John 12:12-13

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!"
ESV John 12:12-13

Palm Sunday is this week, so I thought it would be fitting to talk a little about what that means. Many of our Christian traditions only give passing significance to the day while for others it marks a pivotal point in the days leading up to Easter. My dictionary simply says: “…the Sunday before Easter, commemorating Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.”

But for many, Palm Sunday is the sixth and final Sunday of what is known as Lent. Catholics, and some Protestant traditions, observe this season called Lent, which denotes a 40 day period of time preceding Easter and is meant to model Jesus’ wilderness fast. Those folks who observe Lent usually do so by paying special attention to prayer and fasting during this period of time. Both activities are supposed to bring to remembrance Christ, his death, burial and resurrection.

As I look to Scripture (John 12, Matthew 21, Mark 11), at Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem (the first Palm Sunday I suppose you could say) I am struck by just how fickle people really are and just how quickly public sentiment can turn.

In our verses today, a large crowd has gone out to meet Jesus as he enters Jerusalem. Matthew tells us that some people spread their cloaks on the ground before him while others cut branches from trees and placed before him. This welcoming committee, having heard that Jesus was only two miles out of Jerusalem in Bethany, and having recently witnessed or heard testimony of Jesus healing the blind and raising Lazarus from the dead, gave Jesus a grand welcome.

Yet in only a few days, Jesus would stand condemned (though without sin) and sent to the cross to be executed in the company of criminals. Hailed as a King one day and treated as royalty yet executed as a criminal a few days later while soldiers rolled dice in a bid for the clothes off his back. My, my, how fickle we are.

Scripture makes no mention of large crowds gathering at his trial chanting for his release. No mention of crowds gathering at Golgotha decrying the moral injustice of it all. Where did they go? Where are the crowds that welcomed him with great pomp and ceremony a few days prior?

The greater question is where are you? If you know Christ as your Savior, do you stand for him daily? It’s easy to stand for Christ when public sentiment seems to applaud the stand, but it becomes much more difficult to stand for Christ when you are not amongst friends; when public sentiment is against your beliefs.

Ken worships at Tharptown Baptist Church where he teaches an adult Sunday School class. Comments on his column may be sent to kenaskew@charter.net.