Today is Palm Sunday. It represents the day of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem prior to His crucifixion. Of course, on that Sunday, the disciples, nor the crowd, knew about the coming crucifixion. How could they! It was still in the future.
Matthew 21:1 - 11 1As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2saying 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. 3If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” 4This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: 5“Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ 6The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. 8A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9The 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!” 10When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” 11The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
As you read this great Palm Sunday passage there are three words that ought to jump out at you: “Who is this?” (v. 10b). When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
Some knew that he was Jesus, the carpenter of Nazareth; some had heard him speak and considered Him a prophet; some witnessed his miracles and wanted more. But they all should have known that He was the promised Messiah; that He would arrive on the back of a donkey.
But they were not aware. I’ve discovered that often the people of God don’t really know their Bible. They are unaware of what God wants to share with them. If you have been part of that crowd 2000 years ago, would you have known?
Ask yourself, “Who is this Jesus?” Even after 3 years of ministry the people of Jerusalem still were not sure. As you prepare for” the Lord’s Supper, do you know Jesus better than they?
At best they considered Him to be a mere prophet and miracle worker. On Sunday they shouted hosannas; just a few days later some of these same people would call for Him to be crucified.
History, as well as the Bible, records his life and His crucifixion. He was born of a virgin, experienced life as we experience it, suffered and died on a cross. He died! All the evidence points to His death. The witnesses who were there said He was dead. The record says He was dead. What do you do with a dead body? You bury it!
Because He was dead Jesus was taken down from the cross and placed in a borrowed grave. A huge stone was placed in the entrance of His burial place. It seemed to be over. Evil had once again triumphed! [Read “Friday and Sunday”, pp. 68-69 from The Unfinished Soul, by Calvin Miller]
Buried on Friday; the empty tomb on Sunday; the huge stone rolled away, not so Jesus could come out—but to show us the tomb was empty except for the wrapping that encased His dead body.
Jesus He had already escaped death’s cruel, cold grip. Jesus, who was dead, was now alive; gloriously alive, just as He had said. He had defeated death.
His resurrection assures us that we, too, will defeat death. Our Savior death on the cross paid the price for our sins. Jesus paved the way to God Himself.
Following His resurrection, Jesus appeared to many of His followers. He still bore the scars of His wounds—the terrible hole in His side, the gruesome scars where the nails went through His wrists and ankles.
Many people saw and talked to Jesus following His resurrection. For forty days He ministered to His followers, removing all doubt that He was alive. Even the most skeptical became certain.
The power of the resurrection began to surge in the lives of believers. The young church born at that time and empowered by the Holy Spirit, was carried along by the certain message that Jesus was alive.
The stone could not keep Him entombed. He is alive! He is our rock!
Someone may ask you, “Why is the Christian faith superior to the other religions of the world?” There is no more appropriate time than at the Easter season for this question to be answered.
It is what Easter is all about—it is the difference between our faith and all others: there is no other religion in the world that claims a risen Lord and Savior! None!
Don’t tell me that that doesn’t make a difference. Don’t say to me, “It doesn’t make any difference what you believe, as long as you believe something and are sincere.” The Apostle Paul heard that argument. Listen to what he wrote to the church at Corinth:
1 Corinthians 15:12 – 14, 17 - 19, 12But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith....... 17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
As dark as was Friday, Sunday brought light to the entire world. The Apostle finished with this shout of triumph: 1 Corinthians 15:20, 20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Our hope is not in a dead man still in the grave. Our assurance is in the living Savior!
Christ is alive. We believe it; we teach it; we preach it; and we practice it. Our hope is not for this life only—but for the promised life to come. It is not us who should be pitied. Those to be pitied are those who continue to reject the risen, living Christ. Because Christ has indeed been raised from the dead!
We are not a group of fearful, disappointed followers of a martyred man who is still in the grave. We are members of Christ’s eternal family; we are followers of the risen, victorious, reigning Lord.
We became members of that family when we believed and accepted Jesus Christ who, because of His great love for us paid the penalty for our sins. Never forget that Jesus loves you!
The most unanswerable question of Christianity is, “How could anyone possibly love me enough to die for me?” We know our sinful natures. We live with our human feelings and battle with our carnal instincts.
How could the Creator, the Lord of Glory, the eternal God care enough for us miserable, imperfect pieces of clay, that He was willing to hang on a cross and suffer the agonies of crucifixion to pay our sin debt? It doesn’t make sense.
The glory of it is that we don’t have to be able to explain it. In child-like faith, believe it. You can wonder about it; you can marvel over it, but, finally, just believe it.
More than anything else the Lord’s Supper reminds us of what Jesus did for each of us. Do you believe?