“Palm Sunday,” the day of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem one week prior to his crucifixion and death. In case some of you are wondering why this is called “Palm Sunday,” it is because according to the Gospel of John the crowds in Jerusalem came out to greet Jesus carrying palm branches, which they either waved or strewed in his path. The palm branch was a symbol of triumph and victory in Jewish tradition and in other parts of the Bible (Leviticus 23:40 and Revelation 7:9 NIV). So, what does this mean? The meaning of what takes place when Jesus enters Jerusalem is found in John 12:12-13 when the crowds shouted, "Hosanna!" Jesus had come precisely to help and save them, though it will not be through the political liberation the crowds expected. The crowd also chanted a line from a Psalm of Ascent: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! (Psalm 118:26 NIV). This line applies to Jesus in a way it never had to anyone else before. Jesus is the one who makes known the Father and has come in the Father's name (John 5:43 NIV), and He desires that the Father's name be made known (John 17:6 NIV). So, of Him it is exceptionally true that he comes in the name of the Lord. This expression is one way of summarizing His whole mission. Please take some time this weekend to read the story of Jesus entering into Jerusalem Luke 19:28-41 NIV.
As Luke begins his account of “the passion,” we are at a stalemate. Jesus has entered Jerusalem as the King, but Jerusalem does not want Him. The religious leaders are set on killing Jesus, but they are concerned about the reaction of the crowd if they arrest Him in public “Every day he was teaching at the temple. …the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him.” Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.” (Luke 19:47-48 NIV). They will not be moved in their opposition to Jesus of Nazareth— but they do not dare make a move on Him (Luke 20:10 NIV). What lessons can we learn from the story of Jesus’ triumphal entry? We see who Jesus really is The crucifixion of Jesus was not an accident that happened to Him that he was not aware of while visiting Jerusalem. Jesus understood and embraced his calling to undergo so excruciating a death. Jesus knows what He has to do. He understood himself to be the Shepherd-King prophesied by Zechariah and openly assumed this role in His provocative triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Throughout the process He displayed His foreknowledge of the events of His passion: the finding of the donkey, the arrangements for His Last Passover Supper in the upper room, Judas’ betrayal, Peter’s three-fold denial, the disciples’ deserting Him, His deliverance to the Gentiles, His scourging, humiliation, and execution. He told the disciples that these things were going to happen in advance. He showed himself to be Lord over history. Jesus does not always meet our expectations The Jewish people were expecting a king who would be a great military leader like David, who would throw off the yoke of Rome, and establish God’s kingdom by force. When we read the Old Testament prophecies, we can understand why they had such expectations; they were not at all unreasonable. But Jesus was radically different than their expectations. When He rode into Jerusalem, He did not do so on a horse, the symbol of warfare and the choice of conquerors, as Pompey had done. He did not even pick a mule, the steed of Jewish kings like David himself. Rather, He chose a colt, a pack animal, a lowly beast of burden, as His royal mount. The Kingdom of God which He preached and inaugurated was not an earthly, political kingdom, but the rule of God in the hearts of people who know and serve Him. But this was not the kingdom which the people expected or wanted, and so they rejected Jesus as their Lord. Jesus is Lord! He is under no obligation to live up to our expectations. Christ is Lord, and He knows what is best. Make Every Day Count!
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