The triumphant entry of our King has great meaning to be grasped. For Palm Sunday 2022, explore the meaning of this celebration with your family in the days leading up to Easter.
Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,
“Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”
Matthew 21:1-5
The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 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!” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
Matthew 21:6-11
As the King makes his entry, people lay down their coats and branches at his feet. In Jewish culture, this symbolized submission to authority and Jewish victory. Yet, amidst this joy there were some who envied his attention. In Luke 19:39 the Pharisees saw all his attention and they told Jesus to rebuke the crowd, to which he responded, “I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out.” The Lord will have his glory one way or another.
So what if this happened? What does Palm Sunday 2022 mean to anyone now? The question, dear reader, that you must consider, is how does your heart respond to the coming of your King? How do you respond to the gospel? Jesus wasn’t just entering the city because he could, he was willingly walking towards the painful death that awaited him there. He who knew no sin, would soon take upon himself the wrath of God, so that those who are slaves to sin might be set free. In the words of Peter from 1 Peter 2:24, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”
If you know Jesus, this message is a refreshment to your soul. No matter how many times we hear it, it has always and will always be the message of life for our hearts. Rejoice and sing praises like the crowd in this scene, for the Light of Life has come and brought salvation for your soul.
If you do not know Jesus, then this is a story for you. Turn from your sin and believe in Him. Should you repent and believe in the gospel, He is faithful and gracious to forgive.
This Palm Sunday, rejoice in the presence of your God.
Want more Easter content to explore with your family? Check our this month’s Live It Challenge!
Exploring Easter 2022
April is a special month where we remember the death and resurrection of Christ, a crucial moment in Christian history. For Easter 2022, explore the depth of the resurrection through Focus on the Family ‘s short lesson series, then try one of our fun activities with your friends and family!
The post Palm Sunday 2022 appeared first on Focus on the Family.
Continue reading...
A King Comes Riding on a Donkey
Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,
“Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”
Matthew 21:1-5
Jesus Fulfils the Prophecy
The prophecy referenced in Matthew 21:5 is from Zechariah 9:9 where the entrance of the King of Zion is foretold hundreds of years earlier. Jesus as the messiah, enters on a donkey to not only show his identity as King, but to reveal his humble character. The king creator of the universe humbled himself and became a man, and not only this, but he became a sacrifice for sin. The humility and love of Christ, as shown in Philippians 2:3-8, is also shown in this passage as Jesus, who could have called down angels to carry him, instead chose the humble donkey to ride during his entry.A welcome celebration
The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 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!” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
Matthew 21:6-11
Welcomed by Some and Envied by Others
As the King makes his entry, people lay down their coats and branches at his feet. In Jewish culture, this symbolized submission to authority and Jewish victory. Yet, amidst this joy there were some who envied his attention. In Luke 19:39 the Pharisees saw all his attention and they told Jesus to rebuke the crowd, to which he responded, “I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out.” The Lord will have his glory one way or another.
What now?
So what if this happened? What does Palm Sunday 2022 mean to anyone now? The question, dear reader, that you must consider, is how does your heart respond to the coming of your King? How do you respond to the gospel? Jesus wasn’t just entering the city because he could, he was willingly walking towards the painful death that awaited him there. He who knew no sin, would soon take upon himself the wrath of God, so that those who are slaves to sin might be set free. In the words of Peter from 1 Peter 2:24, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”
If you know Jesus, this message is a refreshment to your soul. No matter how many times we hear it, it has always and will always be the message of life for our hearts. Rejoice and sing praises like the crowd in this scene, for the Light of Life has come and brought salvation for your soul.
If you do not know Jesus, then this is a story for you. Turn from your sin and believe in Him. Should you repent and believe in the gospel, He is faithful and gracious to forgive.
This Palm Sunday, rejoice in the presence of your God.
More Resources: Live It Challenges
Want more Easter content to explore with your family? Check our this month’s Live It Challenge!
Exploring Easter 2022
April is a special month where we remember the death and resurrection of Christ, a crucial moment in Christian history. For Easter 2022, explore the depth of the resurrection through Focus on the Family ‘s short lesson series, then try one of our fun activities with your friends and family!
The post Palm Sunday 2022 appeared first on Focus on the Family.
Continue reading...