Palm Sunday
March 29 | Dave Morton
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Luke 19:28–48
The Triumphal Entry
28 And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” 32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. 33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” 35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem
41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
45 And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.”
47 And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, 48 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.
Today is the final Sunday of Lent (a 40-day journey to Resurrection Sunday) traditionally known as Palm Sunday. It is a day on the church calendar to commemorate Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and marks the beginning of Holy Week. It’s a busy week in the life of Jesus, the most recorded week of His life in the gospels and the most significant week in the history of the world. In Luke’s biography, Jesus has been on the road to Jerusalem for a while (since Luke 9:51).
In our text today, Luke shows us Jesus as King of Peace, weeping prophet and our great high priest.
King of Peace
The triumphal entry is not spontaneous happenstance, but is clearly orchestrated by Jesus. A great crowd is following Jesus to Jerusalem. When the religious leaders question children and crowds proclaiming Jesus the Messiah, He doesn’t deny it, but affirms them (v.16, Luke 19:37-40). His mode of travel would contrast with the Roman authorities, but it shows that Jesus comes humbly, gently and fulfilling prophecy as a peaceful King (Zech. 9:9-10).
May the Christ’s Kingdom of peace come to our lives, our church and our communities as we seek to walk in His ways.
Weeping Prophet
Luke gives us a snapshot of Jesus as a prophet, announcing judgment on the city for failing to recognize the coming of the Messiah. But Jesus is not indifferent. This pronouncement comes through tears, as Jesus weeps over the coming destruction. As Jesus looks over the city who will wrongfully execute him by week’s end, his compassion, mercy and love remains steadfast. At the same time, just judgment is coming.
Judgment for sin is just. Our compassionate Savior comes to deliver us, pleads with us to trust in Him and laments the destructive consequences of sin.
Great High Priest
Jesus, crowd in tow, proceeds straight to the temple. Those who had been charged with care of God’s house and God’s people had arranged a system exploiting both for their own gain. All the while, plotting the murder of the one who had come to be the one, final mediator between God and humankind (John 11:47-53, v.47-48, 1 Tim. 2:5).
As our Great High Priest, Jesus is passionate about God’s people coming freely to receive mercy and worship Him (Heb. 4:14-16).
Passover Lamb
Passover was a celebration of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. That same day, the city would be flooded with spotless, unblemished lambs to be sacrificed as a part of this sacred memorial to God’s deliverance and establishment of His people as a nation devoted to Him. Again, this is not just coincidence. Jesus’ purpose, as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” is about to be fulfilled (John 1:29, 1 Cor. 5:7).
As we pull up to the feast table, Jesus invites us into the new covenant to remember what He has done, who we are and our living hope.
This Palm Sunday, let us kneel in allegiance to the King of Peace, hear the words of a God who weeps as he warns, come with confidence to receive mercy from our great High Priest and walk in freedom from sin because of the blood of the Lamb shed for us.
Discussion Questions
Why do you think Jesus intentionally chose to enter Jerusalem on a donkey, instead of a war horse? What does that mean for His followers?
As Jesus approaches the city, he weeps. What does this moment show us about God’s heart toward people who reject Him?
Which picture of Jesus in this passage do you connect with most right now: King of Peace, Weeping Prophet, Great High Priest or Passover Lamb? Why? What is Jesus’ invitation to you in that role?