Palm Sunday reminds us that Jesus came not as a conquering king but a humble one. This message explores what it means to welcome Jesus as King — not on our terms, but on His.
Matthew 21:1-11, Zechariah 9:9
Palm Sunday reveals a King who does not look like what we expected. Jesus entered Jerusalem not on a warhorse but on a donkey — not to conquer Rome but to conquer sin and death. The crowd shouted 'Hosanna' meaning 'save us now' — but they wanted salvation on their terms. True hope is found when we surrender to the King as He is, not as we imagine Him to be.
Jesus sent two disciples to fetch a donkey and a colt. He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey — a direct fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9 which says 'See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey.' In the ancient world, a king rode a horse when he came for war and a donkey when he came for peace. Jesus was not coming to start a fight with Rome. He was coming to end the war between God and humanity. The crowd wanted a conqueror. What they got was a Savior. And that is the King we still need.
The crowd spread their cloaks on the road and cut branches from the trees. They shouted 'Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' Hosanna means 'save us now.' They were desperate for deliverance. But they wanted deliverance from Rome, not from sin. They wanted a political savior, not a spiritual one. Many people still want Jesus to save them on their terms — to fix their circumstances, solve their problems, and make life comfortable. But Jesus came for something deeper. He came to save you from the thing that is really destroying you.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred. The crowd asked 'Who is this?' And the people answered, 'This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.' Within a week, many of the same people who shouted 'Hosanna' would shout 'Crucify Him.' The crowd's enthusiasm was shallow because their expectations were wrong. When Jesus did not do what they wanted, they turned on Him. The question for you is not whether you will celebrate Jesus when things are going well. The question is whether you will still follow Him when He does not meet your expectations. Hope that depends on circumstances is not hope at all.
This week, ask yourself honestly: are you following the Jesus you want, or the Jesus who is? What expectations are you placing on Him that He never promised to fulfill? Take some time to write down where you need to surrender your expectations and trust that He knows what He is doing. Real hope begins when you stop telling Jesus what He should do and start trusting Him with what He is doing.
Spend the week reflecting on this message with daily scripture readings, reflections, and prayers. Each day builds on the sermon and helps you apply biblical wisdom to your life.
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