In the crosshairs- “being the specific target of intense scrutiny, attack, or pressure from opposing sides or authorities.”
Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself .
John 6:15 New International Version (NIV)
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”
Matthew 23:27-28 (NIV)
Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.
John 11:54 (NIV)
They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.”
John 11:56-57 (NIV)
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.
Matthew 21:6-11 (NIV)
Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout,
Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes
to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey….
He will proclaim peace to the nations.
Zechariah 9:9-10 (NIV)
They quickly took their cloaks and spread them under him on the bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet and shouted, “Jehu is king!”
2 Kings 9:13 (NIV)
“Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
Matthew 21:9 (NIV)
Hosanna – Please save us , Save, we pray
Why would Jesus do this like this? Why would He keep quiet and then suddenly at the height of everything, in the most tense and foreboding time, expose who He was?
Because…
Jesus is love. Jesus is bold.
Jesus is okay with being a little dangerous.
“Somewhere along the way we traded following Jesus for creating a tame, moldable, silent Jesus who doesn’t mind following us. The church’s waning influence on the culture is directly connected to Jesus’ waning influence on the church.” – Kevin KB Burgess
Following Jesus is anything but safe – But following Jesus is EVERYTHING.
Sometimes, the danger we are in is the danger we are to ourselves.
The danger we create when we play it too safe.
Where in my life am I letting fear hold me back from following Jesus into the Crosshairs, when the pressure is on?
Am I willing to boldly serve Jesus?
Am I influencing the world or am I letting the world influence me?
Am I playing it just too safe?