March 13, 2025 | Be God's Family
Triumphal Entry
Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11(NIV)
1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying 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. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
5 “Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The 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 heaven!”
10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Devotional
One of the most meaningful experiences of my recent trip to the Holy Land was our “Palm Sunday Walk”. We began at the top of the Mount of Olives, just as Jesus did, and descended the hill until we reached the Garden of Gethsemane. We walked along the same narrow road that Jesus may have travelled, now walled on both sides. As we walked, we listened to the song “The Holy City” that includes these lyrics:
Jerusalem, Jerusalem! Lift up your gates and sing, Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna to your King!"
I could not help but imagine what Jesus must have been thinking and feeling before he made that same journey down that narrow road. As Jesus walked over the ridge of the Mount of Olives, the entire city of Jerusalem lay in front of him. From that vantage point, he could see the sites of every event that would happen over his final week – the Temple, Upper Room, Garden of Gethsemane, house of Caiaphas, Pilates headquarters, Herod’s palace, Golgotha, the tomb. His journey to the cross was almost complete. But his humanity must have left him feeling emotional about the coming days – fearful, anxious, sorrowful. But he was determined to complete his mission.
Jesus walked everywhere but, on this occasion, he chose a different mode of transportation. He chose a donkey – the image of humility and peace. This event is sometimes called the “Triumphal Entry”, but the scene hardly seems like a royal parade. Contrast this with how Herod and Pilate were entering the city at the same time - two very different men who would figure prominently in Jesus’ story over the next few days. The arrival of royalty into a city for festivals was a public affair, with people lining the main streets, cheering wildly. Herod Antipas would have arrived from the north on a stately horse or being carried by a golden chariot, accompanied by his entourage of royal soldiers. Pilate would have entered from the west and his home in Caesarea Maritima, attended by 1000 or more Roman troops and weapons as a show of force.
The contrast of these “Triumphal Entries” is not coincidental. Jesus was demonstrating the kind of King he was – so very different from what was expected.
What kind of King do you want Jesus to be?
As I walked that “Palm Sunday Walk”, I also wondered what it would have been like to be one of those in the crowd. Would I have been one of those throwing down my cloak and waving palm branches? Would I have been one of those praising Jesus on Sunday but calling for his crucifixion on Friday?
What would you have been doing on that Palm Sunday?
Poem
Jubilant Cry!
Psalm 118:19-29
Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter. I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.
Psalm 118:19-29
Fling open the gates and unlock the door
O enter, O enter You whom I adore
All is prepared now, the table is set
O come now, O come now and be the Great Guest
Shine glory around me, Your glory I see
Open wide, open wide Your love unto me
The gift of salvation You hold in your hand
Receive soul, receive soul this gift, O, so grand
My praise I lift heavenward, clapping with joy
Most blessed, most blessed my tongue now employ
With loud jubilation my palm branch I raise
Hosanna! Hosanna! Give God highest praise!
