Upcoming Palm Sunday

“Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!’”
                                                                        —Matthew  21:9
 
This weekend we will celebrate Palm Sunday, which is always recognized on the Sunday that precedes Easter. Biblically speaking, Palm Sunday refers to the day on which Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This is significant to the Christian faith because this day was a celebration of Jesus coming as the King of God’s people.
 
As Jesus rode into town on a donkey, those who surrounded Him continued to cry out, “hosanna!” Hosanna means “save,” or “please save.” As the people shouted out, they were honoring Jesus by recognizing Him as the One who saves. This is what Pam Sunday is all about—recognizing Jesus as the King who saves His people.
 
As we prepare to celebrate His resurrection in one more week, let us remember that Jesus’ being resurrected is only meaningful as long as He is a king with the power to save His people from their greatest enemy. That enemy is something from which no earthly king has the power or ability to rescue us—it is sin. Sin is what separates us from God and causes us to always look for satisfaction in something other than Him. It is something that has affected every single one of us from the most powerful of world leaders to the most humble of society.
 
The only way that we can be reconciled to the perfect God who created us is to experience the salvation that is brought by King Jesus. It is a salvation that He provided by dying on a cross. Everyone who trusts in Him for their rescue stands forgiven because He put Himself in our place. Now, that is a great king!
 
As we are sheltering in place and reading the news that people are getting infected with Covid-19, others are losing their jobs and struggling to pay bills, and that our economy is taking a nose dive—we should celebrate. That’s right, I said celebrate. Why? Because we have a king who came to rescue us from our greatest enemy and nothing will ever remove Him from His throne, not even Covid-19. In our celebration, let us shout with the people of Jerusalem, “hosanna in the highest!”
 
If, perhaps, you are struggling with fear because you need to be rescued from the misery of your sin, then let “hosanna” be your cry unto King Jesus as you trust in Him. Then, you too will be able to celebrate.
 
May God bless you all on this Palm Sunday!
 
Pastor Scott