Sunday

If Jerusalem was a beehive, Palm Sunday was the equivalent of Jesus hitting that beehive with a stick. The last time Jesus had been in Jerusalem, he had raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:43). By now, the story of Jesus resurrecting Lazarus would have circulated through the entire city. There would not have been a single person who was unaware of the miracle he performed. To the people of Jerusalem, Jesus was a celebrity. However, his triumphal entry was intended to communicate that he was so much more.

As Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a colt, the people scattered palm branches along the road and shouted, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:38). At the time, the Jewish people living in Jerusalem were under the rule and reign of the Roman empire. They longed for the day when the Messiah promised from the prophets of old would come and deliver them from Roman occupation. The shouts of the people this day echoed the longing in their hearts that Jesus would be the one to deliver them from Roman oppression. But Jesus did not come to deliver them from the rule of the Romans. He came to deliver them from something much bigger: the rule of sin and death (more to come on that). Don’t miss the fact that the people’s expectations of Jesus affected their experience with Jesus on this day. They expected an earthly king of Israel, but in doing so, they missed that Jesus is the eternal king of the universe. Expectations always shape experiences.

Ultimately, the Triumphal Entry was a proclamation to the people of Jerusalem then and a proclamation to you and me now that Jesus is the king of kings and the lord of lords.

For a full account of the events on this day, see Matthew 21:1–11, Mark 11:1–11, Luke 19:28–44, John 12:9–19.

Reflection Questions

1. What are your expectations of Jesus? Who do you say Jesus is? How do your expectations of Jesus affect your life’s experience with Jesus?
2. Is there any area of your life where you need to invite Jesus in?

Prayer

Jesus, I welcome you into every area of my life. I set aside my expectations of who I think you are or who I think you should be, and I embrace who you truly are. You are the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Hosanna, King Jesus. Amen.