An Anti-Hero

 

When Christ came into Jerusalem for his final Passover, the Israelites were not looking for him. They were hoping for a hero, not the Messiah. Being freed from slavery to sin did not seem as important as freedom from Roman rule. When Christ seemed to promise freedom from the empire, the Israelites welcomed Him into Jerusalem like a warrior. But they drove him out, a condemned man, when they found He was not the hero they desired.

  Heroes ride into cities on horses; they bring an entourage; they make their own noise. Christ came to Jerusalem on a beast of burden followed by a ragtag bunch of men of various job descriptions. He came like a servant. He came to die.

    Christ was an anti-hero in His own way. He did not lead people into battle to save them. He died to save them. He sacrificed Himself. Humanity views self-sacrifice as one of the greatest acts a person is capable of. An act of humility more than an act of heroism. Christ set the standard for heroes. The greatest heroes are servants. The greatest heroes die for their cause.

  But Christ did more than just lay down His life. He rose again, He conquered death. And in the end, Christ will come as a great conquering hero and all the earth will lay at His feet. But first, He was the hero no one expected: He was a servant.