Lent 2026: Palm Sunday

Introduction

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Background

The scripture we just read came from the gospel of John. It is an account of the life and minstry of Jesus.

And we are very near the end of the book. In fact, this is the last week of Jesus’ life.

He had begun His ministry in the north of Israel where He preached, healed, performed Miracles, and recruited His disciples.

And as He nears the nd of His earthly life, He travels to the capital of Jerusalem, where He knows He will be put to death.

Just before coming to the city, Jesus had raised a man named Lazarus from the dead so that people would come to believe in Him and the father who sent Him. here is a crowd of people who are with Him because they saw Him raise his dead friend. They are amazed and intrigued. And coming off of this experience, Jesus now enters into Jerusalem

John 12:12 ESV

The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.

People had gone to meet him

Who were these people?

This was a special week for the peopel Israel. It was the festival of tha passover. A holiday on which they remembered how God delivered them out of their slavery in Egypt. So each year, they would all travel to the capital, and celebrate and share a feast.

And many of the people who were in town had heard about Jesus. So when they heard He was coming, they went to meet Him. They are excited!

This Jesus is a sight to see! He has healed people, he is said to have raised people from the dead, he has this teaching that is both countercultural and true, he is a big deal and people want to be around him and see him. In fact, Jesus is said to be the savior, the one coming to take His throne. So when he finally comes in, He receives the welcome of a lifetime.. 

John 12:13–15 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!” 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!”

why do all of this?

it’s all rooted in a prophecy in the old testament from Zechariah.

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.

These people believe that Jesus could be the great King who was foretold. The savior God would send to them to deliver them from all their troubles and enemies.

They cut down palm branches

King’s victory parade

They shout “hosanna”

Save us now!

They are blessing Him as the one coming in the name of the lord

He is the messiah, the king!

The time has come, He is here and He is going to take His throne now!

Everyone seems so happy that He’s there, but it doesn’t last for long.

Because the funny thing about this story, is that everyone involved besides Jesus, is mistaken about who exactly Jesus is and what is about to happen.

John 12:16 ESV

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.

even His own disciples are confused as He receives this welcome.

they kind of put the pieces together, but they are always slow to catch up.

And we will see many more times before Jesus dies that they truly don’t understand Him or His purpose.

Their whole experience in following Jesus is one of misunderstanding Him and underestimating Him.

When there is a hungry crowd, they want to send the people home, instead, Jesus feeds them all.

When Jesus predicts His own death, they correct Him and say, we’ll never let that happen

When Jesus teaches on the Kingdom He’s bringing, of humility and submission and serving one another, they still keep trying to figure out which one of them is the best and most important. and who should rule over the others.

The sad truth is, that they all followed Jesus for their own selfish, misguided reasons.

John 12:17 ESV

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.

Why exactly is this crowd here? yes because they heard about Jesus’s work, but then why?

Look at the reception they give Him. The Red carpet, the royal treatment.

A reception of a King who has returned from battle and vanquished the enemy.

Some thought that the savior was going to end their occupation by the romans. that He would be a formidable military opponent who would overcome all nations.

He would bring them freedom from anyone and everyone else!

And they were hoping that this resurrection He performed was proof of His power and blessing from God.

John 12:18–19 ESV

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.”

THere’s another crowd of people, the pharisees

These are a group of religious leaders in Israel, who love the laws ad commands and traditions.

But they had come to a point where they worshipped their laws and traditions more than God.

They had forgotten the true Heart of God for His people and turned religion into a crushing burden of rules and regulations for everyone.

And in comes Jesus and starts preaching the forgiveness of God, and free salvation through faith alone.

He disobeys the manmade rules and opposes the pharisees and their established order.

He criticizes them for leading the people astray.

To them, Jesus is a threat, a disruptor, someone who is going to change religious landscape. Someone who could take their following and influence away. They think He’s a fraud and a blasphemer. They thought He was coming to lead an insurrection and take the city by force. And they do not like any of that.

That’s why they grumble as people are welcoming Him.

Application

Lots of different people i our scripture have lots of Ideas of who Jesus is and what He has come to do.

But each of them is incorrect.

But the one thing they all have in common is that they underestimate Jesus

The disciples think He’s a means for them to be someone as they hitch their wagon to His rising star so that they can achieve greatness.

The crowds thinks He is a military leader who will free them.

The religious leaders think He is there to turn people’s eyes away from their teachings.

But all of these fall short of who Jesus is and why He has come to us. none of them are thinking Big enough.

The disciples will not live a comfortable life in a king’s court, because they will be called to true greatness of preaching Jesus and suffering on His behalf, and they will be blessed with more honor and glory than any earthly king could ever bestow.

The crowds will not see Jesus go to war against the roman empire. Instead, He will Die, be raised again, ascend to heaven, and rule over all nations for all of time. And in doing so, He will deliver us from our true enemies: Sin, death, and the devil himself. That is the freedom and the victory we’ve always longed for.

The pharisees think Jesus is confusing the people about God’s teachings, but He is God! And He has come to reveal the truth about His Kingdom. He’s not here to show the people how to life good enough lives to make God love them. He’s here to declare that the perfect love of God makes them live forever!

What Jesus is about to do will change the world forever. He will do something that’s never been done before. He will do something no one else can do. He will fulfill every prophecy, He will take away every hurt, He will restore all flesh, He will reconcile every relationship.

But He will do it in the most unexpected way. He will do it through humility and submission. He will do it by being betrayed and rejected. He will do it through suffering and dying.

It seems everyone misunderstands and underestimates Jesus. Does that include you?

Who have you made Jesus out to be in your heart? What’s his main purpose for you?

Do you believe in Jesus because you think it’ll bring you prosperity?

Is Jesus a tool you use to enact social justice or political influence?

Is Jesus one of many ways to get to God?

Do you believe in Him as insurance, just in case there is a God, so you don’t end up on the wrong side?

Do you use Jesus like a therapist, you tell him things in your prayers, but outside of your sessions, he’s not part of your life?

Is Jesus just a good role model to you, is He good for the kids to learn how to behave?

Is Jesus worth following only as long as He says things you agree with?

If those are the case, you probably misunderstand Jesus, and you are definitely underestimating Him.

Most people pick and choose what parts of Jesus they like or don’t, and how they want to believe ing Him.

We love to trim Jesus down and add here and there so he suits our purpose, fits our life, and meets our expectations. Like a build a bear, we make Him in our own image.

But when we do that, making Jesus to be like us, we end up just worshipping our selves, and not Jesus.

We are so quick to settle to a lower, counterfeit, pieced together Jesus because it suits our small goals and desires and scratches our immediate itches.

But the real Jesus is so much more.

To see the real Jesus, we always need to remember the cross that He is about to embrace for us. the death that He suffers for us, and the life He wins for us in His resurrection.

He is life and salvation, He is king over all, He has made a way for all of us to live forever. He has freed us from our greatest enemies, and He lives in us now so that we have life to the fullest in Him.

Stop thinking to small. Stop misunderstanding, and worship Jesus for all He is, and for all He has done.

And join us next week, as we see

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