A Parade with a Purpose

John 12:12–19 ESV

The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!” His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”

Sermon in a Sentence

Jesus is worthy of our praise, not just because of what we expect Him to do but because of who He is—even when we don’t fully understand His purpose.

Introduction:

My brothers and sisters, have you ever witnessed a moment when the atmosphere shifted? A moment filled with noise, excitement, and anticipation? That’s what Palm Sunday was like. It wasn’t just a celebration—it was a divine setup. It was a praise break on the streets of Jerusalem. But this wasn’t just any parade—this was a parade with a purpose. After the raising of Lazarus, the religious leaders Jesus wasn’t entering the city to sit on an earthly throne—He was riding toward a cross. And the same crowd that shouted “Hosanna!” would soon shout “Crucify Him!” But even still, Jesus embraced the moment because He knew who He was and what He came to do.

I. The Public Reception (vv. 12–13)

The crowd came with palm branches and open hearts—at least for the moment. They had heard about Lazarus being raised from the dead. They had seen the signs. And now they welcomed the Miracle Worker with the shout of “Hosanna!” (Hebrew: הוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא)—which means “Save now!” They laid down palm branches—a symbol of victory, royalty, and deliverance. In ancient Jewish culture, palm branches were like ancient confetti or parade banners. They were used in celebration of military victories, and the welcoming victorious kings home. By laying palm branches in the road as Jesus entered Jerusalem, the people were publicly declaring Him as a triumphant King—the one they believed would deliver them from Roman oppression.

During the Maccabean revolt (around 160 BC), palm branches were waved to celebrate the Jewish victory over Greek oppressors. Since then, palms had become a symbol of Jewish nationalism and hope for deliverance. So when the crowd laid palm branches for Jesus, they were expressing hope that He was the new liberator—a second Maccabean, a king who would free them from Rome.

Palm branches were also used in Temple worship during feast like the Feast of Tabernacle (Sukkot) in Leviticus 23:40. Their presence in this event reminds us that Jesus deserves worship and adoration, not just recognition. They weren’t wrong to praise Him—but they were limited in their understanding. They thought Jesus came to overthrow Rome, but He came to overthrow the grave. Their praise was rooted in political hope, not eternal truth. This is the first and only time Jesus allows a public display of worship as the King of Israel. There were occasions where the people called him king, but he rebuffed their efforts.

Let me pause right here and tell somebody: you may not have all the details right, but God still honors your genuine praise. Jesus didn’t reject their praise because it wasn’t perfect—He received it because it was sincere.

“We have to learn how to perfectly worship even when we are in imperfect seasons.”

Dr. Marc James,

From the sermon Parade with a Purpose

II. The Prophetic Fulfillment (vv. 14–15)

Jesus didn’t come on a warhorse; He came on a donkey. That alone tells us something. He came not to conquer by force, but to win by love. Zechariah had prophesied this hundreds of years before in Zechariah 9:9, and now it was happening in real time. The people expected a political savior to deliver them from Roman oppression. Jesus came as a spiritual Savior, riding toward a cross, not a throne. The same crowd that praised Him would later shout, “Crucify Him!” (Matthew 27:22).

Zechariah 9:9 ESV

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.

Palm Sunday fulfills this messianic prophecy. The people expected Jesus rides a donkey, symbolizing humility and peace, not a warhorse used by military rulers. The palm branches underscored that Jesus was being received as the Messianic king, though his kingdom was spiritual, not political. But make no mistake, we will see Jesus returning on steed with crowns and diadems…The moment confirms that Jesus is the Messiah, but not the kind of king many expected. Jesus always fulfills his Word. You can trust him to show up just like He said He would. He’s a promise keeper. He’s a prophecy fulfiller. Even when it looks like He’s moving slowly, He’s still moving on schedule.

“What God has said about you is still yes and amen, and it will come to pass just like he said. God is bound to honor his Word. The passion began with a celebration but ended with condemnation as this same crowd shouted crucify him. ”

III. The Perplexed Disciples (v. 16)

John admits it—“His disciples did not understand these things at first.” Isn’t that us? So many times, we don’t understand what God is doing until we look back. Hindsight brings clarity. Palm Sunday begins the journey toward Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. It reminds us that God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). The cross was not a detour—it was the destination of Christ mission. But even when we don’t understand, we still need to walk with Jesus. The disciples didn’t get the meaning in the moment, but they stayed close. And sometimes that’s all you need to do—stay close until clarity comes. Perplexing seasons

IV. The Furious Pharisees (vv. 17–19)

While the people were praising, the Pharisees were plotting. “The whole world has gone after Him,” they complained. And yes—they were right. Jesus was and still is drawing all people unto Himself. But don’t miss this: your praise will always agitate those who thrive on control. Your praise will expose religious pride and insecure systems. And yet, don’t let that stop you. Praise anyway. Because your breakthrough might just be in your shout.

Conclusion:

Palm Sunday reminds us that Jesus is worthy of praise—even when we don’t fully understand the plan. He’s the kind of King who rides in humbly but rules eternally. He’s not just worthy of a parade—He’s worthy of our hearts.

So praise Him in the street. Praise Him in your home. Praise Him in your storm. Because even when the crowd changes, Jesus remains the same.

Call to Action:

If you’ve been holding back your praise, now is the time to release it. If you’ve been waiting for perfect understanding before you worship—stop waiting. Lift your voice. Wave your branch. Lay your heart down. Because this isn’t just tradition—this is transformation.

This is a parade with a purpose. Palm Sunday is a divine declaration that Jesus is the humble King, worthy of praise, whose paths of peace leads to a cross that brings salvation to the world. Palm Sunday challenges us to praise Jesus not just for what we want Him to do, but for who He is. True worship remains, even when expectations are unmet, because faith rests on identity, not jut intervention.