Journey to the cross

“Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” . . . “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

-- Mark 11:9-10

Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter that begins the Holy Week. It is the day that we remember and celebrate the day Jesus entered into Jerusalem as Savior and King. As Jesus rode a donkey into the town of Jerusalem a large crowd gathered and laid palm branches and their cloaks across the road, giving Jesus royal treatment. The hundreds of people shouted "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" "Hosanna!," which means, "Save!"

Do they know what's happening? Probably not. "Hosanna!" will become "Crucify him!" by the end of the week. Perhaps their "Hosanna" needs a question mark.

Jesus had not come to be King of the land. He came to be the King of their hearts. God’s plan was very different than what the people had hoped for. Their desire had been to have a ruler who would overcome Roman oppression. One who would restore them to the dominion of their land and would give them rule over the surrounding nations. That’s the King for whom they had been waiting. And one day, Jesus will come and He will be that King. One day Israel will receive their full inheritance. But the day in which Jesus rode into Jerusalem was not that day.

When Jesus returns, He will come as the King of kings, the Lord of lords and He will rule and reign. When that day comes, Jesus will come in judgment to judge the earth and all who live therein. No one will want to stand before King Jesus on that day unless they are already covered by the blood of the Lamb.

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on that Sunday afternoon, He began His journey to the cross. The date was Nisan 10 on the Jewish calendar. It was the day in which the lambs were selected for the annual Passover sacrifice. On Nisan 14, Jesus Himself became that sacrifice. Jesus was the perfect Lamb of God, and He became the Passover Lamb, sacrificed for the sins of the world.

Today, Jesus still is the perfect Lamb of God, whose blood covers sin and washes man clean.

As we commemorate Palm Sunday, let it be a remembrance that we have seen our King and we have received our King according to God’s plan. For all of us who have trusted in the perfect Lamb of God, and His finished work on the cross, our sins have been forgiven. We have been washed in His blood (Revelation 1:5), we have been given His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21), and He reigns as King in our hearts.

Look for Jesus every day, keeping your eyes on Him (Hebrews 12:2) and joyfully looking forward to the day, whether it be in our lifetime or a time far future when Jesus will return for His church. And then, when Jesus will return as the King of kings to judge, reign, and rule over all the earth.

Our sins are paid for and we belong to the King. We are worthy to be included in His kingdom now and forever more ….and we are always glad to see Him. As you look to Jesus on Palm Sunday and consider the beginning of His journey to the cross, remember:

This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)