The Danger of Getting Your Own Will

<p>In Luke 19:37-39 Jesus enters Jerusalem in triumph with the crowd shouting praises:  Blessed is the King, the One who comes in the Name of the Lord; Peace in Heaven and Glory in the Highest (like the angels at the birth of Jesus) – but the Pharisees ask him to rebuke his disciples!</p><p>They have been with him along this journey to Jerusalem and have continually grown in fear of the people and despair at their loss of respect, power, and authority. Fast forward 5 days, after Judas agrees to betray Jesus and the leaders see their opportunity arise:</p><p>Now Jesus has been condemned by the religious leaders due to false testimony and brought before Pilate – who sends him to Herod who also finds no fault in him.  He returns and passes judgement 3 times: Jesus is innocent at every turn, except in the minds of the Jewish leaders: Each declaration becomes more general:  First he is declared innocent of the charges brought by the Jews.  Second, he is innocent of leading people astray.  Third, he is innocent of any wrongdoing worthy of death.  The final question is: Why, what evil has he done?  There is no answer to that question, because he has done no evil and they all know it. The only way to deal with this is to incite a riot. In the midst of this, a man who is guilty of inciting a riot and murder, is released and Jesus is handed over to their will!!! Barabbas, the guilty one, goes free – while the innocent one is not punished for his sins, but is a sacrifice for the sins of others.</p><p>I propose that we often think of God as a God of judgement, who is just looking for an opportunity to cast us into the fires of hell.  I for one do not believe that, but I do believe and if God did not spare his own son, how will he not with him freely give us all things!  A God of Love is not nit picking on our sins but wants above all to save us.  Save us from what?  Here is the answer: Our own Will!</p><p>The worst thing God can do to us, is to let us have our own way and do our own thing.  We see that as freedom, but God se