Ride to Glory...

​He rode the donkey into Jerusalem.
The people sang, “Hosanna, Hosanna!”
They waved palms of praise.
 
The master said, “One of you will betray me.”
They replied, “who my Lord?”
He said, “Peter you will deny me.”
The disciple exclaimed, “I will never desert you!”
He said, “Before the cock crows
3 times you will deny me.”
 
The betrayer said, “Greetings Rabbi,” with a kiss in the night.
The one betrayed asked, “With a kiss you would betray me Judas?”
A sword was drawn, a slave was struck.
He commanded, “Put away your sword for all who take the sword will parish.”
In cuffs they took him away.

​Guards delivered him to the House of Caiaphas.
He stood before the council.
They asked, “Answer this, are you the Messiah?”
He said, “You have said so.”
They shouted “Blasphemy!”
 
The Servant girl said, “You were with him.”
The disciple said “No!”
She replied, “This man was with the man called Jesus.”
He exclaimed, “No!”
They said, “Certainly you were one of them!”
The denier demanded, “I do not know the man!”
The cock crowed.
 
Before Pilate he stood.
The governor asked, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
He replied, “You say so.”
He questioned, “Do you hear your accusers?”
There was silence.
 
Before the people he stood.
The ruler asked, “Whom shall I release?”
“Jesus or Barabbas?”
They cried, “Barabbas!”
He responded, “What then should I do with Jesus, the one called Messiah?”
They shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!
His blood be on our hands and on our children.”
 
Beaten and bloody to the cross he was led.
The nails pierced deep.
Above the crowd he hung.
Two bandits on either side.
The sign read, “King of the Jews.”
 
The Son said, “Father forgive them.”
The one on the right said,
“Remember me when you enter into your kingdom.”
The Lord replied, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”
 
She looked at her Son with a broken heart.
Her dear beloved Jesus hung naked and bloody.
He would not die alone.
His mother promised, “Jesus I am here.”
 
Her Son looked at his mother.
The Rabbi looked at his beloved disciple.
The Son promised, “Woman, here is your son.”
The teacher said, “Here is your mother.”
 
The WORD exclaimed, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”
The sunlight failed.
They sky was dark and silent.
He cried out in despair.
The crowd said, “This man is calling for Elijah!”
 
The crucified whispered, “I thirst.”
A hyssop branch of wine was lifted to quench a thirst.
The temple curtain was ripped apart.
The tension was frightening.
 
He said, “It is finished.”
With his last breath,
The Son exclaimed, “Father into your hands I commend my Spirit.”
In awe, the centurion said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
It was done.
 
They mourned for three days.
Would the pain never end?
What now?
Where should they go?
The followers missed their friend!
 
The sun shone bright!
The earth shook.
The messengers asked “whom are you seeking among the dead?”
The disciples ran shouting, “Jesus is not there!”
The man said, “Why are your crying?”
She said, “What have they done with my Lord?”
He said, “Mary.”
She cried out, “Teacher!’
The Lord remarked, “I am ascending to my Father, to my God, your God!”
She proclaimed with joy, “I have seen the Lord!”
“He has RISEN!”
“Jesus Christ has RISEN indeed!”