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The Triumphal Entry
by Dwayne Harris "The Triumphal Entry" Part 1 The Easter Series "Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. "It is written," he said to them," 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.' The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them." Matthew 21:12-15 Consider for a moment, if you would, the differing responses Jesus received during his triumphal entry into Jerusalem: Crossing through the city gates he was praised by the crowds, saying, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" However, a few moments later, while entering into the "House of God," the chief priest and religious scribes questioned him in anger, "Do you hear what these are saying?" These religious-leaders had become so blinded; they failed to realize the very God they claimed to serve was standing right before them. Instead, they had grown angry - frustrated at his teachings, challenged by his wisdom, and reviled by his simple nature. Perhaps they were in momentary shock, after all, just moments before he had cleansed the temple of the money changers who were selling items for personal gain. He reproved them saying, "My house shall be called a house of prayer!" The crowd was quickly gathering while the money-changers were still on their knees, checking every crevice of the stony floor for a missing coin or item of value. Hearing of his arrival, the sick and maimed quickly rose from their beds and came to see this "Jesus of Nazareth" who healed every manner of illness. Small children squeezed though the gathering in attempt at a front row seat. The blind took a steady hand and pressed towards the sound of his voice. It was a voice like no other; it resonated with compassion, it held the refreshing tones of love. It was in fact the voice of God Himself! - Unmistakable for anyone who had truly listened. That day, lives were changed forever. Not because they were made whole and restored, but because they had received the very gift of life itself Jesus Christ, God's one and only son. I still remember the day I met him. Like one in the crowd; I began pushing past all of life's failures and hurts, seeking the one who had the power to set me free. I rose up from my bed of sickness in desperation. My body which was full of the cancer of sin cried out for healing. I began to press in and called out to him by name, "Jesus!" To my surprise, he heard me. Our eyes connected and he reached his hand towards me. I felt loved and forgiven as the weights of my transgressions were lifted. I was changed in an instant - not momentary emotional excitement, but changed! Nothing about my life has ever been the same since that divine encounter. It was the very day God's son made a triumphal entry into my life. How have you responded to his coming? Have you received and recognized him as the Lord of all, or have you set him aside for a life filled with pleasure and pursuit of personal gain? The day is quickly approaching that Jesus will come again. Angels will herald him in the heavens, the earth will quake at his arrival, and every knee shall bow at his presence. Upon his first entry "some" chose to worship, however, when he arrives in his heavenly glory, "every" tongue will confess his deity. What a triumphal entry it will be. The Easter Series continues with Part 2 "Passover" Dwayne Harris is the founder of Fresh Outpouring Ministries. He is an emerging voice in the cause of evangelism and has been featured on Christian talk-radio, Christian television, and is a published devotional writer. For more info. visit www.freshoupouring.com. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |