Today we begin Holy Week. That week between the time that Jesus arrives in Jerusalem riding on a donkey to the cheers of the crowd and the time that Jesus re-enters to be chased, betrayed, arrested, beaten and crucified.

I’m inviting you to join me in this week, to journey through some of the Scriptures so that we together might see this week as a time of reflection and submission to what God is doing, would like to do, in our lives.

John 20

⁶ The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. ⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. ⁸ A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

“Hosanna^[b] to the Son of David!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

¹⁰ When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

¹¹ The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Who is this?

Jesus has just healed blind Bartimaeus, has fed the 4000, has healed the woman who touched the hem of his garment. And most amazingly, has raised Lazarus from the dead. The disciples are convinced, contradicted inside because while it appears that Jesus has power, it is not used to get more power, it is used to aid others, to heal, to forgive sins and to submit.

The disciples are at a loss. A donkey? Riding into the city on a moped when it should be a motorcycle, a big brute of a Harley! They do not understand. They struggle to be loyal and loving and to trust Him when He does not appear to be going where they expect.

Is this not the time? Their question to Jesus – “let us sit on your right and on your left”. They expect a Kingdom. They expect the end of Roman rule, the end to subjugation!

But Jesus has not come to take the reign of an earthly Kingdom. Remember the story where Jesus says to the disciples – if someone asks you to carry their load for a mile, go the second mile. It is not our place to claim our place. it is our place to serve.

We begin Holy Week by being reminded that it is time to be people of service, people who love at the price of inconvenience, disruption, and sacrifice.