Palm Sunday Thoughts

So, as I'm listening to my pastor preach about Palm Sunday and the Triumphant Entry, an interesting thought popped in.  These people in Jerusalem who are hailing the King as He enters the city are probably the same ones that were shouting for Him to be crucified a few days later.  Its amazing how much things can change in that short amount of time.

Of course, like things normally go as I'm sitting in church, when I have these random thoughts and questions, something about the sermon will help to answer it.  These people who are celebrating Jesus' return to Jerusalem were wanting a king to come in and save them from Roman rule.  That is the king they were hailing as he came into the city.  But Jesus didn't come for that purpose.  His purpose was greater than anyone at the time could have ever comprehended.  He didn't come to save them from the oppression of the Romans.  He came to save them from the oppression of sin.  They were probably thinking Jesus would come in, say a few words and the Romans would be destroyed and the Jews would finally be free.  Instead, the man they were hoping would deliver them does nothing when he's arrested and beaten.  He takes the beating and just listens as they shout for His death.  Someone even challenged Him to save himself as He was hanging on the cross and He didn't.  He knew what He had to do in order to save us all, and He finished that task.

So I think the reason the people were cheering for Him one moment and shouting for His death the next is because they wanted something small when Jesus came to complete something greater.

I'm so glad I live in today's world where I can look back and see how God's plan was working rather than being one of the people with certain expectations of what the Messiah would be and then being disappointed.

Of course, it could also be said that too often I think I know how God is going to do something and get disappointed when He doesn't.  I should instead try to wait patiently and see what He's going to do instead that's going to serve a greater purpose in my life and the lives of those around me.

How about you?  Do you have specific examples of how your expectations of the actions of God haven't panned out, but in the end were better and more glorifying to God?  Or do you have your own thoughts about Palm Sunday, perhaps something YOUR pastor preached about this Sunday.  Leave a comment below and tell me about it!

Children Worshipping

This morning, I had the joy of running sound for the children's worship service at my church.  I used to do this all the time, but I've stepped away for a while now and let others take care of things for me lately.  This morning was the first time in months that I was up there.  I had forgotten how much fun it can be to worship with kids.  They have so much energy and absolutely no shame.  Adults need to take a cue from kids.  We shouldn't be afraid to just let it all go and completely worship God with all that we are, regardless of who is around us and how they might make fun of us.  How much joy would be ours if we unabashedly worshipped God with everything that's within us?

It was a great time and I loved just watching them dance and listening to them shout the lyrics to the songs. If you haven't been to the children's service at your church, I recommend trying it once...but you have to participate :)  And if you're church doesn't have a quality children's program, come try mine :)