Losing My Power

As I've reflected on John's record of Holy Week, I've wondered: What will I have to lose if I submit to King Jesus?  What will have to die if I am to live in the Kingdom He bought for me with His blood?  Several clues in the context of this story have convinced me that I …

Losing My Place

On that first Palm Sunday Jesus' disciples and crowds of fans cheered His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. As they raised palm branches and shouted "Hosanna!" to their soon-to-be King, their expectations for a restored Kingdom of David rose in their hearts. Hoping to hear Jesus say "We're tired of not winning. From now on we're going …

Not What I Want, But I What I Needed

Shane and Shane (my favorite Christian band) captured perfectly both the attitude of those Palm Sunday Jerusalem crowds and the me-first bent of my own heart in their song “Crucify Him” . . . “I sing Hosanna when I want it all Then I crucify the Son of God ‘Cause He isn’t who I always thought …

Clash of Kingdoms

Like me, the crowds on the first Palm Sunday wanted Christ customized or Christ civilized, but like me, they needed Christ crucified. They wanted a customized Christ. The word “customize” first started being used in the 1930s in America (surprise!). To customize means “to make something to a customer’s specifications." They wanted a Christ and a King who would serve their consumer …