“The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, “Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord ! Hail to the King of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said: “Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming, riding on a donkey’s colt.” His disciples didn’t understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered what had happened and realized that these things had been written about him. Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others about it. That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign. Then the Pharisees said to each other, “There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone has gone after him!” John 12:12‭-‬19 NLT

So Jesus finished His trip to Jerusalem for Paasover and all the people knew about it. If the Pharisees or religious leaders couldn’t find Jesus before this day, they sure knew where He was now! Here’s Jesus, surronded by the crowd who where shouting, waving palm branches and laying their coats down to give Him a “red carpet” welcome while shouting, Praise God! Blessings on the One Who comes in the name of the Lord ! Hail to the King of Israel!” Wow, bet the religious leader were mad now! But now John, writing in retrospect, chalks all this stuff happening to prophecy in the Old Testament about Jesus being fulfilled (vs 16).

The crowd was right–Jesus IS worthy of praises and IS blessed and DID come in the name of the Lord! They were ready to make Him a King and rightly so!

The only problem was that they, like us, were often more focused on the things of this life–the Kingdom of Israel or the Kingdom of my country, state or city or the kingdom of my life–instead of the Kingdom of God! Jesus, the King of the heaven, came to bring us into HIS Kingdom, not to fix ours! Still they were trying to make Him a political King! So many times our focus is on the Here and Now instead of what God’s plan is. This was the case with them.

All the while, the people were chanting and the Pharisees were scheming! The situation with Jesus had gotten totally out of control! They said to each other,“There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone has gone after him!” This was one of the truest statements they had ever made– “there’s nothing we can do!” You see, the more they tried to control Jesus – the more they tried to contain Him, the more popular He became! And, the people were not just following Him because He was a great guy – some followed because they had been fed by Him when there was not enough food! Others followed Him because He had set them free from demonic oppression and from addictions! Some followed because they had been healed. These verses plainly state that some followed because they had watched a man who had been dead for four days walk out of his tomb at Jesus’ command (vs 17-18)! They were excited and they were telling others about it and as a result of those were believing too! They had never seen this kind of power with the Pharisees!

What has Jesus done for you that would excite and on looking world? Hopefully, you’ve never been raised from the dead in a physical form, – but equally hopefully you HA’VE been raised from death to newness of life (Rom 6:4)! Whatever Jesus has done for you, your story is undoubtedly worth telling! Don’t allow yourself to be contained by the Pharisees of this world — rather tell people what He’s done for you!

Think about it!