Reading

John 12:12-26 (ESV)

12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” 14 And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, 15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!” 16 His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. 17 The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. 18 The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

 

Meditation

Do you identify with those men and women standing along the road way shouting to Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey?  Or do you sit back in judgement thinking that you would never be one of them?  Maybe a better question is, “Have you ever had someone you wanted to be like? Someone you wanted to follow all that they did?”

Bruno, better known as Bruce Willis, was my hero when I was young.   He became a star in 1985 when I was 15 years old.  He was the star of Moonlighting, as David Addison a detective and I thought he was the best.  I wanted to be David Addison.  One of the first drinks I had was a Seagram’s Wine Cooler because he was the spoke man (sorry mom and dad).  I changed the type of underwear that I wore because of him.  He was boxers on the show and I was briefs, I began to wear boxers because of him.  I know too much information for a meditation.  I even bought a cassette of his “Return of Bruno” album.  What a fanatic.  Please don’t go look it up as something to listen too.

We all have an idea of what we need for a Savior.  We all think that we know what we need to be the thing that saves us.  And if we see something that closely resembles what we think we need then we will jump on the bandwagon.  That is the messiah.    But it isn’t.  The Messiah is Jesus Christ,  The one who is from God.

The reality is that the Messiah is something different than what we can think of.  It is something beyond what we would hold as true.    Jesus is the answer to every question He is the one who knows what we need to hear before we ask the question.  He is the one who will hold us when we fall short and rely on our own strength.   We call out to a savior and it is based on what we think we need not on what we really need.   Jesus is the triumphal entry; He is the one who will bring us to the place of understanding and love. He is the one who will take us to the place that He has prepared for us.

Prayer

Father , thank you for loving us and bringing us to a place of submission,  It is only through you that we are able to hold on to the  glory that is present in the appearance of Jesus Christ,   It is only in you that we are able to trust that you have the best for us. You know beyond our selves what we need and you will provide it.  You are the one you gives us mercy and grace beyond what we think we need.   You are the one who will not hold back from providing what we need to be your children.  Amen.

Lenten Action

Trust God to provide for you to know that He is the answer.  Don’t trust on your own work but trust on the work that the Father has accomplished.