Palm Sunday 2025 - Who is Jesus?

Introduction

General Introduction: Today is traditionally known as Palm Sunday. It is the Sunday before Easter. On this day the Church historically remembers the beginning of Holy Week, which kicks off with the story from the Gospel of Luke when Jesus Christ entered into Jerusalem in the days leading up to his crucifixion. It is called Palm Sunday because as he entered into Jerusalem, the crowds gathered around him layed palm branches along the way.

Personal: Palm Sunday is the beginning of the Holy Week. And as we read our text today of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem we are going to come across a whole crowd of individuals wondering who Jesus is. Many, certainly having a sense of who is, but likely off on many of the details. Some flat out rejecting who is. Some angry at who he claimed to be. It is fitting for us to ask ourselves this Palm Sunday as we look at this text, who do you say Jesus is? And perhaps even further, not simply in broad strokes, but in the fine details. Who is Jesus?

Context: Today’s text is going to take us from Luke 19:28 all the way through the end of the chapter. And if you recall where we are in our study of the gospel of Luke, the entire gospel has been telling the story of Christ’s life, and its all been heading towards Jerusalem. Luke has been building this momentum towards Jerusalem. Today, Christ finally enters Jerusalem. It’s a turning point in Luke. Therefore the details that come through the page in Luke’s telling of this story, are highly important to understanding who Luke is trying to tell us that Jesus is.

Purpose: We’ll look at three separate scenes that all happen back to back, immediately upon his triumphal entry on Palm Sunday into Jerusalem. With each of these scenes we are going to answer the question “Who is Jesus?” Let’s begin with the first scene, the triumphal entry.

Luke 19:28–40 “And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, 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. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’ ” So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 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, saying,…”

Jesus is the Exultant Creator

First, we see in this text that that despite the crowds not fully understanding what they were participating in, Jesus brings great clarity in the end. Jesus is the exultant creator.

Passover: Let’s get a sense of the scene. This all happens during the week of the Passover in Jerusalem. The Passover was and is a highly important festival in Israel’s history. It records and remembers the story of God’s deliverance of Israel out of slavery in Egypt. Specifically, “Passover” recalls when the tenth plague hit Egypt, the plague of the death of the firstborn, the Israelites were instructed to place the blood of a lamb over their doorpost, and to take shelter in their homes that night. And when the angel of the Lord came to take the lives of the firstborn of Egypt, they would see the blood of the lamb spread across the door, and they would pass over that home, allowing the entire family to live. We will come back to that detail a bit later. But what you have to know is that Jerusalem during Passover would swell in population as crowds from around Israel would ascend to the city. Some scholars say up to 3,000,000 individuals would make their way to Jerusalem for celebration.

Mount of Olives: Jesus enters the city from the East, from the Mount of Olives. To the astute students of Scripture, this detail is very important, for two reasons.

Ezekiel: First, in the OT prophetic book Ezekiel, the Mount of Olives played a vital role. Early in the book of Ezekiel, the prophet sees the shekinah glory of God depart from the temple. This scene in Ezekiel is a tragic one, where essentially God removes his favor from Israel due to their sin. But later on in Ezekiel, the prophet envisions a future day when the glory of the Lord returns to God’s people.

Ezekiel 43:1–2 “Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing east. And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory.”

Ezekiel goes on to say that when the glory of the Lord returned the corrupted templed would be cleansed, restored, and rebuilt. And so there is something thrilling about Jesus entering Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, on the East side of Jerusalem. As the crowds saw this potential messiah standing on the Mount of Olives, were they witnessing the glory of the Lord Himself. It certainly begged the question, “Who is this Jesus?”

Zechariah: But it wasn’t only Ezekiel who mentioned the connection between the Messiah and the Mount of Olives. Zechariah also mentioned it, a few times. When writing about a future “Day of the Lord” Zechariah writes,

Zechariah 14:4 “On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east…

Again, we have a thrilling and rather unnerving expectation in this moment, as Jesus seems to be setting the stage for something.

Singing Hallel Psalms: Further we’re told that as the people accompanied Christ down the hill they sang from Psalm 118. The words recorded are,

Psalm 118:26 “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord…”

Singing psalms on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem was not uncommon. In fact, that was one of their primary purposes. What is unique in this story is that they were singing from Psalm 118. Psalm 118 is the sixth and final psalm of a group of Psalms known as the Egyptian Hallel Psalms. “Hallel” simply means praise, so these are Egyptian Praise Songs. Their “Egyptian” because specifically they recall their escape from Egypt. And so there is a sense that these Israelites are thinking about Christ that maybe he is their deliverer. Just as Moses delivered the Israelites from Egypt, maybe Jesus would deliver them from Roman occupation in their land. This was their hope. This political liberation was buzzing through the air. If they had taken the time to really look at Psalm 118, they would have seen other words that describe the Messiah.

Psalm 118:22 “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”

Palm Branches (Judas Maccabbeus): While Luke does not record that they were laying Palm Branches down in front of Christ, the other gospel writers do. The Palm Branch is associated in Israel’s history with deliverance. In fact, it is very much associated with a man named Joseph Maccabee. The story of the Maccabeen revolt is not recorded in the Scriptures, but a few hundred years prior to Christ, a man named Judas Maccebee and his brothers led a revolt against the Greek oppressors at the time. Today’s Jewish celebration of Hannakah traces its roots to that moment. And so as they laid Palm branches down, they were likely thinking maybe Jesus is like Judas Maccabee. Maybe he will deliver us from Rome, the way Joseph delivered us from the Greeks.

The Rocks Would Cry Out: Of course the Pharisees pick up on all of this symbolism. They rebuke Jesus. Then Jesus says something so startling, that I’m sure even the Pharisees did not expect it.

Luke 19:40 “He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.””

Here, Jesus has made a turn. He is more than Judas Maccabeus. The Maccabees delivered Israel from an oppressor but nature itself did not worship Judas Maccabeus. According to Jesus, he is more than Moses. Moses delivered Israel from Egypt, but nature itself did not worship Moses. In this statement Jesus is declaring who He is. The rocks cry out to their maker. The hum of the electrons inside the very rocks along the Mount of Olives thrum to the rythm of the glory of God. And were we able to be silent enough to hear, we would hear the rocks exulting in their maker. This is not just another deliverer. This is not simply another prophet. Jesus is the glory of the Lord incarnate.

Application: Great Sense of God’s Love: As we reflect on this great reality, what ought to be formed in us? I believe it should leave us with a great sense of God’s love for us. At the center of all existence, is an an ocean of love between the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit. The members of the Trinity existing in total unity, with no shade of lack in any way. In John 17, in Christ’s High Priestly Prayer, he says these words,

John 17:5 “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”

And yet the incarnation reveals the extent our God has gone in order to bring you into that love. Christ did not humble himself simply to experience humanity. He humbled himself in order that through the cross you would be adopted into His family, immersed in that ocean of love. We will only fully understand it when we experience in heaven, but right now we taste and we see that the Lord that is good.

He is the Humble King

A second identity marker leaps from the page in this story. And that is that Christ is also the Humble King.

The Donkey: In the middle of this story is a detail that is somewhat out of place, but gets quite a lot of attention. And its this donkey, or a colt depending on how it is translated. In verses 30-31 Jesus gives very specific instructions on where to find the donkey. And then all the way through verse 36 we hear abotu preparing and then Jesus sitting on the donkey. Why is htis important? Well its highly important. For beginningers, the prophet Zechariah had spoken about this. He said:

Zechariah 9:9 “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.”

It was not uncommong for kings to ride on donkeys. In fact when David established Solomon as King, he had Solomon ride on a donkey. But Zechariah prophecy draws out a point. Zechariah teaches us that Christ’s riding on a donkey was humbling. Why is it humble? The donkey’s humble nature is that its not a war horse. Unlike the expectations of the crowds, who wanted a physical deliverer from Rome, Christ did not come riding on a war horse ready to make war with Rome, but he came humbly on a donkey ready to accomplish of a work of an entirely different kind.

Christ’s Life: The truth is Christ’s life from start to finish is one extraordinary tale of humility. Especially when you consider what we have already discovered who He is. He is the exultant one.

Incarnation: Begin with the incarnation. God entered into the human story. He took on flesh. This does not mean that the Son ceased to be the Son. He was still one with God reigning supreme over all creation. And yet something was new added, a physical human body. A body that sweat, bled, and grew tired, and hungry. The Scriptures say

Psalm 8:4 “what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?”

Yet Christ, became as one who is a little less than the angels. He lowered himself to our level.

Sinful Flesh: And he did not come in the glory of humanity in the days of Adam and Eve before the entrance sin, when our bodies were fitted for eternal life. No, he took a dying body, a tiring body. Though he knew no sin personally, he inhabited a body of one like sin. What condescension!

The Womb: Not only did he take on flesh, but he did by entering into the womb of Mary. When the Son of God entered into the human story, he came as a conceived embryo. Powerless, utterly dependent. And then he was born through childbirth. They very pain that was promised to Eve as a result of her sin, the one to whom the rocks cry out became a part of that human story.

Born into Poverty: Of course we know he was born, not into wealth but poverty. There was no room at the inn, and so a friendly neighbor took the family into their home where Christ was laid in a manger. Early in Christ’s life his family could not afford the full offering and so bought the offering that was set aside for those who didn’t have much.

With No Reputation: Further, he had no reputation. He who was the King of King in reality, humbled himself to become a commoner. The people when they heard of his ministry said,

Matthew 13:55 “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?”

Misery of Crucifixion: But of course the great symbol of his humility is the entire crucifixion event, where this Holy Week is leading up to. Crucifixion was reserved for common criminals, the lowest in society. It was a shaming event, a public spectacle. Christ’s crucifixion was the ultimate act of humility. He was falsely accused. He was spit upon. He flogged by the Romans. They mocked the exultant one, by placing a throny crown upon his shoulders, and forcing him to carry his cross. But Christ embraced the cross. He did not despise the shame. As he hung on the cross, bystanders mocked him, jeered at him. And he was killed. Make no mistake, when the exultant one entered into the story of his creation, the work of his hands, those were created by him killed him.

Application - Help in our Pain: As we consider our humble king, we should ask ourselves again, what ought this form in us? This doctrine affords the Christian great hope and comfort in our pain. The incarnation is great help in our trials and agonies in this life. Because whatever we endure in this life, Christ is familiar in some way with it. God the Son has now tasted of suffering experientially through Jesus Christ. In all of our troubles, in all of our dangers, in all of our emotions, in all of our suffering, the one to whom we cling says, “Come follow me. I’ve been there. Let me show you the way forward.” Yes what wonderful hope this is in every trouble. What are you enduring this morning? What pains are you holding onto? What troubles your soul? Look to Christ, your humble King. He has walked that road. He has endured that storm. He will show you the way forward.

Christ is True & Lasting Peace

Third, Christ is true and lasting peace. Before Christ even gets into the city, we see a startling scene. The crowds are singing and cheering. The city is alive with the hum of pilgrims. And we read:

Luke 19:41–44 “And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.””

The Affections of Christ: Let us begin by considering the affections that drove Christ in this moment. These are not plastered on tears. Jesus is fully man, and as fully man he led a fully emotional life. His emotions were never tainted by sin, never faulty in the least. Nevertheless he wept, and rightfully so, as he thought about the days ahead, and the reality of the city of Jerusalem, the capital city of God’s people under the Old Covenant, which would soon be destroyed by Rome itself as a result of their refusal to receive Christ as their Messiah when he came.

Juxtaposition: This little scene is a fascinating juxtaposition. On the hand, Christ is wailing and weeping for, not just the city, but for the people. At the exact same time, he looking down the road, knowing that he is about to be betrayed, and crucified in the public square by those people whom he is weeping for, and that as a result, a very real judgment is going to come, in 70AD when Rome would destroy the temple once and for all, and even that goes down in history as among the bloodiest and most brutal weeks ever.

What Makes for Peace: Jesus cries out, “If only you knew what made for peace.” These crowds wanted a liberator from Rome. But Christ came to liberate them from a far deeper enemy. We can have no peace in this life, no ultimate settling of the soul, until we have peace with God. And so, if you are in this room right now, and you sense that there is not peace in your life. And you have sought out a pathway to settle your soul, to find equilibrium, and you’re still searching. I suggest to you, that until your soul is made right with God, there can be no peace. And this the reason why Christ has come. This is the reason he entered Jerusalem. He didn’t to overthrow the Romans. He came that he might be betrayed, turned over to Pontius Pilate, and ultimately crucified on a cross.

Many of Us: Many of us in this room are still lacking peace in our life. Some are lacking peace because they have never trusted in Jesus Christ. They don’t know God. Their soul is all out of whack. And until you place your faith in Christ, you are an enemy of God, and there can be no comfort for your soul. But still others, are professed Christians, and still you experience a discomforted soul regularly. Your life is not peaceful, despite what you say you believe about Jesus. And for you, you too might not fully understand that which makes for peace.

Under the Blood (DA Carson): I heard wonderful scholar DA Carson discussing the Passover recently. You remember that first Passover that we discussed, when the Israelites painted the blood of the lamb over their doorpost, and themselves under the blood so that the angel of death would pass over their homes. DA Carsons asks us to imagine two different people hiding in a home that night with blood painted over the door. One of them a father of a house full of young children. He’s terrified. He’s painted the blood over the door. He’s inside with his family. But he’s nervous. He’s wondering if he’s done it right. He’s wondering if he’s screwed up too much. He loves his oldest son and he doesn’t want him to die. He just wants the night to be over. And in the house down the street is another man, a very confident man. He too has painted the blood of the lamb over his doorpost. And he is sitting at his dinner table with his family, confidently assuring them that they will be spared. The question is this, “Which of those households did the angel of death pass over that night?” The answer. Both of them. Because that which makes for peace is not how strong our faith is, how many or how few mistakes we have made or will make. That which makes for peace is not whether our prayers were strong enough, or our service profound enough. That which makes for peace is the blood of the lamb. And so long as the blood of the lamb is painted over the door of that house, whether the faith inside be weak or very strong, there is peace.

Christ: O dear friend, Christ is the final lamb that was slain, the final blood that was shed in order to bring us peace. And if you will only receive today His blood over the door of your soul, the judgment that is coming on this world will pass over you. You will have peace with God, because is our peace.

How this Ministers: To those who are weak in faith today, full of all kinds of doubts and insecurities. Know that God’s love for you does not waiver as you waiver. So long as you are under the blood of the lamb, there is peace. What ought this form in you today? Let me plant two ideas for us to reflect on.

Cares for Spiritual Weakness: First, to those in the room who are full of all kinds of doubts and insecurities and weaknesses in faith, this ought to be a deep encouragement. Christ died for you, and that’s enough. The same blood that saved you on the first day you believed, continues to cover you today. Whether you get a thousand details wrong along the way, your salvation is dependent on Christ alone. Sealed. Secure. Forever in Christ. Be comforted in your weakness.

Corrects Spiritual Pride: Second, perhaps there are some in this room who this must serve as a correction. Maybe you are on the opposite end, and little hints of spiritual pride have crept into the corners of your life. You might not say it out loud, but as you’ve accumulated knowledge, and as you’ve accumulated a deeper walk with God, there has come upon you a tincture of the false belief that it is your strength, your commitment, that secures you. Friends what foolishness for the worm to say to the boot “Look at my strength?” Repent of this silly notion. Do not let it manifest. We want to be those who permeate the very air around us with grace upon grace, not pride upon pride.

Christ alone is true and lasting peace.

Conclusion

Who is this Jesus? He is the exultant creator. He is the humble king. He is that which makes for peace.