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Palm Sunday Devotional

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Palm Sunday – The Triumphant Entry
Matthew 21
            The twenty-first chapter of Matthew gives a vivid word picture of the Triumphant Entry of Christ into the Holy City of Jerusalem just five days prior to His death. The timing of His entry into Jerusalem was very important. His entry occurred on the tenth day of the month in the spring.
Five days later on the fourteenth day of the month Passover was to be celebrated. This entry was important because the Passover lamb was taken up and set apart on this day.  The lamb had to be set apart for four days to make sure there were no blemishes.
Jesus is our Passover lamb.  He was our substitute and sacrifice for sin on the cross at Calvary. The law of Moses commanded that the Passover lamb be set apart and inspected by the priest on the tenth day of the month before Passover in Exodus 12:3.
When He made His public entry into Jerusalem He was presenting Himself to the world as our Passover lamb. Thirty two times in the Word of God the lamb is used as a symbol of the Lord Jesus Christ.
John the Baptist identified Him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  In Revelation 22:3, The Apostle John gives the last recorded reference to the Lamb of God in the Word of God.  “
Matthew 21:3 reveals His chosen method of entry into the city.  “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me.”  All this was done in fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy, by the Prophet Zechariah.  Zechariah 9:9 reads, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.”
            When Jesus enters the city sitting on this colt, He is presenting Himself as the Messiah.  He is presenting Himself as the rightful heir of the throne of His father, David.  He is coming as a king to the daughters of Zion, and the people of Israel.
            You will note that there is something different about this king.  He does not come into the city on a stallion or steed, but a lowly donkey.  When a king or head of state comes we expect pageantry and ceremony, but Christ come in meekness and humility.
Why did the great king of glory come on a lowly donkey? Because He identifies with the huddling masses, the sick, the infirm, the unloved, and the aged.  He came to die for humanities sins.
Matthew 21:8 gives a record of the events on that historical day. The multitudes spread their garments in the road.  They cut down palm branches from trees, and spread them in the way. This was a customary practice in the parades of conquerors and princes who were honored by the people.
This was a joyful day.  Scholars tell us that there were over two million people in the city to celebrate Passover, and most of them lined the streets crying out, “Hosanna – blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”  Why hosanna?  Hosanna means, “Save us, save us now.”
They were crying out for a Savior.  They were looking for a conqueror, a charismatic political leader who would free them from the shackles of Roman bondage and tyranny.  Jesus did not come to be an impressive superstar. He came to die. He came to take our place, to die our death, and to suffer the consequences of our sins!
He came to become our sacrifice for our sin! This King came to be a friend of sinners, an ally to the poor and the brokenhearted.  Why not allow Him to become Lord of your life today?

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