What Is Palm Sunday About?

Good morning and welcome to the Panhandle. Come on in and sit awhile and let's do some Bible surfing. This past Sunday I preached on at is Palm Sunday about. Palm Sunday kicks off Holy Week. This week recounts the very significant events that took place during Christ Jesus’s last week of Earthly ministry; Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday (the last supper), Good Friday (Christ Jesus is crucified), Easter Sunday (Christ Jesus Resurrected!)¹

Up to this point Christ Jesus has been healing, teaching, and preaching the coming Kingdom of God. He had been primarily doing this around Judea, but now He was headed to Jerusalem. Jerusalem is significant because that is where the temple was located. The Temple is where sacrifices were made to atone for the sin of the people. It’s where the most prominent religious leaders would be.

There would have been large numbers of people migrating into the city to make sacrifices at the Temple. We know that Christ Jesus had made this trip before. But this time it would be different.

When Christ Jesus made it to Jerusalem, for what would be His last week of earthly ministry, He made an entrance. And what an entrance it was. Christ Jesus had His disciples get Him a donkey colt and drape their cloaks over it. Then He rode down the middle of an expectant and jubilant crowd. The crowd made a noise the entire way and put palm fronds and cloaks on the pathway for the donkey to walk on.

What was it that they were shouting? They shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David!” What did that mean? Why would the crowd pick this word and phrase? What does Palm Sunday really mean? To answer these questions we will look at Matthew 21:8-11 and Psalms 118:25-29.

⁸ And a very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them* on the road. ⁹ And the crowds who went ahead of him and the ones who followed were shouting, saying,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!”*

¹⁰ And when* he entered into Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” ¹¹ And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee!” (Matthew 21:8-11)

Hosanna! Why would the people who lined up to welcome Christ Jesus shout this word?

1. Save Us, We Pray, O LORD!

Expectations: What did the people who were calling Hosanna think Palm Sunday was about? They thought Christ Jesus was coming to Jerusalem as the conquering king and that was exciting. It would mean Israel would no longer have to suffer under Caesars. So yeah, this idea of Christ Jesus was something to be excited about.²

“Hosanna” ("Save we pray"): It was the idea of Christ Jesus coming into the city to save their lives that moved them to the a surface level of love. “Hosanna” comes from a phrase found in Psalm 118:25-26 ~ O LORD, do save, we beseech You; O LORD, we beseech You, do send prosperity! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD; We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.

It appears that Hosanna had become a greeting often used among the pilgriming Israelites. They were pronouncing blessing on others pilgriming in the name of the Lord. They were using Hosanna like we use Merry Christmas as a seasonal greeting. Or in the same way some churches will dismiss by saying, “God be with you.”

What is interesting here is how the crowd was applying this to Christ Jesus. Not only did they say, “Hosanna,” they add “Son of David” and “Hosanna in the highest”. “Son of David,” and “Hosanna in the highest” were references to the conquering king that the people were expecting. Basically they were saying, “Save we pray, Saviour King” acknowledging that Christ Jesus represented salvation. They were spot on with what they were calling out, but in their hearts and minds they missed it, they were expecting a political savior. Please don't miss this, Christ Jesus, God/Man is the Saviour, He came to save you from your sins and restore your relationship with God the Father if you will just ask.

Well God did save us, just not in the way the Israelites thought He would.

2. God Did Save Us

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! The people who cheered and laid down their coats and palm branches were accurate in their spirits and hearts to do and say what they did. However they didn't seem to know that Christ Jesus not only came in the name of the Lord, He is Lord God. I am not sure that at the time the people were able to connect all the dots. But for us, we are able to look back at the sacrifice Christ Jesus made for us, and see how incredibly profound that Palm Sunday was.

What had become a standard greeting was applied to Christ Jesus and whether the people that day knew it or not it had sacrificial implications. We see the response of the people when Christ Jesus entered into Jerusalem, they are like, wait, what? Who is this? Is this the Messiah? Their response should be our response, why? We find our answer in the last three verses of Psalms 118:27-29 ~ The LORD is God, and He has given us light; Bind the festival sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I give thanks to You; You are my God, I extol You. Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Christ Jesus was the Saviour that Israel was looking for and He is the Saviour we are looking for.

We find out later what happens when expectations are not met. The same crowd that cheered Christ Jesus entering into the city was either no where to be found or silent or had changed their chant when He stood before Pilot. Now instead of Hosanna, they shouted, “Crucify him!”

If you want to find where you expectations are in life, look for “Should be's” or “That's not fair.” “Should be's” are a sign that you have specific expectations that are not happening. And truth be told this has happened to all of us at least once if not more times in our life. When expectation are not happening the way we think they should we will be unhappy. This is when it it is time to do a reality check, on what or whom are we basing our expectations?

When we get frustrated with what is going on around us or in our lives we need to remember that as Christ followers we are citizens of Christ Jesus' Kingdom. Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” (John 18:36). Being in the Christ Jesus' kingdom is to love Him and to be willing to acknowledge His expectations for our life.

Christ Jesus said for the joy set before Him He endured the cross. Christ Jesus was full of expectancy for what He was showing and bringing to His people by His actions. The Israelites wanted a savor, the Israelites needed a savor, the Israelites cheered for a savor, and they were disappointed when Christ Jesus didn't meet their perceived expectations. What they didn't realize was that Christ Jesus did meet their need as a Savior. By His death, burial, and resurrection Christ Jesus was and is all the Saviour that anyone could ever need. If you invite Him into your life as Lord and Savior you will find He will meet your expectations and more.

The people cried save us! And God answered their cry in the person of Christ Jesus. Now knowing this we have a decision to make.

3. Our Response

When the dots are connected, when the light turns on, when the fog lifts, when the sound becomes clear, when the focus becomes laser like, I know that you will be grateful. When your heart softens. When you realize the foolishness of the world.

When the Word of God ceases to be foolishness and the Holy Spirit enables you, you will see that Christ Jesus is Good and He is God. It is then you will see a good and perfectly Holy God. With a repentant heart you’ll realize that you are not and never will be perfect. You can never measure up to the standard required to stay in a perfect place called heaven.

Then, Lord willing, you’ll remember that the Bible says a Saviour named Jesus humbly entered into a great city on a beast of burden. And would a short time later bear your burdens on a rough, wooden cross to the top of Mt. Calvary. "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;” (John 3:14). Maybe you'll remember He did all of this to restore your relationship with God. And you will see, just maybe; that His love is a steadfast love that truly lasts forever and ever. “so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.” (John 3:15). Amen! Amen!

Pope Benedict said this about Palm Sunday:

"But what are we really doing when we join this procession as part of the throng which went up with Jesus to Jerusalem and hailed him as King of Israel? Is this anything more than a ritual, a quaint custom?

Does it have anything to do with the reality of our life and our world? To answer this, we must first be clear about what Jesus himself wished to do and actually did.”

What is Palm Sunday about? Palm Sunday is about abiding in Christ Jesus' love for you so that you can be a citizen of His Kingdom. What is Palm Sunday about? Palm Sunday is about the abiding in the love that Christ Jesus has for you.

Palm Sunday is not about this idea of Christ Jesus coming to save us from all our problems.

Pam Sunday is about Christ Jesus, God/man coming to our world to bring His transforming love to us and then through us.

Christ Jesus is inviting us to a deeper level of love with Him, He is not satisfied with a surface level relationship. Christ Jesus wants to love you in a way that causes you to become His Love manifested to all those around you. Will you put your trust in Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour? Will you let the light and the love of heaven into your life now?

Thanks for dropping by and remember we serve the Risen Saviour, Christ Jesus. In His name I pray you have a blessed week.

Biblesurfer

1Bob Fall

2Jonathan Hanson