Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it, and he sat on it. Many in the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others spread leafy branches they had cut in the fields. Jesus was in the centre of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting,
“Praise God!
Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David!
Praise God in highest heaven!”
So, Jesus came to Jerusalem and went into the Temple. After looking around carefully at everything, he left because it was late in the afternoon. Then he returned to Bethany with the twelve disciples. Mark 11 v 7-11
I love the extravagance of the praise, honour and acknowledgement that the disciples and the crowds gave to Jesus as He entered Jerusalem. Clothing and cloaks were thrown on to the colt to make a saddle for the coming king and then branches, leaves and clothes were thrown down on to the floor in front of the colt as a wonderful red carpet for Jesus and the colt to walk on as He made His triumphal entrance into the city. There was noise, shouts, singing and cries of ‘hosanna’. The noisy procession was exuberant, loud, colourful, exciting, noisy, liberating, and joyful. There was no self-consciousness or inhibition. Bystanders joined in with the noise and the celebration.
I wonder how I would have reacted had I been at the scene on this occasion? I believe that I am probably known as a person of quiet restraint and self-control, of calmness and of considered action and purpose, a person of few words but of quiet intent and timely conversation. Would I have taken off my outer clothes in extravagant worship and thrown them to the floor and cut branches from the local trees and bushes to wave with happy abandon, and raised my voice in praise and adoration at the coming of the king? Would I have thrown caution to the wind, thrown off my inhibitions and self-consciousness, with no regard for the comments of others around me and simply joined in this cacophony of praise and worship? Or would I have been the quiet bystander, embarrassed and uncertain as to whether to join in with the crowd?
Praise in worship is a strange thing. Sometimes the large worshipping gathering makes it easier to praise, to raise the hands, to move and to sing the fast-paced worship songs. Sometimes I need to be in the large crowd- and the larger the better sometimes. I can be anonymous, concealed and feel safe in the crowd with a palm branch in my hands.
The real test of worship would follow shortly after this day’s event as the crowd gathered and clamoured for the death of Jesus. There would be those people in the crowd that day who would be shouting for Barabbas and for Jesus to be crucified. They would forget their cries of Hosanna and would instead shout ‘crucify’. Would I have stood my ground and shouted for the Saviour King when those around me were all clamouring for His death? Would my voice then have been the loudest? Jesus, my Jesus! That would be praise and worship indeed.
My song is love unknown.
Sometimes they strew His way,
And His sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the day
Hosannas to their King
Then “Crucify!”
Is all their breath,
And for His death
They thirst and cry.
PRAY
O LORD God Almighty, may my life during the week match my worship words on Sunday. Help me in my heart to realize that what I do each day is an integral part of my worship. I want to honour you with my heart, soul, mind, and strength every day of my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.