Sunday, April 2: Signs

John 12:12–19

A very real danger that the people of God have historically struggled with is the slow, and often well-intentioned, transformation of God. From the self-revelation of God, we leave out a bit here and a bit there, emphasize a bit here and a bit there, until the “god” we describe is quite different from the one scripture reveals.

Instead of being a people who are encountered by, challenged by, and ultimately changed by God through submission to his word, we prefer to let God know what he’s really supposed to be like.

In our passage this week, the growing crowd of people following after Jesus, participate in a celebration that is half-correct; they welcome their King into Jerusalem. The triumphant entry is the correct reception of Jesus, for all the wrong reasons.

Jesus is not the militaristic avenger in the type of Maccabee. Jesus is not cleansing the land for his righteous few. We’ve known since the first chapter of John that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

A mass confusion of what Jesus is really like will inevitably lead to furious disappointment, but for this week at least, the crowds joyously cry out “Hosannah!”

Join us this week as we consider the reasons why the people of God have so often misunderstood Jesus, and we remember what it means that Jesus is the Lamb of God.

Service times are at 9:30 & 11:00. If you can’t make it in person, you can watch live at those times.