The next day John saw
Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away
the sin of the world!" John
1:29, NIV
As Palm Sunday approaches, it seems fitting to consider the
rider of the colt entering Jerusalem. Who is this man that crowds swarm around
singing "Hosanna!" and "Blessed is the King of Israel!" John
12:12 and following tells the story, and in verse 20 and following Jesus
explains why he must die. Who are these people who sang "Hosanna" who
were so quickly persuaded to shout "Crucify Him!"
The rider on the young donkey is the Sacrifice and the
people in the crowd are the Isaac's of the world. Those who want to know where
the lamb is for the sacrifice to take away the sin. The penalty of sin is
death, and God has always required the shedding of blood for the removal of
sin. Humanities sins were so many and so great that far too many lambs were
being slaughters and humanity remained under a growing bondage of guilt and sin.
So God, in the fullness of time, carried out His plan. He came into the world,
God Incarnate, God in human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, to be the Lamb
of God. This perfect God-man served as the once for all
Sacrifice and ushered in a new era. No longer are the slaughter of innocent
lambs necessary, for God Incarnate is the Lamb! God Incarnate is the One on the
donkey. His love for us made him willing to the required Sacrifice us.
We are like the crowds who sang "Hosanna!" We sing
the Lord's praises one day and curse him the next. We are so fickle, so
unstable in our love for Him. Yet, he never wavers in his love for us. Today, I
pray that you revel in his love for you. Pour your heart out to him and confess
all your failures, and enjoy his love for you for no one loves you more than
Jesus. If you do not know him as your Lord and Savior, tell him that you
believe he is the Son of God and that he died for you and rose from the dead,
then ask him to forgive you for all your sin and to come into your life and be
your Lord and Savior.
Prayer: Lord, thank
you for this great thing you did for me and for all humanity. Forgive me for
being fickle and failing to praise and serve you with consistency. Enable me to
better grasp the Incarnation and the love you showed humanity by coming and
living among us to help us relate to you. Grant me greater knowledge for
discerning the truth. Amen.
