Jesus: Not A ‘Flavor Of The Week’ But The Savior Of The Meek

Word-Of-The-Day: ‘(12) The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. (13) They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! <or Savior!>” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  Blessed is the king of Israel!” (14) Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written <in Zechariah 9:9>: (15) “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”’ (John 12:12-15)

Passion Week begins on what many Christians refer to as ‘Palm Sunday’, with Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey, with people shouting ‘Hosanna!’ and tossing palm limbs in front of donkey as He made His way into the city.  Several days later, many of these same people would be yelling ‘Crucify Him! Give us Barabbas!’.  Why would so many people turn so quickly away from Jesus, the one person who fulfilled over 300 prophecies from the Old Testament to prove He was the long-awaited Messiah?

Jesus had many followers, but only a few really believed Him for who He was; the Apostles and some disciples.  Others were genuinely wanting to know more and were following Him to learn more about Him and from Him.  Then there were those who were ‘groupies’, who seen Him as the ‘Flavor of the Week’.  He was the ‘rock star’ who all the cool kids were into, and in wanting to be cool were following Him – until the ‘next big thing’ came (in this case, Barabbas).  Finally, there were those who followed Jesus as skeptical critics, many Pharisees and Sadducees followed Jesus around to mock Him, or to poke holes in what He was doing.  They discounted His healings, misrepresented His teachings and tried to find something – anything – to charge Him with.  When they couldn’t find anything, they made up charges against Jesus.

We know by the end of the week, almost everyone scattered away from Jesus, including most of His Apostles.  Judas Iscariot sold Him out; Peter denied knowing or being with Jesus three times.  Some of those who were curious likely were turned away due to His trial, conviction, and execution.  The ‘groupies’ were likely following Barabbas around while Jesus was being led to Golgotha.  The Jewish religious leaders were basking in their ‘success’ in getting rid of Jesus once and for all.

It is normal to think, ‘I wouldn’t do that!’  But the truth is most of us would if we were pressured enough if we were there back then.  Some of us succumb to the pressures put upon us by society, to perhaps stay employed, to get what we want,  or to keep our social status.  If there were opinion polls back then, Jesus’ favorability ratings went from over 50% approval (likely it would have hit around 80%, due to the ‘likes’ of groupies, the Apostles, and the curious ‘independents’ on Palm Sunday) to over 50% disapproval (likely hitting around 90% disapproval, due to those same groups turning from Him during His trial and execution) during the course of Passion Week.  This nearly 180-degree shift was mostly due to secular pressure and ‘popular opinion’ of the day.

But Jesus, fortunately, never was and never will be bound by popular opinion, nor was He bound by death.  His Resurrection from the tomb, followed by the 40 days He appeared to over 500 witnesses (and likely many more than that) gave undeniable evidence He was and is all who He said He is – God Manifested, the Ultimate Sacrifice for our sins, and our Savior from the condemnation of an eternity in Hell (and eventually the Lake of Fire). 

The good news is that for those who were swayed initially by the pressures of society but realized that they were being duped by ‘popular opinion’ came back to Him.  Peter became the leader of the early church, and (except for Judas Iscariot, who hung himself) the Apostles all returned to serving Jesus by sharing His Gospel message, with most of them being martyred for their Faith.  Some of those who were the curious ‘independents’ came to Faith in Jesus and became the founding members of His church, and even a few of the Pharisees who condemned Jesus (like Paul) served Him as the Apostles did, bring the Gospel to the Gentiles and the Jews, even if it cost them their lives and secular reputation.

Have Faith, and have Hope in Him, and overcome the temptations of following popular opinion or succumbing to societal pressure to follow the ‘Flavor of the Week’.  Unlike mortal men, Jesus Lives!  Unlike the ‘Next Big Thing’ that will be replaced by the ‘Next Big Thing’ that comes after that, Jesus Endures!  Only Jesus can provide us an Eternal immunity from the confines of sin.  He may not be popular but He is Truth, and the Only Way to be receive God’s Grace!