Pastor Claude Thomas Blog

Author: Pastor Claude Thomas

The shouts could be heard outside the city walls.  No alarms were sounded, though, because these were cries of joy, of celebration.

A stream of people danced and sang as they waited for their king.  He was coming, perhaps on the back of one of the finest horses in the region.  His eyes would be on fire, his hair flowing in the wind, his face like flint as he absorbed the praises of a people in search of independence from the iron fist of oppression.

The palm branches were waving in the air and set on the ground as the would-be Messiah made his triumphant entry into the city of his homeland – Jerusalem.
The sea of people parted, and the future king appeared and proceeded through the celebration.  His face was like flint, but his eyes were not red-hot with aggression.  Rather, they were a deep sea of tearful compassion.  Something in his eyes rendered you speechless.  Had the masses stopped to consider his gaze, they would have fallen silent – but they didn’t, and the celebration continued.

Jesus knew he looked into the eyes of people who would change. The same voices that cried out: Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord  would one day yell for his death.

Fickle, sinful people. Clothes were spread on the road for him, yet he would soon be naked and beaten, publicly humiliated before them. He rode on, even though he knew it meant death. (Luke 19)

Why? Why did He do it? He did it for you and me Yes, he did it with you and me in mind. Even though he knows we’re not perfect. Even though he knows the many times we fail.

He did it because he loves you and provides for our forgiveness and a pathway to relationship with Him.