7 - Branches: When Our Hopes Need Rewriting

SERMON 7 — Branches: When Our Hopes Need Rewriting

Matthew 21:1–11 Theme: The crowd wanted a conquering king; Jesus arrived as a humble Savior.

Opening

Palm Sunday is one of those days that feels like a celebration—kids waving branches, upbeat songs, maybe even a parade down the center aisle if the kids get excited enough.

But underneath the celebration is a tension. A misunderstanding. A collision between what the people expected and what Jesus actually came to do.

Palm Sunday is the story of hopes… that needed rewriting.

Walking Into the Story

Jesus is approaching Jerusalem. The crowds are buzzing. Word has spread— He heals the sick, feeds the hungry, raises the dead.

People are thinking, “This is it. This is the moment. Rome is going down. Israel is rising up. The Messiah has arrived!”

And then Jesus shows up… on a donkey.

Not a war horse. Not a chariot. Not a stallion with armor and banners.

A donkey.

It’s like expecting a presidential motorcade and getting a golf cart.

Illustration: The Wrong Ride

Imagine waiting for your Uber, and the app says, “Your driver is arriving in a black SUV.”

But what pulls up is a rusty minivan with a missing hubcap and a bumper sticker that says, “Honk if you love leftovers.”

That’s how the crowd felt. They expected power. They got humility.

A Little Humor

A kid once asked me, “Why didn’t Jesus ride a T‑Rex? That would’ve impressed everyone.”

Honestly? It would’ve.

But Jesus wasn’t trying to impress. He was trying to save.

The Crowd’s Cry: “Hosanna!”

“Hosanna” means “Save us now.”

Not “Save us someday.” Not “Save us spiritually.” Not “Save us in a gentle, reflective way.”

It means, “Fix our situation. Overthrow Rome. Make our lives easier. Do what we want.”

They wanted a conquering king. Jesus came as a humble Savior.

They wanted a sword. Jesus brought a cross.

They wanted victory on their terms. Jesus brought victory on God’s terms.

Illustration: The Palm Branch

Palm branches were symbols of victory— like waving championship banners.

But Jesus wasn’t entering a victory parade. He was entering a death march.

The crowd waved branches… but Jesus carried a burden.

They shouted praise… but Jesus felt the weight of the cross.

Palm Sunday is a reminder that our expectations of God often need rewriting.

Connecting to the Series Theme

Week 1: Dust — God begins with honesty. Week 2: Wilderness — God forms us in hard places. Week 3: Promise — God calls us forward. Week 4: Thirst — God fills us with living water. Week 5: Sight — God opens our eyes. Week 6: Life — God brings resurrection. Week 7: Branches — God rewrites our hopes.

This is the journey From Dust to Dawn: God doesn’t just shape us or heal us— He transforms our expectations.

Three Hopes God Often Rewrites

1. “God, fix my circumstances.”

We want relief. Jesus offers redemption.

2. “God, make my life easier.”

We want comfort. Jesus offers calling.

3. “God, give me what I want.”

We want control. Jesus offers surrender.

Palm Sunday is the moment Jesus says, “I didn’t come to meet your expectations. I came to meet your deepest need.”

Illustration: The Gift You Didn’t Ask For

Have you ever received a gift you didn’t ask for… but later realized it was exactly what you needed?

A friend once gave me a book titled, “How to Stop Overthinking Everything.”

I thought, “Why would I need this?” Then I spent three days thinking about it.

Sometimes God gives us what we didn’t ask for because He knows what we actually need.

The Crowd Turns

The same crowd that shouted “Hosanna!” shouts “Crucify Him!” five days later.

Why? Because Jesus didn’t meet their expectations.

He didn’t overthrow Rome. He didn’t start a revolution. He didn’t do what they wanted.

But He did something far greater: He overthrew sin. He defeated death. He started a kingdom not built by force, but by love.

Application: What Hopes Need Rewriting in Your Life?

1. Your timeline

Maybe God isn’t late— maybe He’s preparing something deeper.

2. Your expectations of how God should work

Maybe God is doing something bigger than you can see.

3. Your definition of victory

Maybe victory isn’t getting your way— maybe it’s becoming who God made you to be.

4. Your picture of Jesus

Maybe He’s not the Savior you expected— but He is the Savior you need.

A Gentle Turn Toward Hope

Jesus didn’t come to Jerusalem to take a throne. He came to take a cross.

Because the cross was the only path to resurrection. The only path to dawn.

Palm Sunday is the reminder that God’s way is better than our way— even when it doesn’t look like it at first.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, Rewrite our hopes today. Where we cling to our expectations, teach us to trust Your wisdom. Where we demand control, teach us surrender. Where we want comfort, give us courage. Where we want a conquering king, help us see the humble Savior who rides toward the cross for us. Lead us from dust to wilderness, from wilderness to promise, from promise to living water, from living water to sight, from sight to life, and from life into the hope of the coming dawn. In Your holy name, Amen.