Birthdays make us feel good. The party’s all about us. The cake has our name on it, and we don’t have to apologize for claiming all the attention.
Performers are the same, except more so. Many comedians tell of stage fright they can overcome only because they are addicted to the applause. They need the celebration more than they dread the butterflies.
Even Jesus was given the praise of his followers. Luke 19:37 reveals their enthusiasm:
“And when [Jesus] was come near, even now at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen.”
Lest we get confused, this wasn’t just the twelve core disciples who rejoiced in Jesus as he rode into the city. This was the whole multitude, all of Jesus’ followers. It was a real party, a birthday celebration to break the bank. And Jesus didn’t apologize for it. When the Pharisees complained about the noise, expense, and the general rowdiness, Jesus took full credit for the entire shindig. Luke 19:40 gives us his words:
“And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”
The presence of our Lord demands our praise. We need to celebrate when he’s near. Lift our hands, raise our voices, and jump up and down. This is our King, our glorious Savior, the one who has redeemed our soul! It’s better than a birthday and more rewarding than a comedian’s spiel. This is Christ, returned for his own; and if we’re redeemed, he claims us as one of his.
Jesus is our reason to rejoice, for in him, we are eternally redeemed from sin and death.
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