ESOCS Devotional 14 November 2022
TEXT: JOHN 12:12-19
MEMORY VERSE: “The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ The King of Israel!” John 12:12 & 13
0 And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. 11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. 12 When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted lace ”
When our Lord Jesus Christ made His triumphant into Jerusalem, the city was in uproar for joy and fanfare. A great multitude of people rejoiced to see their King riding into the city of Jerusalem. The crowd was not made up of the rich and high ranking people of the Jewish society. It was not the scribes, priests, Pharisees or Sadducees. It was the common people. They were people who had lowly hearts. Such people readily and easily receive the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They easily long for Him and believe in Him. In such hearts, there is no pride or self-esteem. They give all they have to Jesus – the hearts, their minds, their souls, their lives, and all others. They hold nothing back from Him. Do you belong to this category of people?
The multitude was largely people who had come from faraway places to participate in the feast of Passover. They were not resident in Jerusalem. They had heard of the many miracles that He had done in several places; and probably not in their own places. Just before now, the latest miracle He did was raising Lazarus from death to life. They heard it. They did not see it. Yet, they believed. Our Lord Jesus said, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Are you one of the people who doubt His power, His love and care for you, and His kind thoughts about you? Do you have any other doubt about Him or God? He has given us a very simple work to do that would enable us get our miracle easily. He said, “Do not fear, only believe” (Mark 5:36 RSV).
Many people who lived in Jerusalem did not believe in Him. But people from afar were trooping to Jerusalem to see Him because they had believed everything they had heard; and believed Him to be the expected Messiah – their Lord and Saviour. Our Lord had said to the Jews, “I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth” (Matt. 8:11 & 12). Will you be among those who will be with our Lord in the paradise of God? Will you be among those that would be rejected and cast away because of unbelief and ungodliness? Where do you belong in all these things?
True believers commune and dine with Jesus every day. Such are the people who shall be welcomed at “the marriage supper of the Lamb … These are the true sayings of God” (Rev. 19:9). The news of the Second Coming of our Great King should kindle a fire of ecstasy in you, just like the news of His entry into Jerusalem did to the multitude. We should be prepared to meet our Lord – The Soon Coming King of heaven and earth! They welcomed Christ into Jerusalem. We must welcome Him into our hearts, our homes, businesses, careers, and others. This is the right thing to do!
CHALLENGES
- What does our Lord’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem mean to you?
- What would His Second Coming be to you?
PRAYERS
- Pray for the grace to enable you remain faithful to the end.
Read Yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
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ESOCS Devotional 14 November 2022
