Palm Sunday: The Setup

Matthew 21:1-11  The Message

 ^1-3When they neared Jerusalem, having arrived at Bethphage on Mount Olives, Jesus sent two disciples with these instructions: "Go over to the village across from you.


You'll find a donkey tethered there, her colt with her. Untie her and bring them to me. If anyone asks what you're doing, say, 'The Master needs them!' He will send them with you."

 ^4-5This is the full story of what was sketched earlier by the prophet:

   Tell Zion's daughter,
   "Look, your king's on his way,
      poised and ready, mounted
   On a donkey, on a colt,
      foal of a pack animal."

 ^6-9The disciples went and did exactly what Jesus told them to do. They led the donkey and colt out, laid some of their clothes on them, and Jesus mounted. 

Nearly all the people in the crowd threw their garments down on the road, giving him a royal welcome. Others cut branches from the trees and threw them down as a welcome mat. Crowds went ahead and crowds followed, all of them calling out, "Hosanna to David's son!" "Blessed is he who comes in God's name!" "Hosanna in highest heaven!"

 ¹⁰As he made his entrance into Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken. Unnerved, people were asking, "What's going on here? Who is this?"

 ¹¹The parade crowd answered, "This is the prophet Jesus, the one from Nazareth in Galilee."

This coming Sunday, we will let the children of our church wave palm fronds, and drop them around the sanctuary.  

It's a moment full of symbolism, of the bittersweet variety.  

This isn't like placing the sweet baby doll in the Christmas manger, or lighting the candles on Christmas Eve.  

That moment is a celebration, perfect in its innocence and beauty.  God's sweet love on display.  

Palm Sunday celebrates that same love, but this time our ugliness lies beneath it.  

Those of us who welcome him on Palm Sunday will reject him by Good Friday.  Such is the way of us human beings.  

The irony?  That rejection and humiliation is the vehicle by which God can heal those very same painful places within us.  

Easter is coming, but first, we prepare for the road of false welcome and celebration, so that the plot can twist, and true celebration can come our way.

Grace and Peace,

Adam