It was six days before the day of Passover and Jesus knew he had to return to Jerusalem. He traveled along with a multitude of His disciples to the Mount of Olives, near Bethany where He sent two of His disciples into the village to fetch a donkey.
“You’ll find a colt,” He told them, “Loose him and bring him here. If any man asked you why you loosed him, tell him that the Lord has need of him.”
They did as they were told and soon returned with the colt. They placed their coats on the colt and Jesus sat upon him. Others spread their garments in the roadway and some cut branches from the trees and spread them in the way.
As they approached the city, the disciples began to loudly sing praises to God for all the mighty works they had seen, saying: “Blessed be the King that comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
Some Pharisees among the crowd told Jesus to rebuke his disciples. Jesus answered, “I tell you that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”
As I read this account of the first Palm Sunday, in Luke 19:29-40, I was thrilled at Jesus words. If the people didn’t praise the Lord, the stones surly would. It would come to pass (happen) one way or the other.
In the previous and following verses Jesus spent much time telling his disciples exactly what was about to happen to Him, but for some reason, none of them seemed to understand many of the things He told them. Peter even pulled Him aside at one time and told Him not to say such things. Jesus rebuked Peter by saying, “Get ye behind me, Satan.”
In the days that followed all things happened according to God’s plan and as Jesus had said they would. Even today all things happen according to God’s plan and will come to pass. We look for the signs of His return, holding to His promise that, ” …. if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14: 3.
Since none of us know for sure when His return will be, let’s spend our time wisely by making sure we do our part in sharing the good news to others. As Jesus tried to prepare his disciples for what was about to happen to him in Jerusalem, He also had to prepare Himself by spending time in prayer. He asked the disciples to pray with Him, but they were weary and fell asleep.
The full knowledge and understanding of Christ and His death on the cross were not known to His diciples at the time. Had they known the full impact of what was about to happen, I’m sure none of them would have been caught sleeping. Today,we know the truth of His life, death and resurrection and what it means to those of us who believe. Let us spend much time in prayer that more will come to the knowledge of His love and salvation. Let us not be caught sleeping as all the glorious things He has promised shall come to pass.
