March 29th, 2026 - Crowd Mentality

Mar 30, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Recognizing the Danger of a Swayed Faith

The celebration of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem was sincere, yet many in the crowd misunderstood His true purpose. They had expectations of a political deliverer who would meet their immediate needs and wants. When Jesus began to demonstrate His true identity as King and Lord, their enthusiasm waned because He did not conform to their desires. This reveals a faith that is sincere but shallow, rooted in personal benefit rather than in Christ Himself. It is a cautionary tale for every believer to examine the foundation of their devotion. [08:06]

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” (Matthew 23:37–39, ESV)

Reflection: What are some of the expectations you have held about who Jesus is and what following Him should look like? In what ways might your own vision of comfort or success differ from His greater, eternal purposes for your life?

Day 2: The Unchanging Nature of Christ

The shifting opinion of the crowd did not change who Jesus was. He remained, and remains, the righteous King who came to deal with humanity’s ultimate problem: sin. His primary mission was not earthly comfort but eternal salvation, accomplished through the sacrifice of the cross. He is not a figure we can mold to fit our preferences; He is the Lord who calls us to align our lives with His sovereign will and His kingdom agenda. [18:08]

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you been tempted to reshape God’s character or promises to better suit your own desires? How can you intentionally shift your focus from what you want Him to do for you to who He has revealed Himself to be?

Day 3: Cultivating a Deep and Steadfast Devotion

In contrast to the swayed crowd, there were those whose devotion to Jesus grew stronger as they witnessed His miracles, heard His teaching, and saw His authority. Despite the presence of hostile religious leaders trying to discredit Him, this crowd held fast. Their commitment was not based on fleeting emotion or personal gain but on a growing recognition of His true identity. Their faith was resilient because it was rooted in the person of Christ. [28:21]

“And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.” (Matthew 22:33, ESV)

Reflection: As you look back over your walk with Christ, what has caused your devotion to Him to grow stronger? What spiritual practices help you fix your eyes on Jesus, especially when other voices or influences challenge your faith?

Day 4: Discerning Influence in the Midst of Community

Jesus taught that even within the community of faith, there will be influences that do not belong—represented by the birds nesting in the branches of the mustard plant. These influences may look like they belong, but their purpose is to steal, distort, or discourage. Jesus was aware of this reality firsthand, yet He did not let it derail His mission. His example calls us to be discerning, aware of such influences, yet unwavering in our own commitment. [44:21]

“He put another parable before them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’” (Matthew 13:31–32, ESV)

Reflection: What are the primary influences shaping your understanding of God and your faith—are they rooted in Scripture and prayer, or in the opinions of the surrounding culture? How can you cultivate a greater awareness of the difference?

Day 5: The Call to Sacrificial, Kingdom-Focused Joy

Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him—the joy of reconciling people to God. His sacrifice stands as the ultimate example of prioritizing eternal glory over temporal comfort. Following Him means being willing to sacrifice our own wants, conveniences, and even blessings for the sake of His name and the advancement of His gospel. This is the path to true, lasting joy. [25:22]

“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2, ESV)

Reflection: Is there an area of your life—your comfort, your resources, or your reputation—that God is asking you to surrender for the sake of His kingdom? What would it look like to take one practical step of sacrifice this week, motivated by the joy of seeing others come to know Him?

Sermon Summary

Matthew 21 sets a scene of competing crowds and clarifies what the week from triumphal entry to crucifixion exposes about human motives and divine purpose. The narrative identifies at least three crowds: the Jesus crowd who celebrate Jesus’ arrival, the Pilate crowd intent on condemnation, and the in-between crowd that begins with praise but drifts when expectations go unmet. The Jesus crowd voices genuine devotion that deepens as Jesus reveals his kingship—fulfilling prophecy, cleansing the temple, and confronting religious hypocrisy—while the in-between crowd praises superficially for perceived benefits and immediate deliverance. The text insists that Jesus refuses to conform to shallow, utilitarian expectations; his mission targets sin and eternal reconciliation rather than temporal comfort or political power.

Matthew links the triumphal entry and Jesus’ final confrontation with religious leaders to show a larger narrative arc: crowds can acclaim a king yet fail to understand his kingdom. Jesus declares authority and judges spiritual fruitlessness, provoking both loyalty and opposition. Religious leaders repeatedly try to manipulate opinion, but a remnant remains steadfast, unwilling to abandon devotion despite schemes, trick questions, and stealth arrest. The kingdom also tolerates internal threats—people who appear within the movement but act against it—demonstrating that growth often occurs in messy reality where true discipleship persists amid infiltration.

Parables from Mark tighten the point: sowing, unexpected growth, and the mustard seed’s branches reveal a kingdom that multiplies beyond human control, even as “birds” make nests among healthy branches. Jesus models patient investment in people, including those who betray, and does not purge the community at the first sign of rot. The decisive test for any follower concerns motive: cling to Christ because of who he is—Lord and redeemer—or cling for what he gives. The concluding application calls the faithful to refuse crowd-driven verdicts, deepen devotion through understanding Jesus’ purpose, and accept costly, kingdom-minded obedience rather than comfortable consumer Christianity.

Key Takeaways

1. A crowd can be swayed Crowds shift when expectations break. Those who join for momentary relief or political advantage find their allegiance unstable once Jesus acts as Lord rather than a convenience. Sincerity without depth yields shifting loyalties, revealing the need for rooted understanding of Christ’s purpose beyond immediate benefits. [07:05]
2. Demand authentic devotion to Christ True devotion deepens under testing rather than collapsing into disappointment. Devotion that endures grows from encountering Jesus’ identity as king who governs temple, judges fruitlessness, and pursues sinners toward redemption. Commitment must move from “what Jesus does for me” to “who Jesus is.” [12:32]
3. Kingdom grows despite bad influences The parables show growth that outpaces human control and tolerates flawed participants. God’s work often advances while hostile or compromised actors lodge within the community, yet life multiplies through unexpected, sovereign flourishing. Persistence and faithful sowing matter more than perfect fences. [39:00]
4. Stand firm amid crowd pressure Crowd mentality pressures choices but does not determine truth or faithfulness. Refusal to follow public opinion requires discernment, theological conviction, and willingness to suffer apparent isolation for allegiance to Christ. Such steadfastness becomes the faithful witness that the kingdom needs. [46:12]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:43] - Pilate’s encounter with Jesus
[01:55] - How the crowd influenced Pilate
[02:25] - Scripture: Triumphal Entry reading
[03:22] - Palm Sunday celebration explained
[05:54] - Identifying distinct crowds
[07:05] - The in-between crowd swayed
[12:32] - Jesus declares his kingship
[20:57] - Warning against shallow devotion
[27:20] - The Jesus crowd’s devotion
[39:00] - Parables: sower and mustard seed
[43:54] - Judas among the branches
[46:12] - Modern crowd mentality and call

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading: Matthew 21:1-11 (ESV)
And when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Observation questions

What specific actions did the crowd take to celebrate Jesus’ arrival into Jerusalem, and what did their shouts of “Hosanna” mean?
What prophecy from the Old Testament was Jesus fulfilling by riding into the city on a donkey? [12:32]
What was the reaction of the entire city of Jerusalem when Jesus entered, and how did the crowd identify him? [03:22]
What are the three distinct crowds identified in the narrative of Jesus’ final week, and what characterized each group? [05:54]

Interpretation questions

Why did the expectations of the “in-between crowd” lead to their allegiance becoming unstable, and how did Jesus’ actions challenge their view of a Messiah? [16:05]
Jesus repeatedly demonstrated his authority by cleansing the temple and confronting religious leaders. What does this tell us about the nature of his kingship and the primary mission he came to accomplish? [13:14] [19:54]
The parables of the sower and the mustard seed show the kingdom growing despite the presence of “birds” or bad influences. What does this reveal about God’s sovereignty and how we should view the church community? [39:00] [43:54]
The religious leaders were afraid of the crowd’s reaction if they arrested Jesus publicly. What does this fear tell us about the power of a group of people who are genuinely devoted to Christ? [32:27]

Application questions

A crowd can be swayed when its expectations are broken. [07:05] What are some of the “benefits” or “blessings” you have been tempted to pursue Jesus for, rather than pursuing him for who he is?
True devotion deepens under testing rather than collapsing into disappointment. [12:32] When has your understanding of Jesus’ purpose been challenged by a difficult circumstance? How did that experience either shake or strengthen your faith?
The kingdom grows despite the presence of bad influences. [39:00] How does this truth change the way you view imperfections or conflict within your own church community?
Jesus invested in Judas, knowing he would betray him. [45:06] What is a practical way to show love and patience toward someone in your life who seems opposed to Jesus or his people?
The “in-between crowd” praised Jesus for perceived benefits and immediate deliverance. [20:57] In what areas of your life are you most tempted to treat Jesus like a divine concierge there to meet your needs, rather than your sovereign King?
Crowd mentality pressures choices but does not determine truth. [46:12] Where do you feel the most pressure to conform to a “crowd” or popular opinion that goes against what you know Jesus has said?
The decisive test for any follower concerns motive: cling to Christ because of who he is—Lord and redeemer—or cling for what he gives. [21:31] What is one step you can take this week to shift your focus from what Jesus does for you to simply worshipping him for who he is?

Sermon Clips

31s

#RealJesusJoy

“We look to Jesus, the real Jesus, the real king, not who we thought Jesus was or who we want him to be. We look at Jesus because he endured the cross and it said, it was the joy that was set before him. Can I submit to you something this morning? The cross wasn't the joy, the result of the cross was the joy. He's willing to go to the cross because his joy was to have a relationship with us, to to be with us, to be one with us.”

28s

#JesusUnchanged

“The crowd's opinion of Jesus changing was not a Jesus problem. It was a crowd problem. Jesus is not gonna change. Remember, talked to you last week that Jesus does not redefine himself. He he doesn't just make himself whoever we want him to be. He is who he is. And so if we don't like who he is, that's not a Jesus problem. That's a me problem. That's a crowd problem.”

31s

#FollowJesusFully

“But the kingdom of God keeps going. Nothing will stop the kingdom of God. Ours is to make sure we're part of this crowd, the Jesus crowd, and not part of the in between crowd. Because we're part of the in between crowd. If we're not sure who Jesus is and we're not sure what this says about him, we will be part of the in between crowd. But the more and more we know who Jesus is, the more and say, you know what? Say what you like. Say what you will. It makes no difference to me. I love him. I'm devoted to him.”

25s

#EternityOverComfort

“His number one concern is, I want eternity for you. I I want eternal life for you. I want a relationship with you. I want these things for you, and it only be done one way. Sin has to be dealt with. That's what he came here for. And we start showing them that the in between crowds start to lose interest. That's not what we signed up for though, Jesus. That's not what we're looking for.”

29s

#JesusDealsWithSin

“Here's the thing about Jesus. He loves us. He wants what's best for us. He he he's he he wants what's good for us. He he all of these things about Jesus is all true. But the thing about Jesus is this. He knows what our number one problem is, and our number one problem is not the inconveniences of life. Our number one problem is sin. He knows this and so he wants to deal with the number one problem.”

30s

#WorshipForWhoHeIs

“So many sought after Jesus for the wrong reasons. They wanted the benefits that come with Jesus. They wanted the blessings that come from Jesus. They want the miracles that come from Jesus. They want all their perceived needs to be met by Jesus. I don't want us to be a people who rejoice over Jesus over the perceived needs or over the shallowness of Jesus. I want us to rejoice for Jesus because of who he is.”

31s

#JesusSacrificedForUs

“And Jesus asked that question because he's able to ask that question. Why? Because he was willing to sacrifice it all for us. He's willing to sacrifice what he had in heaven, come down to this earth, go to a cross, sacrifice it all for us. Hebrews twelve two, it says, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of god.”

27s

#JoyInTheGospel

“Sometimes we ask and we plead, God, why am I going through this? Why is this happening to me? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? We're missing the bigger picture. The bigger picture is the joy of spreading the gospel, the joy of others coming to know Jesus. Yes, it comes at a cost sometimes. Yes, it comes at a sacrifice sometimes. But you know what? If it if it furthers the kingdom of god, then praise god for it. Yes. Amen. Praise god for it.”

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Inspiration Church Colorado Springs, CO This sermon · AI assistant

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March 29th, 2026 - Crowd Mentality

Devotional

Day 1: Recognizing the Danger of a Swayed Faith

Day 2: The Unchanging Nature of Christ

Day 3: Cultivating a Deep and Steadfast Devotion

Day 4: Discerning Influence in the Midst of Community

Day 5: The Call to Sacrificial, Kingdom-Focused Joy

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

March 29th, 2026 - Crowd Mentality

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