Today we celebrate Palm Sunday, the day when Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem. As we read in John 12:12-19, the people welcomed Him with palm branches, shouting "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" But why did they do this? And what can we learn from their actions?
Jesus fulfills prophecy.
As we read in Matthew 21:4-5, Jesus riding on a donkey was a fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9, which says "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." The people recognized that Jesus was fulfilling this prophecy and welcomed Him as their king.
The people's expectations.
The people were expecting a political king who would overthrow the Roman occupation and establish a Jewish kingdom. They believed Jesus was this king, and they hoped He would lead them to victory. However, Jesus had a different plan, and His victory would be spiritual rather than political.
The nature of Jesus' victory.
Jesus' victory was not won by military might or political power, but through His death and resurrection. As we read in Philippians 2:8-9, "And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name." Jesus' victory over sin and death is a victory that we can all share in through faith in Him.
Point 4: The fickleness of the crowd.
The same people who welcomed Jesus with palm branches would later turn against Him and demand His crucifixion. This reminds us that human allegiance can be fickle and unreliable. We must place our trust in Jesus alone, who remains faithful even when we are not.
Point 5: The significance of the palm branches.
The palm branches symbolized victory and triumph, and they were often used in Jewish celebrations. The people recognized Jesus as their conquering king, but they did not yet understand the nature of His victory.
Point 6: Our own expectations.
Like the people of Jerusalem, we often have our own expectations of what Jesus should do for us. We may pray for healing, financial blessings, or success in our endeavors. While these things are not necessarily bad, we must remember that Jesus' ultimate goal is not to give us an easy life, but to transform us into His likeness and bring us into eternal life.
Point 7: Our own response.
As we celebrate Palm Sunday, we must ask ourselves, how do we respond to Jesus? Do we welcome Him into our lives with joy and surrender, or do we keep Him at a distance, afraid of what He might ask of us? Let us take this opportunity to recommit ourselves to following Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Today we celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, but let us remember that His ultimate triumph was won on the cross and in the empty tomb. As we journey through Holy Week, let us follow Him with humility and gratitude, knowing that He alone is worthy of our praise and worship. May we join with the crowds of long ago and shout, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" Amen.