If we could travel back nearly two-thousand years to Jesus’ triumphant entry in Jerusalem, we would most certainly have had a much different perspective of this day than we do now. Luke 19:35-38 describes the scene: multitudes of disciples rejoicing that their King was making His way into Jerusalem, just as Zechariah had foretold. They were going before Jesus with tears of joy, laying out their coats before Him, lifting up their voices in praise to God, celebrating their King. This was the event they had been waiting for. Everything Jesus had accomplished in His ministry to this point was merely preparing them for this day. Oh, to rejoice they would no longer be servants of Rome. Jesus would bring peace and He would rule in all righteousness.
However, we know this is not what happened. While the disciples celebrated, Jesus wept. While the disciples saw their Conquering Savior, Jesus saw the Calvary Road. While the disciples looked for their Commanding King, Jesus looked to the cross. Palm Sunday for the disciples was about a new Kingdom. For Jesus, it was about dying the most painful death possible to purchase our redemption!
The shortest verse in the Bible says, “Jesus wept,” John 11:35. And in Luke 19:41 it says Jesus wept over the city. Jesus wept – cried. He was sorrowful – shed tears with the deepest of pain. Jesus knew the cross was just around the corner, not the Kingdom. Just before the cross we see Jesus heal the sick, forgive sinners, raise the dead, and cleanse the temple. These miraculous deeds were not enough and the people cried, “CRUCIFY.” That is a reason for Jesus’ tears, my friends. The truth of who Jesus is was so evident, but He was still rejected. I believe the tears weren’t just for the coming death, but for those who would reject Him and perish for all eternity.
Truthfully, we can be guilty of playing the part of the disciples. If we are not careful, the Christian life can all be about the celebration. We forget that the Kingdom has not come yet. The marriage supper of the Lamb hasn’t happened yet, and so, Christ calls us to follow Him along the Calvary Road. Oh yes, this road is filled with tears of joy, but that also means there will be tears of suffering. That means there must be tears for the lost who reject Jesus Christ.
We all can rejoice that the Cross was not the end of the story! Thankfully, we can testify to what the Apostle Peter says in Acts 2:32-33 that Jesus was raised from the dead and is at the right hand of God EXALTED! It is exciting to serve Jesus who conquered the grave, who commands the universe and who lives to make intercession for us. That, my friends, is the reason to celebrate!