5 Lessons from Palm Sunday

Matthew 21:6-16

Matthew 21:6-16 - note the bold print

So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.

And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Hosanna in the highest!” And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?” So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’

Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?”

And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?”

There are five Old Testament quotes in the above passage.

The first quote captures the meaning and purpose of Palm Sunday. “Hosanna,” from Psalm 118:25, means “save now.” Jesus came to save us from our sin. That is the entire reason for His Passion.

He died that we might live.

He gave so we could gain.

The second quote, “blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD,” is found in Psalm 118:26 and it speaks to the fact that Jesus comes with the saving power of God! As Acts 4:12 says, “…for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

The third quote addresses true worship. “My house shall be called a house of prayer” (Isaiah 56:7). Prayer is communion with God. Communion with God is worship.

You can show up to a worship service.

You can bring your tithes and offerings.

You can make vows.

You can sing songs.

You can get emotional.

But you can’t really worship until you are actually talking to God and listening to Him. Prayer is worship.

The fourth quote is powerful. When we come to worship for selfish reasons rather than to worship God, then our house of worship becomes a “den of thieves” (Jeremiah 7:9).

When pastors preach to impress people - they’re stealing God’s honor.

When worship leaders entertain people - they’re stealing God’s glory.

When people come to worship for companionship - they’re stealing God's attention.

Worship is about the Lord and when we make it about us we’re thieves in the house of God!

The last quote, “Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise” (Psalm 8:2). Restores worship to its proper place, that is, we are children before the Lord and we should trust Him like a child trusts a loving father or mother. Matthew 18:2-3 says, “Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said; ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.’”

As you worship this Palm Sunday, remember…

1. God is willing to save you now.

2. Salvation is found in Jesus’ name.

3. True worship is communion with God through prayer.

4. True worship seeks to give not to take.

5. You must come to God with the trust of a child.

   God before government,

   Rit