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bigmike

Matthew 21:8-9 (LSB) 8 And most of the crowd spread their garments in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road. 9 And the crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were crying out, saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!”
As Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem prior to the Passover Celebration, the crowds gathered along the road and welcomed Him as a king, laying their garments and palm branches on the road.
He was, in fact, the King; the long-awaited Messiah who had been prophesied for centuries.
His arrival, and the enthusiasm of the crowds, stirred people inside the city to ask who this was who had made such an entry!
Matthew 21:10-11 (LSB) 10 And when He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Despite the triumphant entry, Jesus wasted no time in clearing the temple of the “money changers” and those selling inside the temple area.
This display of power and authority angered the Jewish leaders even further. And they could stand no more.
Ultimately, they called for His execution. And, just as had been prophesied for centuries, He was nailed to a cross where He died for the sins of humanity under the guise of being a dangerous rebel who refused to bow to the authority of the Jewish leaders.
So, was Jesus a rebel?
Did He live a life that deserved that label?
Well, yes and no.
Jesus doesn’t fit the classic definition of a rebel.
He did, however, stand fearlessly in the face of the tyrannical religious leaders and speak bold truths that exposed their darkened hearts.
He did break the mold of what had been expected of the long-awaited Messiah, coming in humility and service, not with great military power and might.
And He did much more; more than can be listed and broken down here.
Suffice it to say that Jesus was not a rebel. Not in a political sense, or in any other way for that matter.
Did He oppose the status quo? Yes.
Did He stand face to face with corrupt leaders and expose their hypocrisy? Yes.
But He did this for spiritual reasons only.
It was not for show, for popularity, or for power.
He was God in the flesh, not a mere man with a motive, acting in the flesh.
Jesus did what He did, not to rebel, but to expose darkness and lies, and to bring truth and light.
His heart was pure, and His motives were holy.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this series, and that it has shown you the value of looking deeper into the word of God for answers to your questions.
Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

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