Palm Sunday is Part of God’s Love Story

Hi friend! Guess what? We are in March now, and Easter is just a few weeks away. WOW! I’m continuing with my Easter series, and today, we are heading to Jerusalem for Jesus’s triumphal entry on Palm Sunday.

To read my first two posts in the series check them out here part 1 and part 2.

The Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday

I grew up going to a small church in Ohio and thinking back to when we celebrated Palm Sunday; it was always fun hearing the story about Jesus riding on a donkey and the people waving palm branches and shouting Hosanna!

Are you ready to grab your Bible and favorite beverage and meet me on the road to Jerusalem at the Mount of Olives? Here, we will find Jesus preparing for the week ahead; He knows His time is getting closer to His death and resurrection.

Jesus has been preaching His message of God’s coming Kingdom for the past three years. He has been healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, making the lame walk, and other miracles, but recently, He raised His friend from the dead!

Before we meet Jesus, let’s take a quick trip back to Exodus 12. God told Moses and Aaron about His plan to save His people and gave them instructions. They were to choose a year-old male lamb with no blemishes. Then, they were to observe it for four days.

Now, let’s go back to Jesus! Everyone is heading to Jerusalem because it is time to celebrate The Lord’s Passover. It’s time to choose the Passover Lamb and then start observing it. 

Jesus and His disciples are traveling to Jerusalem to prepare and celebrate Passover. As they drew closer, near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples on ahead.

He told them they would find a donkey tied up that no one had ever ridden. They were to tell anyone who asked why they were taking it to say, ” The Teacher needs it,” and would return it soon.

It seems odd, but in those days, it was common for religious leaders to make prior arrangements if they needed to. In Matthew’s gospel, he says that the colt’s mother was there to bring them both. 

The donkey was chosen just for Palm Sunday.

This colt has never had a rider, meaning it could be used for a sacred purpose. Take a moment and think about that. This donkey’s holy purpose was to carry Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Zechariah prophesied that the King would come riding on a donkey.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold your King is coming to you

righteous and having salvation is he,

humble and mounted on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Zechariah 9:9

Jesus has just been chosen as the Passover Lamb and will be observed for four days.

The disciples found the donkey, as Jesus said, and brought it to Him. Then, they placed their clothes on the donkey’s back, made a saddle, and helped Jesus climb on its back.

As had always happened, whenever Jesus was around, a large crowd began gathering. They took their clothes, laid them on the road, gathered palm branches, and began waving them.

I often wondered why it was called Palm Sunday and what palm branches were so important. In my study, I found my answer! Palm trees were the first to be cultivated, symbolizing victory, success, and beauty; palm leaves were also used in the Feast of Tabernacles.

Palm Sunday Began With the Triumphal Entry

As the people placed the palm branches on the road and waved them in the air, they showed honor and put a triumphal carpet for Jesus to enter the city on. Even though most Jews did not accept Jesus, when He entered the town, it was triumphant in 3 ways.

1. Palm branches symbolize royalty and victory.
2. Fulfillment of OT prophecy (Zech 9:9)
3. Triumph of God’s plan of redemption.

There is now a crowd in the front and following behind Jesus. They are waving the palm branches and shouting out, praising God for the miracles they have seen. 

Then, the crowds who went ahead of Him and those who followed shouted:

Hosanna to the son of David!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!

Matthew 21:9

In Hebrew, Hosanna means “save now.” It was meant as a prayer by which God’s power was invoked, but it would later evolve into a shout or greeting, as we see here on Palm Sunday.

LORD, save us!

LORD, please grant us success!

He who comes in the name of the LORD is blessed.

From the house of the LORD, we bless you!

Psalm 118:25-26

Close your eyes and listen to the crowd shouting, “Hosanna!”, “Save us!”. Jerusalem is a wild place. Everyone shouting, people pushing so they can get closer to Jesus to hear what He says and maybe be healed.  

The Pharisees are plotting how to get rid of this Jesus. The Romans are trying to keep the people from uprising and keeping their rule over the Jews. All the while, we see Jesus riding on a donkey, entering the city of Jerusalem with one thing on His mind. 

He was fulfilling the Father’s plan to bring His image bearers back into fellowship with Him. 

The week is just beginning. Jesus still has work to complete, but He knows His time is coming soon. As He rides on the donkey on this beautiful Palm Sunday, He hears the cries of “Hosanna!”, “Save Us!” and His heart fills with love. The week is just starting, but by the end of the week, Jesus will answer those cries.