WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT PALM SUNDAY?
Reasons for the celebration of Palm Sunday and the significance of the palm waving
1. Palm Sunday celebrates Jesus’ triumphal entry into jerusalem.
Bible reading - john 12
12The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
"Hosanna!"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
"Blessed is the King of Israel!" 14Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written,
15"Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt."
Bible reading – john 12
16At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.
17Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. 19So the Pharisees said to one another, "See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!"
2. It is special because we remember the …
i. Plan and Purpose of God
V.12 “The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.”
Bible reading - 1 Peter 1:18-21
18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
Bible reading – 2 timothy 1:9 (NLT)
For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.
Jesus led the way fully aware it was a journey where He’ll be condemned to suffer the humiliating death on the cross which will culminate in victory (Mark 10:32-34).
This how Jesus understood His purpose in going to Jerusalem “… to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
This is all leading up to the moment of a decisive victory over sin and death!
Bible reading– revelation 13:8 (nkjv)
All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Explanation for god’s purpose on palm sunday
4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. - Ephesians 1:4-5 (NLT)
ii. ATTITUDES of the people
13They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
"Hosanna!"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
"Blessed is the King of Israel!"
Reflective of Jewish hopes round Passover.
Hopes of new davidic kingdom.
Note how fickle the crowds were, one day praise for Jesus, throwing cloaks and waving branches in anticipation of victory, paying homage to royalty.
Next, they shout crucify Him, throwing hate and venom, paying Him heaps of abuse.
iii. LITERAL fulfillment of god’s word
14Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written,
15"Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt.”
Prophesied in around 520 BC (Zech.9:9)
Jesus did not ride a war horse but a donkey - a beast of peace rather than war. Jesus came preaching peace between God and man.
IV. Magnification of jesus
16At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.
This confirms Jesus’ claims of deity.
Jesus was in full control. It had to be done for the reconciliation of the world.
3. My response…
17Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. 19So the Pharisees said to one another, "See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!" (John 12)
Palm Sunday produced a response...
Are we like the Crowd of John 12?
Are we like the Pharisees, who were frustrated at Jesus and harbor murderous thoughts?
Are we like the vast crowd of Revelation 7 waving the palm branches shouting?
After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!” (Rev.7:9-10)
