Palm Sunday

"The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!" John 12:12-13

This week I told the story of Palm Sunday to my Kindergarten music class. I mentioned how the same people who where shouting, "Hosanna!" on Sunday, shouted "Crucify him!" on Friday. They couldn't understand this. They understood the celebration for the King though. One little boy asked, "What did they say when they saw Jesus?" "Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Lord!" He replied, "Yeah, and they waved branches." It was no problem for him to believe that Jesus was a King. Faith, like a child, accepts Jesus is the King, even if he doesn't look like it, or act like we expect him too.

But in the Bible story something happened by Friday. The childlike faith of the crowd grew up into adult cynicism. "He doesn't act like a king. He hasn't done what we expected." And in their disillusionment, they cried, "Crucify him!"

How often does this happen to me! I expect great things from God. I know he will help me through a trial and I pray real hard and trust him. But then He doesn't follow through it the way I expected him to, and I become disillusioned and cynical and blame others and feel guilty and get angry at God for being unfaithful to me.

But Jesus was King, and he was acting like a King, just not the King the Jews were expecting. He was being faithful to all his promises, they just couldn't see it. Even his disciples were confused and didn't understand until later. Just like me. Later, I understand that He was being faithful to me, I just couldn't see it then.

I believe that more than any other Holy Day, Palm Sunday is for children. Not because it is a happy and simple holiday, but because it requires faith like a child to believe that this humble Jesus is a King. So I am looking forward to seeing the children's craft-palm branches after Sunday School. It will be yet another reminder that Jesus calls us to come to him like children carrying palm-branches to worship him.

"But Jesus called the children to him and said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.'" Luke 18: 16-17

Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

To the King! To the Kingdom! To the Restoration!