Jesus entered Jerusalem as if a king coming home in peace,
riding a donkey. Within a week he was dead. What went wrong?
Politics?
Religion?
Lack of foresight?
No, none of the above.
Nothing went wrong.
Nothing at all.
Jesus had been telling people what was going to happen for some time - it shouldn’t have been a surprise. This was part of what he came to do.
Yet it was surprising to many of his followers, and this demonstrates how we can hang on to our cosy beliefs about what is happening in spite of all the evidence.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?
But we don’t have it until it’s too late.
Nothing went wrong - rather, everything was put right.
The old system of atoning sacrifice to bring right-wise-ness between God and human was brought to an end. And the replacement was broadened to include all people - not just those who claimed
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as their ancestors.
Now, anyone can walk tall in the spiritual world, simply by following Jesus - but it’s not that simple, actually.
There is a cost: our lives, in turn.
Dying to the old, rising to the new.
Changing.
Choosing.
Considering the needs of others before our own.
Listening to the One who sent Jesus, calls and sends us too.
It’s hard to hear the One amidst the noise of century 21.
But once you hear the words of love,
you have ears for none other.
Everything is put right.
Listen!