The people of passover realized what a dire situation they were in. “Rescue Us, Lord,” they shouted at Jesus as he ambled forward on his borrowed colt.

“Hosanna! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessings on the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest!”

“Hosanna” means “Rescue us” and “Hosanna in the highest” means “Rescue us and start now if not sooner!” What’s the magic word? Now! That’s the magic word.

When we find ourselves in need of rescue, it can’t come quickly enough. But how sweet it is to see the rescue show up, right? That check in the mail at the last possible minute. That phone call right at the end of the business day. The email that lets you now that everything is going to be alright. The hand on your shoulder. The voice of assurance. That perfectly timed encouragement. Those perfectly timed flowers.

The people of passover were convinced that Rome was the enemy, but Jesus knew better. Rome wasn’t the enemy. Of course, it was a problem, but it wasn’t THE enemy. Jesus didn’t arrive a week before his coronation to confront a temporary political structure.

Thats what irritated the Jewish leaders so much.

The reason the Jews had to work so hard to get Jesus killed was because he was a Messiah turned against them, the religious. If he had raised his sword against Rome like those before him, Rome would have crucified him before he climbed on his horse. But he didn’t climb on a horse, he saddled a donkey and headed for the Temple. His kingship didn’t threaten Rome. It threatened our need to turn God into a religious system; a set of rules few can remember and less and less even care about.

That check may come in the mail at the last possible minute, but we just need another one tomorrow. We may get that phone call right at the end of the business day, but will it ring again tomorrow? The hand on your shoulder may comfort you today, but tomorrow? The voice that speaks assurance today, may shout tomorrow. That perfectly timed encouragement. Those perfectly timed flowers. They may have strings attached.

What do we do with freedom that sounds like, “Therefore I say to you, Don’t worry about your life. Instead, desire first the and foremost God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness.”

What do we do with freedom that sets aside the temporary for the sake of the eternal?

We do what the disciples did two thousand years ago. Disciples who, if we remember, didn’t know where Jesus was leading them. They just followed Jesus wherever it was he was leading them.

We follow a King to Good Friday

To a wooden Cross.

and freedom.