Some people love being a part of a crowd. They get energy from those around them. And that energy fuels emotion which fuels action.
You can enjoy music together and be a part of a sing along. You can cheer for your favorite sports team. You can join together in praise and worship of God.
People being together in a common place doing common things can bring unity. Unity is the very thing Jesus prayed for us.
It always touched my heart to know Jesus not only prayed for His Disciples, He prayed to God for those who would come after them.
I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.
John 17:20-21
It would seem the crowd listening to Jesus’ Sermon on The Mount was a good start toward that unity.
It seems like the crowd that welcomed Jesus on what we call Palm Sunday had potential.
Satan hates any unity with God. Everything satan does is with the goal of separating us from God. But unity? Yes, he smiles and says, “I can work with that.”
Possibly some of the same people who welcomed Jesus on Sunday called for His crucifixion on Friday.
Crowds can become mobs. Heavenly things can go to Hell quickly.
Why?
Because once you as an individual stop listening to God and start listening to the buzz around you, your thoughts can shift.
What would seem very wrong if it was just you and God seems perfectly acceptable when you are in a crowd of people. In fact, with just the right amount of crowd Adrenalin, doing something violent may seem not only possible, but necessary.
And then there is also the feeling that whatever direction the crowd is going, you cannot stop them. To cast a dissenting vote in the midst of a crowd can seem like suicide. Some decide it is better to keep quiet and go with the flow.
So what would you have done if you had been a part of the crowd on Palm Sunday?
And if you were also in the crowd who called for Jesus’ crucifixion, what would you have done?
Would you have spoken up for Jesus?
Or would you have joined the group call for His death?
Would you have denied you even knew Him?
Would you have quietly slipped away and tried to wash your hands of the whole mess?
And if you had been in the crowd witnessing the crucifixion, what would you have done?
Every crowd is simply a collection of individual people, who whether they know it or not, make a decision to follow God or follow satan.
Remember Jesus’ prayer that we would be one with Him and His Father.
May our voices continue to be praises to our King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
