God’s Personal Visit (Luke 19: The Message)

28After saying these things, Jesus headed straight up to Jerusalem. 29When he got near Bethphage and Bethany at the mountain called Olives, he sent off two of the disciples with instructions: 30″Go to the village across from you. As soon as you enter, you’ll find a colt tethered, one that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it. 31If anyone says anything, asks, “What are you doing?’ say, “His Master needs him.’”

32The two left and found it just as he said. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners said, “What are you doing untying the colt?”

34They said, “His Master needs him.”

35They brought the colt to Jesus. Then, throwing their coats on its back, they helped Jesus get on. 36As he rode, the people gave him a grand welcome, throwing their coats on the street.

37Right at the crest, where Mount Olives begins its descent, the whole crowd of disciples burst into enthusiastic praise over all the mighty works they had witnessed:

38Blessed is he who comes,
the king in God’s name!
All’s well in heaven!
Glory in the high places!

39Some Pharisees from the crowd told him, “Teacher, get your disciples under control!”

40But he said, “If they kept quiet, the stones would do it for them, shouting praise.”

What does it mean to praise? That’s a question asked on twitter last week. There were a lot of answers.

Singing!, one said. My daily life, another tweeted.

In these Scriptures Jesus is well on his way to a bed of nails. Some cheer him on because of his works. Others, like the disciples, cheer him on because they are beginning to recognize who He is.

Those praises were offensive to the very religious and the nonreligious. You just don’t do that, they said.

I think that watching the disciples in this passage shows me what real praise is. They couldn’t help but cheer on Jesus. It came from the inside out.

It came from knowing him.

Renew that kind of praise in me, God. Renew that kind of praise in the teen reading this right now.