Palm Sunday and Missing Jesus
Palm Sunday is the first day of Holy Week, where we reflect upon the events that took place during the last week of Jesus’ life. It all began with Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, which was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (Isaiah 62:11; Zechariah 9:9).
As Jesus was riding into Jerusalem, the crowd began spreading their cloaks and branches from palm trees on the road. Palms symbolized Jewish nationalism and victory. The spreading out of their cloaks symbolized their submission to Jesus as king.
This shows us whom they recognized Jesus to be and what they expected Him to do.
A NATIONALISTIC KING
Many in the crowd were expecting Jesus to liberate Jerusalem and the people of Israel from Roman oppression.
As He rode over their cloaks and the palm branches, the crowds even began to shout praises to Him.
9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9)
“Hosanna” means “Save us, please!” They were expecting to be saved from Roman occupation, and for Him as the Davidic Messiah to be a militaristic and political king.
But this is not what Jesus came to accomplish at this time.
JESUS WEEPS OVER JERUSALEM
In Luke’s account of Palm Sunday, he tells us that Jesus wept over the people of Jerusalem.
41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace (Luke 19:41-42)
The Greek word that is translated as “wept,” means to weep or wail with emphasis upon the noise accompanying the weeping. Jesus was in deep lament here over the people of Israel.
He knew they were missing it. They were not seeing Him for who He truly was and what He was coming to accomplish.
As a matter of fact, many of these same people who were chanting, “Hosanna in the highest,” were the same people who would be yelling, “Crucify him,” just a few days later when they realized that they were not going to get what they wanted out of Him.
He came to bring them true peace and to rescue them from sin and death forever. But they were missing it, and it broke His heart. He loved them so much.
ARE YOU MISSING THE TRUE JESUS?
I wonder how many of us today are also missing Jesus as well? I know a lot of us would say no because we’ve accepted Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins and for our salvation.
And that is true in one sense. Many people today have gone a step further than those on Palm Sunday and in Jerusalem during Holy Week. However, I still fear that many of us have missed who Jesus really is, even if we have trusted Him as our Savior.
See, Jesus didn’t come just to be our Savior. He came to be our Life!
He came to give His life for you so that He could put His life in you and experience an intimate relationship with you.
JESUS CAME FOR INTIMACY
The God of the universe desires an intimate relationship with you. He invites you to participate with Him as He expresses His Life in you and through you.
Many of us settle for much less. We fall into a transactional relationship with Him. We view Him as our Drill Sergeant up there, and if we perform well for Him then He might make our lives better down here. If we mess up and fail, then He can make our lives miserable along the way.
But Jesus wasn’t weeping over Jerusalem on Palm Sunday because they would miss out on a transactional relationship. You don’t weep over the exchange of goods and services. You weep over people you care deeply about and those you long for intimacy with.
Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, headed for the cross where He would willingly suffer so that He could enjoy the relationship that you and He were always created to have.
Don’t miss out on what Jesus accomplished for you. Not only did He secure forgiveness and eternal life - He gave you Himself. You and He are one. Enjoy His pleasure and intimacy every moment of each day. This is how you honor Him during Holy Week.