Former Blackout Artist

“At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.” – John 12:16

As Jesus made his way into Jerusalem, his disciples had yet to understand that this journey was ultimately taking him to his death on the cross. It would take Jesus’ death and resurrection several days later for them to open their eyes to many of the prophecies they had missed along the way and for everything to start falling into place.

As Jesus made his way into Jerusalem, a great crowd that came for the festival had gathered to meet him. The people had made a canopy of palm branches for him to ride under, while others placed their cloaks on the road to soften the footfalls of the donkey he was riding. They began shouting and praising him with Psalms of David:

“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!”

All of this provided such a welcoming and joyous backdrop. We can even imagine Peter expressing such excitement and promise to his fellow disciples. “Can you believe this! Look at the thousands of people who’ve turned out to welcome him! Remember this day, brothers! The tide has officially turned! They love him!”

As beautiful as this scene was for them, however, it would quickly give way to enormous fear, confusion, and overwhelming despair in the coming days. These same disciples would scatter when one of their own would betray Jesus to the Pharisees for thirty pieces of silver. One of them, who swore to Christ himself that he would never deny knowing him, would do just that on three occasions, just as Jesus had predicted. And these very people who gave Jesus this wonderful welcoming of praise and worship would do absolutely nothing to stop his torturous death. In fact, numbers of them would participate in the mocking and humiliation of him as his blood would pour out onto the ground before them on the cross.

As we think of the gravity of the events that led Jesus to Jerusalem that day, let us likewise be challenged to think about the events that have led us to where we are today in Christ. What details have we, like the disciples, overlooked along the way that clearly revealed God’s involvement in our lives?

Just as Jesus led his disciples into learning a deeper truth about him, may we be led to a deeper understanding of how God’s love and mercy is alive and at work for us.