If He Had Not Rode In

Volume 15 Issue 3

Greeting in His Name,

We are in the midst of Holy Week. A wondefrful time to complete our time of meditating during the Lenten season. We can reflect on our sacrifices, our devotion, and opportunites to give. Keeping in mind that Jesus sacrificed, devoted and gave His life to give us life eternal. So, with that being said, today's blog is entitled If He Had Not Rode In. Hope you find some inspiration, conviction, and queries.

shalom and love,

heidi

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(Please read John 12:12-19)

Let me talk just a little bit about what is happening this week. This is the beginning of Holy Week—the most significant week on the Christian calendar. For thousands of years, Christians have taken the week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday to reflect on the last week of Jesus' life. ~His entry into Jerusalem. ~The last meal He shared with His disciples. ~His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. ~His torture, trial, and crucifixion. ~And His glorious resurrection.

However, it’s important to consider the ride Jesus took into Jerusalem. This was His red-carpet moment. Because if you rewind the tape and go back through scripture as Jesus worked, He often told people, “Tell no one or don’t say anything.” However, this was that ‘I’m coming out - I want the world to know - got to let it show’ moment. As the Pharisee perceived in verse 19, “The world is gone -- after Him.” ---- This was not to be a quiet moment but a Hosanna! Moment.

As I deviate for a moment, I want to show how important the entry into Jerusalem is. And I need you to put on your imaginary caps. Imagine that for weeks, your kids have been talking nonstop about wanting to go to the most popular trampoline park. They are obsessed with it. Every day, they’re whining—Mom, Dad, we wanna go to the trampoline park.”

And so one day, you get in the car, and you start driving toward the trampoline park. And your kids are sooooo excited. But instead of turning into the trampoline park, you keep right on going past it. You get on the Interstate. You go to the airport. You fly to Orlando, and you surprise your kids with tickets to Disney World! You wanna ride?

In other words, you’ve taken their heart’s desire, and you’ve responded to it with more than they could ever ask or imagine!

That’s the difference between what the people wanted and what Jesus came to give them. Jesus wasn’t here to set up an earthly, political kingdom (Putin, Kim Jong Un, Trump). Instead, He went above and beyond what the people imagined. He was a spiritual king, not an earthly one. You need a ride. And His victory—the ultimate victory over sin and death—would be more than freedom from their current oppression. Even now, oppression is here. Paul said to Timothy, (2 Timothy 3:1-5) But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. What Paul is saying about a form of godliness is that you put on your church clothes, but your actions don't line up. Faith in God plus our belief equals action. Faith in God minus belief equals no action. That’s where you deny the transformative power of God. Paul goes on to warn, “and from such people turn away!” And so, Jesus’ victory—the ultimate victory over sin and death—would be more than freedom from their current oppression. It would be the victory that restored all of creation and made a way for every person to have a right relationship with God. Jesus is the ultimate transformer; He threw off and defeated the oppression of theirs and our souls. So, it was necessary for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem.

Why was it necessary? It was necessary for Him to ride in because it proved His messiahship. John 12:15 is the fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9. The GNT says this, “Rejoice, rejoice, people of Zion! Shout for joy, you people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you! He comes triumphant and victorious, but humble and riding on a donkey—on a colt, the foal of a donkey. It was necessary for Him to ride in because He had to show them a different kind of kingship. He entered Jerusalem, the city of peace, not on a warhorse to show outward strength and prowess, but on a lowly donkey, as previous kings of Israel had.  His entry showed that peace and humility are the true signs of kinship in God's eyes, and that he was on a mission to serve rather than conquer. Lastly, it was necessary for Him to ride in because it set the tone of His stewardship. A steward is entrusted with responsibility. Jesus was entrusted with the responsibility to lay down His life in order that believers may find spiritual rest and redemption. You still want a ride?

So, I say if Jesus Hadn’t Rode (for you English scholars, I know it should be ridden) In, we wouldn’t have a ride. What do you mean?

What I mean is Jesus brought us a ride.

If Jesus had not rode in, we wouldn’t have:

1.      Restored Relationship with God.

2.      Intimacy with the Father.

3.      Deliverance from Sin.

4.      Eternal Life.

Somebody needs to say, “I Need a R.I.D.E.”

Let me show you what this ride looks like in the scripture.

From the moment Adam sinned, God was in the process of reconciling man back to Himself. So, a restored relationship with God sounds like this: Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Once we were alienated and enemies of God but now are reconciled by Christ (Colossians 1:19-21). God reconciled the world to himself through Christ. Paul goes on to say Be Reconciled! (2 Corinthians 5:19-20)

But you know what a relationship with God should move from acquaintance to intimacy.

Intimacy with the Father looks like this: Our Father who art in heaven (Matthew 6:9). The Lord’s Prayer underscores intimacy. Come near to God, and he will come near to you (James 4:8). The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15) Once we experience relationship and intimacy with God, this flesh should long for deliverance from sin. It should become our desire to push away from the sin that so easily besets us.

Therefore, deliverance from sin looks like this: Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1-2). For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death (Romans 6:18).  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Jesus is giving us a ride to eternity.

Deliverance from sin puts us in the right place to receive eternal life. Eternal Life looks like this: The wages (penalty) of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life (Romans 6:23). For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life (John 3: 16). And eternal life means to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, whom you sent (John 17:3 GNT). Do you know Him today?

Here is the gospel truth:  The life we have in Jesus because of His triumphal entry ~the RIDE. The life we have in Jesus because of his death. The life we have in Jesus, because of His burial and resurrection, is reason to celebrate! It is reason to respond to God’s open arms and His invitation to draw near to Him. WHY? Because He sent you a RIDE.

I can hear that old African American heritage hymn, Ride on, King Jesus, Ride On No man can-a hinder me!

Ride on, King Jesus, no man can a-hinder me.

Ride on, King Jesus, ride on.

No man can a-hinder me,

No man can a-hinder me. (Repeat)

In that great gettin' up morning,

fare ye well, fare ye well.

In that great gettin' up morning,

fare ye well, fare ye well.

No man can a-hinder me,

No man can a-hinder me,

No man can a-hinder me.

Ride on, King Jesus.

LIFE QUOTE

“Give me 100 preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laity; such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of heaven on earth.” – John Wesley

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