It's all about us?!?

(John 12:12-19)
I never really noticed that Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem came so closely on the heals of his miracle of raising Lazarus' from the dead. Verses 17-18 explain a lot:

17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. (John 12:17-18 NIV)

Just as previously at Lazarus' home, many people were coming to see the man who had performed this miracle. The term "hosanna" was originally a cry used to appeal to God for deliverance. Because of all Jesus' had done, the people believed that he could free them from their oppression from Rome or from the struggles of their lives.They credited Jesus as coming from God, but in the context of a political or social deliverer, not a spiritual Savior.

... "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!" (John 12:13 NIV)

This response is similar to the blind man that was healed when he said, "If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." (John 9:33 NIV) No one knew Christ's true purpose because it had not yet been fully revealed. Even the disciples struggled:

At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him. (John 12:16 NIV)

People flocked to Jesus because of what he could do for them. The disciples, caught up in the excitement, missed the meaning and the fast turn of events that was about to come upon them.
As we put Christ on display or present Him to others, some will want to know more. Most will be attracted because of what he has done or can do for them. That's okay. It's been that way since the beginning of time. We believe it's always about us! As followers of Christ, when people do come to investigate Christ, we need to come alongside to present the "why." We can't become so caught up in the excitement of our programs, or events that we lose the opportunity to share Christ not as a social deliverer, but as a Savior. As I heard in a message by Matt Chandler, "we don't follow Jesus because he makes life better; we follow Jesus because he is better than life."