Hosanna!

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"Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!" (Jn 12:13)

The events which took place from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday have a lot to teach us on worship. Based on these events we shall learn a few lessons on worship today and the next five days.

It was Jesus Himself who initiated the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. He arranged for the transport—"a donkey and a colt"— through His disciples (Mt 21:1-3). It is always God who first inspires us to worship Him. This does not mean He is selfish. In fact nothing gets added to His being by our worship (Acts 17:25). He is absolutely absolute and completely complete in Himself. But it is His longing for loving fellowship that calls men and women to worship Him.

Everything in Christian life is a response to what God does. It is believing what He says and doing what He bids. Otherwise our theology is man-centred. The quality of my worship depends on how much help I receive from God for this exercise. That's why David prayed, "O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will show forth Your praise" (Psa 51:15). And Paul affirmed, "No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor 12:3).

Every revelation from God about Himself is a call to worship. Jesus had been known until then only as a master Teacher and a miracle worker. But now the people understood He was King! "Tell the daughter of Zion: Behold, your King is coming to you!" (Mt 21:5). Without this prophetic revelation (Zech 9:9) they would have missed Him, because they would normally expect a King to ride a horse and not a donkey! Here lies the reason why we must saturate ourselves with the Word of God if our worship must be right. "I will worship... Your Name... because You have magnified Your Wordabove all Your name!" (Psa 138:2).

Another significant lesson we learn from the happenings of Palm Sunday is that children should never be despised in the matter of worship. The religious leaders were upset over the Hosannas of the children (Mt 21:15). But Jesus responded with a quote from Psalm 8:2, "From the lips of children and infants You have ordained praise" (Mt 21:16). Our children should be encouraged to freely sing and shout aloud in congregational gatherings. That would make our praise and worship more fragrant and less formal.

All glory, laud and honour
To Thee Redeemer, King;
o whom the lips of children
Made sweet hosannas ring!
(Theodulph of Orleans)

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