HOSANNA TO THE SON OF DAVID

Hosanna is a word used in some songs of praise, particularly on Palm Sunday. It is of Hebrew origin and was part of the shout of the multitudes as Jesus entered Jerusalem: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:9).

Hosanna is often thought of as a declaration of praise, similar to hallelujah, but it is actually a plea for salvation. The Hebrew root words are found in Psalm 118:25, which says, “Save us, we pray, O LORD!” (ESV). The Hebrew words yasha (“deliver, save”) and anna (“beg, beseech”) combine to form the word that, in English, is “hosanna.” Literally, hosanna means “I beg you to save!” or “please deliver us!”

So, as Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem, the crowds were perfectly right to shout “Hosanna!” They were acknowledging Jesus as their Messiah, as shown in their address “Son of David.” Theirs was a cry for salvation and a recognition that Jesus is able to save.

Later that day, Jesus was in the temple, and the children present were again shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Matthew 21:15). The chief priests and the teachers of the Law were displeased: “’Do You hear what these children are saying?’ they asked Him. ‘Yes,’ replied Jesus, ‘have you never read, “From the lips of children and infants You, Lord, have called forth Your praise”’?” (Matthew 21:16). In saying, “Hosanna!” the people were crying out for salvation, and that’s exactly why Jesus had come. Within the week Jesus would be hanging on a cross. 

-- From Got Questions Ministries, gotquestions.org

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MARY GETS IT

“Then Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, ‘Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’ This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. But Jesus said, ‘Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.’”  (John 12:1-8 NKJV)

Jesus was anointed by Mary in Bethany. Think about what a special moment this was for Jesus. In 36 hours, He would be on the cross -- and the only person who figured out the crucifixion and coming resurrection was Mary. The disciples had no idea what was going on! Imagine the understanding looks between Jesus and Mary as she washed His feet with perfume and worshiped Him.

Suddenly, Judas spoiled it all: “What a waste! And she’s spending it on You!” Can you imagine how much that hurt? Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She has done a marvelous thing. She’s anointing My body for burial while I am still alive and can enjoy it.” Frankly, I’d rather have one rose right now while I can enjoy it than 10,000 after I’m dead and gone. I imagine that Jesus felt just like that.

They did not bathe often in those days. I’ve often wondered if Jesus got a whiff of Mary’s perfume as He hung on the cross. Then, He looked down from the cross and there was Mary. He must have thought, “God, bless her, she’s the only one who has figured it out.” 

-- Roger Barrier, excerpted from an article entitled “What Jesus Did Each Day During His Final Week”

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SACRED INTERRUPTIONS

“Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.”  (Matthew 8:14-15)

We are not alone. I firmly believe it, partly because I have experienced God’s presence in my life directly as well as through my encounters with others. I’m an extrovert and I’ve always loved people. I truly enjoy meeting people and getting to know them. For the last several years of my life, I have been a full-time singer/songwriter. It seems like I spend a lot of my time coming and going. As I read the stories of Jesus, I notice that He interacted with lots of folks in His comings and goings. People interrupted Him with requests, needs, and questions. He seemed to have the gift of perspective, recognizing priority and importance even in the interruption. He made time to deal with whatever or whoever He bumped into along His journey. Certainly His destination was important, but given His ability to stop and to give, the journey may have been just as significant as where He was headed. 

-- Celia Whitler in “On the Way to Somewhere: Stories and Songs for the Journey”

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HE UNDERSTANDS YOUR SUFFERING

“There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, He refused to drink it.”  (Matthew 27:34 NIV)

Before the nail was pounded, a drink was offered. Mark says the wine was mixed with myrrh. Matthew described it as wine mixed with gall. Both myrrh and gall contain sedative properties that numb the senses. But Jesus refused them. He refused to be stupefied by the drugs, opting instead to feel the full force of His suffering.

Why? Why did He endure all these feelings? Because He knew you would feel them too.

He knew you would be weary, disturbed, and angry. He knew you’d be sleepy, grief stricken, and hungry. He knew you’d face pain. If not pain of the body, the pain of the soul… pain too sharp for any drug. He knew you’d face thirst. If not a thirst for water, at least a thirst for truth, and the truth we glean from the image of a thirsty Christ is -- He understands. 

-- Max Lucado

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A JOURNEY TOWARD GOD

“Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.’”  (Luke 19:8-9 NIV)

When the Word became human, Jesus Christ lived the same relationship in a human mode and it is in this relationship that we are called to share. Like the Word, like Jesus in the flesh, we are invited to live our life here on earth as a journey toward God.

Throughout the Gospels there are two salient aspects of the identity of Jesus. He is from the Father, sent by God to accomplish a task. Secondly, the human journey of Jesus is one that leads back toward God. It is this movement back toward God that is opened to believers of all generations. In following Jesus, we are shown the way that leads toward the Father. Our life is not aimless; it has destination. We have not been left to wander in the desert; the Shepherd has come to seek what is lost and bring us home. 

-- Michael Casey in “Toward God” 

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FOR ME

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20 NKJV)

Every one of us must face the cross. Every one of us needs to come personally. "He died for me." Put the "me" into it. Only when you begin there, will the love of Christ begin to dawn in you. 

-- H. S. Vigeveno in “Jesus the Revolutionary”

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JOURNEY TO THE CROSS

"God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."  (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Lent is a season of preparation and repentance during which we anticipate the death (Good Friday) and resurrection (Easter Sunday) of Jesus. It is this very preparation and repentance -- aimed at grasping the intense significance of the crucifixion -- that gives us a deep and powerful longing for the resurrection, the joy of Easter.

As the title of this devotional suggests, Lent is a journey to the cross: meditating on our sin and weakness, looking to Jesus as our perfect example and substitute, and being heightened in our worship of His victory over Satan, sin, and death. On the cross, Jesus took our place to appease God’s righteous anger toward our sin and rebellion. He was separated from God so that we could experience union with God. He was crushed by God so that we could be adopted by God. He was raised with God so that we too might be raised with God. The drama of how this unfolded is the story of Lent.

The journey of Lent is to immerse ourselves in this grand story so that it might increase our appreciation of Easter and love for Jesus. May we mourn the darkness in our hearts and rejoice in the light of God who came into the world to save us! 

-- From the Preface to the book “Journey to the Cross: Readings and Devotions for Lent” by Kendal Haug & Will Walker

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EASTER WITHOUT LENT?

Lent is the 40-day period leading up to Easter, beginning with Ash Wednesday, culminating with our celebration of the Greatest Day, the day death died and hope triumphed, our Resurrection Sunday.

Lent is a path walked by countless Christians for centuries, to prepare themselves for the joys of Easter. It is a season of reflection, confession, and anticipation, as we enter the sufferings of Christ.

But Lent seems like a lot of work! Is it really necessary? Why can’t I just celebrate the resurrection? Why take this longer, more arduous path when I know that, either way, Easter is coming?...

We can try to celebrate the resurrection without feeling the weight of the cross. We can try to rejoice in our forgiveness without reflecting on our brokenness and sin. We can try to delight in the hope of life without carrying the burden of suffering. You can absolutely celebrate Easter without Lent. But, you will rob yourself of a greater joy.

For it is in the arduous path of Lent that we get to stand in the presence of our Resurrected King. Not merely from a distance, as if we were a bunch of selfie-stick-carrying, religious tourists, but up close and personal. Through our increased engagement with the disciplines, such as Bible reading, prayer, reflection, solitude, confession, fasting, worship, community, etc., we get to experience our God not just from far off, but all around us. And the work will be worth it. 

-- Nathan Miller

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THE PATH TO THE CROSS

Where did the path to the cross actually begin?

The path began, not in the court of Pilate, but in the halls of heaven. The Father began His journey when He left His home in search of us. Armed with nothing more than a passion to win your heart, he came looking. His desire was singular -- to bring His children home. The Bible has a word for this quest: reconciliation.

“God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19 NKJV). The Greek word for reconcile means “to render something otherwise.” Reconciliation restiches the unraveled, reverses the rebellion, rekindles the cold passion. Reconciliation touches the shoulder of the wayward and woos him homeward.

The path to the cross tells us exactly how far God will go to call us back.

-- Max Lucado in “He Chose the Nails”

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