Tag: Palm Sunday

The Lord Needs It

As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ”

Luke 19: 29-31

This prelude to Jesus’triumphant entry into the city kicks off the week that Christ followers call Holy Week. This week in the life of Jesus of Nazareth will unfold with a series of events that lead to his death by crucifixion. Jesus the Messiah will walk out this week in continued obedience to His Father’s will. He would fulfill prophecy and man would be reconciled to God. For this has been the plan all along.

This very moment of instruction to Jesus’ followers was part of fulfilling the plan God had laid forth.

We know Jesus was not received by all as Messiah, because he did not come and do as they expected. However, Jesus came not to fulfill the desires or expectations of the people. He came to fulfill the will of His Father who sent him . He came not to overthrow Rome, but for a greater purpose. He came to defeat sin and death for all, even the people who would reject him.

I want to pause for a moment in the story and consider the God of the universe, Maker of the heavens and the earth subjects himself to the limits of the human flesh. He is a God who needs no thing. He is Maker of all. However, he made a plan and a promise and he used some material things to fulfill that plan.

So the Lord needs a ride into town. He needs it to be a colt to fulfill prophecy. And make note this King of Glory comes riding in on the day of his triumphant, glorious entry to the people not on a large stallion or strong mare, but a colt. God enters in to our world humble and gentle on a colt.

Our Lord does not need anything, but He is a Creator who loves his creation. He knows we need him. We needed a rescue from ourselves . We needed a plan so we could see and understand it. We needed a promise so we could see its fulfilment unfold so that we could understand, take hold of, and believe it in order to receive what it means.

The Lord did not need a triumphant entry, but he was about to walk to the cross. He was about to be beaten, and mocked and nailed to a cross. The Creator of the Universe did not need this passion week, but we did and do. And for love he was willing to do it, because on the third day he rose again according to the scriptures. He rose and dwelt among man. He defeated sin and death and showed us. He let Thomas touch the wounds so that he might see and believe. He promised blessed are those who believe though they do not see .

He ascended into heaven and sits on the right hand of the Father. He will come again. This time not on a colt but on the clouds. He is coming soon. The Lord does not need us, but he wants us. He wants you as his own.

Palms and Peace

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday. We remember Jesus’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem as we kick off Holy Week.

They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

Luke 19:35-40 NIV

It is our tradition at St. Timothy’s Anglican Church on Palm Sunday to begin the service outside. We then process together into our sanctuary waving our palms with regal marching music playing as we honor our King Jesus and his entry into Jerusalem. This year due to the corona virus our Palm Sunday will look different. We have some dedicated people who have put together recorded clips of some of our parishioners and their individual procession with palm leaves so we may still have procession of sorts with our online Sunday worship. There have also been many people on social media that were moved to place palm branches or any branches we could find on our door this Palm Sunday to honor and proclaim our King Jesus. Unable to find anything that resembled palm branches and eager to participate I saw a green sheet of foam in my garage. I took what I had and made my own.

I took what I had and transformed it into something that resembled palm leaves. They are not quite fit for a King, but thankfully my King is very gracious and knows my heart. I know it is not quite the triumphal entry any of us had planned. Reflecting on this, I think of the people in Jerusalem on that actual Palm Sunday.

They had no idea what would unfold that next week. Their expectations of this King they praised and hailed on that Palm Sunday would not be met. Jesus would not be a military leader that used power to overthrow the Roman government and bring peace. His Kingdom was not of this earth. He would instead demonstrate meekness and submit himself the unblemished Passover lamb to death on a cross. Instead of a government, he would overthrow sin, death, and Satan’s power over humanity. His peace was not temporal but eternal and not of this world.

If we look at Jesus through the open of eyes of faith and truth we see he exceeded the expectations of the people. So as we enter this Holy Week that was full of expectation and is met with many unknowns, let us herald our King. Let us wait in hopeful expectation as His peace goes beyond understanding of pandemics or any other situation. Let us proclaim our King Jesus who offers a peace that is eternal and a joy that is invincible. Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!