There were a lot of people who believed that Jesus was special when he walked the earth, particularly during the last week of his life. The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem took place one week before what we now know as Resurrection Day. Everything Jesus did on that journey fulfilled the prophecies of what would happen when the Messiah showed up. The behavior of the common folk shows they knew who Jesus was to them.

The Gospel account tells us in Mark 11.8-10: Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. The prophets had told of the Messiah riding into town on a donkey colt on that day in that way—it had to be him! They wanted to make his entry special by covering the dirt with branches and flowers and the like.

But listen to what they cried as he slowly rode down the Mount of Olives, across the Kidron Valley and into the city: Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ This is the one who will save them all! This is the One whom God sent as the deliverer. Every one of them knew Jesus was the right and only Messiah—the Savior of all mankind!

The shouts of them all rattled the walls as they greeted Jesus: ‘Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!’ Their enthusiastic greeting did not survive but a few hours, however, because the coming of Jesus was to cleanse the hearts of the people of God, not just to make them feel good about themselves. We also must know that to greet Jesus means that we will allow him to do what needs to be done in our lives in order that he be our Lord as well as Savior. GREET YOUR LORD!