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Hosanna!  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!
                                                                               -- Mark 11:9-10 

                        The final week of Jesus’ life begins with a celebration.  As he makes his way to the Holy City – Jerusalem – for the celebration of Passover, the crowd which had been following him broke into full gala mode.  They spread their coats on the ground, waved Palm branches and broke into a shout. 

                        But this party clearly foreshadowed a darker day.  You see it in the language of their shouts.  Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! 

                        All throughout Mark’s telling of the gospel, its clear that most people don’t understand Jesus or his purpose.  People think that the kingdom he has come to establish is a restoration of the great nation of Israel, inaugurated under David, 1000 years earlier.  As he approaches the city, people believe he’s coming to overthrow the oppressive Roman government, reform the religious authorities who had become subject to Rome, and institute a popular revolution. 

                        Not only did this ultimately get Jesus killed, it missed the point of his life 
entirely!  For Jesus came…

Ø                  not to be a popular hero…but to save us from our sins;

Ø                  not to lead a national revolution…but to reveal a new kingdom, under God;

Ø                  not as a popular king…but as a suffering servant. 

                        And he calls us to follow in his footsteps.  For in his footsteps, we find true liberation from oppression, joy, peace, and life that is more fulfilling than anything a nation can offer us. 

Hosanna!  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! 

Prayer: 

Hosanna, loud hosanna, The little children sang;
      Through pillared court and temple The joyful anthem rang;
      To Jesus, who had blessed them Close folded to his breast,
      The children sang their praise, The simplest and the best. 

“Hosanna in the highest!”  That ancient song we sing,
       For Christ is our Redeemer, The Lord of heaven our King.
       O may we ever praise him With heart and life and voice,
       And in his blissful presence Eternally rejoice.
                                                     -- Presbyterian Hymnal (1991), #89 (v. 1,3)

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