April 02, 2023
Greetings and blessings to all of you. Today is Psalm Sunday; a day to reflect on why Jesus was riding on a donkey into Jerusalem. If Jesus was King of Jews …it certainly did not look like it. Kings do not ride on a foal that is not decorated to the fullest. Jesus was not even dressed as a King. And even some of peasants were worshiping and praising Him saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in Heaven and Glory in the Highest!” as the foal continued on the journey. But indeed, He was and is King Jesus. Jesus had a mission. To come and save the lost. How was He going to do that? The people had no idea. They thought he was going to fight like the warrior David and take the power away from the Roman government. But Jesus knew He had to re-establish His power another way. You see men have drifted away from Biblical truth. Jesus knew “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). God said that as a result of our rebellion and sin, man (we) must die. So, Jesus knew he had to be our substitute. He suffered {our death} on the cross. The peasants and some of the 12 disciples to have death happened to Jesus was not appealing to their sensibilities. Even today to many people when you mention the blood of Christ… it is distasteful. It grates upon their proud egos to think that such a price had to be paid for their wickedness. The message is the same back then and now. And this message of the blood and the cross and the work of redemption are still “foolishness” to a people who would like to believe that {man can save himself by his own goodness.} The people should have understood what I hope we understand that “you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers but with the precious blood of Christ a lamb without blemish or defect. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of YOU who through Him are believers in God who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory so that your faith and hope are in God.”( First Peter 18-21) On this day let us continue to reflect on Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? Maybe in our minds we cannot or will not accept that this type of death was the only way. We tend to minimize sin thereby trivializing the cross. Today recall Jesus mission John 3:16.
With the Love of Christ
First Lady Vivian C. Currie
Pastor ALC