek?”  They said:  “Jesus of Nazareth.”  Jesus answered:  “I told you that I am He; if therefore you seek Me, let these go their way.”  He spoke this that the scripture might be fulfilled that He had lost none that the Father had given Him.

When the crowd seized Jesus and arrested Him, hotheaded Peter drew his sword and struck a servant of the high priest’s and cut off his ear.  Jesus said to him:  “Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.  Do you suppose that I cannot pray to My  Father and He would immediately provide me with more than 12 legions (more than 80,000) angels?  But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, that it must come about this way?  The cup that My Father has given to Me, shall I not drink it?”

Then Jesus said to the crowd:  “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against a robber to capture Me?  Daily I was accustomed to sit in the porches and courts of the temple teaching, and you did not arrest Me.”  All of this took place that the scriptures might be fulfilled.  Then all the disciples deserted Jesus and fled and escaped.

The Last Supper

Matthew 26:17-29; Mark 14:12-31; Luke 22:1-38; John 13:1-38

Before the Passover began, Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and return to His Father.  He loved those who were His own in the world to the last and highest degree.

Then came the Passover.  Jesus sent Peter and John to go and prepare the Passover meal.  They asked Him where they were to go to prepare it.  He said to them:  “When you enter into the city, there you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water.  Follow him into the house he enters and say to the master of the house:  The Master asks you:  Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover meal with my disciples, for my time is near?  And he will show you a large room upstairs, furnished with carpets and couches properly spread.  Make the preparations there.”  And they went and found the room just as He said it would be, and they made ready the Passover.

When the hour was come (evening), Jesus sat down with His 12 disciples and said to them:  “I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.  For I say to you that I shall eat it no more until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

And He took the cup and when He had given thanks, He said:  “Take this and distribute it among yourselves.  For I say to you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” This was Messiah’s cup that no one had ever taken at the Passover feast before.  It had remained for Messiah.

And He took the bread and gave thanks, and broke it and gave it to them saying:  “Take, eat, this is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

In like manner He took the cup (this is the communion cup) after supper saying:  “This cup is the New Testament or Covenant ratified in My blood which is shed, poured out for you.  But behold, he who is about to betray Me is with Me on the table.  For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined and appointed, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed and delivered up.”

The disciples began to inquire among themselves which of them it was who was about to do this.  Then an eager contention arose among them as to who was the greatest among them.  Jesus rebuked them, saying that he who is the greatest is he who serves.  He talked to them of their future in the Father’s kingdom.  Then He told Peter of satan’s desire to have him, but Jesus would take care of Him.  Of course, Jesus was referring to Peter’s denial of Him three times.

Supper being ended, Jesus got up, laid aside His garments, took a servant’s towel, and fastened it around His waist.  Then He poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and wipe them with the towel.  When He came to Simon Peter, Peter did not want Him to wash his feet as he thought it was too demeaning for Jesus, their leader.  Jesus rebuked him and told him that unless He washed his feet, Peter would have no part in Jesus.  Of course, Peter being Peter said:  “Oh, then wash my whole body.”

Jesus spoke to His disciples after He had washed their feet.  “Do you know what I have done to you?  Let me tell you what I have done.  I have given you an example.  The servant is not greater than his Master.  I Whom you call Lord and Master have washed your feet.  You also ought to wash one another’s feet.”

Love serves because it wants to, not because it has to!

The Anointing of Jesus

Matthew 26:1-16; Mark 14:1-11

Two days before Passover, when Jesus had finished preaching, He said to His disciples:  “You know that the Passover is in two days, and the Son of Man will be delivered up, betrayed, and crucified.”

The chief priests and elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, Caiaphas and consulted to develop a secret strategy how they might have Jesus arrested and put to death.  But they said that it must not be during the Feast, fearing that there would be a riot among the people.

Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper.  A woman having an alabaster box of very precious perfume (oil of spikenard), broke the box and poured the perfume on His head.  When the disciples saw it, they were indignant and declared:  “For what purpose is this waste?  For it might have been sold for more than 300 denarii (a laboring man’s wages for one year).”  They murmured against her.  They censured and reproved her.  Jesus was aware of their judgment and said to them:  “Why do you bother the woman?  She has done a noble and beautiful thing to Me.  You always have the poor with you, but you will not always have Me.  In pouring this perfume on My body she has done something to prepare Me for My burial.  Truly I tell you, wherever this good news of the Gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will be told also, in memory of her.”

Then one of the twelve, Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests.  “What are you willing to give me if I hand Jesus over to you?  And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver.  From that moment on Judas looked for the proper time and opportunity to betray Jesus.

Let’s look at this passage and see what the Holy Spirit tells us about the anointing of Jesus and the betrayal.

Jesus told His disciples that He would be betrayed and crucified.  Apparently, it went right over their heads.  Knowing these disciples, I am sure they would have had a heated discussion about what He said, particularly Peter.  But their eyes were blinded and their ears were stopped.  For understanding had not yet come to them of what their beloved Jesus would suffer.

We see in this passage two extremes concerning money.  The woman with the expensive perfume loved Jesus so much she was willing to give Him her all, in honor and praise for Him.  The perfume represented her pouring out her love on Him.  She did not understand the full significance of what she was doing, but her complete commitment to Him moved her to do something for Him.  She loved Him so much she wanted to give to Him.

Look at the disciples.  They condemned her and judged her and reproved her.  Who does she think she is?  What is she doing?  Doesn’t she know that that would have helped a lot of poor people?  Why is she wasting all that money?  Sound familiar!  Isn’t that what we have thought about something a person does when we don’t approve.  We are too quick to judge what someone does, not understanding the spiritual significance of it.  Let us leave it with the Lord when we see something we don’t understand, instead of analyzing it from our limited perspective.

Then there is Judas.  Greed, lust for money, drove him to betray Jesus.  He thought Jesus would use His Kingly anointing to pass through the crowd and not be crucified.  That is why Judas threw the money at the chief priests after Jesus was crucified and said that he had betrayed an innocent man and hung himself.  Oh the sadness of his death.  He could have been forgiven if he had asked forgiveness, but he did not know that.  Because of Jesus there is forgiveness for whatever you have done!

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry

Today is Palm Sunday, the day when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, as the people shouted praises to God for their King.  They thought He would reign on this earth as the earthly kings had reigned.  They were excited that at last they had a deliverer.  As we all know today, they totally misinterpreted what was about to happen a week later.  The disciples fled.  Everyone trembled with fear because He was crucified.  What they did not realize is that there would be a far greater kingly anointing that would come on them as a result of what He was about to do.  He was about to carry all man’s sin and sickness and disease and set us free forever to be whole spirit, soul and body.

We are going to summarize the scriptures from Luke 19:28-44 and Matthew 21:1-11 concerning Palm Sunday.

As Jesus was coming toward Jerusalem, He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives and sent two of His disciples ahead, with these instructions:  “Go into yonder village.  When you get there, you will find a donkey’s colt tied (Luke) a donkey and a colt (Matthew), on which no man has ever yet sat.  Loose it and bring it here.  And if anyone asks you, why do you loose him, say to him:  Because the Lord has need of him.”  This was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet:  Say to the Daughter of Zion, Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey (Isaiah 62:11; Zechariah 9:9).

The two disciples went their way and found it to be so even as He had told them.  As they were loosing the donkey and colt, its owners said to them:  “Why are you untying them?”  They said:  “The Lord has need of them.”  They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over the colt and set Jesus upon it.

As He rode along, a very great multitude kept spreading their garments on the road; others cut down branches and scattered them on the road.  As He was approaching the city of Jerusalem, at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the crowds began to rejoice and to praise God loudly, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David:  Blessed is He, the King, Who comes in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna.  Glory to God in the highest heaven.”  They were exalting Jesus for the mighty miracles and works of power that they had witnessed.

When Jesus came into Jerusalem, all the city trembled with excitement, saying, Who is This?  And the crowds replied:  This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee.  Of course, the Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke and reprove the crowds.  He replied to the Pharisees:  I tell you that if they keep silent, the very stones will cry out.

When He approached Jerusalem, He audibly wept over the city, knowing what would happen to the city and its inhabitants later.

Jesus’ disciples did not understand what was happening because they were looking only at the natural, fleshly circumstances.  Indeed, they truly believed that their King Messiah had come to set them free.  They were not able to see beyond the earthly, fleshly realm to realize that a greater spiritual freedom was about to be released on the earth for all mankind, which would surely result in physical freedom as well.

John 8:36:  “If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.”

He whom the Son sets free is free indeed.