Welcome to the Weekend Sermon for Palm Sunday weekend. I am glad that you are taking the time to read the message for this week. I hope that all of you are having a very good week.
Last week, we finished our series on the topic of faithfulness. Today, I will bring a message centered around Palm Sunday. Next week, the blog schedule will be a little different. I will post the verses on Tuesday, and then there will be posts on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and I will post the Easter message on Saturday. The following week, I will start posting chapters of the new book on each Wednesday.
Palm Sunday has always been one of my favorite Sundays of the church year. In my church growing up, we never really had a special emphasis on Palm Sunday and Holy Week. However, when I started going to another church when I got older, we always had really nice Palm Sunday services. I enjoy the parade of palms and the singing of Hosanna in the Highest. It is good to sing praises to the Lord. One church in my area has a reenactment of Palm Sunday that includes someone acting as Jesus riding into the church on a real donkey.
When I think of Palm Sunday this year, I am thinking on two rides. First of all, on the first Palm Sunday, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. The people praised Him and laid the palm branches in His path. The crowd recognized who He was, if only for a moment.
Jesus knew why He was riding into the city and what would occur in just a few short days. He was riding in to die on the cross as the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world. The people called out Hosanna on Palm Sunday. However, in just a few days, the shouts would turn to crucify Him. We have no king but Caesar.
I thank the Lord Jesus that He was willing to come into Jerusalem and die that this universe might be redeemed from what had gone wrong. Because of who He is and what He has done, all of us need to give our praise to the Lord each and every day. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to be praised and to receive all honor and glory.
This Palm Sunday, I am also focusing on the fact that the Bible says that at the end of the age, Jesus will make a second ride. The Book of Revelation states that Jesus will return to earth riding on a white horse. The white horse is a sign of power and authority. The Roman rulers often rode in on white horses when they entered cities. Jesus is coming in power and great glory when He returns. He is not coming back as the suffering servant. He is returning as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. His rule and reign will have no end. All things will be restored to the Edenic state.
While we are waiting for the return of Jesus Christ, it is important that we follow the example of life that He set before us while He was here on earth. He showed us and taught us the right way to live. Right now, things are hard on this earth. In my country we are having what I see as just the beginning of perilous times. All of those who name the name of Jesus and confess Him as Savior and Lord need to stand firm in following the Way of Jesus in this troubled world. We must stand with Jesus until we meet Him at our death or until we see Him returning to this world to make everything right and the way that it should be.
As we serve Jesus now and wait for His return, let us praise the Lord with all that is within us. Let us magnify the Risen King. Amen.
Prayer Requests
I am still having some health issues, so please continue to pray for me. Thank you. I have survived the stormy weather so far.
Pray for those who have been taken to El Salvador and wrongly incarcerated. Pray that the innocent will be released. Pray that no one will be denied the due process of law.
Let us continue to pray for those in Myanmar and Thailand who are recovering from the earthquake. Pray that they will receive that aid and the help that they need. Also, pray for those in the US affected by the storms and flooding. Keep praying for Mayotte.
Remember to pray for peace. Pray for peace in Ukraine. Pray for peace in Israel, Gaza, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon and Sudan.
Here in the US, there is an outbreak of the measles. Pray that people will get their children vaccinated. Pray for an end to this outbreak.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Singapore and Senegal. Pray that many will come to know Jesus.
I have already mentioned what we are doing for the upcoming week. I pray that many people who don't know Jesus as Savior will read the blog and trust in Jesus this week. May God bless you all.
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