Crowd Sourced

Here we are in Holy Week, which begins on a high note.

When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus. The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord- the King of Israel!" Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written: "Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!" His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him.  So the crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to testify.  It was also because they heard that he had performed this sign that the crowd went to meet him.  The Pharisees then said to one another, "You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!"- John 12:9-19

The way John tells the story, the crowd plays a major role in the triumphant arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem.

It is the crowd that heard of what Jesus did for Lazarus, and so they came to see both of them.  And it was the crowd that caused the chief priests to be afraid of losing their following, because the crowd continued to testify about Jesus.

We can imagine the chaos in Jerusalem in the days leading up to the Passover, as more and more people arrived and heard the news of this Messiah.  No wonder the chief priests and scribes were looking to stop the insanity.

We may not see the threat the same way today.  The forces at work stealing people away from our congregations are not presented as a person we can blame, so we have no one to lash out at.

Jesus was the face the priests could put on the actions of the crowd.  He was the crowd sourced enemy who stole away the followers, and they thought they could make it all go away if they took care of him.

That is what this week is about. 

So, as we walk through this week, day by day, let us think of the power of the crowd and how they will react to the actions of the priests.

Will they continue to believe, or will they turn on Jesus?

More to come...