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I’ve read Matthew 21.1 – 11, the Triumphal Entry, twice this week, and I’m puzzling over the lessons to be learned. Obviously, it’s a fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy–Matthew says so:

This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” (Matthew 21.4, 5, ESV)

But on a more human and immediate level, something else is going on. Jesus had already told his disciples three times(!) that he was going to Jerusalem to die:

And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.” (Matthew 20.17 – 19, ESV)

But now he rides into Jerusalem accompanied by a great crowd:

Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” (Matthew 21.8 – 11, ESV)

There could have been a temptation to be distracted. If it were me, I’d feel pretty special at a parade in my honor. But Jesus, just as he ignored the crowds who wanted to make him king after he fed them (John 6), also ignores these crowds and goes straight to the temple and irritates the religious leaders by throwing out “all who bought and sold in the temple.” (Matthew 21.12). And it’s highly likely that these crowds were among those clamoring for his crucifixion just a few days later:

Pilate asked them, “Then what would you have me to do with Jesus who is called the Anointed One?” They all shouted back, “Crucify him!” “Why?” Pilate asked. “What has he done wrong?” But they kept shouting out, “Crucify him!” (Matthew 27.22, 23, Passion Translation)

One can be thrown off track as easily by success and acclamation as by failure and rejection. Jesus stayed on mission. Can we do the same?

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have. (Philippians 1.27 – 30, ESV)

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For some reason I have been really exercised about the college admission scandal story that broke this week. Maybe it’s because one of the alleged participants, Lori Loughlin, plays the wholesome Abigail Stanton on When Calls the Heart, a Hallmark series we watch with our granddaughter every week. (We’re only in season 4; season 5 has aired, and season 6 was underway.)

Another reason I’m drawn to the story is that I can’t imagine anything less worth cheating for than trying to get into an elite college. As a proud graduate of a lowly state school (Clemson!), I think I’ve done OK in life. Malcolm Gladwell wrote in David and Goliath (I think) that some people get into, say, Harvard, and do poorly when they would have done just fine at a “regular” institution. Jason Gay makes this point nicely in the Wall Street Journal (Thursday, March 14): “None of this nonsense is worth it. College is college–some schools have more to offer than others, but in your life, you’re going to meet plenty of useless dingbats who went to the most distinguished colleges in the country. You’ll also encounter wizards who barely went to school at all.”

I hesitated to write about it, not wanting to “pile on” people who got caught doing something most of us couldn’t have even been tempted toward because we don’t have the means. But that’s the issue for all of us, isn’t it? Giving into temptation. Maybe this one doesn’t apply, but others do. Apparently, the case broke when someone who was guilty of securities fraud had also participated in this illegal scheme. Which came first?

Jason Gay also wrote, “Not everyone cheats. Not everyone cuts corners. There isn’t a diploma in the world that’s more valuable than your integrity–and you can’t buy your integrity back.”

And some college admissions bribery is legal: giving millions to your Alma Mater so your kid can be accepted. Who is more guilty? The wealthy parent who gives the bribe donation, or the school who alters its standards to let their kid in? Are there institutions who can stand up and say, “Slots in our school can’t be bought!”

For us as believers, scripture is clear:

Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26.41, NKJV)

These are all warning markers—DANGER!—in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence. (1 Corinthians 10.11, 12, MSG)

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Jesus washed his disciples’ dirty feet. 

Now Jesus was fully aware that the Father had placed all things under his control, for he had come from God and was about to go back to be with him. So he got up from the meal and took off his outer robe, and took a towel and wrapped it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ dirty feet and dry them with his towel. John 13.3 – 5 (Passion Translation)

It wasn’t only symbolic; it was a real service that needed to be done. No one else had stepped up to do that. I would have been thinking: this place has been pre-arranged, why isn’t there a servant here?

On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover Lamb is sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where would you like us to prepare the Passover meal for you?” So he sent two of his disciples ahead into Jerusalem with these instructions: “Make your way into the city and watch for a man carrying an earthenware pitcher of water. Follow him, and say to the owner of whatever house he enters, ‘The Teacher wants to ask you: “Do you have my room ready where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?”’ And he will show you a large upstairs room ready and with a table set. Make preparations for us there.” (Mark 14.12 – 15, Passion Translation)

Why couldn’t the owner of the house have provided a servant? Let’s assume Jesus set this up in advance but kept the place a secret for security purposes. Maybe the owner of the house offered a servant for foot-washing and other tasks when Jesus arranged the meeting place. He offered, but Jesus told him “they” would take care of it, himself planning to do the footwashing. 

Do I not only step up to do what needs to be done but also arrange things so that I’ll have an opportunity to serve? 

“You’ve called me your teacher and lord, and you’re right, for that’s who I am. So if I’m your teacher and lord and have just washed your dirty feet, then you should follow the example that I’ve set for you and wash one another’s dirty feet. Now do for each other what I have just done for you. (John 13.13 – 15, Passion Translatioon)

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June and I are beginning to see the decluttering, minimalist message everywhere. I’ve written recently about getting rid of stuff and also about decluttering our technology. The other day we saw a documentary called Minimalism. I recommend it.

Minimalism opens with scenes of people trampling one another at a Black Friday sale, and a guy comes on talking about how his mission in life was to get a good job and buy all the “toys” he could. It reminded me of my friend and Navigator mentor Skip Gray who used to say, “The happy unbelievers roaring around out there seem to have it made except for one thing. They have no purpose.”

And these folks were discovering that all the buying didn’t even make them happy. One college professor who has studied the problem said something like, “Why would you try to be happy by buying more of what you don’t even want?”

Of course, Jesus and the Bible are way ahead as usual:

And [Jesus] said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12.15, ESV)

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6.10, NKJV)

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As I write there’s a furious blizzard going on here in Monument, Colorado. In fact, our power went out while I was writing this, and it’s only through my phone’s hot spot that I can connect! The blizzard has been predicted now for several days. (I wish I had captured the warning during yesterday’s 60-degree temperature!)

Despite yesterday’s calm and despite that sometimes storms are over-predicted, everyone planned around it. Today’s classes were cancelled yesterday; we took our granddaughter home last night so she would be at home during the blizzard and not stuck at our house. My son opined yesterday, “All this panic and preparation we’ll probably get half an inch.”

Not so.

So kudos to the weather people! And kudos to those of us who took heed. 

³¹ Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise.
³² Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, but the one who heeds correction gains understanding.
³³ Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the LORD, and humility comes before honor. (Proverbs 15.31 – 33, NIV)

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You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5.48, ESV)

I wrote yesterday about expecting spiritual training to be effective. Not settling for mediocrity. But ironically Matthew 5.48 is often taken as an excuse to do exactly that–settle for mediocrity because, after all, “We’ll never be perfect.” My friend and mentor G. Loran Lewis, now with the Lord, helped me with that concept a number of years ago.

Loran, pastor and professor of New Testament Greek, led a full-day workshop in which he explained that “perfect” in this context simply means mature. To act appropriately. We use the term the same way when we say that a golfer who shoots at the pin from 100 yards out and leaves the ball two feet away from the hole has executed “a perfect shot.”

Loran took a lot of push-back at that workshop from people who didn’t want to do the work of growing to maturity. Who didn’t want to “train for godliness” (1 Timothy 4.7).

As I wrote recently, let’s not settle for mediocrity either in ourselves or those we lead when we can train for maturity.

I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it. Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. (Philippians 3.14 – 17, MSG)

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Here’s a new thought, also from Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard that I referred to yesterday:

From the stage of early discipleship, where “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak,” we increasingly pass to the stages where the flesh–think of that as what we more or less automatically feel, think, and do–is with the spirit and supportive of its deepest intentions. This is absolutely essential in training that will bring us to do from the heart the things that Jesus knew to be best. (Divine Conspiracy, 1998, first edition, page 354)

It goes against the commonly held idea that as humans we are hopelessly and permanently so imperfect that Jesus had to die for our sins. While it is true that we can’t reach God’s standard of perfect sinlessness, Dallas is arguing that we can train, as he says, “to do from the heart the things that Jesus knew to be best.”

Paul did say, “Train yourself for godliness.” (1 Timothy 4.7) Jesus taught that growth takes time, but that, indeed, growth does occur over time:

And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. (Mark 4.26 – 28, ESV)

I once heard an adult Sunday school class member cut off the teacher who was trying to encourage us to be godly, to grow in Christian character. The interrupter said, “We can’t be perfect so why try?” With that remark he attempts to justify his mediocrity.

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. (Philippians 3.12 – 17, ESV)

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As June and I are getting over our respiratory infections, painful reality is setting in: no stamina! It doesn’t take long to lose our fitness, and there’s only one way to get it back: exercise!

I was just listening to Dallas Willard’s Divine Conspiracy, where he defined “discipline” as “…something in my power that I do to enable me to do what I cannot do by direct effort.” Today I can’t walk a mile in, say, 15 minutes, but if I disciplined myself to walk a bit faster every day and a bit longer, in time, I could.

The spiritual life is the same. We keep looking for shortcuts, but the scripture is clear:

Train yourself for godliness. (1 Timothy 4.7b, ESV)

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Yesterday I suggested that Jesus used spectacular events to give everyone a chance to believe in him, but that overall, the spectacular didn’t work as well as investing in the twelve. Those twelve, with a total of 120 upper room believers braved hardship and reached the world.

My observation of the two large crowds in Luke 7 (Jesus, his disciples, and his followers going into Nain and a large funeral procession coming out of Nain) was new. Here’s something on the ineffectiveness of spectacular events I observed a while back.

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice,  do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness,  where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years.  Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’” (Hebrews 3.7 – 11, ESV)

The Hebrews passage speaks of the generation that experienced three of the most spectacular events imaginable: Passover (Exodus 12), the Red Sea (Exodus 14), and Sinai (Exodus 20). And out of 600,000 men who left Egypt (Exodus 12.37), the total number who entered the Promised Land was 2–Joshua and Caleb. 

For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. (1 Corinthians 10.1 – 5, ESV)

As leaders, the lesson is that we shouldn’t build all our ministry strategy around spectacular events. As ordinary followers of Jesus, it’s the daily walk that counts, and we can’t rest on some exciting experience from years ago. It’s how we walk by faith today that matters!

We received the same promises as those people in the wilderness, but the promises didn’t do them a bit of good because they didn’t receive the promises with faith. (Hebrews 4.2, MSG)

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I just noticed that Jesus raised the widow of Nain’s son (Luke 7.11 – 17) in front of A LOT of people:

Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. (Luke 7:11 – 12, ESV, emphasis mine)

I take two lessons from this observation.

• Jesus gave everyone a chance to know who he was and believe on him. From the feeding of the 5,000, which probably involved more than 15,000 people counting women and children, to this event in Luke 7. Lots of people saw. More people heard because the story ends with, “And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.” (Luke 7.17, ESV)
• Jesus, however, did not trust in the effectiveness of these big events. He continued to spend most of his time and invest most of his energy into training the twelve. “And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach.” (Mark 3.14, ESV)

We know that the “with him” strategy of investing in a small number of people paid way more dividends than attracting thousands to spectacular events because there were only 120 in the Upper Room in Acts 1.15! Where were the thousands who were fed on several occasions? Where were the folks who saw him raise the dead?

Let’s keep doing whatever we can to reach everyone using, even, big events. However, let’s not put too much faith into the spectacular. Jesus didn’t:

During the time he was in Jerusalem, those days of the Passover Feast, many people noticed the signs he was displaying and, seeing they pointed straight to God, entrusted their lives to him. But Jesus didn’t entrust his life to them. He knew them inside and out, knew how untrustworthy they were. He didn’t need any help in seeing right through them. (John 2.23 – 25, MSG)