你曾否想過出名的滋味﹖或作一個家喻戶曉的人物﹖走在街上，人們認得你，還寫文章報導你、奉承你。當你在發此奇想時，你一定會在腦海中看見自己謙卑、不作聲的接受了所有的讚美。「我不知道這些人為何如此大驚小怪，我只不過是個平常人，那種你們每天在路上都可以遇見的好人。」不過，再怎麼說，這種事總是讓人沾沾自喜的。

        但，還有更令人陶醉的事。被讚美是一回事；被尊崇又不一樣了。當讚美變為崇拜，你就成了神明──人們將你的話奉為圭臬，模仿你，視你如聖人。你已躋身宗教領袖和運動英雄的精英群內。當你發表談話，人們莫不洗耳恭聽，因你的話有權柄。廣告商帶著誘人的合約來找你簽名。這個世界就在你的掌上。

        所以，你絕不會選擇與你的崇拜者作對。「迷哥迷姐俱樂部」應好好的愛惜、培養，而不是施以懲罰、責備。你會想要取悅他們、滿足他們的期望、實現他們的計畫。

        耶穌的崇拜者有個計畫。「和散那！」道出了他們的心聲。這個呼喊的意思是：「現在拯救！」強調的是「現在」。在耶穌的時代，許多猶太人已受夠了羅馬人的統治。他們需要、也期盼一位領袖來打倒羅馬人，建立彌賽亞的國度，耶穌是他們禱告已久的答案。祂所造成的轟動不同於任何其他好像是彌賽亞的猶太狂熱分子。祂行神蹟、直言不諱的教訓人、具有無比的領袖魅力。這樣一個人竟然騎著驢駒進耶路撒冷，真是太諷刺了！祂多麼的謙卑！祂最後的勝利將有多棒！百姓們可能這麼想。但祂必須現在就行動：時機已經成熟了。現在就救我們吧！

        他們並沒有想到，耶穌有祂自己的計畫。祂也不需要群眾的擁護。祂是完全順服的上帝之子，將天父的旨意置於自己的心意之上。耶穌並沒有在歡呼聲中志得意滿，也沒有屈從群眾的計畫，祂反而利用這個公開的機會潔淨聖殿。耶穌並不討好群眾，反而將他們趕走，使得許多崇拜祂的人既失望又憤怒。

        你最近有沒有禱告「和散那」﹖「主啊，這是我的計畫書。現在就動工吧！不要照您的意思，乃要照我的意思。」然後我們在那裡疑惑為什麼上帝出奇的沈默。

        或許你我都應回想耶穌的禱告：「不要照我的意思，只要照您的意思」。

        「我們在天上的父，願人都尊您的名為聖，願您的國降臨，願您的旨意行在地上如同行在天上。我們日用的飲食今日賜給我們。免我們的債如同我們免了人的債、不叫我們遇見試探，救我們脫離兇惡。因為國度、權柄、榮耀全是您的，直到永遠。阿們。」奉主耶穌基督聖名，阿們！

English

        Have you ever thought you’d like to be famous? A household name? You know, someone whom people recognize on the street, write articles about and adulate? And, as you fantasize, you undoubtedly see yourself accepting all this adoration rather quietly and modestly. “I don’t know what all the fuss is about. I’m just an average person – your everyday nice guy.” Pretty heady stuff, nonetheless.

        But there’s something headier still. Being adored is one thing; being revered is something else. When adoration turns into worship, you’ve become a god or godless – people hang on your every word, emulate you, canonize you. You’ve joined the elite troop of religious cult leaders and sport heroes. When you speak, people listen, because you speak with authority. The advertisers come to you with lucrative endorsement contracts. The world is your oyster.

        So the last thing you want to do is antagonize your admires. A fan club should be cultivated, not castigated. You want to please them, meet their expectations, and fulfill their agenda.

        Jesus’ admires had an agenda. It was expressed in the word, “Hosanna!” This shout means, “Save now!”, with the emphasis on “now”. Many of the Jews in Jesus’ day had had enough of Roman occupation. They needed, and looked for, a leader who would rout the Romans and establish the messianic kingdom. Jesus was the answer to their prayers. He had created a stir unlike any other zealot with messianic tendencies. He was a miracle worker, an outspoken teacher, and a charismatic leader of unparalleled magnetism. How ironic that He should enter Jerusalem on a colt! How humble! How sweet would be His ultimate triumph! Or so they though. But He’s got to do it now: the time is ripe. Save now!

        It hadn’t entered their minds that Jesus had His own agenda. Nor did He need their political support. He was the totally submitted Son of God, who put His Father’s will ahead of His own. So, instead of glorying in the adulation and capitulating to the not-so-hidden agenda of the people, Jesus capitalized on the exposure by cleansing the temple are. He didn’t cultivate the people, He drove them away, disappointing and angering a lot of fans.

        Have you prayed any “Hosannas” lately? “Here’s the agenda, Lord. Do it now! Not Your will, but mine be done.” And then we wonder why God is strangely silent.

        Maybe it’s time for you and me to remember Jesus’ prayer, “not my will, but Thine be done.”

        “Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom comes. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”