Dear BPCWA worshipper, We are somewhat familiar with what happened on Good Friday more than 2000 years ago.  However, what happened on the days before Good Friday?  Today, we want to look at the Sunday before that, a day which is often referred to as “Palm Sunday”, the first day of the Passion week. 

The fulfillment of Messianic prophecy.  Adults and Sunday school children are probably familiar with the events on that day.  The account of this day can be found in the parallel passages in all the 4 gospels, in Mark 11:1-10, Matt 21:1-9, Luke 19:29-40, John 12:12-19.  Commanding His disciples to fetch a colt for Him, the owner of the colt willingly released the colt to them simply Jesus told them to say, “Because the Lord hath need of him”.  Only God could move hearts like this.  But this was no random event.  It was our Lord Jesus fulfilling Zechariah 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass”.  A great multitude went before Him, spreading their clothes in the way, cutting down branches from the palm trees, and strawed them in the way.  Mk 11:9 “And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord”.  The praise and reception was so overwhelming that the Pharisees exclaimed, “behold, the world is gone after him.”  (Jn 12:19).

But not all received the Messiah.  This action of Jesus riding in was clearly Him proclaiming to be the long-awaited Messiah which Zechariah wrote about some 450 to 500 years earlier.  Yet despite the many proofs the Lord Jesus had already given to them, the Pharisees present angrily said to the Lord Jesus, “Master, rebuke thy disciples” (Luke 19:39).  I hope no reader has this attitude today.  Do you still doubt that Jesus is God and Saviour and the Way, the Truth, and the Life?  Outside of Him, none can come to God the Father in Heaven.  It is sad that the desire for position, power, and popularity would blind these ones who were supposedly schooled in the Holy Scriptures.  What is keeping you from asking Jesus to be your Lord and Saviour?

Some received Him but for the wrong reasons.  Many who were present removed their coats and cut branches of palm trees (John 12:13) to spread them on the Lord Jesus’ path.  It was a sign of them “honoring” Him as a king, making a triumphal entry.  They cried aloud, “Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” (Matt 21:9).  But how is it that less than a week later, they would be screaming repeatedly, “Crucify him!” (Mark 15:13, 14)?  What happened to the reception and celebration earlier on when they saw Jesus riding in on an ass?  Well, the throng were looking for an earthly king to free them politically and rescue their nation from Roman rule.   They wanted to be rescued physically at that point.  Jesus will indeed rule on earth one day during the Millennium after His Second Coming.  But His first coming was to save man spiritually.  Man’s highest pressing need is not political and social salvation.  Their praises and heralding were “Hosanna”, meaning “save now”.  These were only interested in physical relief here and now.  So they not only were disinterested in the Lord Jesus a week later but were so angry that they wanted Him to be crucified because He was not what they wanted Him to be for them. 

The Loving and Longsuffering Messiah.  A casual reader of this account may wonder at the significance of this event.  Why was it recorded for us?  This triumphal entry marked Christ’s open declaration as the promised Messiah and King of Israel.  Christ had come into this world and taken on human flesh for this very purpose.  He had lived a sinless life so that He may be our Messiah.  Now He would be presented before the people for whom He would die, the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.  Never in the history of mankind, and never again, would there be such a supreme sacrifice – the Creator being the substitute for the creature.  Transport yourself back to the scene then.  In humility, he sits upon a donkey, not in a chariot.  It is beyond words that the Lord Jesus would still go to the cross to die for man, given our utterly despicable attitude towards Him.  What Love, beyond degree!

The Coming King. Every Palm Sunday, we should remember that it is the beginning of the Passion week of our Saviour.  He was abused, humiliated, viciously beaten, and shamefully crucified by man.  He was a meek Lamb who allowed Himself to be led to the slaughter so that He could die in the place of us sinners so that He can pay fully for our sins.  But His second coming will be different.  Every eye will see Him for Who He truly is . . . the King of the Universe.  There will another palm waving event to come, “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands” (Rev 7:9).  What a day to look forward to each time we arrive at Palm Sunday till our Heavenly King returns!  Are you truly saved?  Will you be part of this joyful crowd? Or will you be sent to the lake of fire forever because you too are only interested in the “now”?  Dear believer, let us have a very glorious view of our God and King now.  There is nothing on earth that can compare to His Beauty, His Love, and His Glory when you meditate upon Him during this Passion week.

Yours in our Lord’s service,

Pastor