After the children and the crowds shouted, “Hosanna in the Highest” in the triumphal entry to Jerusalem, Matthew says Jesus healed the blind and lame and He healed them. Verse 15 and beyond of chapter 21: “But when the chief priests and teachers of the law saw the wonderful things He did and the children shouting in the temple area, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David,’ they were indignant. ” They confronted Him, I suppose like our satirical, criticizing reporters and skeptics of today who cast aspersions on those speaking in the Name of Jesus, “‘Do you hear what the children are saying,’ they asked Him. ‘Yes,” replied Jesus, ‘have you never read, ‘From the lips of children and infants you have obtained praise?’ And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany where He spent the night.”
Holy Week is a time to consider Jesus’ message and purpose as He faced the events soon to transpire. He knew His mission. He acceded to God’s greater purpose, the salvation of His followers to all generations, all tribes, all peoples, for all time. This we know to be true: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes on Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Jesus was obedient, even to death, so that His followers would obtain eternal life.
This is My Psalm 341:
MY PSALM 341 HE DID IT FOR US
Dear Heavenly Father, Provider of all good things,
Sustainer of Creation, Merciful to all, Abba, Father,
We glorify Your Name and thank You for Your Son, Jesus.
We celebrate this special week, this Holy Week
For in it, we recognize the immensity of Your sacrifice
To fulfill Your Covenant promise, “ I will be Your God.”
May we in worship and renewed lives fulfill our part,
“We will be Your people and live for Your Glory!”
We remember His humble beginnings on our behalf.
Born in a rustic place, scratchy straw his pillow,
Lowly animals his lullaby songs,
No sterile environment, doctors, and ultrasounds,
Not for the Son of God, our Savior.
We remember his earthly parents
Charged with the responsibility of raising Your Son
To live humbly, to appreciate the little things,
To see possibilities,
To reserve His power for important moments,
To strive for Holiness, to seek the poor and downtrodden,
To shun glory for Himself, to teach precepts by example,
To turn everyday things into parables of significance,
To choose His associates from among the humble
To speak in public places and influence leaders,
To spend precious time in prayer and thanksgiving,
To resist Satan’s temptations and the easy road to fame,
To give Himself away as the Perfect Sacrifice,
And to show us the way to Heaven
And the relationship we can enjoy with You.
We see His miracles, we read His story,
We imperfectly follow His example
To serve You in every circumstance
In humble submission to Your will.
Help us to remember the joy of our salvation
To pray often for those who are lost,
To serve those who need You most,
To set our priorities to align with Your will,
And to be worthy of Your grace
Given so freely yet at such a price.
We bow in Your Presence
By serving You in thanksliving
For loving us enough to send Your Son
Jesus to redeem, restore, and resurrect us
On that last day when we join You
In eternal praise and worship.
In Jesus’ Precious Name
And for Your Glory. Amen.
I urge us all to spend this week in prayer, in fellowship with other Christians, to reject the Easter bunny nonsense and spend time with the Lamb of God who took all the sins of the world and carried them to atonement on the cross. For this is the true message of Easter.
If you are in the Melbourne-Palm Bay area of Florida, we invite you to worship with us livestream or in person at covenantpalmbay.org on Friday evening and Easter morning.
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