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March 29th, 2009So I had this not so nice vision of heaven the other day. I got to the pearly gates and was met by an unhappy group of people (actually they were ticked). Who were they? The folks who shouted “hosanna” and cheered Jesus on his way into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Why were they mad? Because for many years I have preached that this was a fickle bunch who praised Him on Sunday and yelled “crucify Him” on Friday. The thing is, as I studied this year in preparation for Palm Sunday, I got a sense that I’d gotten it terribly wrong.
Seems that if you spend some time reading the accounts of both Palm Sunday and Good Friday, you will find that these were maybe two totally different crowds of people. The Sunday bunch were disciples who had just witnessed Jesus raise His friend Lazarus from the dead. The Friday crew– a group assembled mainly by the Pharisees and Sadducees (Jesus’ enemies). Were they two different groups, or was there a lot of overlap: some people cheering on both days?
Right now I’m not sure. But I do get that haunting feeling I may owe a whole crowd of folks a BIG apology when I get to the heavenly gates. Great! One more time that I opened my mouth and blew it. Wadda ya think, am I in trouble?
terry
KenL said:
I’ve always figured that once we’re in heaven, having been forgiven for a whole bunch of things ourselves, we’ll find it easy to forgive everyone else, or else be so overwhelmed by the fact that we’re … you know … in HEAVEN … that we will forget about any such slights or anything.
If that doesn’t work, then my suggestion is to point behind them and shout real loud, “Hey, is that Billy Graham?” and run.
Darryl Mundo said:
Nah! By now they have been watching you and they know the Terry we know and understand that being a Christian that you aren’t always right, but you are always forgiven!
Zack Pike said:
Personally, I suspect there was a bit of co-mingling, but that it was mostly two separate groups.
However, if that’s correct and you have been wronging that crowd all this time, I suspect you’ll have to get in a very long line to apologize.
Bob Harter said:
I have come to the conclusion that it was two different groups. It seems like the “Good Friday Group” was convened early in the morning, perhaps even before the “Palm Sunday Group” was out of bed. It is possible that the Pilate’s release tradition occurred early in the morning before Jewish leaders. In this case, the mob would probably have been made up OF pharisees and Sadducees. Kent, however, has a good point. It won’t matter to you, providing you have preached the points your study of the bible leads you to. This is a fine point for Christian discussion, not a critical tenent of the faith.
Josh said:
Speaking of those crowds, I’ve always wondered why the crowd yelling “crucify him” or “Barrabas” was so much louder than the followers of Jesus. Where were the 5000….did they all walk away when he talked about eating his flesh (John 6:53)? Or was there more too it, like when Jesus said “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews”.
Anyway, I was wondering what happened to that picture of fruit in the function hall….and now I know.
terrysharbaugh said:
There are a lot of questions that roll out of this event. It’s true that Jesus once was very popular, but lost much of His following with the “eat my flesh” moment in John 6. Yet there is still quite a crowd escorting down to Jerusalem. Why so quiet on Friday?? Maybe because most of these folks lived in the surrounding villages (like Bethany and Bethpage), and weren’t in the city at the crack of dawn on Friday. Also note that as Jesus approached the city on the colt, He wasn’t happy– actually He wept (Luke 19).
ts
Tim Golden said:
terry… you are always in trouble with someone..lol though i think it’s God that we have to be accountable to..i’ve given up on pleasing 100% of the people 100% of the time.. heck if i could just not offend 1 person i’d be doing ok.. but more to your point… i dont think you got it wrong… in fact when i compare my life to your interpretation i think your dead on!… one day i’m praising and worshiping god for all his glory and loving him the best i know how.. until the time comes that he wasn’t there for me!! or so i thought.. then i find myself cursing him shouting “crucify Him”… then when all is well again praising and thanking him.. maybe it’s just me but too often i find myself on both sides… i long for the day that i don’t allow myself to get so divided.. when i see you in heaven i wont be ticked at you for your thoughts on this.. maybe just ticked for not sharing your latest venison steak
terrysharbaugh said:
tim, great insights. yes we are a divided people. as the old hymn says, “prone to wander, Lord I feel it; prone to leave the God i love”. but now to your last comment– you could get real skinny waiting for me to provide the venison :).
ts