AFTER THE PARADE

 

Monday, April 3, 2023

 

AFTER THE PARADE

Luke 19:41-44

41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,

44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. KJV

 

          On the day we call Palm Sunday, Jesus paused to look at the city that had just welcomed him as King. As he did so, he wept over it. Here the Greek word is klaio which means “to wail aloud” rather than dakruo which means simply “to shed tears.” What Jesus saw was the future destruction of Jerusalem. It would be surrounded with trenches and battlements so that none could come into it or go from it. Thus, weakened by siege, Jerusalem would be overrun and none, not even the children, would be spared.

 

          Jesus explained that this would happen because they had not genuinely recognized “the time” that they had been visited. Here the word “time” means “occasion” and indicates that it was an appointment which they failed to recognize.  

 

          After the parade, or riot, of exciting or disturbing circumstances, it is important to ask, “What just happened?” In your excitement did you commit yourself to follow a path that you would quickly abandon? In your disappointment, did you fail to recognize God’s answer and solution to a problem? Praising or pouting, it is important to keep your wits about you.

 

Dear Lord, protect me from the ignorance of unbridled emotion. Prod me along the way that I do not stray from right thinking and right actions. AMEN

 

WHY PALM SUNDAY?

 

Sunday, April 2, 2023

 

WHY PALM SUNDAY?

 

Reading: Luke 19:28-44

 

Luke 19:29-31

29 And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,

30 Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.

31 And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.

 

          The events of the day we call Palm Sunday begin with Jesus Himself. He initiated his own applause and praise. That is curious and, well, not humble. It is also a bit weird in that Jesus knew there would be a colt, that it would be tied, and that it would be found at a particular intersection. He also knew the owner would object until it was explained to him that the Lord had need of him. A few verses more and Jesus explains that this was simply the appointed time for praise and that, if the people were restrained, the rocks would simply take up the cry! It is here we can cue “The Twilight Zone” theme song but the question still lingers. Why Palm Sunday?

 

          Because Jesus was and is worthy of praise. He is, after all, more than a man, more than a carpenter, and more than a home-grown philosopher. He is the Lord of Glory. He is the Darling of Heaven! He is “the lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world!”

 

          Palm Sunday highlights the irony of praising man. Just a few days later some of these same praising people would be shouting “crucify him!” Such is our response to God throughout our lifetime. We seem to move easily from praising to crucifying and then back to praising again. We praise Him with our lips and crucify Him with our lives.

 

King Jesus, today we praise thee! Let our praise rise because you are worthy. AMEN

A PLACE WITHOUT PEOPLE!

 

Saturday, April 1, 2023

 

A PLACE WITHOUT PEOPLE!

 

Mark 6:31-32

31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.

 

The Greek word for “desert” in verse 32 is eremos and the literal interpretation is lonesome. The desert place was not a place in the desert because they reached it by ship! No, the desert place was a place without people! It was a place without demands and duties although the duties remained, and the demands cried out. They withdrew for renewal.

 

Renewal and restoration are not luxuries. They are essentials. Being alone and resting for a while is not selfish. It is Christ like. Taking your day off each week or rewarding yourself with a relaxing, refreshing vacation is not carnal. It's spiritual. There is absolutely nothing enviable or spiritual about a coronary or a nervous breakdown, nor is an ultra-busy schedule necessarily the mark of a productive life.  Charles R. Swindoll (1934- )

 

Our “quiet time” is that desert place whether it is in the morning before others rise or at night after others have retired; it is a place where we get alone with the everlasting God. Every believer needs this time to reflect, to worship, acknowledge God, and be refreshed. What a tremendous resource we have in the everlasting God.

 

Dear Lord, many of us begin this day still weary from yesterday’s labor. Renew our strength. Some have worked until their physical strength was nearly gone. Renew their strength. Some have cared for others until their spirits are numb. Let them mount up with wings. Let them run and not be weary. We trust in Thee, everlasting God. AMEN