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Hosanna! This past Sunday we celebrated Palm Sunday. Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem.
Let’s imagine this scene.
Jesus is riding two donkeys down a road.
Yup, two donkeys. Check out Matthew 21.
People are LIT and shouting and exclaiming Hosanna. Waving palm branches, throwing them in his path.
What were the side conversations like? Were they something like this?
“What?! Here comes Jesus, I literally have never felt so alive
and loved as when he laid hands on me and prayed for me.”
“He touched my eyes and I could finally see, I was blind since birth.”
And I bet there were some of these people in the crowd too. People that weren’t focused on Jesus. People who were focused on what was going on in the crowd.
With their arms crossed they wonder when this is going to be over so they can go home and watch the gladiator game at the stadium. They wonder why Aunt Sally is so emphatically waving her palm branch and wishes she would tone it down. They complaining that we’ve said Hosanna over and over and over again, can’t we say something new and a bit more theological?
When we take our eyes off Jesus in worship we immediately move to our entitled preference.
I’m not sure why but in the church world it seems like our preferences are so much louder. We stand by how we want things with a lion like zeal.
I’ve had within a week two different people come up and tell me strongly that we should do things a certain way and guess what, they both wanted exact opposite things.
As we gather for one hour a week as a diverse body, I
encourage us to lay our preferences aside and focus on the main thing,
the adoration of our King. Even if it’s not our preferred style, let’s
bring a sacrifice of praise on Sunday and let’s see how the atmosphere
changes. And maybe even our own hearts too.
Jesus is worth our ardent worship, no matter what style of worship is presented. Remember, worship isn’t about us.
All that to say worship leaders I’m coming after us next.
