December 11 – Jesus Comes to Jerusalem – Matthew 21
Jesus comes into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. The multitude of people lined the road as Jesus traveled into Jerusalem. The people placed their own coats and garments along with branches to soften the step of the donkey carrying Jesus. As they made this honoring and humble gesture they called out, “Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” This multitude followed Christ to the Temple where Jesus began cleansing the Temple of the people that were treating the church as an opportunity for their businesses to grow. Jesus corrected them by calling the Temple a “House of Prayer.” In all of this it is interesting to note that the same people that were crying “Hosanna” to Jesus were later crying “crucify Him.” Verse 15 shows us where this horrible attitude began. The leaders in the Temple “were sore displeased.” We can expect bad attitudes to form and bad things to happen when we place our own pleasure or displeasure before God’s being pleased.
