Today is Palm Sunday.  All four Gospels tell us that today, circa 2000 years ago, Jesus Our Lord, sitting on a donkey, entered Jerusalem, causing the whole city to stir.  Some spread their cloaks while some cut palm branches and scatter them on the road, welcoming Jesus and shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna in the highest heaven.”

It is a great day but no one, not even the disciples, has a clue what is about to take place in the upcoming days—that their revered and beloved teacher will be arrested and finally sent to Calvary to be crucified as a convicted criminal.  No one can foresee the coming of the ominous day . . . no one, except Jesus Our Lord Himself.  He knows the day of His death is fast approaching and the mission of which He has come into the world is nearly accomplished.

Jesus Our Lord is aware of the fact that this celebratory and grand welcoming will cause the religious leaders to hate Him even more and drive them to eliminate Him sooner than later, as stated in Luke 21:15, “But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things He did and the children shouting in the temple courts, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David,’ they were indignant.” On that Palm Sunday they are more determined to accomplish their mission.

Jesus’ mission is to save—to give life—while the religious leaders’ mission is to kill—to take life.  Jesus’ mission is to forgive while their mission is to condemn.  And Palm Sunday is the day that sets these missions in motion.  Yes, the religious leaders accomplished their mission—crucifixion—but Jesus also accomplished His mission—crucifixion.  They crucified out of hate; He was crucified out of love.  Hate never wins, it always loses; Love always wins, it never loses.

Pastor Paul