Palm Sunday

Bottom line

In a culture of self-promotion and pride, you are called to be humble

Opening Line

How many people grew up in a church that handed out palm branches every Palm Sunday?

Introduction

For those of you who missed out on this experience, let me tell you how I remember a typical Palm Sunday at the church I grew up in. I didn’t tell mom and dad I was going to tell this story, so I’m going to be looking to them to to confirm most of what I am saying this morning.

So on Palm Sunday, everyone would come into the church, and everyone was expected to grab a palm branch, even the children. Now if you didn’t know, this palm branch is incredibly versatile, especially in the ways that 20th century church would use them. No I didn’t misspeak, I said 20th century, for all you young people. By the 21st century, I think we had changed churches.

Anyways, everyone would come into the church with their palm branches. I can’t remember what the men were doing with them, but I vividly remember what everyone else was doing. Because we went to a church that didn’t believe in air conditioning, many of the ladies would fan out the branches and fan themselves with them. Makes sense, that is what every depiction of ancient cultures did with them. Felt like we went back in time.

If you were a parent of little girls, Palm Sunday was the most peaceful Sunday of the year. See all the little girls would take their palm branches, and they would split the leaves along the seams, and they would proceed to put braids into the the palm branch. Then they would braid the braids. Then if there was still room, they would braid those. The little girls got nothing out of the service, but they were completely occupied until the end. If I’m completely honest, I don’t think it was just the little girls, I’m pretty sure some of the adult women were doing the same thing.

Now if you were a parent of little boys, you had a significantly different experience. Where little girls see an opportunity to make something beautiful, what do little boys see? A weapon. If I were to hit someone with this, specifically my little brother, how much would it hurt, and is it going to leave a mark that I’m going to get in trouble for? But it wouldn’t stop there, because Palm Sunday proceeds Good Friday, and Good Friday is when Jesus is beaten by the Romans. What did the Romans beat with? A whip called the cat-o-nine tails. Wait… if I divide this leaf along this seam, and I do it 8 strategic times… I would have my own cat-o-nine tails! Oh boy, little brother, I’m going to give you such a beaten! Problem was, little brother had the exact same idea.

So, as you can imagine, the pastor would dismiss everyone and there would be a flurry of activity from the young generations. The little girls would be rushing out the door to find each other and show off their latest creations. The little boys would be rushing out the door, trying to find each other so they could do their best impression of the Roman guard. Only problem was we all wanted to be the Romans and we never had anyone to beat. They weren’t very effective either. Couple of whacks and our whips had become much smaller whips.

Main Point

The interesting thing is the same way the boys and girls took the same palm branch and ended up with two very different outcomes, actually captures beautifully the story of the triumphal entry. On Palm Sunday, we take time to look at the story that kicks off what is historically known as Holy Week. In the story of Jesus, this week leading up to Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday would be some of the most intense times of Jesus’ three years of ministry. He would be constantly challenged by the religious leaders, and even have to confront some of the misunderstandings of his own group of disciples. In fact, it could be said that the events of Palm Sunday are what really motivated the Pharisees to put an end to Jesus and his influence.

Why it matters

The significance of the triumphal entry is to see Jesus in the midst of everything that is happening. But not to see Jesus as you want to see him, but to see him as he really is. It is easy to miss what is really happening, even the disciples missed it. Yet in light of everything we have talked about with Revelation, and the tribulation that is to come, the one thing that is going to help you endure the challenges of this life is to take the posture of the one you are called to imitate. In a culture that champions pride and self-promotion, you are called to remain humble.

Scripture

The story of the Triumphal Entry is one of the few stories that is told in all four gospels. Though all the accounts are basically similar, this morning we are going to look at John’s account of the story. If you have your bible, you can go to John 12, starting in verse 12 and going down to verse 19.

John 12:12–19 NLT

The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, “Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said: “Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming, riding on a donkey’s colt.” His disciples didn’t understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered what had happened and realized that these things had been written about him. Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others about it. That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign. Then the Pharisees said to each other, “There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone has gone after him!”

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You can imagine everything that is going on, right? Palm branches were a sign of triumph and victory. The people wanted to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, but their version of the Messiah was a conquering king, the kind of king that had marched on Jerusalem several times before the take it over. They were hoping for the kind of king that would destroy the Romans and restore Israel to its rightful glory.

I want to show you a clip that I think captures this really well. If you’ve never heard of Superbook, this is a great resource you can watch with your kids. It really brings the story of scripture to life. But I want you to see how the disciples missed what was going on.

show video

In case you’re wondering what the kids and robot are doing in the video, usually one of those kids is facing a challenge in their life, and Superbook uses stories from the bible to teach them a life lesson.

Notice Judas’ reaction. They should be louder. Jesus should be riding a horse, not a donkey. He shouldn’t be riding this..

picture of donkey

He should be riding something more like this...

picture of donkey as a horse

In case you’ve never seen Shrek, both of those pictures are the same character named donkey.

Just as the palm branches represented victory, a horse was a symbol of power and strength.

Even though the disciples had spent so much time with Jesus, it would have been easy to get caught up in the moment. It would have been easy to be excited about the fact they were associated with Jesus. Walking on the palm branches would have been the equivalent to walking on the red carpet. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’ve never walked on the red carpet, but I can only imagine how easily one could get lost in the glitz and glammer of the whole thing.

In the midst of everything that was going on, John makes sure to remind you that all of this is happening in light of an event that happened earlier in chapter 11. Here is the short version. Jesus had a friend named Lazarus who became sick and died. By the time Jesus arrived at Lazarus’ tomb, he had been dead for four days. This is significant because there was this belief that a person’s spirit remained with them for three days, but on the fourth day they were dead dead. On top of that, those around the tomb were worried that the body had started to decompose and the smell that would come out of the tomb would be nasty.

But Jesus did what only he can do. He called out to Lazarus and his friend walked out of the tomb. Scripture tells us that there were a few in the Old Testament who raised people from the dead, but not after three days; that was an impossibility. But Jesus is the God of the impossible.

Of all the miracles Jesus did, this was one that people couldn’t keep quiet. It spread like wild fire, and this crowd at Jerusalem was composed of people who were at Lazarus being raised, or people who had heard about it. You bring someone back from the dead it tends to draw a crowd, and this would have just added fuel to the fire.

Yet in the midst of everything, Jesus remains the picture of perfect humility. While the people were expecting immediate relief and vindication from a very present and real enemy, the restoration that Jesus was going to bring was a restoration of humanity’s relationship with God. Put another way, Jesus didn’t come to meet their immediate needs, only their deepest ones.

Instead of riding on a horse, the symbol of power, Jesus road on a donkey, the symbol of peace and humility, the fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy of the Messiah. In just a few days, the promised king would wrap a towel around his waist and wash the disciple’s feet, the act of a servant. He would go on to teach these same disciples that the greatest in the Kingdom of God would be the least of them, the first would be last, the greatest would be servant to all.

Transition to Application

The Kingdom of God is not like any kind of kingdom of this world. The Kingdom of God finds its power in the ability to remain humble in times of victory and struggle.

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Main To Do

In a way only Jesus is capable of doing, you are faced with the dilemma of humility. One of my favorite explanations of humility is this:

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking about yourself less.

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What are the most challenging times in your life to think about yourself less? It is hard to not focus on yourself when things are going your way, and even harder not to take matters into your our hands because things are going well.

Yet it is equally hard to not think about yourself when times get tough. When we face challenges and temptation, it is easy to take matters into your own hands, trying to prove to yourself or God that you’ve got this.

Yet in the midst of the crowds, Jesus would do and say only what he saw his heavenly Father do and say. In the midst of his greatest trial, he would humble himself to God’s plan and endure it all for the sake of humanity.

Your challenge is summed up beautifully with the picture of the palm branch. On one hand, it is the symbol of power and victory. It is used as decoration in temples, and it often associated with fruitfulness and abundance. A lot of things to take pride in.

Yet, this same palm branch is used around the world, throughout history, to make bowls and to cover buildings as roofing. It is even used simply to fan someone on a hot day, or to pave the way for the Savior to enter the city of God.

Why it matters

Which palm branch are you going to be? The one that serves those around them, paving the way for your friends and neighbors to find their way to Jesus? Or are you going let pride get the better of you, and allow the things of this world to distract you from the one who can meet yourself deepest needs? It is an important question, because if you’re distracted, then those you are meant to be a witness to are probably being distracted as well.

Closing Line

Discussion Questions

What stood out from the message?

How does humility play a role in your daily interactions with others?

In what situations do you find it hardest to be humble?

In what ways can we actively resist the cultural pressures of self-promotion?

What does it mean to you to 'think about yourself less' in the context of your faith?

Can you identify a time when practicing humility led to a deeper understanding of God's purpose in your life?

How can the example of Jesus' humility during his triumphal entry influence your view of success?

How do you think peer pressure affects your ability to remain humble?