The crowd chanted "Hosanna, Glory to God in the Highest" and then only a week later..."Barrabas" and "crucify Him." How quickly a crowd can change directions. The disciples a small group would also be fickle in this time. They would eventually have staying power at Pentecost through discipleship. What is the lesson? Be leary of following a quickly forming crowd. Follow instead a crowd which forms through discipleship.
Jesus teaches earlier in Matthew 7 that "wide is the gate that leads to destruction and many follow this path." Fast growing crowds can be fickle and short-lived. Jesus challenges those who follow Him to be disciples. Disciples form a crowd over time. And the crowds of disciples become strong and dedicated.
We in the church like crowds. The best crowds are not the sudden ones but the ones who grow through discipleship. I see this patten small groups of disciples over time produce exponentially into a crowd. Bishop Dick Wills describes this as "growing larger by growing smaller."
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