From Holy Week to A Holy Life: Palm Sunday

The word of God tells us in Matthew 21:1-11 

Jesus’ Triumphant Entry

21 As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. ² “Go into the village over there,” he said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.”

⁴ This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said,

⁵ “Tell the people of Jerusalem,^[a]
‘Look, your King is coming to you.
He is humble, riding on a donkey—
riding on a donkey’s colt.’”^[b]

⁶ The two disciples did as Jesus commanded. ⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt to him and threw their garments over the colt, and he sat on it.^[c]

⁸ Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting,

“Praise God^[d] for the Son of David!
Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Praise God in highest heaven!”^[e]

¹⁰ The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. “Who is this?” they asked.

¹¹ And the crowds replied, “It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

The Triuumphal entry of Christ into the city of jerusalem marks the beginning of your ride or walk with Christ.  During the the next two weeks I will compare some of the events of Holy Week with our walk with Jesus.  We start with Palm Sunday.  We have just read about how Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey.  This can represent our new walk with Jesus.  We joyfully accept him as Savior.   Jesus  triumphantly rides into our lives and we rejoice and shout Hosanna! ( which means literally ” save now”).  When Jesus rides into our lives he saves us now from sin, and we rejoice as the King of Kings rides in to save us from the the penalty and punishment of sin.

The donkey in the story represents us.  We notice the donkey bringing Jesus into town.  He is being covered with the coats of the people as He rides by.  No attention is focused on the animal, but all focus is on Jesus.  When Jesus comes into our hearts the focus should not be on us, but rather on the person who is in control of us.  That person is Jesus.  When people see us, they should really be seeing Christ.

Palm Sunday is a great moment in Holy Week.  Parades, adulation and worship all great the Savior.  But there is more to this story.  Pain, suffering, and death will soon follow.  Ultimately leading to resurrection and exaltation.   So too it is with us.  We rejoice as Christ is our Lord and Savior, but that is only the beginning.  God wants to lead us into more.   Life with Christ is not all parades and good times.  He wants to lead us into a life of holiness that will lead to the crucifixion and death of our own selfish  selves.  He wants to lead us to a life so reflective of him,  that when people see  you go by, they see Him and not you. We will discuss this in future posts.