Stuck in a "Fickle"
“And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” Matthew 21:9 (KJV)
“And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? And they cried out again, Crucify him.” Mark 15:12-13 (KJV)
For all the football fans in the blogosphere I open this week blog with a personal fact. I have been a Dallas Cowboy football fan since 1970. Yes, I know all of you Giants, Redskins and Eagle fans are putting me on your prayer list. Perhaps if you are an ardent adversarial fan against America’s team you probably would like to accost me and take me to your team’s stadium for a stoning. But you need to know that I began to root for the team with the blue stars on their helmets when one of Dallas’s big stars Rayfield Wright came to my elementary school when I was in the sixth grade! Needless to say since then I have been smitten with a significant stroke of starstruck. So how ‘bout them Cowboys?!
This past season there was a significant change in the lineup when rookie Dak Prescott became the starting quarterback due to Tony Romo’s preseaon injury. He is definitely the new sheriff at this position calling the shots and signals at Dallas. Dak Prescott is relishing the rewards of being the quarterback of the 2017 Eastern Divisional Champion Dallas Cowboys. People all over are pouring out the praise and showing the love. It’s an honor he has earned. As a rookie Prescott went 13-3 as a starter. He passed for 3,667 yards with twenty-three touchdowns and four interceptions.
However, there is a dynamic about the Dallas fan base that I must concede. Dallas fans can be fickle. It has been like that since the 1960s, when the fans’ contempt called on Ring of Honor quarterback Don Meredith to retire rather than continue to face the city's ire after every unacceptable loss. Tony Romo who possesses practically every franchise passing record of note, found out the same thing Meredith did: The city only loves you for so long as you are a player.
I submit to you that it’s not just sports fans but people in general are stuck in a fickle. Fickle means unpredictable or changeable.
Turning to the Scriptures, in our text the people were petitioning and praising the Lord Jesus Christ. Countless numbers of people were making the pilgrimage down to celebrate the Passover Feast! Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem on a Sunday; traditionally observed today as Palm Sunday. Throngs of people spread out their robes and clothing in front and behind of Jesus waving palm branches shouting “Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord” (Psalm 118:26).
Just like an unexpected and sudden appearance of dark and threatening storm clouds, the shouts of the crowds thundered “Crucify Him” only five days later! They went from shouts of victory to vitriol, Hosanna to hate, praise to persecution and reverence to rejection.
Now take heed my brothers and sisters before we cast judgment on the fickle in the first century, what about the fickle in the 21st century? Have we not lauded the Lord when things are going well only to loathe the Lord when things are not going well or when our expectations are not being met?
Don’t find yourself stuck in a fickle. During this Passion week purpose to say with your mind and hearts what the psalmist proclaimed:”I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1).
For the Glory of God,
PBKSR