The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday

This Sunday's sermon is by The Rev. Barbara Dyke, a United Methodist minister in San Angelo, Texas, who is part of Ecumenical Relations with the Diocese of Texas. "Pastor Barbara" serves as the minister of First United Methodist Church of Mertzon.

Palm Sunday is a moment of triumph as we read about Jesus entering the city of Jerusalem. But why is it triumphant?

It was a triumph for us today because Jesus was faithful to his Heavenly Father. Jesus understood the big picture at what was at stake when he rode into Jerusalem. Jesus knew that it was more important to satisfy God’s will than the crowd’s desire.
The crowds cheered for a Messiah that would free them from the oppression of the Roman Empire. They wanted someone that would solve all their problems. They wanted a miracle.

For Jesus Palm Sunday was just another temptation. The crowds offered a different possibility than what God had planned for Jesus. Just think how easy it would have been for Jesus to get caught up in the crowd’s desires. He had the popularity and enough followers; he could have organized a revolt against the Romans and may have even been successful. He could have followed the cheers and sought his own glory that was offered by the crowd that yelled Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.

Fortunately for us, Jesus held fast to the way of the cross. The cross was not what the crowd wanted. If Jesus had gone for fame and glory there would be no Maundy Thursday, or Good Friday, or Easter Sunday.

Jesus followed God’s plan. It was not the popular plan; no body was looking to have their sins forgiven. No body wanted life eternal; they wanted to be freed from the immediate slavery to Roman and nothing else. That is the trouble with mans vision vs. God’s plan. We always want immediate solutions. We are not all that concerned with life eternal. We can not see the big picture. We only see what seems to be in front of us at the moment. We think we have all the answers yet we see very little of what God has in store for us.

Fortunately for us, Jesus saw the whole picture when everyone around him seemed to be looking at the wrong map. Jesus saw the map to the cross while the crowd was looking at a map that had no future.

Jesus entered Jerusalem knowing that he would die on a cross. Jesus knew he would lay down his life so that you and I today might be freed from the slavery of sin and death.

So whose plans are we follow today? We have heard the answer many times. Our light, our map is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. The answer is Jesus. Jesus is God’s light into the world. Jesus laid down his life for us so that we might have eternal life, free from sin and death. We can rest in the assurance that God is with us and there is nothing that can separate us from our Heavenly Father. Jesus knew that, and was able to stand up against temptation; he was able to ride into Jerusalem toward a cross.