Abridged Worship – March 29, 2026

Palm Sunday is a special day that I remember looking forward to all year long. Growing up in church, there aren’t very many Sundays that you get to play with sticks or leaves (or in today’s case, also rocks). But Palm Sunday is one of them! We wave our palm branches while we sing, we fiddle with them while we are listening to the “boring” parts. When you got a little older, you could figure out how to fold and weave your palm frond into a cross. It’s all a lot of fun. And I believe that the very first Palm Sunday, Jesus’ Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem, was also a fun event. This morning for our reflections, I am going to walk us through this day.

The story picks up at the Mount of Olives. Jesus tells two of His disciples to go into the town where they will find a colt, or a baby donkey. Jesus instructs the disciples to untie the animal and bring it to him. The disciples listened and brought the colt to Jesus. It is on this humble steed that Jesus rode into the city of Jerusalem, fulfilling the words of the Prophet Zechariah.

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.
I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.

A few moments ago, our children did a wonderful job demonstrating to us how the crowds responded. They did three things. The first is that they laid down blankets and sheets. The crowds of people laid down their coats for Jesus to walk upon as a sign of respect – they didn’t want Him to dirty His feet! Now that’s some royal treatment. Second, we have all been waving palm branches all morning. The crowds also waved palm branches as a show of celebration. Both celebration of Jesus now and also in celebration for the victory to come. And thirdly, the children shouted Hosanna! The people were calling out “hosanna!” to Jesus too. The word ‘hosanna’ comes from the Hebrew language and means “save us”. The people were calling out to Jesus for salvation, and Jesus was there to deliver. But not exactly in the way the community was hoping for.

The reality is, the people wanted emancipation from Roman occupation. They thought Jesus was going to be a war time king, beating back the Romans and freeing the people to live in peace. But Jesus came to save us from more than political tyranny and worldly mistreatment. And He came to be more than a worldly king. He came to save us from ourselves and our sinful nature. He came to save our souls and be our Heavenly King. We read this truth and how it came to be in the book of Philippians 2:6-11..

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross! Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledges that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Our salvation is made possible by Jesus’ life of perfect obedience – obedience even into death. He was the perfect sacrifice to appease God’s wrath against our sin. This seems like a simple lesson and a simple story we’ve all heard so many times before. It’s easy to get swept away in the excitement of the triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Who doesn’t love a parade or a great party? And it’s so easy to skip right on past the emotional whiplash Jesus endures and the insurmountable gravity of His sacrifice. It is easy to jump right to The Resurrection. We know that middle part, right? Why dwell there?

Today we celebrate the Triumphant Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and it is right and good for us to celebrate. Hosanna! The saviour is here! But today is just the beginning of Holy Week. Throughout this week, we will see Jesus celebrated, arrested, tried, and condemned. The week will end with Jesus being crucified. But a new week will begin, as they always do, and this new week will begin with renewed celebration. Celebration of never ending immeasurable love, the forgiveness of sins, and the promise of life ever after in the presence of the Most High God.

These, the cornerstones of our faith in The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit, are the reasons we take time to remember and to reflect on this great gift our Lord offers to us each day. Not an offer of worldly peace, riches, or rewards, but the gift of soul salvation. So let us not shy away from the week ahead, though we may be eager to celebrate the resurrection. Let us remember and reflect on the sacrifice of our Lord so that when it is time to celebrate again, we may do so with clarity of mind and full understanding.
 
let us pray…   

God, giver of every good gift, we bring our hearts to you today out of deep appreciation. Transform our hearts from stone to flesh that we may bring glory to You and for Your kingdom. Guide us in how to best feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and comfort those in need as you have called us to do. Amen.

Homework: