“1 When they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples 2 and told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here right away.'”

4 So they went and found a young donkey outside in the street, tied by a door. They untied it, 5 and some of those standing there said to them, ‘What are you doing, untying the donkey?’ 6 They answered them just as Jesus had said, so they let them go. 7 Then they brought the donkey to Jesus and threw their robes on it, and He sat on it.

8 Many people spread their robes on the road, and others spread leafy branches cut from the fields. 9 Then those who went ahead and those who followed kept shouting:

 “Hosanna!

He who comes in the name

of the Lord is the blessed One!

10 The coming kingdom

of our father David is blessed!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

11 And He went into Jerusalem and into the temple complex. After looking around at everything, since it was already late, He went out to Bethany with the Twelve.”

Mark 11:1-11

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What a strange mix of emotions must have been running through Jesus’ heart this day. Celebration, laughter and joy tempered with an anticipation of the terrible events yet to come that are now set in motion. Happiness at seeing the people recognize Him for who He is, but also a sadness because they only understand the surface of what this action means. These who shout ‘Hosanna’ will also shout ‘Crucify’ in less than a week.

There are times where I have trouble being in the moment because I am anticipating and thinking about what is yet to come. There are plans to execute, arrangements to be made, people to catch up with & other things to do. So, I wonder if Jesus was looking around the edge of the city toward Golgotha as He entered that day. I wonder if the events of Thursday and Friday, yet to come, we’re now occupying His heart and mind. Was He able to focus and receive the adulation and worship He was due with His whole heart? Did He smile and engage with people, or was this a very serious thing for Him? My human heart and mind cannot begin to think what His heart and mind were capable of or tended towards. 

This look at the Temple complex, now modified by man beyond God’s plan, in its last  days of purpose and needed use must have been interesting. After this coming weekend, no more lambs would be needed, no more blood had to be poured out. Jesus’ sacrifice would do away with so much of what went by for daily practice at the temple. After His passion, people could go back to walking with God wherever they were, talking with Him, worshipping Him. The temple could be used for teaching and worship and everyone would be welcome…in theory. But that’s not what would occur. 

This ‘Triumphal Entry’ into Jerusalem was triumphal by human standards, because it held such distinctive political meaning. But for Jesus, the true triumphal walk would be the one that would occur Sunday morning when the stone rolled away. 

As we GoLove people today, we need to understand just how badly they _need_ their hearts opened to the entry of Jesus. It’s not a casual conversation to bring up, but sin, death & hell are not casual topics. Grace and mercy are deep wells, and to spend time talking to people about the joy and redemption that comes from them? That will require an investment on our part and theirs. We need to keep our eyes and hearts focused on Golgotha and the empty tomb, because it is the work that Jesus did there that quite literally changed _everything_.