Hosanna: Save Now, Lord!

Dear Worshipers,

Palm Sunday is upon us. I trust that you have been making some preparations to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord as Easter fast approaches, even if only in your heart. I want to take a few moments to encourage in a particular way along that path.

Hosanna, an ancient term having Jewish and Christian liturgical uses, means “Save now, Lord!” Hosanna was a Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise. We see it in Psalm 118:25, “O Lord, save us; O Lord, grant us success.” This followed by 118:26, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” One can quickly see that as the people accompanied Jesus into Jerusalem during his triumphal entry, they were looking for a blessed redeemer, someone to save them. Their words are recorded Matthew 21:9b.

I was thinking this morning on what must have been on the minds of those who were shouting their hosannas to Jesus that day, and pondering the corollary to what is on our minds. You will recall that the nation of Israel had been occupied by the powers of Rome for years, and were looking for a deliverer. Of course to the Hebrew mind the best deliverer would be the Messiah. The heart-cry of the Jewish nation was, “O, that Messiah would come and save us!”

How often when we look at the response of the masses on Palm Sunday as contrasted with Good Friday are we amazed at the transformation? I have often thought that we would likely have been swept along by the crowd as were so many casual observers. But even today I realized there is another layer to this.

The Jewish people seemed so aware of the deliverance they needed, they were blind to the one Jesus was determined to accomplish. They wanted freedom from Rome. Jesus wanted to give them FREEDOM. How often do we want freedom from ______ [insert your favorite object of scorn and/or displeasure], when actually what we need is FREEDOM?

Christian, I am not talking about freedom from the curse of sin. You have been granted that through Jesus blood, and your acceptance of that finished work on your behalf. I am speaking of the oft inexperienced freedom that is life IN Christ. This is the life which realizes that taking up a cross is not a chastisement, but a honor. That to be crucified with Christ is not a punishment, but a delight. That there is no real life apart from Christ.

As you shout, “Hosanna” this Sunday, cry out to the One who desires to save you: From wants, as He delivers your needs. From disciplines, as He makes them delights. From yourself, as He gives you Himself.

Hosanna! Save us, Lord!

In Christ,

Pastor Scott