Holy Week – Palm Sunday

April 14, 2025

Broadcast

                        Holy Week - Palm Sunday
                            Matthew 21:7-9
                              04/14/2025


        7    They brought the donkey and the colt and put on
             them their cloaks, and he sat on them.
        8    Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road,
             and others cut branches from the trees and spread
             them on the road.
        9    And the crowds that went before him and that
             followed him were shouting, ``Hosanna to the Son
             of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of
             the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!''  (ESV)

        What started in early December, the celebration of the
   coming of Jesus Christ to redeem each person from sin, death, and
   the power of the devil, comes to an end this week.  The Church
   traditionally hears of Jesus coming into Jerusalem on the First
   Sunday in Advent.  Yesterday, the last Sunday in Lent, our
   processional Gospel was the account of our Lord's triumphant
   entry.

        Matthew recorded that Jesus asked two disciples to obtain a
   young donkey from the town of Bethphage.
        They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them
        their cloaks, and he sat on them.  Most of the crowd
        spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut
        branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
        And the crowds that went before him and that followed
        him were shouting, ``Hosanna to the Son of David!
        Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
        Hosanna in the highest!''


        The crowds acknowledged Jesus as the ``Son of David,'' a
   title for the promised Messiah.  They prayed to Him, ``Save us,
   we pray, O LORD!  O LORD, we pray, give us success!''[1] the
   words of the Psalmist.  ``Hosanna!''

        Jesus, who wept over Jerusalem[2] while riding into the
   city, came to fulfill that prayer.  Although He would be rejected
   by the Chief Priests, the scribes, and Pharisees and the rulers
   of the Temple, Christ desired that they also come to the
   knowledge of the truth.

        May our Lord bless you this Holy Week as we follow Jesus
   during the last week before His crucifixion.  Amen.
   ____________________

   1. Psalm 118:25 (ESV)

   2. See Luke 19:28-44