Palm Sunday (2026)

Philippians 2:5-11

Palm Sunday, 2026

St. Matthew’s Lutheran, Cornwall

Philippians 2:5-11

FC 8, On Christ: we believe, teach, and confess that God is a human being and a human being is God. Therefore, we believe, teach, and confess that Mary did not conceive and give birth to a child who was merely, purely, simply human, but she gave birth to the true Son of God. Therefore, she is rightly called and truly is the Mother of God. Therefore, we also believe, teach, and confess that no mere human being suffered, died, was buried, descended into hell, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and was exalted to the majesty and almighty power of God for us, but rather it was a human being whose human nature has such a profound, indescribable union and communion with the Son of God, that this human nature is one person with the Son of God. Thus, the Son of God truly suffered for us—to be sure, as it is written, “They crucified the Lord of glory,” and, “With God’s blood we have been redeemed”. This is most certainly true.

So often, we view Palm Sunday (of the passion of our Lord) through the lens of what we call the Triumphal entry. We view it, as many like to do, in contrast, to that which we know is coming in the next few days over Holy Week (,in His betrayal, and abandonment on Maundy Thursday, in His crucifixion and Death on Friday) and we say, - wow, look at this. The people, they welcome Him in , - they are so excited so exuberant as He enters into the city, - crying out Hosanna, Loud Hosanna, to the one who comes in the name of the Lord,. Hosanna, to the Son of David, King of Israel, - Save us O savior, they cry, and so on and so forth – but then… almost without pause, they’re abandoning Him, nailing Him to a Cross, and thrusting Him through with the end of a spear and burying His lifeless body in a strange man’s tomb.

And we say: look at this, ITS JUST AWFUL. they celebrate Him, and then they kill Him... Fair weather friends. Look at this; how quickly they changed up on Him. Look at this; how He begins up High, triumphally entering, - and how low He goes, down to even death on a cross. Wow, they saw (we say) , how they liked Him, then they didn't. How they loved Him, then they turned on Him. Just awful. They say (we say).

and yet – we know from our epistle text in Philippians 2, that that isn’t even the half of it.

No. For the highest high of Jesus’ existence is not this Triumphal entry, so called. No. and youll notice there, in that text, the people of Jerusalem don’t even know who Jesus is (Matthew 21:10 – they ask: “WHO IS THIS?”). No. They don’t know Him. It’s the rednecks behind Him who do. They are the ones following Him, crying out hosanna. They are the multitudes spreading out their clothes on the road. the dirty people. the poor people, the hicks from nazareth. The nobodies from gallillee. - but those in the city? they ask : “and who is this?” they don’t even know. Who is this random hick from nazaareth youre all committing treason for and proclaiming the king of Jerusalem? Who is this redneck you are all blaspheming for, and exalting as God, and the Son of God? And why is He on a donkey? on this, - sign of poverty, sign of lowliness, couldn’t you have at least stolen a horse if you were going to resort to theft anyways?

And yet we say , the people changed up on Him! … but Im not so sure they did. The rednecks Behind Him? They didn’t kill Him. Those from Nazareth? Sure, they fled, - but not because they hated Him. Those in the city? They didn't know Him. But the chief priests, the scribes…. They had been looking to Kill Jesus since the moment they met Him. A triumphal entry, - we may call this. But triumphant how? ON the 1st century equivalent of a rusty hobo-cycle, - surrounded by the equivalent of BUSH-people, entering into the place of His death, to a city that didn;t know Him, a city that dind’t care for Him – and we say, 000 triumphant, yes. Really? – TRIUMPHANT how?

And just so, - where is He going with His enfeebled entourage? - into Jerusalem. the city which stones the prophets, and kills those who are sent to her. And what is He going there to do? Some will say, - to reign. Really? Has He not prophesied time and time again, - the Son of Man has come to be handed over to the chief priests, and the scribes, and the pharisees, and to be crucified – and to die?

and just so, what are these red necks behind Him singing? Psalm 118. and how does that end? Bind the festal sacrifice to the horns of the altar. - and who is the festal sacrifice? Is it the donkey He’s riding on? NO.- - friends it is Him. This , His triumphal entry? really. come on. This – a humiliation ritual. This – His death sentence. and a pitiful one at that. a redneck from nowhere followed by rednecks from no place who are unknown to those in the city, and who commit treason and blasphemy in the eyes of the people who saw this while they singing about the sacrifice that He is about to become - all while the inhabitants ask , - what on earth are you people doing, who is that guy? and can you please stop?

The triumphal entry? A high point? no this is not His “high” this - this is His low. For who is this, being paraded around by the poor as a sacrifice to bind upon their altar - (as those in Matthew 21:10 ask: WHO IS THIS?) - this is no less than God Himself.

As Paul said to us in Philippians 2: - and I just love this text: For though being in very nature God this God did not considered His divinity as a thing to be used to His own advantage,. No. He does not simply sit up there in heaven, as God, being God, enjoying His being God while we sinners languish in our sin, our death, and our captivity to the devil down here below – no. but what does He do? He lays aside all of His own privileges and pleasures. He moves from His resplendant glory on High to come down low in the mud, dust, and dirt of the earth to make Himself nothing before us, by taking on the very nature of a slave, and being formed in the likeness of human flesh – to become Himself a man, a man humbled, despised, hated, reviled, and crushed-, - down in humility to the lowest point of human suffering – DEATH, - EVEN DEATH UPON A CROSS., Even death for the sake of those who hated Him. Even death, in atoning for the sin of those who killed Him. Crucified as a sinner- MADE SIN, for sinners, - forsaken, SCORNED, STRICKEN, SMITTEN, BEATEN, and AFFLICTED. The Son of Man , the Lamb of God.

The Jews asked; as He entered in, as they arrested Him. As they crucified Him, as they buried Him – AND WHO IS THIS? - THIS IS God Himself.

And so, - God Himself it was. - God Himself it was who endured the plots against Him, the rejection of the religious leaders who vowed lifelong vows to serve Him. - God Himself it was who was betrayed by the one who sat and ate, and learned and lived close to Him, sold for 30 pieces, - no more than the price of a slave, God was to Him. God Himself it was who wept in the garden, and sweat out the same blood He would pour upon the earth in His passion. God Himself it was who would be refused when He asked His own disciples to sit and pray with Him. God Himself it was who would be arrested by those who were created by Him. God Himself it was who would be denied three times by Peter who claimed to love Him. God Himself it was who was whipped and tried, and beaten. God Himself it was who was exchanged for the life of Barabbas the Murderer. God Himself it was who was crowned with the thorns of your own sin. God Himself it was who’s flesh was lashed from off His back. W Ho’s hands were nailed to the cross., who’s body was crushed under its weight

God Himself it was who THERE upon that cross died, suffocating upon it, dying as He bled. God Himself it was... who’s heart was rent open by the Roman spear. God Himself it was - who had no tomb of His own. who, had no room for Himself laid out for Him on Christmas at the inn. - who had no room for Him in death, - no tomb of His own, laid out ready for Him. No place in this world to receive Him – yet God Himself it was, who nevertheless opened up a wide opening in His heart, to welcome it into Himself the world which had no place for Him.

God it was, - who did not turn away from the chance to love, at the highest cost, - who gave His back to those who struck Him. Who turned the other cheek to those who tore the beard right off Him. God it was – who did not hide His face, from the shameful acts that man willed to do to Him. Who opened His eyes to us as we spat in them. Opened His ears to us, as we lobbed insults into them. - who opened His heart – to be freely plundered by those who sought to take His life from Him. God it was – who went down low for them. for us. for all.

He did not turn back from our hatred. Or shy away from us because of our sin. But He came closer. Came into us, - into our very human nature. into our flesh. into our soul. To take our sins, - all of our hatred, our blasphemy and our vitriol, - to lay His life down freely for our own sake at His own cost. That we might live through His life, - given up, freely, ON THAT CROSS. – WHAT IS THIS?

We sought to steal, and He gave us gifts. We sought to kill Him, and He gave us life. We sought to rip God down from off His throne and drag Him down into Hell, - and He raised us to His seat while He freed those down below. – WHAT IS THIS?

A triumph? yes, and a triumph it was. but not of Christ ALIVE AND RECEIVED AND ACCEPTED. No. But a triumph of His will to be taken, WHOLLY, by those who hated Him. - the triumph of total acceptance of death, by the God of life, for the sake of His love for those who despised Him. A triumph? yes. A triumph of LOVE, unearned... OVER the wrath, that we deserved.

An entry? – yes, - God’s heart is OPENED. And now He welcomes you into it. - His flesh is offered. His blood, - here it is poured out for you. Eat it, drink it, - and be fully satisfied in it. Let Him fill you with His blood, - as you are filled up with His love. Son of Man. Christ Jesus – God the lamb. This is Love.

What love, O love. - to the loveless shown. Love who came to save by loving, even to the grave, - you from your sins to save. His death your living. His torn flesh your clothing. His suffocation your breath. - His bleeding, your life-blood. His PASSION, - this is God’s love.

What love, O Love. Wondrous love, - that found me when I sought it not. Chief of sinners though I be, Jesus shed his blood for me, died that I might live on high, lives that I might never die. As the branch is to the vine, I am his and he is mine!

What love, - O love. Wondrous, crucified, PASSIONATE Love. – Christ is crucified for me. – I am His, and He is mine.

Lord, Wash us in your Blood. And Cover us in your Love

– F, S, HS +Amen