Our lives, the roads we walk lead us to either follow behind Christ, singing his praises, or going before him, laying palm branches and cloaks. Missionaries go ahead, paving the way as Jesus rides in to hearts by His gospel. Then pastors, teachers, and congregations follow behind, praising God for his kingdom that has come. Edward Frey in The Pathway of Palm Sunday.
We like control; God, it seems, loves vulnerability. If we haven’t touched and united with the vulnerable place within us, we’re normally projecting seeming invulnerability outside and judging others for their weakness. Paul Andrew in Palm Sunday And Good Friday.
He is at once, a righteous God and a Savior. He is full of grace and truth. God is the just one, who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Do you see the holy love of God? Were God merely holy, we would have been destroyed. Were God merely love, the lack of discipline would destroy us. A holy God cannot disregard wanton rebellion and a loving God cannot disregard His children. But a God of holy love will do what no one can imagine. Michael Deutsch in The Road To The Cross!
At the heart of Palm Sunday is Jesus’ desire to bring peace into our lives and to be willing to carry whatever burdens in life that are weighing us down. But the only way Jesus can complete his desire, is for us to allow him to march in and take over without having to fight us all along the way. Have you ever told God, ”you can march over there, but don’t come this way because I’m not yet ready to surrender.” Where ever Jesus is not fully welcome in our lives, is where the real battle is taking place for our attitudes. We’re doing all kinds of things hoping to find some peace, but God is saying, until you get your attitude together right here, you shall not have peace as you seek for it. Rick Gillespie-Mobley in Choose Your Attitude.
Jesus knew that the religious leaders were out to get him and yet instead of slinking into the city under the cover of darkness he rides triumphantly in a manner that is bound to reveal him as messiah. Denn Guptill in Making A Messiah, Palm Sunday.
In times of war conquerors would ride in chariots or upon prancing stallions. But in times of peace, the king would ride a colt to symbolize that peace prevailed. So, for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem upon a colt is to declare that He is a King proclaiming peace. Melvin Newland in Palm Sunday – Jesus Was Weeping!
The Christian church was born in the very city where Jesus was publicly killed and buried. The belief in a resurrected Jesus had to be authentic to take root in Jerusalem and grow to encompass the whole world. The Christian church is now the largest institution that exists or has ever existed in the history of humanity. Clearly, this would have been impossible if the resurrection was a story. Don Hawks in Who Is Jesus? — A Palm Sunday Lesson.
Their cry of “Hosanna” is a transliteration from Hebrew into Greek (into English). It comes from Psalm 118:25, and seems to mean, “Save now, please.” Although the people might not understand it yet, this is what Jesus had come to do (cf. Luke 19:10). Christopher Holdsworth in The First Palm Sunday
Palm branches were to the Jews of that day what the stars and stripes of our flag means to us today. Don Hawks in Who Is Jesus? — A Palm Sunday Lesson
The tragedy of this event was the fickleness of the people. At this point they are acclaiming the Lord Jesus as the long expected Messiah – within a few days they were crying for His death! Colin Coombs in Palm Sunday – What Is It All About?
Now when Jesus approached and saw the city, he wept over it…Clearly, there is this sense of purpose that drives Jesus toward Jerusalem. But don’t misunderstand this clear, resolute purpose for being defeated. Joey Nelson in Palm Sunday – Luke’s Journey Notes.
