The Word This Week
Palm Sunday 2023…
The Bible says, “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. (Now this, “He ascended” – what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the One who ascended far above all, that He might fill all things.) (Eph 4:8-10)
From the Mount of Olives Jesus began His descent into the lower parts of the earth.
On a colt, the foal of a donkey.
This is the final descent of many descensions Jesus made.
From the highest glory of heaven He descended Himself into entry of the earth He created, lowering Himself to become a human, and subjecting Himself to the earthly care of a human mother and father. He subjected Himself to gravity, and hunger, and thirst, and poverty. He descended Himself into being trained in the Word of God in the synagogue, and in the Temple at Jerusalem. He descended into hard work, and sweat, and effort to eke out a living. He descended Himself over the grief of the passing of loved ones and friends. He descended Himself to the condescension of His own family – who at times did not believe in Him.
And now, the final descent begins. To the lowest parts of the earth. The parts controlled by religious men and dominated by the idolatry and self-serving slavishness to sin and corruption calling itself ‘Judaism.’ Into the hands of the Jewish High Priest, who reviled Him.
Into the hands of men, who would cry out, “Crucify Him!”
As all His descents, this final one also began in a supernatural way. A colt, the foal of a donkey would be provided supernaturally. He would mount this colt which had never been ridden with total control over the normally defiant animal, evidencing His complete mastery of His creation as He had done many times before in His life.
Still He descended, down the slope of the Mount of Olives, crossing over the Kidron, where the blood of the animal sacrifices flowed. He passed through the rejoicing crowd, knowing what was truly in their hearts. The palm branches and glory afforded Him this day would not last long, and He knew it.
This final descent is why He came. It is a descent into the corruption of sinful mankind at its worst. The lowest parts of the earth. And He did so willingly, as He had always done. For Him, the soul of one lost sinner was worth all the descension it took to save.
Pastor Bill
The Bible says, “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. (Now this, “He ascended” – what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the One who ascended far above all, that He might fill all things.) (Eph 4:8-10)
From the Mount of Olives Jesus began His descent into the lower parts of the earth.
On a colt, the foal of a donkey.
This is the final descent of many descensions Jesus made.
From the highest glory of heaven He descended Himself into entry of the earth He created, lowering Himself to become a human, and subjecting Himself to the earthly care of a human mother and father. He subjected Himself to gravity, and hunger, and thirst, and poverty. He descended Himself into being trained in the Word of God in the synagogue, and in the Temple at Jerusalem. He descended into hard work, and sweat, and effort to eke out a living. He descended Himself over the grief of the passing of loved ones and friends. He descended Himself to the condescension of His own family – who at times did not believe in Him.
And now, the final descent begins. To the lowest parts of the earth. The parts controlled by religious men and dominated by the idolatry and self-serving slavishness to sin and corruption calling itself ‘Judaism.’ Into the hands of the Jewish High Priest, who reviled Him.
Into the hands of men, who would cry out, “Crucify Him!”
As all His descents, this final one also began in a supernatural way. A colt, the foal of a donkey would be provided supernaturally. He would mount this colt which had never been ridden with total control over the normally defiant animal, evidencing His complete mastery of His creation as He had done many times before in His life.
Still He descended, down the slope of the Mount of Olives, crossing over the Kidron, where the blood of the animal sacrifices flowed. He passed through the rejoicing crowd, knowing what was truly in their hearts. The palm branches and glory afforded Him this day would not last long, and He knew it.
This final descent is why He came. It is a descent into the corruption of sinful mankind at its worst. The lowest parts of the earth. And He did so willingly, as He had always done. For Him, the soul of one lost sinner was worth all the descension it took to save.
Pastor Bill