Fickle

 April 2, 2023

Today is Palm Sunday, commemorating the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem as the crowds cried, “Hosanna!” (God save), “Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord!” They were shouting the ancient hope of a Redeemer who would set them free from all oppression, a hope that has existed in the hearts of people for thousands of years. 

But less than a week later, the crowds were shouting a different demand. “Crucify him!” How is it possible to go from joyful acclamation to angry condemnation in such a short time? This isn’t a rhetorical question; Scripture wasn’t given to satisfy our intellectual curiosity or to answer psychological inquiries. It is critical that we know the answer to this question, lest we fall into the same trap. Many who have claimed the name of Christ have fallen by the wayside, sad, empty shells of the faith they once professed. If you were to ask them how it is that they have abandoned the faith they once proclaimed, most would tell you that Jesus disappointed them, didn’t measure up to their expectations, failed to answer their prayers.

I suspect the real reason is a bit deeper than that. When in his gospel Matthew tells the story of the Triumphal Entry on that long-ago Palm Sunday, he makes note of a particular question that was on the mind of the people, and of the answer the cheering crowds gave.

“And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?” So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.””

—Matthew 21:10-11 

The question is legitimate, the answer insufficient. Prophets are praised one day, vilified the next. It’s human nature and the nature of the business. If Jesus is merely a prophet, he can be followed, ignored, or persecuted. If he is who he claimed to be—Lord and Savior, it’s a whole different story. 

A lot of people come to Jesus, expecting him to straighten out the mess they made of their lives. We expect Jesus to make us happy. We pray, expecting God to do what we ask. We would never say it aloud, but we act as if we were God, calling the shots, and he were the servant, waiting to do our bidding. We have it backward. God is Lord and Savior; we are here to do his bidding, to give honor to him by how we live our lives. If we recognize Jesus for who he really is, it becomes difficult to walk away when things don’t go our way. If Jesus is Lord, omniscient and loving, I won’t quit when I don’t understand what happens in life. If he is only prophet, I can find another more suited to my own plans.

When Jesus asked Peter, “Who do you say I am,” it was the most important question anyone could hear. It still is. Prophet won’t carry me through tough times. Lord and Savior will.