What’s crazy to me about Palm Sunday is that Jesus came into Jerusalem knowing full well what was going to happen at the end of the week. He knew that he was ultimately riding to his death. It’s not a pretty death, either. It’s dirty and gruesome and horrific and long and hard. Yet, he came anyway. He came to Jerusalem to be obedient to his Father.
2,000 years ago today, Jesus was five days away from his death. He rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey as people placed their jackets and palm leaves down on the road before him. As he rode down the street, people shouted:
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”(Matthew 21:9 NIV)
Five days later, they were singing a much different tune.
Palm Sunday shows us the ultimate example of obedience to God. I’m sure Jesus didn’t want to be crucified. I’m sure he would have rather died a much more peaceful death, but he knew that was not why he came to earth and anything but his crucifixion would not be a fulfillment of the law. So, he comes. He spends time with God and he prays, and then he comes and fulfills what he was sent to earth to do.
Now, we are obviously mere humans and cannot save mankind like Jesus saved us. But, I think there’s something to be learned from his journey on Palm Sunday that most often is looked over. Jesus was obedient, despite the circumstances. He knew it wasn’t going to be easy. he knew what he was bringing himself into. Still, he obeyed.
How beautiful would it be if we could learn to be as obedient to God as Jesus?
What if we went into circumstances God places us in knowing full well it may not be the best but it’s what God wants for us?
What if instead of telling God no when things get hard, we just said: “your will be done.”
I know this is something that I really struggle with. It’s hard to want to follow what God calls us to do when it makes us uncomfortable. I personally have a hard tie with it because I am a planner. When things don’t go according to the plan that I have already set up, it doesn’t settle well with me. For me, being obedient to God means setting aside my plan and saying “whatever you want for me, God. that is what shall be done.” and my goodness is it hard, but it is also so rewarding.
Learning to be obedient like Jesus coming into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday is really hard and it takes a lot of work. However, I think when we do it, God rewards us. So, let’s take this example of Palm Sunday and learn from it. May we be more obedient like Jesus was.
