I’m Rev Jay Stuart Glover, and you are listening to FaithTalk. Today, on Palm Sunday, people around the world are reflecting on Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, as captured in the Gospel of John.
In the twelfth chapter of John we read: “The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
This scene of the jubilant crowd welcoming Jesus paints a picture of the profound hope and celebration surrounding His arrival.
Back then the people had a messianic expectation. They envisioned a mighty deliverer who would liberate them from the oppressive Roman government. And with great enthusiasm, they praised Jesus as He entered Jerusalem.
However, it is essential to note that not long after this moment of adoration, the same crowd would turn against Him, rejecting Him. This 2000 year old shift from fervent praise to an intense betrayal is still a unwelcome reality for modern day Christianity. This passage of scripture not only tells a story but it invites us to reflect on our own personal spiritual journey as well as the collective journey of our faith communities.
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