Welcoming the King: Letting Christ Rule Daily (Palm Sunday 2025)
Notes
Transcript
Subject: Welcoming Christ
Theme: Jesus is the true King who comes to rule not just on a Sunday or during religious celebration, but in the everyday moments of our lives.
Thesis Statement: Jesus rode into Jerusalem to bring salvation and reign as King—not over thrones and armies, but over hearts and lives. Welcoming Christ rightly means receiving Him daily, not just as a Savior of our problems, but as Lord of our lives.
Today is Palm Sunday, the day we remember Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
The day that the people of Israel gathered to sing praise and welcome the one who they hoped and believed had come to bring them freedom from the oppression of the Romans.
The crowds were excited.
They were shouting, singing, waving palm branches.
They laid their cloaks on the road like a red carpet for royalty.
They welcomed Jesus as a king—but not the kind of King He truly was.
The people were expecting a political revolution, a national deliverer, a military conqueror.
But Jesus came to inaugurate a different kind of kingdom—a spiritual kingdom, one that begins not with borders or laws, but in the hearts of those who welcome Him rightly.
My hope for this morning is to challenge our thinking and cause us to ask ourselves this morning,
What are my expectations of Jesus?
Jesus rode into Jerusalem to bring salvation and reign as King—not over thrones and armies, but over hearts and lives.
People today come to Jesus with certain expectations, too.
If you are honest with yourself, you can admit, you have expectations when it comes to God.
Sometimes we expect that if we believe in Him, life’s going to get easier.
The bills will work themselves out.
The sickness will go away.
The marriage will get better.
The stress will lighten.
The reputation will improve.
And don’t get me wrong—Jesus does change lives.
And He can and does work in all of those situations.
But the changes He came to make don’t always look like what we expect.
That’s exactly what happened on the very first Palm Sunday.
The crowds welcomed Jesus like a hero—like a king riding in to save the day.
They waved palm branches, shouted praises, HOSANNA!
They threw their cloaks on the road.
But by the end of the week, those same crowds were shouting, “Crucify Him.”
Why?
Because He didn’t do what they expected.
They wanted a King to change their physical circumstances, but Jesus came to change their hearts.
They wanted someone to fix their world—but He came to redeem their souls.
And if we’re not careful, if we don’t examine our own hearts and our own expectations, we can make the same mistake.
So let’s open our Bibles to Luke 19, and take a fresh look at Jesus’ triumphal entry—not just to see how they welcomed Him into Jerusalem, but to consider whether we’re truly welcoming Him into our lives.
Because welcoming Christ rightly means receiving Him daily, not just as a Savior of our problems, but as Lord of our lives.
28 And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’ ” 32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. 33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” 35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
Jesus humble entrance.
Jesus humble entrance.
Luke begins writing about this event by telling what happened just prior to Jesus entering the city.
An event that is significant in the story of scripture.
Luke tells the story of Jesus’ disciples going to a village and acquiring a colt.
Matthew actually helps us to see a little more
2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me.
Luke makes sure to add the not though that this colt had not been ever been ridden, and it was the colt that Jesus would ride, not the donkey.
Ask TJ what it is like getting on a young colt.
It had to take some boldness to walk up to someone else’s animal, untie it, and take it with them.
But Jesus told His disciples to simply say to the owner that The Lord has need of it when they come.
Perhaps Jesus had this agreement already set up, maybe the owners were some of Jesus’ followers, perhaps it was the Holy Spirits miraculous work.
Either way, the owners of the animal knew who the Lord was.
What matters more is that Jesus fulfilled prophecy by doing this.
9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Through Jesus taking this colt of a donkey, He was identifying himself as the Messiah.
It identified Him with the kings in the royal line of David.
R. Kent Hughes writes that it identified Jesus
Luke, Vol. 2—That You May Know the Truth The King’s Deliberate Preparation (vv. 29–34)
especially with David himself, because the donkey was regarded as a royal animal before and during David’s reign. After David, the Hebrew kings and warriors switched to horses, and the donkey was considered unsuited to the dignity of kings.
It also matches what Jesus stated He was there to do.
He was humble, mounted on a colt, a foal of a donkey.
Normally we expect a king to come with pomp and circumstance—riding a stallion of war at the head of a mighty army.
And this will happen, but this was not yet the time.
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
This will be Jesus second coming - one we have already seen described as well in Luke.
Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered, Volume 2 (2014–2021) Why Is Jesus Going to Return on a White Horse?
What a vivid contrast we see in Jesus’ return with all His angels, as compared to His entry to Jerusalem upon a donkey!
He is no longer riding a humble donkey.
Jesus will return on a fiery white charger, bringing judgment, just as He had promised.
But now, Jesus comes gently riding on a donkey.
Jesus knew the ancient prophecy, which foretold that the king would come bringing salvation and riding on a donkey’s foal.
Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered, Volume 2 (2014–2021) Why Is Jesus Going to Return on a White Horse?
What a vivid contrast we see in Jesus’ return with all His angels, as compared to His entry to Jerusalem upon a donkey!
He is no longer riding a humble donkey. Jesus will return on a fiery white charger, bringing judgment, just as He had promised.
With all of the circumstances leading up to this point, the miraculous healings, the casting out of demons, and the other amazing miracles Jesus had done.
When the people saw Jesus riding towards Jerusalem, they believed he was coming as their King.
The Applause of the Crowd (Luke 19:36–38)
The Applause of the Crowd (Luke 19:36–38)
The crowd cheered, the cried out Hosanna!
Hosanna is a Hebrew phrase transliterated through Greek and into English.
The meaning of the original Hebrew phrase is something like "Please save!," "Help, I pray," "Save now," or "Save now, I pray!"
As Jesus was entering the city, the people were crying out - Jesus! Save us!
They laid out the cloaks as a sort of red carpet.
They praised God for the mighty works they had seen Jesus doing.
And were praying for physical deliverance.
Luke states they were crying out as well -
38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
What they did not understand though was what kind of king he had come to be.
Although maybe the donkey should have given them a clue.
This was not a political statement, as most of them thought; it was a spiritual statement.
Jesus had not come to take control of the government.
He had not come to overthrow the Romans through military might.
This is an area we can easily get ourselves in trouble in here in the west as well.
Although our country was founded with some Christian principles and values.
America is not the savior of the world.
Although there is a rich Christian heritage in our country, it does not guarantee salvation.
This doesn’t mean we can’t love our country, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pray for our country.
God has done, and can/will do amazing things through our country if we follow Him.
But each of us as Christians must remember as well that our first loyalty must be to our heavenly king.
The king who entered Jerusalem humbly riding on a donkey.
A king who came in meekness and gentleness to be the Messiah—King of peace.
If people accepted him, he would receive their praise.
But if they rejected him, he would do nothing to defend himself, even to the very point of death.
We can be guilty of the same—welcoming Jesus only when it fits our plans.
Jesus rides into our lives the same way today: with all gentleness and humility.
He does not crush us with his superior might, but says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:28–29).
The people’s welcome of Jesus into Jerusalem was loud, but shallow.
They were praising Jesus for who they wanted Him to be, not for who He truly was.
They wanted a Messiah who would overthrow Rome, not a Savior who would overthrow sin.
They wanted liberation from Caesar, not from Satan.
They wanted national pride, not personal repentance.
Ask yourself these questions this morning.
What role does Jesus play in my life?
What am I wanting from Christ in my life today?
Let us not make the same mistake that the Jewish people did.
We may cheer for Jesus in church, but do we still welcome Him on Monday morning?
Do you welcome Him into all of your conversations?
Do you allow Him to guide your decisions, or even have a say in them for that matter?
Where does Jesus rate in your list of priorities?
A Jesus we only cheer for on Sunday is not the Jesus who saves us on Monday.
Jesus Christ never asks anyone to define his position or to understand a creed, but “Who am I to you?” Jesus Christ makes the whole of human destiny depend on a man’s relationship to himself.
Oswald Chambers (Lecturer and Missionary)
Christ on the Cross saves us when He becomes to us Christ in the heart.
Christ’s Perfection And Precedence, Volume 42, Sermon #2478 - Song Of Solomon 5:10
Charles Spurgeon
It is not your hold of Christ that saves, but his hold of you!
Charles Spurgeon
We must each individually welcome Christ daily into our lives.
Welcoming Christ Daily
Welcoming Christ Daily
Welcoming Jesus is not an event.
It is a lifestyle.
It is a relationship.
It’s not just about a parade; it’s about a posture—a daily surrender of our hearts to His rule.
He wasn’t riding to take power from others, but to lay His life down.
He wasn’t going to a throne, but to a cross.
This is the heart of Christ’s kingship.
He reigns by serving.
He conquers by dying.
He saves by sacrificing Himself.
And He calls us to receive Him not on our terms, but on His.
The tragedy of Palm Sunday is that the people welcomed Jesus—
but only the version of Him they had created in their minds.
When He didn’t meet their expectations, they turned on Him by Friday.
Do we do the same?
Do we come to Jesus only when we want relief from suffering, help with our problems, or a boost to our plans?
Or do we surrender to Him as the Lord who leads, commands, and transforms?
Jesus doesn’t just want to fix your life—He wants to reign in it.
When we think with the big picture in mind, we were made to worship.
Got created us to worship.
Perhaps that is the fascination many people have with royalty.
If you remember just a couple of years ago a new king of England was crowned, 20.4 million people in the UK watched on TV, it is estimated around 2 billion people tuned in around the world.
I did not watch the event but it certainly peaked my curiosity.
A king was being crowned!
We were all made to worship.
It is what, or more importantly who we worship that really matters.
We are meant to worship the King of kings and Lord of Lords.
We are meant to worship Christ.
We all come to Christ though with expectations.
We must consider.
Am I expecting Jesus to ride into my life and change -
My financial situation?
“If I follow Jesus, He’ll bless me financially.”
This reflects a prosperity mindset—expecting God to reward faith with material wealth.
God promises to meet our needs, and He may bless us financially, but more often His blessings come not in the way we imagine.
What about better health?
“Believing in God means I’ll be healed or won’t get sick.”
Sometimes people expect Jesus to provide divine healing to go along with our faith.
God can and does heal, but the ultimate healing is spiritual and eternal.
Perhaps your desire is for peaceful relationships
“If I become a Christian, my marriage or family situation will improve.”
While following Christ can bring peace and reconciliation, it may also cause division
Luke 12:51–53 skip for time if needed.
51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
The Gospel often brings peace—but also and I might add more importantly, it exposes brokenness.
Are you expecting Jesus to ride into your life and bring freedom from Life's Troubles?
“I thought becoming a Christian would make life easier.”
Many expect fewer hardships, only to find that trials still come.
Jesus promises not the removal of trouble, but His presence in it
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Instant Freedom from Addictions or Bad Habits
“I thought God would just take away my struggles overnight.”
While some experience immediate deliverance, most grow through a process of sanctification.
God transforms hearts over time—faith and obedience require endurance.
Some expect Jesus to ride in and provide greater social approval
“People will respect me more because I’m trying to live right.”
While I think this has lost much of its prevalence today, often still in small towns, being “church-going” can be tied to reputation.
True discipleship often leads to ridicule, misunderstanding, or even rejection.
A More Comfortable Life
“I thought following Jesus meant blessings, not burdens.”
People often expect if I follow Jesus I will have a smoother path.
The reality is that Jesus calls us to take up our cross, not to coast through comfort.
We’ve all had moments where our expectations didn’t match reality—and it left us confused, disappointed, maybe even a little angry.
Perhaps we need to shift our expectations.
Christ wants to dwell with us.
Not just visit us on Sunday.
Not just help us in crisis.
But abide with us.
Rule in us.
Shape us daily.
To have an ongoing daily relationship with Him.
So how do we welcome Him?
Start each day with a prayer of surrender.
True prayer is measured by weight, not by length. A single groan before God may have more fullness of prayer in it than a fine oration of great length.
The Secret Of Power In Prayer, Volume 34, Sermon #2002 - John 15:7
Charles Spurgeon
Invite Him into your schedule, not just your spiritual moments.
Jesus Christ never asks anyone to define his position or to understand a creed, but “Who am I to you?” Jesus Christ makes the whole of human destiny depend on a man’s relationship to himself.
Oswald Chambers (Lecturer and Missionary)
Let His Word shape your decisions and relationships.
You have to know God’s word first to let it shape your decisions and relationships.
Live with kingdom values: humility, love, sacrifice.
God’s scale of values is opposite to man’s scale of values. Thus the ‘wisdom’ of man is ‘foolishness’ with God and the ‘foolishness’ of God, as man judges it, is true ‘wisdom’ and true ‘power’.
Paul W. Barnett
Luke’s Gospel emphasizes that the Kingdom of God breaks into ordinary life.
Jesus is welcomed not in temples and palaces, but in homes, dinners, and personal moments.
He enters Jerusalem to die for us—and then He rises again to live in us.
Christ is not looking for a parade—He’s looking for a place to dwell.
Illustration:
Any rancher will tell you—feeding the animals and checking fences isn’t just a once-a-week job. You can’t ignore the cattle for six days and expect things to go well on Sunday morning. It’s the daily tasks, the routines, the ordinary faithfulness that keeps the place running.
It’s the same with your walk with Christ. Welcoming Jesus into your life isn’t about big religious moments—it’s about inviting Him into the daily work: the school drop-off, the commute, the chores, the conversations with neighbors. That’s how His kingdom grows—quietly, daily, steadily—like good work done on the land.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Jesus rode into Jerusalem not just to receive praise, but to offer peace.
And that peace came through the cross.
He gave His life so that we might have life in Him.
But His kingship is not forced upon us. We must receive Him.
Today, let’s not stop at palm branches and songs.
Let’s open the gates of our hearts and welcome Christ as King—not just in this hour, but in every hour.
Not just with our words, but with our lives.
Because the true triumph of Palm Sunday is not found in the cheers of the crowd, but in the heart that says: “Jesus, reign in me.”
