Holy Week // Matthew 21

Matthew 21

The start of this chapter is one of worship and bowing down to the rightful king. It’s a beautiful picture of worship. Yet, Jesus is riding, knowing what's to come. Betrayal, desertion, and death. It’s interesting how Matthew sets up the rest of the chapter because we have a few stories of Jesus doing offensive things. He cleanses the temple out of anger and curses a tree. I wonder if this chapter isn’t us. We joyfully bow down and worship on the days that feel like Jesus is entering triumphantly. Yet, when he cleanses us out, convicts us, and rebukes us for our sins, are we bowing down?

We all want to say yes, but some days we get mad at God. Sanctification (the process of becoming holy) is painful. There are days when it's too much, and we feel we cannot survive. But I want us to lift our eyes back to the triumphal entry of Jesus. I wonder if he thought it was very triumphal, knowing the Father’s will for him for Friday. Understanding the burden and weight of sin, he was about to carry on that cross. Romans reminds us:

Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in the newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection (Romans 6:4-5). 

Just as Jesus had to die, we are dying to our flesh daily and we bow down to Jesus then and we bow down to him in our resurrection of new creation. Could we be a people who worship at all points in our walk with Jesus? Could we be people who live daily bowing at the throne of Jesus not because we feel like it but because we know he is worthy of it?