The Entry

The sun was setting on a glorious Jerusalem day, but all Malichi could feel was a sense of despair.  As he stared over the top of the city from his home, he thought back to that fateful day when the centurion had come into he and Silas’ shop.  Silas had jumped at the chance to do business with the Romans, and they had done well.  It turns out the crucifixion business was a very steady business.

But after the last few days, Malachi was torn.  He has seen the prophet, Jesus, enter the city.  The people had shouted out with joy, celebrating like the arrival of a king.  The cries of “Hosanna”,  “blessed is the king who come in the name of the Lord” and “peace in heaven and glory in the highest” had echoed through the streets.  Malachi himself was late getting to the arrival, because he had to deal with Silas.  A couple of disciples of Jesus’ had come and untied the colt tied in front of Silas’ house.  They had said “the Lord has need of it”, when questioned by Malachi.  He had a sense of peace when he had just let them walk away with the colt.  Silas, on the other hand, was livid!  “How could you just let them walk away with that colt?  I know how much you paid for the breeding and you have just wasted the money, no…not wasted….you let them steal it from you!  That is so much worse!”

How could he explain to Silas the peace he had felt as he watched the two men walk away with the colt?  That sense that this was the right thing to do, that a higher purpose was being served.  Silas would not understand, all he cared about lately was how much money he was making and what he could buy with it.

When Malachi had arrived on the street, all he could see was the back of the man called Jesus, as he was led on the colt across palm leaves and coats.  He couldn’t help but think this was a celebration fit for a king.  He later followed the man into the temple and witnessed the anger the man had with the money changers and other vendors.  He had said, “My house will be a house of prayer, you have made it a den of robbers!”  Malachi couldn’t have agreed more with that statement, it seemed every time he went to the temple it felt more like being robbed and less like worship.

For several days the man, Jesus, had taught in the temple and Malachi had stayed all day, every day!  He couldn’t seem to get his fill of the words the man spoke.  He spoke of truth and justice and most of all he spoke of love.  He spoke of the love that God had for each of them and the plans that God had for them.  More and more every day, he was starting to believe the rumors that were floating around about this man.  That he was the very Son of God.  It made so much sense, how could this man have that much knowledge if he was not the Son of God?

Silas had come one of the days, to listen he said, but Malachi suspected that Silas came to get him to leave and come back to work.  Silas said, “Listen to the ridiculousness of his statements!  The rumors say he is a heretic and speaks blasphemy.  Why do you stay here?  Come, come back to the shop before you accused along with him.  The Pharisees will see you here and think you are part of his group; no good can come from that!  At least come back to the shop to work, we have many orders to fill for the Romans, and they are losing patience.”

But Malachi had stayed in the temple.  Soaking up the teachings of the man, Jesus, and more and more believing, in his heart, that Jesus was the Christ.  The last time he saw the man; Jesus has looked directly at him and said, “Do you believe that I am the Son of God?”  His heart melted, he fell at Jesus’ feet weeping and said, “Yes, Lord, with all my heart...yes!”  Then Jesus reached down and touched his shoulder, saying “your sins are forgiven, my son.” 

Malachi could hardly believe what had happened as he headed home that night; he was so excited and could hardly wait to go to the temple the next day.  To actually worship the living Son of God!  What a glorious day tomorrow would be!