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Pro athletic teams preprint thousands of T-shirts that say, “We are Champions.” If they lose, they donate the shirts to poor people in other countries. Winners and losers exist in nearly every sport. There were also winners and losers when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey years ago. Crowds hailed Him as the long awaited Messiah. He gave them hope that He would rescue their nation from their many hardships. Matthew Chapter 21 says most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of Him; others cut branches from trees and spread them in the road. Jesus was in the center of the procession and the people all around Him kept shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David! Praise God in the highest heaven!” But sadly, while His arrival filled the crowd with hope, it filled the religious leaders with fear and rage. Sensing that they were about to lose control of the people, they quickly plotted to get rid of Jesus whom they thought was about to upset set the status quo. They instigated His death by crucifixion. Yet He still won, because He arose from the dead, defeated death, and now offers eternal life to those who accept Him. He went back to heaven where He intercedes for us before His Father. One day, He will return to reward His faithful people—those who accepted Him, served Him by sharing the Gospel, and promoted love and justice in our world.
