Today’s Scripture

Psalm 118:19-24         Exodus 6:2-8               Mark 11:1-10

 

            Today is a great celebration to Christians everywhere.  We celebrate with the palm branches, a reminder in hand who our King is, who our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is.  Today is one of the times we hold a special procession into the church.  We enjoy the children waving their palm branches and then faithfully placing them at the altar.  The altar is a daily reminder to each one of the altar, Calvary, where Jesus sacrificed himself to pay for our sins.  It was on this altar that we come to know God’s love to pay any price to save his people. 

 

            In today’s celebration, we praise Jesus who is our king, much the same as the people did nearly two thousand years ago in Jerusalem.  The word, “Hosanna,” the palm branches, and the sight of Jesus riding the donkey on the road to and into the city of Jerusalem are enough to remind us today who our king is.  Who our Savior is.  Who our God is. 

 

            Why a donkey?  To us a donkey seems a quite humble animal.  In Old Testament times and during Jesus’ time, donkeys were precious animals, even though they were so common.  The number of donkeys a person owned was a mark of his wealth.  Scripture notes that the Israelites captured 61,000 donkeys as plunder from the Midianites [Numbers 31:34].  The donkey was a strong work animal.  It was also sure-footed and the best donkey was chosen for a long journey.  Most importantly, Jesus’ riding the donkey fulfills God’s prophecies.  Through Zechariah, “riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey,” [9:9, Matthew 21:2-7].  In the blessing of Jacob to Judah, [Genesis 49:11] “He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.”

 

            Why the Palm branches?  Mark says branches were cut from the fields.  Matthew notes branches from the trees.  It is John’s Gospel that states these included palm branches.  Palm branches were used in celebrations of victory.  During this coming week we will see Jesus’ ultimate victory over sin, death and Satan in his willing suffering and death on the cross and in the triumphant resurrection from the grave.  The disciples, all of the people joining the celebration, and the temple leaders plotting against Jesus were looking for a victory according to their understandings.  They did not have a clue at that time that this was going to be the victory that it is. 

 

            “Hosanna!” the people shouted.  “Hosanna” we sing today.  It is a word of praise.  Like Alleluia, God gives us these words that sing out our joy and thanksgiving and praise that our day-to-day words cannot express.  The word appears in Scripture only in the account of Palm Sunday as the people shouted it to Jesus who comes “in the name of the Lord,” to the “the Son of David,” and “hosanna in the highest.”  There is no greater praise and no one greater to be praised.  .  Hosanna was a word used in praise and adoration to God and specifically at the special festivals of Passover and Tabernacles.  The word as it was used in those celebrations means “help,” or “save.”  At the Feast of Tabernacles, the temple priests took willow branches in their arms and while rustling these branches they cried out, “Oh Lord, help us, oh help us.”  This phrase was an expression of praise to God who alone can help us.  Earlier we read a portion of Psalm 118.  Verse 25 reads, “O LORD, save us.  O LORD, grant us success.”  At the time of Jesus, the word “Hosanna” was familiar to every Jew.  As Jesus entered Jerusalem it indicated the people believed the Messianic promise was now realized.  “Hosanna to the Son of David” tells us they knew the new kingdom was at hand in Jesus.  They just did not know how it would be accomplished. 

 

            All of this information is nice to know.  But the message God gives us in this is this, Jesus is our eternal king.  Prophecy pointing to this day and all that Jesus comes to do is being fulfilled.  When Jesus rises from the grave next Sunday, that final prophecy shows that his word is truth.  And as he has conquered all here on earth and in the spiritual realms over Satan, we can live each day of our lives assured of the certain hope that he will come again in all glory and honor and heavenly splendor to take each believer to be with him in his heavenly kingdom forever.  That is what we rejoice in today.  That is what our faith, our hope, our eternal rest is.

 

            Behold the King!  He would come riding on a donkey, strong and sure-footed so that there would be no stumbling along this way.  A colt that no one had ridden, set aside for this holy purpose.  Later this week a tomb that no one had been laid would serve the same holy purpose. 

 

            Behold the King!  Disciples and people spread their cloaks for him to walk on.  This is an honor given only to a king (Jehu) in scripture [2 Kings 9;13].  It was recognized only for royalty at Jesus’ time.  It is the ultimate “red carpet” treatment, fit only for a king. 

 

            Behold the King!  Palm branches pointing to the victory Jesus would win for all people this coming week.  He is our king.  He is your king of salvation.

 

            Behold the King!  Hosanna we sing, praising God as he helps us, he saves us, he gives us success he wins over sin and the grave. 

 

            Behold the King!  As we gather throughout this week celebrating the Last Supper; the betrayal and desertion; the trial; ridicule and torture; the suffering and death on the cross; the simple yet royal burial; the day of rest in the tomb; and the victory of the resurrection.

 

            Behold the King!        In Jesus’ undying love.  Amen.