Large Crowds

The central figure of all the Bible is Jesus Christ.  We read in the Bible that Jesus was there at the creation of the world, participated in the creation.  But He wasn't on the earth until the time came for the Father to send Him.  But all through the Bible we read that it was in the plan of God for Jesus to come and bring salvation to the earth, to all who would follow Him.  It was made clear that this would include all people, Jew and Gentile, men and women, slave and free.

It is interesting to see the reaction of people to His coming.  Jesus was born in a lowly estate, born to poor parents in a barn among animals; and yet He was a king....and His arrival as a baby was noticed by the shepherds and the wise men and many others.  But as time progressed He was simply a carpenter's helper in an unimportant town like Nazareth, unnoticed, with no following.

When the time came for Jesus to start His ministry, everything changed.  Note this passage at the end of  Matthew 4: "Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.  News about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and He healed them.  Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed Him."

Think how significant these large crowds must have been.  These people were from a broad area.  He was in Galilee, but the crowds were coming from all over Syria to the North, and from Judea to the South and from Jordan to the East.  The word was spreading about Him and about what He was doing.  People were traveling great distances to be with Him....and to receive the healing that He was doing...and even to hear the news that He was bringing.

As He approached the end of His life, Jesus entered Jerusalem on the back of a donkey with people, crowds cheering Him on, throwing palm branches down in front of Him in tribute, and shouting "Hosanna."  He was Lord; He was their King!

But we know that this mood didn't last.  As Jesus spent His last days in Jerusalem, the crowds vanished.  As He was brought to trial, there was only shame and disbelief.  And the followers dissipated, the crowds no longer were there to support Him.  That is how we are; far too quick to desert, to fall away.  But Jesus triumphed over death, brought new life to His followers, and brings life to us today.  We must now be committed to Him; to be His followers whether we are among crowds or standing alone.

Thanks for reading again.  May God bless you!