Most
of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the
trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him
and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is
he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (ESV)
This is the passage we usually read and
think about on Palm Sunday as we prepare for Easter, but consider it for a
moment as a Christmas story. When Mary
was about to give birth to her baby, the world did not know her or Joseph. No one knew what was coming, apart from three
wise men from the east. You and I have
the benefit of the long view of history.
We know Who this baby was and what He had come to do. If the citizens of Bethlehem had known what
we know, they would likely have responded as we see in these verses from
Matthew.
We are excited by the coming of Christmas
because it means time off from work and school.
It is a chance to get together with family and friends. It means fun and music, lights and
decorations, and of course, shiny presents.
What if we took our faith seriously? What if we realized that what we are
celebrating is the arrival of God on earth?
Ancient people knew how to celebrate the arrival of a king. There was joy and festivity, much as we enjoy
today, but without question, the celebration was focused on the king.
Copyright © 2013 by Steven R. Perkins
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