Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord— the King of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written: “Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!” His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him. So the crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to testify. It was also because they heard that he had performed this sign that the crowd went to meet him. The Pharisees then said to one another, “You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!” (John 12:12-19, NRSV)

As the disciples watched this scene of Jesus riding a donkey and people waving palm branches and shouting Hosanna, they didn’t get it. Until they saw Him glorified. The world nor religion can keep God from doing what He is going to do. Nothing will keep the mission of God from happening. Not leaders, nor our not understanding. God will work in and through all things to have His will done.

Are you ready to serve Him even when you don’t understand it?

The Plot to Kill Lazarus

When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus. (John 12:9-11, NRSV)

They wanted to kill Lazarus because people were believing in Jesus because of him! Was it honestly because of Lazarus or because Jesus brought him back to life? And did Lazarus really have any choice in this?

People want to eliminate any and all adverse effects against what they believe. We will go to the end of the world to eliminate a foe against our thoughts or beliefs before we look to see if we are wrong. Why do we look to eliminate rather than to see if we might be wrong?

What is wrong with being wrong?

Mary Anoints Jesus

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” (John 12:1-8, NRSV)

This is extravagant love! Love poured out for one.

Mary had a pound of perfume made from Nard and it was expensive. Judas said that it was worth 300 Denarii, and 1 Denarii was a days wage. So in today’s terms that would be about $58 for 1 Denarii. So 300 Denarii would be $17,400. Could you imagine pouring a bottle of perfume that costs $17,400 over someone’s feet?

And then on top of that, she dries them off with her hair! A very intimate extravagant display of affection.

But is it about the costs financially or the relationships?

I think that is what Jesus is getting at with you always have the poor with you. It is about meeting their needs, but that is more about being in a relationship with them than it is about funding.

So what is your relationship with God worth to you? Are you ready to intimately and extravagantly pour out your life for Him, like He did for you?

The Plot to Kill Jesus

Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what he had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.” He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the dispersed children of God. So from that day on they planned to put him to death. Jesus therefore no longer walked about openly among the Jews, but went from there to a town called Ephraim in the region near the wilderness; and he remained there with the disciples. Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. They were looking for Jesus and were asking one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? Surely he will not come to the festival, will he?” Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus was should let them know, so that they might arrest him. (John 11:45-57, NRSV)

It is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.

Did Caiaphas know what he was saying?

Or was he just trying to get rid of the problem that Jesus was causing them?

Sometimes we say things we do not know where it comes from. Caiaphas was thinking that Jesus was going to die so the Romans would not harm the Jewish Nation.

He did not realize he was speaking of the saving of the world.

What do we say that we may not fully understand?

Peter’s Denial

So the soldiers, their officer, and the Jewish police arrested Jesus and bound him. First they took him to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one person die for the people. Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter was standing outside at the gate. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the woman who guarded the gate, and brought Peter in. The woman said to Peter, “You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” Now the slaves and the police had made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were standing around it and warming themselves. Peter also was standing with them and warming himself. Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. Jesus answered, “I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said to them; they know what I said.” When he had said this, one of the police standing nearby struck Jesus on the face, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” Jesus answered, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong. But if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?” Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They asked him, “You are not also one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” Again Peter denied it, and at that moment the cock crowed. (John 18:12-27, NRSV)

What would you have done?

To admit you know Jesus meant you would be arrested. And who knows what would happen then. So would you have been like Peter and deny even knowing Jesus?

It is easy for us to say we would not have denied Jesus because we know all of the story. But in that moment would we have caved just like Peter?

Aren’t we all a little like Peter?