When the Applause Fades

Luke 19:35-38 - So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on. As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him.  When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen. “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the LORD! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!” (NLT)

This Sunday, in churches around the world, Christians will wave palm leaves in remembrance of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Palm Sunday reminds us of the faithfulness of God through the fulfilment of an Old Testament prophecy and is a call to worship our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

At the same time, I am reminded of seasons, favour and open doors. It is striking that all four gospels inform us that Jesus was welcomed with open arms into Jerusalem and worshipped by crowds of people.

Matthew 21: 7-11 - They brought the donkey and the colt to him and threw their garments over the colt, and he sat on it. Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD! Praise God in highest heaven!” The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. “Who is this?” they asked. And the crowds replied, “It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” (NLT)

Mark 11:8-11 - Many in the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others spread leafy branches they had cut in the fields. Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting, “Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD! Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David! Praise God in highest heaven!” (NLT)

John 12: 12-13 - The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, “Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD! Hail to the King of Israel!” (NLT)

Yet within a week, these same crowds were happy for him to be crucified. All the miracles and good he had done and had been praised for and acknowledged by the people was forgotten.  

Despite knowing the end of the story, Jesus chose to walk through the open door of praise and favour from the crowd. But he did not allow it to distract him. Nor did he place his identity in the thoughts and feelings of the crowd. Their praise did not prevent him from fulfilling his divine purpose.

What does this mean for us today? Like Jesus, we should not be afraid to walk into opportunities, or seasons of favour with people. Neither should we reject praise or gratitude from people. But we should be mindful that people can be fickle and change their opinions about us within the blink of an eye. Praise and open doors should not define who we are nor should they distract us from loving God and pursuing our divine calling. Like Jesus we should remain focused on the voice and will of God irrespective of the opinion of people, whether good or bad.

Questions for reflection: Have I rejected an opportunity or open door because of the opinion (good or bad) of people? Do I embrace new seasons of favour or shy away from them because of fear? Is my identity rooted in Christ or dependent on the opinions of others? Have I been distracted from loving God and/or pursuing my calling because of people? Have I asked the Holy Spirit to help me remain focused on loving and serving God?