The triumphal entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem was a revealing event in history. We recently celebrated it as Palm Sunday. In many ways, what happened on that day is reflected in the reception of Jesus in the world today. As we know from the Biblical accounts, Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem riding on a donkey's colt. The King had come riding on a lowly, borrowed donkey. It was a sign of the coming of the Messiah according to the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. They recognized the sign, but they did not all recognize Jesus as the Anointed Savior.

There were crowds at the time of the Passover, so the roads to Jerusalem were filled with people. And they cheered. They were singing the Passover Psalm (118), saying, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. The King of Israel!" What a joyous procession for God's people who had waited for centuries for this day. To honor the king, the people gave Him the red-carpet treatment, throwing their clothes on the road as well as palm branches for the colt to walk on. Indeed their King had come. But Jesus knew that He had come to be crucified-to establish His kingdom through His death on the cross. He may have remembered how Satan once tempted Him by offering "all the kingdoms of the world and their glory" if He would just fall down and worship him (Matt 3:8-9), but His kingdom would only come by way of the cross, and it would be Satan who would fall.

Mixed with the joyous cheers and songs of the disciples of Jesus were the Pharisees who were seething. They sneered at Jesus and cried out to Him, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples" (Lk. 19:39). Order them to be quiet! They recognized that Jesus was being treated as the Messiah and Israel's King. This would never fit their theology of self-righteousness, and besides it might upset the Roman government. To their rebuke, Jesus calmly said, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out" (Lk. 19:40). There would soon be another cry in the city, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"

As the procession neared the city of Jerusalem-the dwelling place of the Temple and the city of David-He shed tears over it. He was not weeping for Himself and the suffering He would endure there. He was weeping for its unbelief. Their Peace had come, and they did not see it. "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes" (Lk. 19:42). The city would soon be utterly destroyed. Matthew's gospel later puts it prophetically, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Matt. 23:37-39). The city would not hear that cry again until His second coming in judgment.

In a similar way, the declaration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world receives the same response. Initially, there might be cheers and a momentary glee at the concept of a deliverer. He might be able to help out with life's problems. He could make us prosper again. But Jesus came to deliver His people from sin and hell. He did not come just to aid in man's self-help programs. Our reaction should always be shouts of joy-even like the stones alongside of the road. His presence demands it.

Like the Pharisees, many in the world sneer at the idea of the cross. The cross is not sufficient to fill the needs of man in the minds of many today who hear the Gospel. Many prefer a religion where Christ is not the center of faith or life. After all, who wants to confess that they are sinners under the curse of God, or that there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby man can be saved, but the name of Jesus? Some may have begun with cheers, but now think that Christ is not enough to lift them out of all of life's difficulties. But, He alone is sufficient.

Jesus, as at the tomb of Lazarus, shed tears at the unbelief of those who did not see him as the Savior. He cried over Jerusalem. It is not that the power and glory of the Lord has not been displayed in our day through the preaching of the Gospel. It is not that there is no hopeful promise of the coming again of the Lord Jesus. His name is declared throughout the earth, yet many are blind to it. We too should cry for those who have heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ and rejected it. Their unbelief will bring them everlasting death by the just wrath of God. We grieve for them.

Cheers, sneers, and tears on Palm Sunday-these are still part of our life today. And so also is our continued praise, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" (Lk. 19:38)