Holy Week Devotional: Sunday
During each day of Holy Week, there will be a guest on the blog from Knollwood Presbyterian Church. Today, that guest is Pastor Aaron Fleming
Today begins the first day of Passion Week with our Lord. The passage before us is connected to Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. As we are celebrating this week, we need to remind ourselves that this was one of the hardest weeks Jesus ever had to face. In particular, verses 41-44, our LORD was riding into Jerusalem on His donkey. He was weeping when He saw the ‘City of Peace’.The crowds were yelling ‘Hosannas” and yet His eyes were filled with tears as He beheld Jerusalem. Jesus knew that most of the people who were singing praises knew no peace and a few days later would be screaming for His crucifixion.
One commentator says, “When the Savior entered Jerusalem to bring peace and redemption, He found a people who were living in abject darkness who knew nothing of the Prince of Peace who was coming. They missed the light of the visitation of God. For them it was a day of darkness with no light in it. Jesus looked at this city, and He cried over it, saying: “How often would I have gathered you to Myself as a hen gathered her chicks, but you didn’t want Me. You wanted no part of Me. You hid your face from Me. You crucified Me. The way of peace you did not know. You missed the day of the heavenly visit that would redeem you and turned that day of visitation into the utter destruction of the city and the temple in AD 70.”
I think we can glean much application from our text. Mainly we need to look at our own hearts. This message is critical. Jesus plainly declared who He was and the people rejected Him. The same story can be told today. Jesus continues to declare Himself to be God through the Bible. Sadly, most people still reject Him today and miss their day of opportunity.
Today we can sit in church every Sunday and hear the Gospel message that Christ came to earth to die and forgive us of all our sins, and yet we can be oblivious to its truth. Don’t be like the people of Jesus’ day who witnessed His miracles and heard His teaching, but in the end rejected Him. These are sobering words. We can profess outwardly to be Christians and yet not be “true” Christians. We can live nice comfortable lives and yet be deceived as to where we will spend eternity. As we approach Easter and celebrate the day of Christ’s resurrection from the dead,may each of us make sure not to miss what is right in front of us. That day of opportunity is in front of you today.
Would you put your trust in the only One who can save you from your sin, avoid His judgement, and give you eternal life?