Palms lifted up!

For Sunday, March 24, 2024:

Matthew 21:9 NKJV: “The multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Hosanna in the highest!’”

Jesus and his disciples were headed for Jerusalem and the Temple. Passover would soon be starting.

As they neared the city, Jesus sent two of his disciples to borrow a donkey and its colt. “The Lord has need of it.”

Entering the city, they put their clothes on the beast, and Jesus climbed aboard. People lined the parade route with more clothing and with palm fronds. That’s why we call it Palm Sunday. As they processed, the people cried out, ”Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

Hosanna is a Greek word which literally means, “Save now.” That’s quite important. Think about it. You wouldn’t walk up to just anybody on the street and ask them to save you, to redeem you. There has to be a reasonable expectation that they’re able to do it! Which tells us that a great many people in Jesus’ path believed that he could save them, that Jesus was the redeemer, the Son of God!

Yesterday I mentioned mob mentality. This mob wanted Jesus to save them! But the mob on Thursday night/Friday morning would be shouting, “Crucify him!” That’s why we need to collect all the information we can, and think things through to their logical conclusion. When I die, I want to be with the group shouting, “Save us now!”

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship