For those of my readers who have young children, Steve Green has a great song for Palm Sunday. Click here. Palm Sunday is the day that our Lord rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and marks the beginning of what many call Holy Week. This is a triumphal start to a week that ended in Jesus’ death. Watch this video (below) bring the story to life as we worship the Lord together today.
Matthew 21:1-11 contains the events of that first Palm Sunday which got its name from the Palm branches that people laid down on the road for Jesus and His donkey to ride on as He arrived in Jerusalem on that glorious day of celebration. Palm branches represented the final victory Jesus would soon fulfill, triumphing over death.
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
I Corinthians 15:55
In those days, it was common for kings and dignitaries to arrive in town riding on a donkey. Donkeys symbolized peace, so anyone riding one showed that they came with peaceful intentions. (There’s that perfect peace, the theme of this blog.) One of the names of Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
“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.”
Zechariah 9:9
Those shouting “Hosanna!” (meaning save now) were actually hailing Christ as King. They were waiting for an earthly king, but God’s plan was to bring spiritual salvation to everyone who would believe in Him.
“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!”
Psalm 118:26
Jesus knew these people meant well but didn’t understand all that was going to happen. He must have wept for Himself knowing all He would be going through shortly, but He mostly wept for these people many of whom had not yet accepted Him as the Messiah, who were lost and confused, and would be betraying Him in just a few days.
“As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city,
he wept over it.”
Luke 9:41
Man could never come up with a plan like God’s to save the world. Palm Sunday reminds us of that in how the people worshipped Him one minute and the next spat upon Him. They wanted someone who would fight for them on earth against the Roman government and its injustices. They didn’t realize that God’s plan was much better in the end. This is the reason we celebrate Holy Week. Christ’s sacrifice sets us free of our sin and paves the way for eternal life.
Reflection. Reflect on this day of celebration. What does it mean to you and your family? Many churches hand out strands of Palm branches, but what does that mean to you? Are Palms necessary to worship the Lord? No, they’re not necessary, but the praise and music that went along with the Palms that day are definitely a necessary part of praising the Lord. Scripture tells us that if we don’t praise Him, the rocks and stones will (Luke 19:40) which is a figurative speech. Praise and acclimation is needed and should not be held back. God created us to bring praise and honor to Himself. Are you praising Him today and every day for all that He’s done for you?
PRAYER POINT FOR TODAY:
Lord, I worship and adore You. I praise You for Who You are, what You’ve done for me, and for the eternal life I have to look forward to. You are awesome!
- Week 1 – temptation
- Week 2 – confession, forgiveness, and fasting
- Week 3 – listening to God and answering when He calls
- Week 4 – God’s love for us
- Week 5 – waiting, anxiety, and trust
- Week 6 – suffering (W), pain (T), and struggles (F-S), rejoicing (Palm Sunday), Trials (M-T-W), Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Silent Saturday
- Easter – resurrection and salvation