The Hope of Easter: Week 1 – Hope Rides On A Donkey
When we look at Israel in the time of Christ, we can see ourselves. Israel is occupied by Rome and is at the mercy of this foreign power. These are extremely difficult times. It all seems so hopeless. People are being taxed to their limit. In some cases, they didn’t even have enough money to live on and what little they had was taken from them. This is exactly what it is like to be under the power of Satan. Then Jesus comes triumphantly into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. His reputation has gone before him. This is the One who casts out demons, who raised the dead and healed the sick. The people saw Jesus as the heir to David’s throne. Hope filled the air. Hope was intoxicating. People shouted for joy and threw down palm branches and their cloaks in his path, believing that their liberator and King had come. But they didn’t understand that Satan is the occupying power in the hearts of all who have not yet put their faith in Jesus. Hope begins when we are liberated from Satan’s power.