13 April 2025 - Palm Sunday, Year C

 

Theme

As we begin Holy Week with Palm Sunday, we reflect on Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. It was not triumphant in the traditional sense of the word. There was no pomp and circumstance, but there was praise and rejoicing in God’s goodness as displayed through Jesus’ life and miracles. The psalm for this week also offers praise and rejoicing for God’s goodness.

Scriptures

Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 -  A Psalm of praise giving thanks to God for God’s goodness.

Luke 19:28-40 - Jesus enters Jerusalem riding a donkey (colt) that he obtained from a nearby town. As he entered Jerusalem, the crowds laid down their garments for him and his followers sang and shouted, praising God for the miracles they had seen. The people sang, “blessed be the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!” The pharisees told Jesus to rebuke the chants, but Jesus said that if the people stopped, even the stones would cry out. 

Or John 12:12-16 - John’s account of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. The crowd welcomes Jesus with palm branches. Jesus’ riding into Jerusalem on a donkey was a fulfilment of prophecy. 

The Context

The author of John’s gospel believes that Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey is the fulfillment of a prophecy made in Zechariah 9:9. While the original audience did not understand this, they did believe that a mighty king was entering Jerusalem during this Passover festival - hence the cheers that the crowd offered. And yet, the king that the people were expecting was very different to the king that Jesus proved to be. The people were expecting a traditional king that conquered and ruled with power and violence. Jesus, as prophesied in Zechariah, came as a humble servant to bring peace to the nations (Zech 9:9-10). While Jesus was praised when he entered Jerusalem, he was deserted and abandoned within the week once he was arrested and crucified at the hand of the Roman Empire and the religious elite. Jesus showed that his kingdom is a kingdom of peace, love, hope and joy.

Personal Application

Palm Sunday gives us an opportunity every year to reflect on the kingship of Jesus the Christ. Many have claimed that because Jesus is their King/Lord, he will overcome all of their enemies and no harm will ever befall them. Jesus proved that he is a different type of king; a king that rules in love and compassion rather than hate and manipulation; a king that rules with peace rather than violence; a king that rules with grace rather than condemnation; a king that serves rather than expects to be served; a king that enters into the world of his people and walks with them, even to the point of death on a cross.

What does it mean for you to claim that Jesus is King? What type of person would you need to become in order to feel at home in God’s alternate kingdom in this world?

Communal Application

Once we understand what type of king Jesus is, the better we are able to understand what Jesus’ Kingdom is like. God’s kingdom is counter-cultural; it encourages peace; it exists to serve others; it is inclusive; it is healing. Jesus often spoke of the Kingdom of God and exclaimed that the Kingdom is at hand, meaning that we are able to take part in God’s kingdom now, not only at some distant point in the future.

Based on the type of counter-cultural king that Jesus is, what other characteristics do we think the Kingdom of God consists of? How can we be better models of God’s kingdom in our churches and communities?