Palm Sunday

Jesus Come to Jerusalem as King                                             ( Matthew 21:1-11) NIV Bible

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethpage on Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away. This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: Say to Daughter Zion, See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” ( Isaiah 62:11) The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt, and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut braches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted. ” Hosanna, to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” ” Hosanna in the highest heaven!” When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and ask, ” Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

The significance of Jesus triumphant entry into Jerusalem comes from the prophecy stated in Zechariah 9:9 (The coming of Zion’s King)” See, your king comes to you righteous and victorious lowly riding on a donkey.” The symbolism of the donkey may refer to the Easter tradition that it is an animal of peace, verses the horse, which is the animal of war. Jesus entry into Jerusalem thus symbolized his entry as the Prince of Peace, not as a war-waging king. However, the people who greeted Jesus were not greeting him as the spiritual leader who would take away the sins of the world, but as a potential political leader who would overthrow the Romans.

Christian congregations around the world begin this day with Palms in their hands and waving and singing or saying ” Hosanna, Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, shouting louder, and louder. This day is the beginning of the week known to us as Christians Holy Week, so much happens during this week more than two thousands years ago. Were the people back then truly happy to see Jesus, the man who preach on love, who healed the blind, raised the dead, turn water into wine, fed more than 5,000 with two fishes and five loaves, or was it that they were just caught up in the moment. Just like so many of us today we get caught up with movie stars, musicians, with politicians, thinking that any of these could fill the void we seems to have deep within ourselves. For the Jews the people of Jesus’ time they believe that Jesus came to perhaps start a revolution however they didn’t understand the reason he did come into this world. Jesus came into a world that is full of sin, hatred, lust, a world that worship idol’s, people who would murder someone else. Why, have you ever ask this question, let us look no further that the gospel of John 3:16 & 17  “For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. The reason that Jesus came into this world of sin was to take our place on the cross and to be a living sacrificed for all of mankind. Jesus loves YOU that much to spread his arms out and die for You and for me. Our sins put him on that cross, but his L-O-V-E for all mankind kept him there to die for us. Let me ask you a question if you love someone so much such as a child, any family member, friend, would you allow them to die in your place? Your answer like me would be are you NUTS of course I wouldn’t give up any of my children to die for me, and yet that is what God did for YOU, he sent his one and only Son Jesus to died for you and me.

My friend if you don’t have a close walk with the Lord, with this man called Jesus, would you like to. Right now bow your head and repeat these words, Jesus I ask you to come into my heart and become my personal Savior in my own life. I don’t know you yet, but Lord I want to get to know you, will you walk with me thru my own life. Jesus I know I am a sinner and I have heard that you have come into this world to die for me, and no one has ever loved me that much to do that, and I thank you for taken my place. Come and change me from the inside out.

Amen

You my friend has prayed a sinner prayer, you are a Christian, a follower of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and to begin your journey look around your hometown  for a church, this is the perfect season to do so. If you don’t have a Bible you can pick one up in places like Wal-Mart, K-Mart, or even a Christian bookstore. I have read different ones, and the one I use everyday is called New International Version, or you can down load the Bible on your computer or I-phone or even a tablet, their are many ways to have a copy of God’s word. Start to read the New Testament beginning with the Gospel of Matthew, and get to know Jesus on a personal level, spend sometime with him during your day, Jesus has been waiting to talk with you my friend.

 

Grace and Peace to all of you my friends