Holy week is here. Ushered in by Palm Sunday. A week to relive and reflect on the rollercoaster that was Jesus’ last week on earth.
In some ways it is hard to digest all the this week involved. The celebrations of Palm Sunday is shadowed by the heaviness of Good Friday, but we know that it will be followed by the joy of Sunday morning. We acknowledge and mourn the gruesome death of Jesus, but we know that it was not the end.
As I think about the triumphal entry, I always wonder who I would be if I were there.
Would I have been a faithful follower? With him to the bitter end?
Would I be celebrating on Sunday and condemning on Wednesday? Fickle and easily swayed?
I somehow feel like I would have been the third type of person. Skeptical from the beginning. Scared to believe that Jesus was who He said He was. Afraid to get my hopes up that He would do what everyone was claiming He would do. Half heartedly expectant, but not fully convinced. Unwilling to hope, for fear of being let down.
And then comes Friday. And my skepticism and doubt would seemingly be confirmed. It would appear He wasn’t the king we had hoped for. He wasn’t going to save us the way we wanted. How could he be a military King to save us from our oppression, if here He was hanging on a cross?
So easily do I still do this today. I have the Word of God as a testimony to His truthfulness. I have his working in my own life as a testimony to His faithfulness. And yet, I doubt. I hesitate to believe that He will come through. It just seems too good to be true. I do not ask because I fear He will not answer.
But He is patient and long suffering with me. He will continue to prove His character to me time and time again, even when I should never need more convincing.
So as we enter this Holy Week, if you find yourself in the camp of doubt and hesitancy let’s remember these things:
He knew we would doubt, so He gave us His Word. We have the benefit of the entire Word of God at our fingertips. We can look back at every promise He has made, and see proof of it’s completion. Do not neglect one of His greatest gifts to us.
He knew we would doubt, so He gave us His Spirit. We have access to God and Christ through the Spirit who is with us always. Testifying to our hearts of truth, and confirming our salvation.
John 16:7,13-15 "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you... When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you."
He knew we would doubt, so He has given us a community of believers to speak Truth to us and testify in our weakness. We can see His constant faithfulness in the lives of those around us.
He knew we would doubt, but He has never stopped being faithful and true in our own lives. Look back at your journey, and remind yourself of all the ways He has never failed you.
He knew we will doubt, but He is coming back anyway. He saved us from our sin, but we are still living in the reality of sin. When we are faithless, He will always be faithful. Our weakness and fear will never make Him change His mind. He promised He is coming back for us one day. And that will always be more true and reliable than our feelings and perceptions. He will prove Himself true, even in our doubt. And He will conquer the One who lies and deceives us in the end. He will eliminate our need to doubt and fear.
So as we reflect on Holy week, do not believe the lie that your moments of weakness will make your celebration less legitimate. Do not let the lie of hypocrisy steal your joy in this season.
Jesus died on the cross for sinners. He sealed us knowing that there was no way we could maintain any amount of righteousness on our own. He revealed Himself to us knowing that we would never find Him on our own. He died so that we could believe and not doubt.
And though we did not get to celebrate with Him 2,000 years ago when He rose and beat the grave. We will get to celebrate with Him for all eternity when He comes back.
Let’s celebrate with our whole being, because our Savior is worthy of that. And because the whole purpose of His death was so that imperfect people can come to Him without guilt and shame. We can choose righteousness and victory over sin and defeat.
Because He died and rose again!