Welcoming The King
The residents of Jerusalem welcome Jesus with shouts and cheers and praises when he enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Five days later, they’re screaming for his blood. How do they turn on him so quickly? They assumed Jesus’ agenda was their agenda. When he refuses to go to war with the Romans, they feel like he’s betrayed them. Instead of welcoming the king and his kingdom of peace, they reject his message of cross-shaped love.
As God’s people, our lives are meant to reflect God’s character. Just as Jesus pours himself out in love for his enemies, so his people are meant to pour themselves out for their enemies. The way of God’s kingdom is the way of the cross. We learn this way by showing the same indiscriminate love that Jesus showed in loving his enemies. So as we learn to love our enemies, God shapes us into people who reflect his glory to the world.
Other sermons in this series: