From “Hosanna” to “Crucify Him”: Refusing to be a People-Pleaser

Growing up, my mom often preached this sermon to me, in various ways: “Josh, don’t try to please people. Please God. People change. You’ll try to please people and they’ll let you down. The same people who may sing your praises, may eventually put you down. Please God; He’ll never let you down.” This is a lesson I’ve had to learn over the years.

During the “Passion Week,” when followers of Christ celebrate Christ’s journey from “Palm Sunday” to “Easter Sunday,” I’m often reminded of my mom’s sermon on pleasing God over people. Here’s why.

“Palm Sunday” marks the moment when Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem. It was a triumphal entry, when the crowds shouted: “Hosanna to the Son of David!”[1] “Hosanna” means “save now.”[2] The crowds laid their cloaks and palm branches on the ground as He rode.[3] These acts pointed to Jesus as the Davidic Messiah to save them out of their oppression, and symbolized “their submission to him as king” and victory.[4] The crowd surrounding Jesus was in favour of Him, whether or not they realised all that His life meant.

Fast-forward just five days, and we are brought to “Good Friday,” when we encounter Jesus’ trials, crucifixion, and burial. Pilate is the governor at that time, and it was the governor’s custom to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. Rather than release Jesus, the crowd calls out to “Crucify” Jesus.^[5] How drastically things change in a matter of days.

Five days earlier on “Palm Sunday” a crowd shouts “Hosanna”! On Good Friday a crowd shouts “Crucify him!” But whether or not people were singing his praises or mocking him, Jesus remained committed to pleasing His Father.[6]

While some in the crowd may have preferred a king who overthrew the Roman government at the time, Jesus remained focused on pleasing His Father, which included the mission of suffering and dying for the sins of humanity.[7]

There are at least two things—among many others—we can take away from observing Jesus’ commitment to pleasing God the Father, whether the crowd was shouting “Hosanna!” or “Crucify him!”.

• Jesus is worth following today. God loves you and offers forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with Him through Jesus. Jesus, the innocent Son of God, chose to please His Father, and in doing so experienced death on a cross so that we do not have to experience the consequences of sin, which is death (Romans 5). And Jesus not only died on that cross, but on “Easter Sunday,” followers of Christ celebrate that He rose from the grave. That same power to overcome death, and experience eternal life in our resurrection bodies, may be exerted in us when we too may die (1 Corinthians 15).
• Seek to please God over others. Jesus heard the shouts of both “Hosanna!” and “Crucify him!” from the crowds. There were moments he appeared to be the most well-liked person in the room, and moments where he was the least-liked person in the room. But Jesus knew what was most important—pleasing the Father. We live in an age where one’s value is often determined by the crowd—how many Facebook friends or likes you have, or Twitter followers and retweets. Don’t merely determine how you live based on the opinions of others. It’s not easy to be disliked at times. The Apostle Paul once said, “If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”^[8]

I realise that we won’t always get it right—I’m thankful for God’s grace. But it’s my hope and prayer that during this season in your life, you experience all that God has for you as you please Him over others. It may sometimes be very difficult, but it will always be worth it. People change, but God will always remain faithful to you no matter what you are going through as you seek to please Him.

[1] Matthew 21:8-11.

[2] Strauss, Four Portraits, One Jesus, 480.

[3] John 12:13

[4] Wilkins, Matthew, NIVAC, 688.

^[5] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Mt 27:21–26.

[6] Matthew 26:39-42; John 3:16; 4:34; 5:30; 8:28-29.

[7] John 10:14-18.

^[8] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ga 1:10.