““Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Blessed is the kingdom of our father David That comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”” (Mark 11:9–10 NKJV)
Observation: We call it the triumphal entry. Jesus riding on a donkey. The people laid down coat and palms. His entry into this world began on a donkey, and his exit would begin on a donkey. His birth heralded by the beast of burden. His death foreshadowed as our Burden Bearer mounted an ass, this time a colt who’d never been ridden.
Christ was like that colt you see. He had never sinned. Never had He felt the burden of the world’s sin as He was about to feel it. And like this humble colt, Christ would surrender Himself to God’s purpose without murmur or complaint. As beast is subject to master, Christ would be subject to God’s will. As the prophet foretold:
“He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7 NKJV)
Thus the triumphal entry was also a parade of Christ’s passion. The people heralding as conquering King Him who in actuality was suffering Savior. Yes He came in the name of the Lord. Yes He would gain the victory. No it would not be as He wielded sword and spear. But as He bore the 40 lashes minus one… as He was falsely accused and nailed to the tree… as He cried Father forgive… and as He surrendered His Spirit and bore the spear in His side.
This one for whom the children cried “Hosanna” truly was the Savior. But His salvation was to come via His suffering. His victory as He became the victim. It was a new deliverance… a deliverance of death through death… The mystery that was hidden from ages past. Hosanna was the anthem of the suffering servant. “Save us we pray” would one day give way to:
““Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!””
(Revelation 5:12 NKJV)
Prayer: Hosanna! All I can say this morning is Hosanna! Save us I pray. Save us Lord Jesus. Save us from our sin and shame. Save us from hurtful words and harmful ways. Save us from the corruption of this world and the self-deception of our hearts. Save us from prayerlessness and callous indifference. Save us from heartless greed and pious self-righteousness. O Jesus save us from ourselves.
Lord the enemy isn’t the Romans and the enemy isn’t our spouse. The enemy isn’t Muslims, Catholics, or Protestants. The enemy is me. Save us we pray. Hosanna. O Lord, Save us from us.
Save us so we may bless those who curse us, and pray for those who spitefully use and persecute us. Save us so we may give a cup of cold water to those who are thirsty and a cloak for those who are naked. Save us so we may care for the widow and the orphan. Save us so our compassion will be practical and palpable for the addict and the unlovable.
Hosanna. Hosanna. Hosanna.
Blessed art Thou Lord Jesus, as You came on the colt, come even now… in the name of the Lord.
