I missed it yesterday- the shouting, throwing of clothes and laying down palm branches. It was a much more culturally appropriate response to Palm Sunday I am sure. I missed that description, although I am not sure I have ever seen it.
John 12 tells “They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting “Hosanna!”
Matthew is a bit more descriptive. “A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. “
Mark 11 says “Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!”
and then there is Luke. “As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Four ways of looking at Jesus coming to save them. Going to meet Jesus, spreading coats, spreading branches, shouting and praising God for all his miracles. I would love a Palm Sunday with that kind of sacrifice to need saving.
We sing Hosanna which means “Lord Save us.” It is from the Hebrew phrase meaning “Pray, save us” If I was needing saving, really felt I needed saving, I am not sure I would be calm about it. There have been more than a few times that I have needed saving and Jim got a phone call that wasn’t necessarily calm and collected.
So if I really think I need saving, which I do, and I am convicted that Jesus is the only one who can be my Hosanna, how far am I willing to go? Throwing my coat, doesn’t seem like a big deal because I have more coats. In that time, they might have only had one, and not a Samsung Washing machine in the basement to clean it after it got walked on by people, and by a donkey. I have a chainsaw and a lopper- cutting branches off trees is easier for me than it would have been for them. But if I cut the branch, the growth is over. The tree branches provided shade. Shade is now gone. And the shouting? We are careful not to offend people by talking to loud or saying the wrong thing. Am I willing to shout to anyone who will let me talk their ear off about the miracles he has done in my life? What if they get upset with me? What if they call me intimidating, or bragging or tell me to be quiet?
That’s what we hear happened on Palm Sunday. How can we calmly stand singing about how we need saving? What coat am I willing to throw on the ground? What is valuable to me that I can lay down to show Jesus I need saving or that I am thankful for salvation? What needs to be cut down, let it die, for me to live deeper for him? When do I need to get over my pride and shout a bit because of a need I have, and a need Jesus will/has handled for me? We love to tell the good stories, the miracles, and we should. This week however, might be a good time for us to think about what we are willing to lay down, cut down or shout about.
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