Palm Sunday is the first day of the Holy Week and is the Sunday before Easter. We celebrate Jesus coming into Jerusalem knowing His fate but still celebrating His arrival. Jesus came riding a donkey and having branches and coats being laid on the ground to symbolize that Jesus is the REAL King of Jerusalem and His royal status.
In John 12 we read, “12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! ” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!” 14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: 15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” 16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. 17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”
Today most churches celebrate Palm Sunday by handing out palms as a remembrance of Jesus coming into Jerusalem. Even though Jesus knew a week later He would die, He still came for us. He would die for us. Isn’t that still true for us today? He still comes to us even when we deny him, have doubts, or just don’t trust Him. But yet, we know that He is risen and He will also be there for us because He is the true King!
As we start Holy Week, we hope that these sermons help you celebrate!
Assets
Just as the men who owned the donkeys that Jesus needed to ride on when He entered Jerusalem for Palm Sunday were willing to give them when they heard the Lord needed them, we must be willing to give whenever God asks. Since everything we have is His anyway, we must give Him all of what we have, even ourselves, to be used for His glory.
Palm Sunday: The Real Story
Pastor Greg Laurie wants to know, are you a bridge or a barrier to people coming to Christ? On A NEW BEGINNING, as we begin a series of Easter messages, we’ll see the holiday is the perfect time to draw someone to the Lord … and we need to live in a way that attracts them to the faith. Learn more!
Zechariah 9:9
Remember when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a small donkey on what we call “Palm Sunday”? The people went crazy, celebrating and waving palm fronds, shouting “Hosanna!” Hear Zechariah’s prophecy of this event and get a broader picture of the important statement Jesus was making.
Into Jerusalem
The Gospels give us all kinds of events that help paint a biographical picture of Jesus. Today we’re going to look at one very famous episode: the triumphal entry to Jerusalem. This is also called Palm Sunday because the crowd used palm branches to welcome Jesus to the city (John 12:13).
There are important details in this passage that are deeply symbolic. They show us something about who Jesus is and what he came to do. It teaches us three things about his kingship: he is a confrontational king; he is a counter-intuitive king, and he is the coming king.
God Loves Lost People
Have you ever wondered why Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey that first Palm Sunday, knowing He would be facing certain death? Knowing He would be mocked, beaten, and have to face crucifixion? Please join us for this week's message, God's Love for Lost People.
Jesus, the Servant King (Jesus in the No-Spin Zone)
On Palm Sunday we commemorate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem just days before his trial and crucifixion. Even today, pilgrims to the Holy Land walk the road Jesus walked, imagining the momentous events that would lead to the sacrifice that made salvation possible.
Water from the Rock, Part 1
About this time every year, we take a week to remember all that Jesus did for us. On Palm Sunday, we welcome the arrival of our great King. On Good Friday, we somberly reflect on Jesus’ death. And on Easter, we celebrate His glorious resurrection and victory over the grave! Today on Focal Point, Mike Fabarez invites us to take a moment to reflect on that Good Friday long ago, and understand the significance of every detail.
Water from the Rock, Part 2
Almost two thousand years ago, on the very first Good Friday, Jesus was crucified at Golgotha. His gripping account was recorded with remarkable detail in the Gospels. And today on Focal Point, we’ll be reflecting on the rich significance of what occurred that day. After Jesus died, we read that “One of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood…and water.” Explore the importance of this unusual detail, with Mike Fabarez.
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