Daze 9: If You Knew What Was Coming Next, What Would You Do?

In this pandemic, if you knew what was coming next, what would you do? If you knew where to invest, what you could buy, how you could protect your family, what would you do? How would you spend your time??

This week before Easter I've been thinking a lot about how Jesus knew everything. He knew what was going to happen next, each day and hour, from His entry into Jerusalem to His crucifixion to His resurrection. Even through He knew it all, it didn't change His actions or His great love that took Him to the cross.

This week I'm going to tell you everything that's recorded about what happened during this week almost 2000 years ago. At the end of each post are the Bible references for each day's events. There's also a little blurb in the middle of the first one called, "Your Turn Now."

Knowing What Comes Next, What Would You Do?

Sunday: Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

 

Jesus was on the path to Jerusalem.

               With 12 men gathered 'round.

Told them what would happen next,
               Facts that would astound.    

He would be betrayed,
Handed to His enemies,

Condemned to die,  but first

Mock Him

Insult Him,

Spit on Him,

Flog Him,

Crucify and kill Him.

                               Yet He was not afraid.

Then He told them that He knew

               In three days He would rise,

But first He must be sacrificed

               For for you and me He dies.

He Was Troubled, so He talked with His Father

  

               He didn’t ask to be saved,

                              He knew why to earth He came.

               He only told His Father,

                              “Glorify Your name."

Then a Voice from heaven came,

               Told Him that  it would be so.

Jesus said he would do it and

               Draw all men to hear and know.

Jesus at the Mount of Olives

               He sent two disciples on ahead,

                              Instructing them on what to do.

               Find a donkey never ridden,

                              Untie it and bring it through.

               If anyone asks you why,

                              Just simply say,

               “The Lord needs it, and

                              Will send it back today.”

YOUR TURN NOW

So what does the Lord need of you now?

               Something new, never before used?

What would it be?

Some prized possession?

What good is a donkey? Palm branches?

Maybe some clothes or something special you’ve created.

What good is your cloak or any of your possessions?

What good is what you do every day?

What you are especially good at that He could use?

Or do you ask--

How fruitless it is to follow Jesus?

How to get rid of His words, His life?

What do you weep over now?

Who or what breaks your heart?

Who do you say He was and is?

Is He king and Messiah or just a story in a book?

Who are you today and who do you want to be in all the days ahead?

               For all eternity?

The Rest of What Happened That Day

So it happened just as Jesus said.

The disciples placed their cloaks on the colt for Jesus to sit on.

When the colt came to Jesus, it willingly let Jesus be its first rider

And so more Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled.

On His ride into Jerusalem, there was a very large crowd who….

               Took their cloaks and spread them on the road.

               Cut palm branches from the trees and fields

Spread them on the road,

               Shouted like the swelling of an ocean,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!

Blessed is the King who comes in the Name of the Lord!

Hosanna in the highest!”

The whole city was stirred by Jesus, asking each other Who He was!

               The crowds said, “This is Jesus,

The prophet from Nazareth in Galilee? *[why question]

               This Coming King of all kings!

So this all happened just as God said it would,

Then the crowd continued to spread the word to others.

And many more people went out to meet Him,

When He came into Jerusalem, all the city was moved.

The crowd grew so big the Pharisees said to each other,

“Look! This is getting us nowhere.

Look how the whole world has gone after Him.”

The Pharisees were so upset they even told

               Jesus to rebuke His disciples!

But Jesus told them,

               “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out!”

So the ancient prophecies continued to be fulfilled.

Then Jesus did something surprising.

               He wept over the city, over Jerusalem,

                              Because they did not know what would bring them peace.

He predicted its cruel destruction, not leaving one stone on another,

                              Because they did not recognize the time of God’s coming to them.

So when does Jesus weep?

               He wept over people, like Lazarus, missing out on life.

               He wept over cities, like Jerusalem, that do not recognize He could bring them peace.

               He weeps over you, Your life  when you do not come to Him.

When Jesus finished these words, the disciples

Didn’t know what would happen next,

Didn’t understand what was happening,

                              At first.

                              Only after Jesus was raised from the dead did they realize…

                                             What all these events meant,

                                             What had been written about Him in the Scriptures,

                                             How it had all come to pass before their eyes,

                                                            All they had done to Him in the process,

                                                            That He was King and is now the reigning King!

References:

Mt. 20:17-19, Mk. 10:32-34, Luke 18:31-34

Mt. 21:1-11, Mk. 11:1-10, Luke 19:29-44, John 12:19-36

Zechariah 9:9 and Isaiah 62:11