Triumphal Entry (Pt 5)

John 12:18-19 (ESV)

[18] The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign [i.e. raising Lazarus from the dead]. [19] So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”

In earlier blogs I wrote about three reasons why the People of God rejected their King when he rode triumphantly into Jerusalem, the event we celebrate on Palm Sunday. Previous choices, externalism, and pride kept them from believing Jesus, but there is a fourth reason: Greed. The Pharisees saw that a large crowd was following Jesus. They had lost their position of influence. Luke 16:14 says that the Pharisees were lovers of money. Mark 11:18 says that the chief priests and scribes feared Jesus, “because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching.” They not only loved money, they loved attention.

Jesus was not rejected because they found fault with his teaching, but because he took away their crowds. It was a day when all of Israel was to come together at Jerusalem for worship. The Pharisees had likely been planning for this day, anticipating it. Here were crowds thinking about spiritual things. It was their day to shine as they explained the Law and showed off their own “holiness.” But Jesus took their crowds.

The Pharisees were greedy. They loved money and they loved attention. But brokenness, not greed brings us to the foot of the cross. Brokenness causes us to fall on our faces at Jesus’ feet and plead for healing and wholeness. Greed and self-concern keep us from faith. The crowds, having heard about Lazarus resurrection, celebrated Jesus, but they would eventually be the same crowds shouting “Crucify him!” They too were greedy. They were greedy to see something amazing. They wanted to be wowed.

Due to the greed of the crowd, they were easily manipulated into calling for Jesus’ death. Due to the greed of the Pharisees and Scribes, they rejected Jesus and plotted his death. Greed, self-focus, and self-interest will keep us from seeing and admitting our need for Christ. In Matthew 21:31 the chief priests and elders challenged Jesus authority. In response he told them a story, and then concluded, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.” What!? Why? Because they knew their brokenness. They knew they needed God’s forgiveness and grace.

The crowds and the spiritual leaders of the people, blind to their own brokenness, continued to pursue experience and excitement, glory, greatness, and gold. In doing so, they missed their king.  What is the pursuit of your life? Has your greed and selfishness blinded you to Christ, or do you understand your brokenness? In a time of high anxiety, like we are facing today with the Covid-19 pandemic, we can maintain a demeanor of self-sufficiency, self-dependency, and even denial. We can get discouraged and depressed over our loss of freedom and movement. Or, we can find healing and hope in the one who took our brokenness to the cross. What is the pursuit of your life? Trust Him.