When the Cheering Stopped

Woodrow Wilson was the 28th president of the United States, from 1913 to 1921.  He was a democrat and leading intellectual of the "progressive era."  Upon the end of World War I, people firmly believed that the last war had been fought.  The world would finally be safe and freedom would ring throughout the world.  When President Wilson made his first visit to Europe, huge crowds greeted him everywhere he went.  He was more popular than the greatest war heroes.  He was viewed as the great icon of hope.

When all was said and done, the cheering lasted for almost one year.  Then, the cheering stopped.  Over time, the political leaders in Europe become more interested in their own private agendas.  The pursuit of a lasting peace began to become a distant memory.  The European people began to lose hope.  In America, President Wilson met strong opposition in the senate.  One of the most important issues he designed and fought for was the Versailles Treaty, containing the Covenant of the League of Nations.  He pleaded with the senate, "Dare we reject it and break the heart of the world?"  The senate dared to reject it and it was never ratified. It not only broke President Wilson's heart, before long it broke his body.  Against his doctor's advice, his fight to mobilize his cause left him exhausted and he eventually suffered a devastating stroke.  Only two years prior, everyone cheered him.  In his final days, all of the cheering stopped. 

During this Lenten Season, we recall that on Palm Sunday, as Jesus approached Nazareth, He was greeted with cheering from the great crowds who were there to greet Him.  However, we also know that it would not be long before the same crowds who were cheering Him would soon be booing Him and calling for Him to be crucified.  How did this happen?  Why did the cheering stop?  They didn't understand His purpose.  They didn't understand what He was bringing to them.  The people wanted a Messiah who would set up a powerful earthly kingdom and drive out the Romans.  Jesus wanted to bring them a spiritual kingdom not based on violence but on love.  They didn't understand and the cheering stopped.

Has it ever happened to you?  By that, I mean has the cheering for Jesus ever stopped in your heart?  When things go our way, when God does what we want, when our prayers are answered, isn't it easy to cheer for Jesus?  But what happens when things don't go our way?  When bad things seem to happen.  When we're not happy.  Do we lose heart?  Does the cheering stop?  In the 6th chapter of John, Jesus explains to His disciples what communion means.  When they don't understand what Jesus is trying to say, the disciples start to complain.  Even though they had seen Him perform miracle after miracle and divine healing, the Bible says, "many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more." Jesus than asked His twelve apostles, "Do you also want to go away?"  How would you answer that question?  Has the cheering stopped for you?  Or will you answer the question as the apostles did, "We have come to believe and know that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

During this Easter season, let us return to our first love.  Let us love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength.  May the cheering never stop.