There's a saying around Nevada, "If you don't like the weather, just wait. It will soon change." I have found this to be true. Things do change very quickly around here.
Just under 2,000 years ago the same was true in the city of Jerusalem. At the beginning of what we now call Holy Week Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey, fulfilling a prophecy from Zechariah 9:9. The people praised him and cried, "Hosanna, Hosanna to the Highest." Then just five days later those same people were crying "Crucify Him, crucify Him."
Why is mankind so fickle? Are we still the same today? Which crowd do you belong to?
All good questions. First, Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: Who can know it?"
This is something else I have found to be true. I look at some of the things men do to one another and can only ask God why? Even the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 7:15 ... "But what I hate I do!" The question about our hearts is so very true, "Who can know it?"
Second, sadly we still are the same today. We are a people who are blown like the wind from place to place. We live in a instant world, we cannot find satisfaction, we want but do not know want we want, we see through a glass darkly but believe we have all the answers. Symbolically we praise God in church on Sundays, we go for a drive through instant spiritual meal, ask God to super-size it and then by Friday we are crucifying Christ by the lives we live. We do not develop a relationship with Christ because we just do not have the time.
Third, is a question only you can answer. There are many symbols attached to Holy Week. Palm branches, pilates wash basin, crown of thorns, cats of nine tails, the cross and the empty tomb. The greatest of these is the empty tomb. If you will ask Christ to forgive your sin, believe He is risen and accept Him as Savior you can be part of the army of Christ.
Christ will return to earth once again but then he will come as a conquering King. Your choice is to be part of His army or His enemy. Hosanna or crucify Him.
- Cary Dyer is pastor of Well of Worship church in Mound House.