Luke Chapter Nineteen, part two

Reading: Luke 19.28-48

Scripture: Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"

"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it... - Luke 19.39-41

Observations: As the crowd shouted praises to the long-expected Messiah who was making his entry into the city the unbelieving Pharisees tried to keep a lid on the commotion. Jesus, however, had no plans to keep his entrance into the city a secret. Traveling down the hillside across the valley from Jerusalem tears of sorrow fell down his cheeks. Jesus predicted the total desolation which would come to them when Rome would besiege the city in A.D. 70. But adding to his sorrow was the sad realization that they would fail to recognize God's coming to them. Before the next sabbath the crowds would be calling for his crucifixion and Jesus would be executed.

Apply: Every year as I contemplate this last week of Jesus I imagine myself in the crowd or one of his followers. There is a part of me that thinks I would have figured everything out and when it all came down I would have stood by his side. But there's a more honest part of me that realizes that I too would have chosen to follow the crowd. Or, if I was one of his disciples, I too would have betrayed him in order to protect myself.

I'm so thankful to be on this side of the resurrection! Even so, the temptation is still great to follow the crowd and run for cover when we should be standing up for Christ.

Prayer: Jesus, I confess that there are times when the voice and pull of the crowd are stronger than my faith. Forgive me for those times when I fail to represent you accurately, and may your Spirit empower me to be the person you are calling me to be.