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Who is Jesus to You?

“A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’ When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, ‘Who is this?’ The crowds answered, ‘This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.’”¹

When Jesus entered Jerusalem during what we know as the “Triumphal Entry”, the crowds were excited for his arrival. They had seen Jesus perform many miracles and knew he possessed great power. However, did they truly know who Jesus was? In the passage for today from Matthew we read their response… “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” They had Jesus right in front of them but were still unable to see his true identity.

Perhaps this is because they had previous expectations of what the Messiah would look like or what he would come to do. For starters, they probably were not expecting the King to come riding on a donkey. However, Jesus was fulfilling the prophecy that had been given claiming his rightful place as the Messiah. In Zechariah 9:9 we read, “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” But even with the religious leaders of that time having knowledge of the old testament prophecies, they were still not able to see that it was happening… their King had come!

As we prepare our hearts this week to remember Jesus’ sacrifice and celebrate his resurrection, my question is, who is Jesus to you? We have all the information we need in the Bible regarding who Jesus was and all he did. But are we like the crowds in Jerusalem that day that shouted excitedly at Jesus’ arrival only to fail to see him as their King? Or will we be ready to open our eyes and hearts to our King and submit to his authority in our lives? It is easy to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, as it gives us hope for the future, but allowing Christ to be the King of our lives involves a constant surrender of our will to His. It is much more than a one-time deal, but rather a daily choice to give Him complete control.

So again, I ask… who is Jesus to you?

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for giving us the gift of your Son Jesus. Thank you for such great love that He paid the ultimate price for us in giving His life to free us from the bondage of sin. I ask that you open the eyes of my heart and allow me to see Jesus, not only for who I think he should be, but for who he truly is. The only Son of God, our Savior, Redeemer and King. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

 

1.       Matthew 21:8-9 (NIV).