Holy Week is Here

“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’!” (Matthew 21:9).  This weekend is Palm Sunday, and we will remember Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem.  A massive crowd had gathered in Jerusalem for Passover week.  Some estimate up to 2 million people could have been in and around the Holy city at that time.  A large crowd saw Jesus approaching the temple on a donkey and began shouting “hosanna,” meaning “save now.”  They waved palm branches as a symbol of victory, and they triumphantly welcomed their promised king.

Sadly, they also misunderstood Jesus’ mission on that first Palm Sunday.  The Jews recognized him as the Davidic Messiah, but they misunderstood how He was going to save.  Jesus did not enter Jerusalem to save the Jews from government oppression.  He entered the Holy city to save the world from their sins.  He was not coming to defeat Rome through a military conquest.  He was coming to defeat sin through His death on the cross.  But make no mistake about it, Jesus was victorious in His mission.  He conquered sin, lifted the curse, and opened a door for us to enter into His kingdom.  This is why Jesus declared the 6^th saying on the cross, “It is finished.”

I invite you to join us this weekend for a special time of celebration and remembrance of the cross.  We will unpack those three simple words and remember our triumphant Savior.  This Sunday marks the beginning of Holy week, and I encourage you to make next week different than this one.  Spend extra time in prayer, read through the passion story in the four Gospels, confess sin, and prepare your heart for Easter.  I also encourage you to pray about baptism.  If you have never entered the waters for believer’s baptism, I hope you will consider doing so this Easter. There is no better day to publicly identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.  Please let us know if God is leading you to be a part of our special Easter baptism celebration.

Invite a friend to join you this weekend because one simple invitation has the power to change a person’s life forever.  I look forward to seeing you in worship this Sunday.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer