Unmet Expectations

Palm Sunday: Crowds of people yelling, “Hosanna!” as Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey.

A few days later: Many of those same people were screaming to Jesus, “Crucify Him!”

What happened?

Palm Sunday: Lazarus had recently been raised from the dead. Jesus had performed many miracles prior to this day. Many Jews were drawn to Jesus because of these miracles. The crowd of Jews in Jerusalem were gathered to celebrate Passover, remembering an event when their ancestors were freed from a tyrannical ruler. Rome was oppressive. The people were excited for their Jewish King to finally triumph and usher them into victory.

Only a few short days later: These same Jews were screaming to crucify this same man. Pilate asks: “What crime did this man commit?” He is met only with more cries of “Crucify Him”—no other answer. Instead, the Jews demand Pilate release Barabbas, a well-known insurrectionist—a  man in prison for committing murder during an uprising.

What did happen in less than a week? There were probably many factors, however, unmet expectations played a part in the crowd’s quick turnaround.

Jesus did not, in fact, overthrow the earthly oppressive powers in those people’s lives—namely Rome. The people that were yelling Hosanna were expecting an earthly king. They expected someone who would end their suffering, make all their dreams come true, and punish the people in charge that they considered cruel and immoral. However, Jesus was ushering in a heavenly realm, not an earthly one (even though there would be earthly implications). In essence, He was playing the long game. Jesus would set up the new earth and new Jerusalem at His Second Coming. (See Revelations.) In turns out, Barabbas fit their narrative of a rebel leader better than Jesus of Nazareth.

What probably began as disappointment quickly turned to resentment, and then anger. Anger, that mixed with a mob mentality, caused the same people who placed all of their hopes on Jesus and praised Him, to now call for His death in a cruel and public fashion. Indeed, they preferred a known thug be freed, one who probably aligned more with their desire for earthly retribution. This change in loyalty likely began with a few individuals or a small group, but as more joined the chorus, mob mentality quickly reigned.

As I contemplate the events of Holy Week, I would love to think that I’d not be as quickly swayed. That my loyalty would be unquestionably strong. But can I be so sure?

Take a modern example: recently, my kids came home from school with grand plans. Barely in the car,  they proceeded to tell me what were we doing for dinner that night (school had been hyping the pizza joint fundraiser that day), what we were doing after dinner that night, etc. Their expectations were set, and they were excited. Unfortunately for them, I had other plans. Since I am the one with the car, the driver’s license, and the bank account to afford said dinner, I thought my expectations of how the night would unfold were reasonable and should take precedence. I barely got out, “I had planned…” before I was met with tears and exclamations of “but I was looking forward to…,” “we never…,” and “that’s not fair!”

There was much weeping and gnashing of teeth—mainly mine.

We hammered out some sort of compromise from that rocky start. I lectured them on their attitude, poor responses, and unreasonable expectations; but am I really all that different? How often do I get bent out of shape when my will is thwarted? Regrettably, I have been known to have a poor attitude with my husband, children, or that person taking forever in the checkout line that is keeping me from squeezing in that one last errand before I need to be somewhere…. I digress.

In fact, part of the reason I got so bent out of shape when the girls told me their plans for the evening is because they were bumping up against my expectations of how the evening would transpire. My plans involved time together at home, theirs at a restaurant with their friends from school.

Honestly, the fallout from unmet expectations has implications for how we interact with society and the larger world around us. It can also explain some of the hostility we encounter in our daily lives and on social media.

Back to Jesus. I might be able to identify with that crowd more than I would like to admit. I do not know how many of those same people came to faith in Jesus as we read later in Acts, but I would like to believe quite a few. Nevertheless, I do know that I am thankful that the cross allows forgiveness and salvation for even those who hastened Christ’s death. I am thankful that the cross allows forgiveness and salvation for me and the gift of an abundant life with Yahweh now and into eternity. I am thankful that Christ did not remain in that grave and now sits at the right hand of the Father.

As such, I hope you will join me in taking a moment to stop and think about how we react to those around us. To limit knee jerk responses and listen, truly listen. To ponder how our own expectations, met or otherwise, flow into how we interact with the world and all its residents.

As I celebrate Easter and Christ being risen from the dead, I want to sing “Hosanna” and keep singing “Hosanna” even when I am not being treated the way I feel I ought and even when the world is not fitting into my expectations of how it should be.

Hosanna to the Son of David!

Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!