The King has Arrived

What I want to bring today i believe is from God His message to us as a people and a Church and if we adhere embrace his word this morning then it will bring about positive change in our life’s we serve the King of KINGS the one who was the one who is and the one who is to come

Revelation 1:4 ESV

John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his

Today millions of church’s will be celebrating palm sunday the triumphal entry

Palm Sunday, observed on the Sunday before Easter, commemorates Jesus Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, marking the beginning of Holy Week. According to the Gospels all four in fact, Jesus rode into the city on a young donkey, fulfilling a prophecy by Zechariah 9 9. As He entered, crowds welcomed Him by spreading their cloaks and palm branches on the road, shouting "Hosanna!" which means "save us, I pray" This event is seen as the fulfilment of Daniel's prophecy of the Messiah's coming In many churches today, Palm Sunday is celebrated with processions, the waving of palm branches, and special liturgies24. Some churches combine this celebration with a focus on Christ's Passion, reading Gospel accounts of His crucifixion4. Palm Sunday serves as a contrast between the joyous welcome of Jesus and the looming crucifixion, setting the tone for the events of Holy Week Since it was Passover, there were probably about 2 million people in and around Jerusalem.

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.

Now imagine your country as been taken over by a occupying force you've seen your friends arrested and brutally treated tortured even put to death you are basically a prisoner in your own city under constant siege wherever you go theres a chance you will be arrested treated brutally you've heard the accounts of how God brought your people out of EYGYPT how Joshua conquered Jericho how GIDEON destroyed the Midianite army with 300 men how David defeated Goliath in all these victory's God helped you hear that a Messiah is coming the whole city 2 million of them are stirred up God is going to deliver us Its Passover one of the most important holidays in your calendar, it serves as a reminder of the Jewish people's journey from slavery to freedom will this man free us from the ROMANS his he our champion our Messiah

Matthew 21:10 ESV

And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?”

John 12:13 ESV

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!”

Hosanna means save now (read on not yet)

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.”

Luke 19:41–44 NLT

But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognise it when God visited you.”

so build story of expectation vs what Jesus had come for, then bring it into today what are our expectations how joy turned into anger disappointment and crucifixion

Israel’s Expectation

Because the word “Hosanna” means “Save now,” the crowd was essentially saying, “Overthrow the Roman yoke politically. Help us economically. Lead us militarily. Save Now!” No wonder that, as the week went on and they realised none of that was His intent, they turned against Jesus. link it into hero’s past spoken about earlier on David Gideon Joshua Samson Ruth Esther Rahab Miriam and more besides Israel had an expectation of who Messiah should be

Matthew for Everyone, Part 2: Chapters 16–28 Jesus Rides into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1–11)

The people wanted a prophet, but this prophet would tell them that their city was under God’s imminent judgment (chapter 24). They wanted a Messiah, but this one was going to be enthroned on a pagan cross. They wanted to be rescued from evil and oppression, but Jesus was going to rescue them from evil in its full depths, not just the surface evil of Roman occupation and the exploitation by the rich. Precisely because Jesus says ‘yes’ to their desires at the deepest level, he will have to say ‘no’ or ‘wait’ to the desires they are conscious of, and expressed.

That’s the funny thing with prayer. Once you invite Jesus to help, he will do so more thoroughly than you imagined, more deeply than perhaps you wanted. If you invite an accountant to help you with your income tax return, you mustn’t be surprised if she goes through all your other financial affairs as well, to make sure she’s got everything right.

The story of Jesus’ grand, though surprising, entry into Jerusalem, then, is an object lesson in the mismatch between our expectations and God’s answer (compare 16:23, where Jesus says something like this to Peter). The bad news is that the crowds are going to be disappointed. But the good news is that their disappointment, though cruel, is at the surface level. Deep down, Jesus’ arrival at the great city is indeed the moment when salvation is dawning. The ‘Hosannas’ were justified, though not for the reasons they had supposed. To learn this lesson is to take a large step towards wisdom and humility, and towards genuine Christian faith.

People turn to God, notoriously, when there is something they want very badly

Tom Wright, Matthew for Everyone, Part 2: Chapters 16-28 (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2004), 68.

hand out palm crosses I need to adapt in my preaching theses days to catch breath

A Symbol of Victory – Just as the people celebrated Jesus as King with palms, the cross represents His ultimate victory over sin and death.

A Sign of Humility – The journey of Christ from Palm Sunday to Good Friday reminds us of His humility and obedience to God.

A Reminder of Easter’s Promise – Palm crosses, often kept throughout the year, serve as a visual cue of Jesus’ resurrection and the hope it brings.

through this coming week it would be good to focus on Jesus to be still and know that he is God

What are Your Expectation’s

we all have expectations they aren’t necessarily wrong but unmet expectations are the constant thief's of our happiness and contentment, Expectation is a powerful force. Expectation arises from your deepest desires and longings.

- Reflect: What expectations are you clinging to?

Expectation can make everything else pale into insignificance. The present is changed by what the future holds. Having good expectations is about realigning our hope and confidence What are our expectations as humans we cant help but have expectations we expect that

Expectations are strong beliefs about what should happen, often conditioned by our experiences and environment[1]. They can encompass various aspects of life, including expectations of ourselves, others, and even spiritual matters[2]. While expectations can be conscious, they may also be hidden or unacknowledged, such as when wishes, hopes, or desires unconsciously transform into expectations[2]. These expectations can significantly influence our behavior and outlook on life, sometimes reinforcing conditioned awareness that may limit our potential[2]. It’s important to recognize that unrealistic expectations can lead to suffering, especially when we demand that life or others satisfy our needs in ways they cannot[3]. Spiritual direction can be a means to explore and understand one’s expectations, though individuals may approach this process with varying levels of anticipation or ambivalence[4]. To live more freely, it’s suggested to examine our expectations, distinguish between false and true ones, and align our expectations with a more positive, spiritually-grounded perspective[1][3].

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary Chapter 21

We need to realize that Jesus Christ came to die for our sin and pay the price for our iniquity. If He never does anything else in this life presently, that is more than enough to merit our loyalty, our affection, and our devotion eternally. If He never does another thing for me, if He never gives another blessing to me, I owe Him my life because of what He did on Calvary.

Aligning Our Hopes which are expectations with God’s Purpose the Lord wants us to be fulfilled in our walk not feeling downcast

Hebrews 11:1 NKJV

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Romans 12:2 NLT

Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

### **2. The Danger of Unmet Expectations: Disappointment and Doubt**

**Scripture:** Luke 7:18–23 (John the Baptist’s doubt in prison) and Psalm 62:5.

Reflect: What expectations are you clinging to?

Respond: Write down one area to surrender this week, and seek God’s heart in prayer.

-Unmet expectations can lead to disillusionment, as with John’s questioning: “Are you the one who is to come?”

- Modern parallels: Career setbacks, broken relationships, or unanswered prayers that test our faith.

Romans 8:19–25 NKJV

For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

**Conclusion:**

Invite the congregation to lay down their “palms”—their expectations—at Jesus’ feet. Just as He entered Jerusalem not to conquer Rome but to conquer sin, He invites us to trust His higher purpose. Close with a prayer of surrender, asking God to replace human anxiety with divine peace.

**Final Scripture:** Romans 8:28 (“All things work together for good…”).

**Call to Action:**

- Respond: Write down one area to surrender this week, and seek God’s heart in prayer.