Hosanna!

“The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” - Matthew 21:9.

“Hosanna” is an interesting word for people to have shouted at Jesus. It is a Hebrew word used for eliciting help from God in prayer. The people were probably shouting it because they had begun to realize that Jesus was their hope for salvation. On a Sunday (or possibly a Monday), Jesus entered Jerusalem with shouts of praise, but in less than a week the same crowds that shouted “hosanna” would soon shout “crucify”. What changed? What happened for such a dramatic turn? Life is filled with various times of highs and lows, but when you are doing your best and things still don’t go right it can feel defeating. On that Thursday evening of holy week, as Jesus arrived in the Garden of Gethsemane, I wonder what he was feeling about himself and the people that had turned.

The Garden of Gethsemane is where Jesus prayed on the night of His betrayal and arrest (Mark 14:32-41). According to the record in Luke, Jesus’ despair in Gethsemane was so deep that He sweat drops of blood (Luke 22:40-46). Jesus didn’t want to be alone in that moment, so he asked His disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be grieved and distressed.” (Matthew 26:36-45). Jesus had hoped the same three who had witnessed him be transfigured would stay alert with him, but later found them sleeping. I imagine Jesus was feeling alone and burdened, yet scripture also describes that after praying he arose feeling determined and ready.

This scene of the last days of Jesus’ life reminds me that the world may turn on you but God never will. Jesus arose determined and ready because he remained close to the will of God. In the darkest of moments of life it is my prayer that I can be more like Jesus. Being blessed does not mean that we are never burdened, but that we have within us a hope that the darkest moments of life cannot extinguish the light. This Sunday we will celebrate the Sunday that crowds shouted “hosanna”, but we will also prepare our hearts for what happened later on that week. Join us for worship at 8:30 and 10:45 AM as we continue this conversation.

In God’s grip,

Pastor Chuck Church