Which "Crowd" Are You In?
Hello, Harvest!
Holy Week represents the culmination of God's divine rescue plan for humanity. From Palm Sunday through Easter, we witness Jesus' journey from triumphant entry to the upper room, through the Garden of Gethsemane, to his arrest, crucifixion, and ultimately his resurrection.
This wasn't an accident or a tragic turn of events. The prophets foretold these events centuries before they occurred. King David wrote Psalm 22 a thousand years before Jesus was born, describing crucifixion before it was even invented: "They have pierced my hands and my feet." Isaiah prophesied 700 years before Christ: "He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our sins."
What Was Jesus' True Mission?
Jesus didn't ride into Jerusalem for a parade. His entry was a humble, self-emptying, sacrificial rescue mission. This was always God's plan - not to establish an earthly kingdom that would drive out Rome, but to establish a spiritual kingdom through the cross and resurrection.
The way of the cross is never easy, but it is joyful because it leads to resurrection life. Jesus made this clear when he said, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."
The Easy Crowd: When Following Jesus Costs Nothing
The first crowd we encounter on Palm Sunday is genuinely enthusiastic. They wave palm branches, spread their cloaks on the road, and shout "Hosanna!" But their enthusiasm comes when following Jesus is easy and requires no real sacrifice.
This crowd loves Jesus when:
- Miracles are happening
- The teaching is electrifying
- Worship feels celebratory
- Being associated with Jesus carries no social cost
- Church attendance is convenient
Are You Part of the Easy Crowd?
This crowd fills churches where the music is good and the preaching is compelling. They post about their faith where it's culturally acceptable. But what happens when circumstances shift? When Jesus was arrested later that week, the cheering fell silent.
The question we must ask ourselves: Is this kind of crowd actual discipleship? Jesus was clear that following him requires denying ourselves and taking up our cross.
The Disillusioned Crowd: When Expectations Go Unmet
The second crowd consists of those who genuinely love Jesus but drift away when their expectations aren't met on their terms and timeline. They wanted Jesus to be a king who would drive out Rome and restore Israel's glory immediately.
When Jesus Doesn't Meet Our Expectations
Many people come to Jesus expecting all their problems to vanish. When Jesus doesn't deliver according to their expectations, disillusionment follows. They gradually stop showing up, stop praying, stop engaging, and stop expecting anything from God.
But here's the truth: Jesus never promised a life without trials. In fact, he promised the opposite: "In this life, you will have trials." The problem isn't that Jesus failed our expectations - it's that we expected something he never promised.
The Running Crowd: When the Cost Becomes Too High
The third crowd includes those who run when following Jesus becomes costly or dangerous. Even Jesus' disciples, who walked with him for three years and witnessed miracles, fled when soldiers came to arrest him in the garden.
Why Do We Run From God?
We run because of:
- Fear of suffering or persecution
- Fear of what others will think
- Fear of loss
- Unwillingness to give up something we're holding onto
This crowd might be the most honest mirror for those who've been in church all their lives. We genuinely want to love Jesus, but when obedience requires something we're not prepared to give, we choose to run.
The Good News for Every Crowd
No matter which crowd you find yourself in, there's hope. Jesus came back for those who ran. On Easter Sunday, he appeared to his disciples who had abandoned him and spoke peace to them.
Jesus meets us wherever we are and offers new life in his name. Holy Week is an invitation to lay down our lives, just as the crowds laid down their cloaks for Jesus to walk on.
Life Application
This Holy Week, honestly examine which crowd you're in. Are you following Jesus only when it's easy and convenient? Have you become disillusioned because he didn't meet your expectations? Or are you running from a calling or conversation because the cost feels too high?
The challenge is to move beyond surface-level faith to genuine discipleship. Lay down your life like a cloak before Jesus, acknowledging that you belong to him completely.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Is there an area of my life where I'm only following Jesus when it's convenient?
- What expectations do I have of Jesus that might not align with his actual promises?
- Is there a conversation I've been avoiding or a calling I've set aside because the cost feels too high?
- Am I willing to take up my cross and follow Jesus, even when it's difficult?
Remember, the way of the cross leads to resurrection joy. Jesus offers peace to every crowd - the easy followers, the disillusioned, and those who have run away. This Holy Week, choose to be part of the crowd that lays everything down and follows him completely.
Grace and Peace, Travis +