A Bittersweet Entry

I’ve been thinking a lot about the Palm Sunday story.

As well known as the story is, I think there is another side to it.

A side many people miss.

What they miss is seeing the day from Jesus’ point of view.

 

When people think about Palm Sunday, they usually think about how Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a colt with people laying palm branches before Him, shouting,

“Hosanna! Glory to God in the highest!” John 12:12-15 (NIV)

 

Many people loved Jesus so they cheered for Him loudly.

This was a very special and important time.

Jesus was declaring Himself king in a very humble way.

He was fulfilling prophecy that spoke of Him being the Messiah. (Zechariah 9:9)

It was a time of celebration.

 

That’s a very important part of the story.

 

What a lot of people don’t realize, though…

It was also a time of sadness.

 

A few minutes earlier, as Jesus was preparing to ride into Jerusalem, He looked on the city and cried.

He saw this city full of people He loved so much – people He was about to die for.

He knew that many of them did not love Him back and that many would perish because of this lack of love.

It broke His heart to think of them not accepting this gift of freedom from sin and the opportunity of reconciliation to God that He was offering them.

 

Jesus wept as He said,

“If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you to the ground, you and the children within your wall. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”  Luke 19:41-44 (NIV)

 

He knew that they were going to suffer so much hardship and pain because they had rejected Him., refusing to believe He was the long-expected King spoken of in Scripture.

 

He cried as He looked at them because He knew what was coming, and because He loved the people so deeply.

He knew if they’d only accept Him then He could bring them peace and save them from so much heartache.

 

Jesus loved the people of Jerusalem and longed to comfort and protect them.

 

Jesus knew He was going to be crucified because of the peoples’ sins whether or not they accepted and loved Him.

He grieved over it – not because of the upcoming pain He was going to endure, but because Jesus loved mankind so much He wanted them to repent for their sins – for their sake, not His.

He was worried about the pain and suffering they were going to suffer.

He was brokenhearted because He knew them rejecting Him meant they were rejecting the Father and that they would be eternally separated from Him.

Jesus knew they were missing out on the most important event they would ever have in their lives – the opportunity to be with Christ, the Son of God come in the flesh to ransom mankind.

 

That day as Jesus sat on that colt, He knew His time on earth was coming to an end.

He knew time was running out for people to open their eyes and realize Who He was while He was there with them.

How hard it must have been to know that so many would reject Him..

 

As Jesus rode into that city to declare Himself the prophesied king who was going to save the world, He did it full of love and compassion for all those around Him, both those who loved Him and those who didn’t.

What a picture of true love Jesus was showing them.

What a blessing it was for the long-expected King to come riding in to Jerusalem, declaring Himself the Savior of the world!

 

 

Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! ~John 12:19 (NIV)

 

To learn more about Palm Sunday, read my post, What is Palm Sunday?.

 

To learn more about the Easter Season, please visit my Easter page, a compilation of previous Easter and Lent posts.