I’m a people watcher. Sometimes at the mall, I’ll just sit there and watch as people go by. I imagine what their lives might be like. I wonder what things they carry as burdens, what things they suffer, what dreams they might have.

This morning, Palm Sunday, all around the world believers are remembering Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. There were lots of people to watch in that throng. I know that they all had their own expectations for this miracle worker, this teacher, this popular yet controversial public figure.

Whatever they expected, they were all going to be shocked at the events about to unfold. Some in the crowd were fascinated by the amazing things Jesus had done. They expected a wonder worker. Still others saw in him a potential leader for the revolution...an insurgent leader, not unlike the Imams in Iraq whose sermons are intended to provoke violent terrorist attacks.

His own disciples didn’t really know what to expect. They saw Him raise Lazarus from the dead. Yet, Jesus had also warned them that soon He was going to be betrayed, arrested and executed. I dare say that no one in the crowd saw that coming. I think that the majority in the crowd that day had some general nondescript hope that somehow this Rabbi was different from the rest, and that maybe the Lord was moving again, and that their lives could somehow be better than they were.

The good news to me is that Jesus knew exactly what He was about to do, and that nothing would dissuade Him from the mission He came to accomplish. As we get into this morning’s message, which I have entitled, "Faces in the Crowd," I ask you, What are you expecting?