Palm Sunday: The King To Be Worshipped

This is an incredible moment in the life of Christ, that we get to remember and honour on Palm Sunday. Sometimes we can be lulled into thinking that Jesus was only recognized as a King after his death and resurrection. Palm Sunday reminds us that there were people who recognized Jesus as King, and Jesus knew he was King while he was on earth.

Palm Sunday is when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. This moment is right before his death, he is in fact riding into Jerusalem not to rule and reign in the natural as King but to give up his life and die and rule in the spiritual realm as King of all kings. Although the people in the story cried, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” by the Friday they would be crying out to “we have no king, but Caesar!” (John 19:15).

Let’s look at the significance of Palm Sunday and John 12:12-15 moment:

Fulfills Prophesy – positions Jesus again as the long-awaited King- Zech 9:9.

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

However, Jesus in fulfilling the prophesy shows us again what kind of King he is. He rides in on a donkey, a beast of burden, an animal associated with service. Jesus is the King who rides the humble yet will one day return on a white horse (Rev 19:11)

Palms were considered signs of victory and triumph – the people were expecting Jesus to be a Victorious King – he was just in such a difference way to their expected. However, in that moment, at that time, the people recognized Jesus as King, as the one “who comes in the name of the Lord”. His teaching, the signs, and his own declaration of the I Am statements all pointed this way. The people saw him as the long-awaited Messiah.

Jesus received Praise – the crowd should NEVER have done that unless he was God. It was blasphemy for a Jew to receive praise, only God was worthy of praise. All Jews knew and understood this. Palm Sunday shows us he is revealing to us He is God, and the people knew he was God.

Another foreshadowing of who Jesus is – the King we worship. He is worthy of our worship and praise. Our response to Palm Sunday is to do the same as the crowd and join with them in praising and worshipping Christ as King.