Calvary Lutheran Church

Understanding God's Purpose for Palm Sunday

May the God of peace fill you with all joy in believing. Amen.

Mark 11:1-10

Dear Christian friends:

            They are called “ticker-tape parades,” and they are usually held in large urban settings like New York City. During the parade large amounts of shredded paper are tossed out the windows of high rise buildings creating an almost snow-storm effect.

            The term “ticker-tape” originally referred to the narrow strips of paper from ticker tape machines which were used in brokerage houses to get an update on the stock market. They have long been replaced by computers with large screens, but the term stuck.

            The largest ticker-tape parade occurred in 1951 when the World War II and Korean War hero, General Douglas MacArthur, was honored. And that is the purpose of the parade—to recognize, praise, and honor someone for their great accomplishments.

            Palm Sunday was a similar event in that it also took place in a large urban setting—the city of Jerusalem. Instead of shredded paper, the means for creating a triumphant atmosphere were palms waving in the air, and cloaks and palms thrown along the path. And the one receiving the recognition, praise, and honor for his great accomplishments was Christ Jesus.

            But Palm Sunday was not just another parade. It had been planned and orchestrated by God himself long before the event ever took place. And it continues to be reenacted by billions of Christians every year for the last 2,000 years.

            Part of its popularity and longevity has to do with the timing of Palm Sunday—just five days before Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross. Part of it has to do with the message God was sending to the people of Jerusalem and to us today about the kingship of his Son, and why we would want to make him our king as well. This morning we wish to

UNDERSTAND GOD’S PURPOSE FOR PALM SUNDAY

            In order to understand that purpose we have to go back to the time of the patriarchs—to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When Jacob blessed his son, Judah, who was to be the ancestor of Christ, he said, “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his” (Genesis 49:10). This is the first time we hear that the Messiah, the Christ, whom God had promised to his people would have the qualities of a king. And one of those qualities would be to receive obedience from his people. That’s what a king does, he rules with absolute power and receives total obedience.

            That theme of Christ’s kingship was repeated over and over again in the Old Testament. Isaiah wrote of the Messiah, “Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever” (Isaiah 9:7). Christ’s reign as king would be characterized by peace—a complete absence of conflict or hostility. And it would be characterized by justice and righteousness—he himself would be just and righteous. In other words, Jesus would live a perfect life, and he would rule in justice and righteousness in that all his pronouncements and decrees would be right and true. And he would reign as king not just for a few years or a few decades, but once he took power, he would reign forever.

            Finally, this benevolent, perfect, timeless Messiah arrived on the scene. And he was immediately recognized by some as a king. Early in Jesus’ ministry Nathanael had met Jesus for just a few minutes when he said, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel” (John 1:49).

            But it wasn’t until Palm Sunday, later in Jesus’ ministry, that he was recognized by the public, believers and unbelievers alike, as a king. The people shouted on that day, “Hosanna!” “Hosanna” means “Save us, Lord.” It is a cry of distress but also of confidence that help is on the way. They shouted, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Mark 11:9, 10). To “come in the name of the Lord” means to come to do the Lord’s work. “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” Jesus’ kingship was being compared to King David, the greatest king in Israel’s history, who expanded its borders to their farthest extent. And finally, “Hosanna in the highest!” (Mark 11:10). In other words, “Let the God in heaven hear our praise to this great king.”

            And less there be any doubt that Jesus truly was a king, when Pilate asked him point blank, “‘Are you a king?’ He replied, ‘You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me,’” (John 18:7).

            If Jesus was born for the specific purpose of being a king, then who is he king over? He tells us, “Everyone on the side of truth,” that is, everyone who knows and believes the truth about him. And that truth, Paul tells us, is that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:15,16). It is doubtful that Paul was the worst of sinners to ever live. He thought he was, because he persecuted Christians before he come to the faith. But many others down through the centuries have persecuted many more Christians than Paul ever did.

            But let’s say, for argument sake, that Paul was the worst of sinners. He is then the best example of God’s unlimited patience, in that Paul committed terrible acts of evil, and yet when he converted to the faith he was completely forgiven and made the greatest missionary of all time. Yes, Paul, the worst of sinners to ever live is the recipient of God’s greatest mercy and grace.

            Peter thought he was the worst of sinners when he denied the Lord three times and wept bitterly because of it. But the Lord reinstated him as an apostle, and he became a shepherd and leader in the church at Jerusalem. David thought he was the worst of sinners for committing adultery and murder, but God allowed him to remain king of Israel and greatly blessed his reign over it.

            In our own hearts we may consider ourselves the worst of sinners. After all, no one knows us better than we do. And if you feel that way this morning that’s O.K. That’s better than saying, “I’m not as bad as some people.” Or, “My few sins are hardly noticeable.” Sort of like Frank Sinatra’s famous song, I Did It My Way. There is a line in that song that says, “Regrets? I’ve had a few, but then too few to mention.” That is making light of sin. That is minimizing sin, and that is always dangerous, because we are comparing ourselves to others, when we should be comparing ourselves to God, who is holy and righteous and just. He is the one we have sinned against. David wrote in his psalm, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge” (Psalm 51:4). Worst of sinners? Absolutely, we are when judged by God.

            But Paul goes on, “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, and only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:17). There is a king unlike any other, who is God, and who is worthy of all honor and glory. And God’s purpose for Palm Sunday was to proclaim his Son as that king.

            But he had him riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. Why a donkey? This was God’s plan already in the days of Zechariah 500 years before the time of Christ. Zechariah wrote, “Rejoice greatly O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gently and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). What was the significance of the donkey? The donkey was not a war animal. You don’t ride into battle on a donkey for obvious reasons. The donkey is a peace-time animal. The donkey is used for plowing fields and carrying burdens. The donkey is used to make life easier.

            But that’s the point, Jesus came as a peace-time king. His life was to make people’s lives easier, less troubled. Jesus once said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28,29). Jesus came as a king to bring peace with God, and in doing so, brought salvation in his hand.

            So Jesus deserved every bit of honor the crowd in Jerusalem gave him with their words, but also, every bit of honor they gave him with their actions. We are told that they spread their cloaks on the road where Jesus traveled. God had planned that from the time of the kings in the Old Testament. In 2 Kings 9, Jehu had just been anointed king of Israel by God and Jehu’s companions, “Hurried and took their cloaks and spread them under him on the bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet and shouted, ‘Jehu is king!’” (2 Kings 9:13).

            The crowd cut palm branches and waved them in the air and spread them on the road. God had planned that from the time of the psalms, “With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar” (Psalm 118:27). Palms were a symbol of victory used especially in military victory.

            Many in the crowd was under an illusion that Jesus had come to solve all their problems, like ridding them of the hated Romans, establishing political and military might, and maybe even bringing them earthly prosperity. They were looking for purely an earthly king who would make their physical lives better. But Jesus’ kingship would not entail any of these kinds of things. Jesus said to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). Jesus’ kingship is far better than any temporary improvement in our outward lives. His kinship is the solution to life’s greatest dilemma—what to do about sin, death, and hell.

            Oh, Jesus would provide his people with a victory, but the victory would come five days later when Jesus shed his blood to cover our sins, conquer death by rising from it, and suffer our hell when he was forsaken by his Father for us. And Jesus’ victory is our victory by faith. Paul wrote to the Romans, “We are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39). Jesus’ crucifixion and death guarantees God’s love for us, God’s grace, and it is by that grace that we have been saved through faith in Christ Jesus.

            God’s purpose for Palm Sunday was that Jesus his Son would be acknowledged for who he was—the righteous, gentle, eternal King who brings us peace with God by his victory over sin, death, and hell.

            But his purpose for Palm Sunday was also to make him our king. Is he your king? Do you honor him as king in your life? Does he rule in your heart with absolute authority and power? There is one way to know. On judgment day, when he sits on his throne as king, Jesus will say to those on his right, his believers, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” And then he will add, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:34-40). As you can see, making Jesus your king is showing love to others, because by doing so you are showing love and honor to him. Amen.