First, some introductory thoughts pertaining to the International Sunday School Lesson:

Triumphant and Victorious
Zechariah 9:9,10; Matthew 21:1-11

For some three years the disciples and other followers of Jesus had awaited this day. Now it had arrived! Jesus would at last take His rightful place as King of a reinvigorated Israel. The Lord finally had quit trying to hide His Kingship. The time of His revelation had arrived with high drama. Jesus was using a donkey to fulfill a most wonderful prophecy.

Exciting? Exhilarating and electrifying were more like it! What a thrill to recite Zechariah 9:9 with the multitude that day…

And here’s my introduction for the lesson from Christian Light Publications:

Love and Nonresistance — Not Pacifism
John 14:27; Matthew 5:39-42; Ephesians 6:5-12; James 3:13-18

Nonresistance is often measured by actions: we don’t go to war, we don’t serve on police forces, we don’t sue, we don’t retaliate, we don’t pursue foolish or antagonistic drivers. However, let’s not forget that it is possible to act in a nonresistant manner without necessarily being nonresistant. True nonresistance finds its most accurate measure in the hidden response of the heart.

If our responses stop with an act of nonresistance, our nonresistance has ended too soon! This lesson’s printed text clearly demands more of us than simply accepting a wrong or not retaliating. We must also bless, pray for, return good to and love the offender and the aggressor. Nonresistance at its best is an attitude.

This morning I emailed that and more to my thousands of subscribers. You can read it online here: Sunday School lessons for March 30, 2014.

On that page you will find a link to Panting (my ebook), which I’ve scheduled to be free on Amazon on March 30.