Palm Sunday 2023

Text: “8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:8-9).

Palm Sunday really is the perfect start to Holy Week. On Thursday and Friday we will focus on the events that took place this week: the Last Supper; the Garden of Gethsemane; the betrayal and arrest; the trial; the brutal mistreatment; the trip out of the city to Golgotha; the cross; and the tomb. You’ll hear what happened. And, hopefully, you will grow in understanding that it was all for you. First, though, let’s take the opportunity, today, to focus on the man.

There’s a line from an old hymn that says, “The bride eyes not her dress, but her dear bridegroom’s face.” What a perfect image that is. For all the thought, all the effort, all the money that a bride puts into her dress, when the day comes, her focus isn’t on the dress. It’s on her husband— on her dear bridegroom’s face.

That is what today is about. Everything from the Last Supper to the garden to the tomb— it’s all vitally important. But don’t miss out on the One doing it. The events of the rest of this week are amazing. And when you look through all of that (I won’t say “look past,” but look through all of that), then there really aren’t words to express what an amazing thing it is.

On one level, you’ve seen this before. You’ve watched the interviews with the team’s star the moment that his team has won the championship. You’ve seen the team taking their victory parade. And, even then, you expect at least a show of humility. You expect your sports heroes to show good sportsmanship— to say all the right things as they’re being awarded the trophy. You expect them to share the credit with teammates. You expect them to show respect to their opponent. And, by and large, they do. In fact, not only do they show humility in that moment, but they have spent countless hours in the gym and/or on the practice field, putting in a tremendous amount of work. You expect them to humble themselves— and they do. But, all along, they’re humbling themselves in order to earn the glory.

You’re used to shows of humility. You expect it from politicians. Wasn’t there a time, way back when, when they were all trying so hard to be the next Abraham Lincoln that we ended up with countless candidates each bragging that he had been born in a log cabin that he had built with his own hands? You’re used to shows of humility.

And not only are you used to shows of humility in others, you put on a pretty good show, too. Let’s take just one example. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but it seems like one of the most common pieces of advice for husbands and wives is to show appreciation to your spouse for the helpful things that he does. I said “helpful things he does” on purpose, because it seems like that advice is directed at wives who need to get their husbands up out of the recliner and helping out occasionally. I don’t think that’s just my own self-consciousness talking. That does usually seem to be the subtext— getting husbands to pull their weight, so to speak. And let’s be honest: if it keeps coming up that often, then it must work. If it works, then that raises the question: Guys, do you really need recognition to get you to help out? Do you need that motivation to care? Do you need the promise of reward in order to humble yourself to the point of pulling your weight? God has given you your wife “to have and to hold from [that] day forward, for better, for worse, … in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death [do you] part....” He doesn’t give her to you as a servant, but a wife. He has commanded you to love her as Christ loved His Church. Isn’t that command a good enough reason? God said so. That should be all you need to know. Isn’t she a good enough reason? Isn’t your love for her all the motivation you need? Why does it take receiving that recognition? Why does it take her gratitude?

Obviously it’s easy to pick on athletes, husbands, and God knows it’s easy to pick on politicians, but I bring them up as examples of a problem you and I face in practically every area of our lives. It’s easier to humble yourself in order to earn the glory. It’s far easier to humble yourself in order to get recognized. But that’s not real humility. Worse, that’s not love for God or for those around you.

Today you see Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey to the shouts and cheers of the crowds. But He’s not doing it for His own glory. Isaiah’s words give a glimpse of what He was thinking that day and through everything He does this week.

“4 The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught,” He says, “that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary” (Isaiah 50:4). There is no boasting here, is there? This is the eternal Son of God speaking. And not only is He focused on what He receives from the Father, but what He receives is for the benefit of others. “4 The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught,” He says, “that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary” (Isaiah 50:4).

“5 The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward,” He says (Isaiah 50:5). This is not a man who is focused on His own goals, His own plans and purposes, let alone His own glory. His concern is a loving obedience to His Father’s will.

“6 I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. 7 But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame” (Isaiah 50:7). There will be shame. There certainly will be shame during this coming week. There will be all the shame. All of my shame, all of your shame for your false humility, your selfishness, your lack of obedience to the Father’s will and your lack of love for those around you— even those closest to you. He will get all of it. And He is willing to endure it. Trusting in the Father’s help and strength, He’s willing to endure it. And He trusts that His Father will ensure that it will not be for nothing, that His sacrifice will not go to waste.

That’s what is going through His mind as He rides into Jerusalem on the donkey. That’s what He is thinking as He gathers for one last meal with His disciples. That’s what He’s feeling as He is betrayed, as He is mocked and beaten, as He is nailed to the cross, and dies. Perfect, loving obedience to the Father and perfect love for you.

Because all of it is for you. Everything you’ll hear recited this week, everything that He suffered, all of it was for you.

Gentlemen, if our wives have taught us anything, haven’t they taught us what an incredibly powerful, wonderful, joyful motivation it is to love someone who has loved you? How can you not love, honor, and cherish that person?

This is no false humility that you see in your Lord this morning as He enters Jerusalem. There is no taint of selfish self-glorification. This is no cynical attempt to seize glory. St. Paul sums it up by saying, “6 who, though he was in the form of God, [He] did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8). But it was never about the glory— at least not for Him. He already had it. And He did not count that glory as more precious to Him than you are. This is no false humility in the Son of David, in the One who rules over the Kingdom of God. It is perfect, complete, undiluted love for you, “26 that he might sanctify [you], having cleansed [you] by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present [you] to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that [you] might be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:26-27).

He did it so that, for you, the glory and the humility might be reversed. For Him, it was becoming obedient to the point of death— therefore He was exalted to glory. But for you, it’s the opposite. He ascended back to the right hand of the Father so that He might raise you up and seat you with Him there in the heavenly places (Eph. 2:6). He has earned for you a place beyond anything you could have hoped to earn for yourself in a thousand lifetimes and it is His gift to you, entirely by His grace. How can you not love, honor, and cherish Him?

Then He does, He gives you a husband or wife, parents and children, friends and coworkers— even enemies!— that you might humble yourself in the eternal joy of serving them, of loving them as you have been loved. And, if that weren’t enough, He adds the promise that whatever you do for them, you do for Him.

This really is the holiest of weeks in the year, sanctified by everything from the Last Supper to the garden to the tomb— all of it is vitally important. But don’t miss out on the One doing it. The events of the rest of this week are amazing. And when you look through all of that (I won’t say “look past it,” but look through all of that), then there really aren’t words to express how amazing it truly is.