children singing in the Temple
This story takes place when there was a lot of tension and anxiety for the grown-ups. Jesus was (literally!) turning things upside down. He was saying some things that upset the way things had always been. Change was in the air. The people in power are getting really uncomfortable, and suddenly they hear the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” Jesus reminds them that the youngest among us lead the way in praising God. The children in this story of tumult are the ones with clarity, the ones who know what’s important. They’re the ones who recognize and praise Jesus. And they’re bold enough to proclaim it!
Read It
Matthew 21:10-16
10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”
12 Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 He said to them, “It is written,‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a den of robbers.”
14 The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he cured them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the amazing things that he did, and heard the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became angry 16 and said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise for yourself’?”
10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”
12 Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 He said to them, “It is written,‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a den of robbers.”
14 The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he cured them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the amazing things that he did, and heard the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became angry 16 and said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise for yourself’?”
Do It
Sing the song the children sang - “Hosanna to the Son of David!” Proclaim it loudly! Maybe you want to add some percussion instruments (or even other instruments). Walk around your house together proclaiming it. And if you’re feeling brave, do it outside or in a public place. This noisy activity will catch on right away with little ones, and big ones will get into it with a little prompting. See if your children can connect it to Palm Sunday this year or in future years.
Pray It
Hosanna! You are our Messiah, our redeemer, the one who comes to save us! Give us courage to praise you. Amen.