Open palms

Read Matthew 21:1-17

The story of Palm Sunday was presented in most churches this morning.  It's a great story of Christ's triumphant entrance into the city on a donkey's colt. That's all well and good, but what about the rest of the story?  

Jesus went into Jerusalem to the adulation of the crowd, and went to the temple where He found people using the Hebrew faith as a means to make money. He threw over tables and kicked out the people who were making a profit off religion. Yes, this story gets talked about a little, but it seems to be often glossed over because we don't really want to think of its implications. 

Here in America, there are many Christian religious leaders who preach a health and wealth gospel many of whom are very wealthy because of their "ministry." 

Yet, the Man of Sorrows, the Son of God, was not a man of earthly riches. He was a man who said: "it is easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God." That doesn't square well with the idea of Jesus wanting us to be rich. Riches clutter our lives. Material possessions draw our focus away from the Father and His love. They clutter the "temple" of the heart and crowd the space we should reserve for Jesus and the practice of His teachings.

So, on this Palm Sunday, let us come to Jesus with open palms, our hands outstretched to receive the blessing of His love and teaching. Let us clear the temples of our hearts of the materialism and selfishness that crowd Him out and make room for Jesus Christ to teach and lead us. Let us live in faith that He will provide our needs and not stockpile possessions. Let us offer up those possessions we have in service to Him so He can use them to bless others through us.