The Road of Worship: Part I

When they drew near to Jerusalem, and came to Bethsphage to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village that is opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them, and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and immediately he will send them.”

All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying,

“Tell the daughter of Zion,

behold, your King comes to you,

humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

The disciples went, and did just as Jesus commanded them, and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their clothes on them; and he sat on them. A very great multitude spread their clothes on the road. Others cut branches from the trees, and spread them on the road. The multitudes who went before him, and who followed kept shouting, “Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

When he had come into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” The multitudes said, “This is the prophet, Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”                                        Matthew 21:1-11 (WEB)

Prior to this passage, Matthew tells Jesus’ parable of the vineyard workers (Matthew 20:1-16) who are called at different times of the day to work and at the end of the day are paid the same. Of course it speaks to God’s justice that comes from the heart of a perfect Father who welcomes His children whenever they answer His call.

But today I am thinking about worship. I am focused this week on worship of my LORD. This parable finds an application in my mind that in this life I struggle. Some days I do not feel like worshiping. Some days I have difficulty seeing the reason for worship. And some days it feels like I have been worshiping Him all day, every day of my life. But next week, I will read about two thieves on a cross, one on each side of Jesus. One of them refuses look and accept while the other does see and lives to worship another day. God welcomes my worship whether I have done it all my life or I turn at the last moment and extend every bit of myself to Him in worship.

Jesus also shows me the unequaled compassion that He has as I read about His healing of two blind men (Matthew 20:29-34). Get the picture of Jesus on His way to the cross, taking this journey because our sins were so horrific next to God that only Jesus could make it right. But He stops and hears the cries of God’s children hurting …and heals them.

Finally, I read about a mother who asks Jesus to elevate her sons to His level (Matthew 20:20-28). It is a gross understatement to say that she does not know what she is asking. But then when I took the step from being a believer in Jesus Christ to being His disciple/follower, I didn’t know the depth of that commitment either. Jesus speaks out and says that if I want to be great in His Kingdom – I serve others. I give my life so that others live and grow in their relationship with Him. There’s no promise of great wealth or applause. Except in the eternal bank where Jesus keeps the ledger.

At the end of today’s Scripture when the “Hosanna’s” have faded, the question is posed: “Who is this?” and the people answered that Jesus was a prophet. They didn’t know, yet, who He really was but they were worshiping Him. I may not know all that Jesus is but I worship Who I do know and believe that through my worship of Him, I will learn more about Him.

Paul said it best when he told the church in Rome, and me, that every part of my life is to be an act of worship of God (Romans 12). Do that and I will learn more about God; Who He really is.