From Hosanna to Hallelujah

From Hosanna to Hallelujah

by | Mar 25, 2024 | Thoughts

We call it Holy Week or Passion Week. It’s the last week of the life of Jesus. Approximately thirty percent of the gospel accounts are focused on this one week. The gospel of John dedicates over forty percent to this final week. It is obviously a very important week. Assuming the earth is about 6,000 years old, there have been approximately 312,000 weeks throughout history. This one week stands above them all. No other week in human history holds more weight.

The week started with Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey. He was met with cheers from the crowd.

John 12:13

“They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!”

The palm branches had long been used as a symbol of victory. As Jesus is entering Jerusalem, the people were very familiar with the teachings and leadership of Jesus. He had a following. To them He was the long awaited King they had been waiting on. Finally, there was a King like the stories of old from King David. Finally there was a King that could rescue them from the tyranny and oppression of the Roman Empire. Jesus was their long-awaited King. He enters triumphantly to shouts of “Hosanna!”.  Hosanna is derived from two Hebrew words:  “yasha” which means “to deliver” and “anna” which means “we beseech you”. The Greek word “Hosanna” basically translates as “Please Save Us”. As Jesus is riding into Jerusalem the crowds were large. They were in town for the annual Passover Feast. This year was going to be even more special though, because the King was finally coming to save them. But, the salvation He was bringing was not the salvation they thought it would be.

As the week progressed it became obvious that Jesus was not going to immediately overthrow the government as they had anticipated. Jesus had a much larger mission at hand.

As a side note, before we continue with the week, isn’t this just like us? We have an idea of how we need Jesus to save us. We have a preconceived notion of exactly what God needs to do in our lives. Could it be that there is a much bigger plan at work today, as it was 2,000 years ago during that Holy Week? The salvation He was bringing was not the salvation they thought it would be.

Jesus was on a mission. His mission was about to be fulfilled. But first, there was a lot to be done. Once again, much of what we read in the Gospel accounts happened during this week. Up until now during Jesus’ three year ministry, He has taught, He has healed, He has performed miracles, and He has had a few words with the false teachers. But this week, He leaves no doubt who He is and what He is doing. The first stop on Monday is to the temple where Jesus turns over tables and confronts the so called spiritual leaders. He returns again the next day and teaches all day long in the temple.

As a side note: We so often have this image of Jesus as being this very gentle pacifist. Yes, Jesus could be gentle. His demeanor was love and He welcomed all. But, not for those that were religious leaders that opposed His message. He referred to them as “hypocrites”. On several occasions Jesus would start a sentence with the words “Woe to you… “. If that was the start of the sentence, you can be sure what was coming next was a strong rebuke. It is not an overstep to call it righteous anger. So much for the always laughing, smiling, and gentle Jesus. Was He those things? Absolutely! Was He also a warrior on a mission that stood up against false teachers and hypocrites? Absolutely!

As the week continues, the welcoming crowd is becoming restless that Jesus hasn’t already overthrown the Roman leadership. It’s Tuesday now, and Jesus is teaching in the temple. Remember, he had just confronted the religious leaders, and now they are trying to trap him. A great “gotcha” question arises from the crowd:

Matthew 22:17

“Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”

The Pharisees were in the crowd. They knew that the nation expected Jesus to be their new King. They knew that an open refusal to pay taxes to Rome was grounds for arrest. They knew that they could trap Jesus with this one. As the question is asked, it’s likely that there were followers in the crowd hanging on the answer. I imagine the thoughts were: “Finally, let them have it Jesus, tell them that we don’t owe Caesar anything”. Let them know that “Rome can stuff it”. Well maybe I took a little liberty there, but you get the idea. That crowd from Sunday was riled up. They were ready for Jesus to get on with saving them. And Jesus was saving them, but not the way they thought. The salvation He was bringing was not the salvation they thought it would be.

Jesus simply replies…

Matthew 22:21

“So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

If this were a movie scene I can almost envision the rolling of the eyes in the crowd. I imagine some saying, “This, this is what we have waited on? Is that all He is going to do for us?”

Right after that, Jesus is asked another question about the greatest commandment.  As we now know, Jesus replied with:

Matthew 22:37-40

“Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Even the most nominal of Christians are familiar with the great commandment, and even a non-believer has likely heard of the Golden rule. This is Jesus being Jesus. This is Jesus staring at His opposition with a message of love. This is Jesus not falling into the “gotcha questions” trap. This is Jesus bringing salvation. But, the salvation He was bringing was not the salvation they thought it would be.

The crowd turned on Him during the week. All of the hope of a government overthrow was now dashed. Jesus wasn’t the warrior they thought He was. This was no King David. They were upset. They were angry and frustrated. Which leads us to the final part of the week.

On Thursday night (Friday on the Jewish calendar, because a new day starts at sunset), Jesus had a meal with His disciples. He was celebrating the Passover with them. During the meal, Jesus gave a great deal of instructions to the disciples. The Gospel of John dedicated five entire chapters to the meal. Remember how John wrote about 40 percent of his gospel account on the last week of Jesus? Now, John is giving us five chapters on just one evening. This is no ordinary week, and this is no ordinary night. Jesus was about the bring salvation, but the salvation He was bringing was not the salvation they thought it would be.

After the meal (later Thursday night, Friday on the Jewish calendar), Jesus is arrested and spends the night in a dungeon. It’s a dark and lonely night, and the salvation of the world is on hold.

Day break comes (still Friday) and Jesus is put on trial. A Passover tradition to show goodwill between Rome and the Jewish people was that one prisoner could be released during the feast. The choice of which prisoner to release was presented to the crowd.

Matthew 27:16-17

“At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus[Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”

Don’t miss this:  Look at the name of the two choices. It’s “Jesus Barabbas” or “Jesus the Messiah”. Jesus means “salvation”. Here is where it gets even more intriguing. The name Barabbas is derived from two root words: “Bar” means “son” and “abba” which translates as “father”. This is so good, there are no accidents in the Bible. The choice presented to the crowd that day was, “Jesus Barabbas” or “Jesus the Messiah”. Translated, “Salvation from the son of the father” or “Salvation from the SON of the FATHER”. Same words, big difference. The crowd is being asked, do you want salvation from this earthly man or this man from Heaven? Loosely, do you want salvation from your wisdom or God’s wisdom? Jesus Barabbas was a murderer. He was the lowest of criminals. Yet, he was set free.

Matthew 27:22-23

“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

Here it is just five days since that triumphant entry on a donkey into Jerusalem. The same people that were shouting “Hosanna” or “Please save us” are now screaming “Crucify Him!” Jesus had come to save them, but the salvation He was bringing was not the salvation they thought it would be.

You may know the story of Holy Week, but have you ever really pondered how frail the crowd was? Maybe their humanity isn’t all that different from ours. We of course have the benefit of the “rest of the story”.

On Sunday, Jesus rose from the dead. Sin had been defeated. Death had been defeated. Jesus was victorious. He went on to make several appearances before ascending to Heaven. With each appearance a new victory was found. Peter found victory over failure. Thomas received victory over doubt. To the disciples that were hiding Jesus brought victory over fear.

The week began with “Hosanna” of “Please save us”. The palm branches lined the path as a symbol of victory. That victory did indeed come. The people turned their words from “Hosanna” to “Crucify Him” to “Hallelujah”.  Jesus brought salvation, But, the salvation He brought was not the salvation they thought it would be.

God is still at work today. He brings salvation to all. We may have ideas of how that is supposed to look. We may take matters into our own hands. We start with a cry for help, our own “Hosanna”. Sometimes we give up on God when we don’t see immediate answers, and yes, we crucify him again. But then, out of love, Jesus still wins the victory. He brings salvation, but not the salvation that we thought it would be.

This Holy Week, trust the Lord. Turn your “Hosanna” to a “Hallelujah”. The journey between the two may be tough, because we don’t always see the big picture, but we can trust God. He still brings salvation, but not always the salvation that we think we need!

 

Crowns of Love and Compassion

Crowns of Love and Compassion

by | Mar 18, 2024 | Bible Study

Princess parties are common for birthday themes. Often the participants receive plastic tiaras to wear on their heads, which usually break within a week’s time. However, the Lord wants to set a true and lasting crown upon us.

Psalm 103:2, 4b:  “Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name… (who) crowns you with love and compassion.”

A crown symbolizes authority. The only ones allowed to wear a crown in a kingdom are the people who have legal authorization. A servant does not wear a royal headdress; however, the king and queen have the right to don a crown. They received the crown on their day of inauguration, when they were given legal authority to rule the land.

The Lord crowns us. The name of the crown He gives us is called “love and compassion.” Since the crown symbolizes our authority, then the name of the crown shows that our rule stems from love and compassion. What we decree in the kingdom must come from the authority of the kingdom which is governed by love and compassion. Our words and actions must line up with the kingdom ways of love and compassion since that is the authority we were given.

Often in our difficult circumstances, we want to make decrees out of our own opinions or sense of justice. Those type of decrees can only be made from the throne room. We may have crowns, but we are not the ones seated on the throne.

Psalm 89:8a, 14: “Who is like you, LORD God Almighty?… Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.”

This verse references God’s throne which is balanced on righteousness and justice. Those are the stability of His kingdom. His throne does not totter because He is seated on both of these divine attributes. He dispenses justice from a perfect place of righteousness. This is why He tells us to leave the punishment of injustices to Him.

Romans 12:9: “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.”

His throne is righteousness and justice. While these are the trademarks of His throne, this is not what we are crowned with. The crown He sets on us, the authority He has given us has a foundation of love and compassion.

How do we dispense love and compassion in difficult times to difficult people? We must recall what God did for us.

Psalm 103:2-4: “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.”

When we recognize His mercy and what He has done for us (forgives all our sins, heals our diseases, redeems us from the pit) then we can in turn respond with grace and mercy to others. We have been given much, so we give out of and in response to what we have received. With the authority bestowed to us, we decree loving and compassionate verdicts to those in our sphere of influence. I am not discussing what they may or may not “deserve”, just as we did not deserve all that God has done for us. I am also not talking about excusing or ignoring sin. This verse references how we are to govern our lives and our spheres of influence. Confronting sin can still be a loving and compassionate response. What I am referring to is that love and compassion dictates the response, however it may need to be. The way to ensure a loving and compassionate attitude is by focusing on, instead of forgetting, his benefits. Then, we are able to be beneficial to others by extending love and compassion. We were crowned with the attributes of salvation that we did not deserve and we grant these attributes to others, who also do not deserve them. This is the authority He gave us; this is the authority we are to work from; this is the way we are called to “rule” our worlds so that lives may be changed.

We have been given a beautiful crown. May we govern well. Extend love and compassion and see the kingdom of God spread.

 

 

Earth’s Injustice, Heaven’s Justice

Earth’s Injustice, Heaven’s Justice

by | Mar 11, 2024 | Bible Study

My mom loves World War II documentaries. I, on the other hand, avoid them. I am disturbed by the atrocities committed. Millions of innocent people were killed. Many of those who committed the crimes did not face justice for their horrific actions. It shakes me to the core because I struggle with knowing that God is just, yet injustice occurs.

I have been struggling with some minor injustices committed against me. My sense for justice is right, because God is just and He has established what is right and what is wrong. He understands the desire for justice while experiencing injustice. Jesus is the example for us.

Jesus is perfect. Thus, His desire for justice is perfect. Yet, He endured the most injustice of anyone in history. His perfect sense of justice had to react to the injustice committed against Him. Yet, Jesus submitted to the injustice based upon the Father’s will. He kept His focus on the desire of the Father and not on the people committing the injustice. For He knew, the injustice of earth was satisfying the justice in heaven. Jesus surrendered to heaven’s justice to be able to see past the injustice taking place against Him.

God sees the small injustices done against us, which of course is nothing compared to Jesus. Our hearts, though, cry out for justice. Instead of turning to bitterness or revenge, we must look for heaven’s justice being worked to a greater good than the injustices done on earth. Our perspectives must change by keeping our focus on Jesus and not what others have done against us. Then, we can experience the joy of the outcome even while enduring the consequences of the injustice of others inflicted upon us.

Hebrews 12:2-3:  “…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.   Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Forgive us for too often growing weary and losing heart! This shows we have the wrong focus. We must strengthen ourselves by looking to the injustice committed against Jesus which brought justice to all. God will work the injustices done to us to bring justice to others. People will be saved and transformed because of all we have learned and all the ways we have grown during the times of injustice. God works it for our good, so the injustice becomes a blessing for ourselves and for others.

Hebrews 12:7a:  “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children.”

The injustice trains us and strengthens us for the future.

Hebrews 12:11-12:  “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.   Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.”

The injustice is used for our good, it literally strengthens us. So, we can look at Jesus, the One who experienced the greatest injustice and know that our little injustices will refine us so that heavenly justice (salvation) is brought to many. We do not need to try to work out our own justice, or complain about injustice on earth instead:

Hebrews 12:14: “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”

We want to see the Lord. The injustices distract our focus from Jesus. We are to fix our eyes on Him and trust that He turns earthly injustices to heavenly justice when we allow the circumstances to shape us so then others can be changed. This is God’s grace, His empowerment, in the times of injustice. We do not want to miss the blessing in the pain.

Hebrews 12:15-16: ” See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.”

Obsessively focusing on the injustice leads to bitterness which in the end defiles many. However, focus on heaven’s justice prevailing over earth’s injustice leads to the salvation of many. We have a choice. We can focus on the injustice which is like one tiny meal in the scheme of life, or we can focus on eternity (our birthright). Let us not sacrifice the eternal perspective for an earthly, momentary one! We can live at peace with others for we do not have to be angry or bitter over the injustices they have caused. Instead, we can take an eternal viewpoint and be thankful that this earthly injustice will propel us to heavenly justice.

Thank you, Lord, for the injustices! You are working them out in our lives so others will be saved. Thank you for every injustice on earth for there will be heavenly justice brought forth. We look forward to what You will do in the midst of the injustices we face. We place our eyes on You. Thank You for how You used these injustices to shape us and to purify us. We submit to Your work. What the enemy did for evil, You will work for good!

5 Books Every Christian Should Read

5 Books Every Christian Should Read

by | Mar 4, 2024 | Book Commentary, Thoughts

First of all, this is a subjective list. There are hundreds of thousands of Christian books written over the years. The primary basis for this list is books that have caused the greatest impact in my life. These are books that shifted thinking or shaped theology. These are books that I look back and see their impact. This list may change someday, and I might even think of one I left off after typing this blog. I actually have at least five more that I’d like to include, but that can be saved for another day. For now, here’s a list of books that I would highly recommend.  These are not listed in any particular order.

Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire – Jim Cymbala

This is the true story of Brooklyn Tabernacle. In the 1970’s the church was a small congregation of less than 20 people. The bills were overdue and the building was falling apart. But, that’s when the prayer really started. Much more than a true story, this is a book on prayer and the power of God. This one is sure to inspire and bring hope.

Download or Purchase “Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire”

How Now Shall We Live – Chuck Colson

Colson goes deep in this one. This is a book about the Christian Worldview and how is lines up with other worldviews. Every worldview must answer the tougher questions. Colson takes a look at culture and how a distorted worldview can affect everything. The description on Amazon claims “This book will change every Christian who reads it.” That’s a bold statement, but this book definitely helped form my outlook on life.

Download or Purchase “How Now Shall We Live”.

Counterfeit Gods – Tim Keller

God is the only one that can truly satisfy the deepest longings of our heart. We were created with that need for Him. However, that desire has led our humanity down a trail that never works. It’s been a chase for the counterfeit instead of the real thing. This book is hard hitting, exploring the empty promises that life brings. Tim Keller will challenge your thoughts and your pursuits. One of my favorite quotes from the book is “an idol is anything that is more important to you than God.” Even good things can become idols. This book will have you seeing everything differently.

Download or Purchase “Counterfeit Gods”

​

Mere Christianity – C.S. Lewis

Honestly, no list would be complete without “Mere Christianity” on it. If you haven’t read it, you should. The book is derived from a series of radio broadcasts defending and giving strong reason for the Christian faith. This book would fall under the category of apologetics. For the reader looking for something that defends Christianity and gives strong reasoning behind the claims and beliefs, this is the book for you.

Download or Purchase “Mere Christianity” 

This Present Darkness – Frank Peretti

Though this is a fictional novel it will open your mind to the spiritual forces that are at work around us. Peretti is a phenomenal author and this one is hard to put down. The book ebbs and flows between the cosmic battle of angels and demons and the life of those caught in the middle. This book has sold millions of copies and opened many to the reality of spiritual warfare.

Download or Purchase “This Present Darkness”

Once again, this isn’t meant to be the final word, but these books are definitely mind shaping. I’ll likely do a follow up blog at some point with more recommendations, because I’ve already got my mind on a few!