March 24
“Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, “The Lord has need of them,” and immediately he will send them.’ All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: ‘Tell the daughter of Zion, “Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.”‘ So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 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 21:1-9.
On the church calendar, this Sunday is a special Sunday. In the history of the Christian Church, the earliest names given to this day were “Palm Sunday” and “The Lord’s Day of Palm Branches.” In the early Christian Church, this Sunday was always remembered as a day of joy. It also was called “Hosanna Sunday” because the Lord Jesus made a triumphant entry into the city of Jerusalem. The people who went before and those who followed sang, “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Hosanna in the highest!”
Scripture makes a special point of saying that the children sang, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” Matthew 21:15, and that was very upsetting for the religious leaders. The word “hosanna” means “Save us, we pray!” The religious leaders were ashamed to hear the children singing. As far as they were concerned, not Jesus, but they were the ones who could tell people how to be saved. Times haven’t changed all that much. There are all kinds of religious leaders running around in the world today telling people how to be saved. But they don’t direct people to Jesus, as the Son of God and the only Savior of all people. They are ashamed of Him today, just as many were ashamed of Him on that first Palm Sunday.
In his Epistle to the Romans, chapter one, verse sixteen, the Apostle Paul publicly professed his faith and said, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” Some people have always been ashamed of Jesus. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, there was room for Him only in a stable. The multitudes who came to Bethlehem to be taxed were not interested in the birth of the Savior of the world! Those who first came to worship Him were poor, humble shepherds. Some time later, wise men came from the east to worship Jesus. The Roman ruler, Herod the Great, was not happy that people were talking about a new-born king. He hoped to put Jesus to shame by killing Him!
For thirty-three years, Jesus journeyed throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, calling sinners to repentance and faith. Some believed in Him, and some did not. The evangelist John wrote, “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name,” John 1:10-12.
When Jesus spoke of Himself as the Bread of Life through whom we come to the Father, many of His followers said, “This is a hard saying, who can understand it?” John 6:60. “And from that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more,” John 6:66. They were ashamed of Jesus, and forsook the Savior in such great numbers that He turned to the Twelve and asked the searching question, “Do you also want to go away?” John 6:67. The Apostle Peter, speaking on behalf of all the disciples, said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” John 6:68-69.
On this Palm Sunday, we ask the same question: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You are the Son of God and the only Savior of sinners!” With the hymnist, we raise our voices:
“Hosanna in the highest! That ancient song we sing.
For Christ is our Redeemer, The Lord of heav’n our King.
Oh may we ever praise Him With heart and life and voice,
And in His blissful presence Eternally rejoice!” Amen!