Palm Monday (The Morning After)

Remember that little donkey Jesus rode into Jerusalem (John 12)? Imagine his conversation back in the stable Monday morning:

"So what the heck was THAT all about anyway?"

To which his mother wisely would have replied, "Silly little ass - it all depends on who's riding you!"

There's an awful lot of truth in that statement - everything really does hinge on the identity of the man riding that ass. If he is just a man, then our faith is a sham and our hope is in vain (1 Cor 15:14). But if Jesus really was from God, then his entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey was nothing less than the royal procession which precedes his enthronement (Jn 12:14).

Scripture is clear that Christ is a king - in fact, he is the king of all kings. And it's important we understand the kingliness of Christ, because whatever he has as king, that is what we have too.

As we enter this easter week, I'd just like to encourage us to reflect on that thought - what does Scripture tell us we have as a result of Christ's kingship? Here are some places to start...

• Col 1:13 - says God has "delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of his beloved Son." This is a huge first step, but Christ does much, much more...
  

• Rom 8:15-17 - tells us that in Christ we are "adopted as sons, and if sons, then heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ." So God has not only have we been rescued from our bondage to sin, but he has also invited us into a fellowship that is reserved for family. This is SO significant - we now have the right to approach the God of the universe as "Father"!
  

• Eph 1 - talks that in Christ we have obtained an inheritance (1:11, 14, 18); Eph 2 says that we are actually seated along side him in heavenly glory (2:6-7). On account of Christ, we receive "every spiritual blessing" (1:3). Eph 4:8 talks about about Christ has ascended on high, and now he gives gifts to mankind (his church), that we might "grow up into him who is Head."

• John 17:18 - Jesus says, "The glory you have given me, I have given to them." That is an incredible statement! Christ himself as "the radiance of the glory of God, the exact imprint of his nature" (Heb 1:3) takes that glory and shares it with as well, that he might "bring many sons to glory" (Heb 2:10)
  

Of course, these passages just scratch the surface (feel free to share others).

My point is simple: as we approach Easter, we should remember that Christ does not merely do something for us on the cross - he continues to do things on our behalf to this day.

That is why his ressurrection is just important as his death - because he lives, he intercedes for us continually before the throne of God; he purifies and perfects our worship; he ensures that God will continue to find us pleasing; he lavishes the gifts of his grace and mercy upon us; ultimately he will present us pure and spotless before the Father!

And that's something we would do well to remember every Monday morning...