Dear Christian friends:

Zechariah 9:9, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: Look, your King comes to you: He is righteous, and has salvation; lowly and riding upon an ass and upon a colt the foal of an ass."

Today, Palm Sunday, should be a very happy day, a day of celebration for all Christians. In our text the prophet, Zachariah, prophesied that God's people will on this day, "rejoice greatly and shout with joy."

Six hundred years later that happened when Jesus on the first Palm Sunday rode on a donkey into the Holy City, Jerusalem. The people waved the palm branches and shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David." (Matthew 21:9) And since that day, each Palm Sunday, God's people "rejoice greatly and shout with joy."

Now, almost 2,000 years later, we have gathered here today, this Palm Sunday to "rejoice and shout with joy". If we don't, these bricks in the walls will shout and praise Jesus. When the Pharisees complained to Jesus that first Palm Sunday and told Jesus to command His people to stop praising and celebrating, Jesus said to them, "If they are quiet, these stones will shout praise to Me. (Luke 19:40) Our King Jesus must receive praise today! And He wants praise from us. He really doesn't want praise from these bricks. He wants praise from you, you and me whom He loves and for whom He comes.


On that first Palm Sunday Jesus did not seem like a victorious king, worthy to receive glory and honor. He did not come into the city riding on a proud white horse like the Roman victors. He had no great army of soldiers with swords and shields and shinny, plumed helmets marching behind Him. He came riding "lowly upon an ass and upon a colt the foal of an ass," our text tells us. Yet we today, almost 2,000 years later, with millions of others all over the world worship Him and rejoice in Him.

Who today remembers or celebrates any of the great victories of the Roman legions? Nobody! Although Jesus seemed weak and helpless, He was and is the greatest Victor. He has done for mankind what none of the mighty military victors have been able to do: He has changed men and women, who never saw Him; changed them from weak slaves of sin to free victors in the struggle of life. He has changed even you and me and made us winners! Although He was meek and lowly Jesus had more power than earthly might - the power of love, the love of God, which forgives sinners.

Napoleon once said: "Caesar, Charles the great and I have founded empires on force, and lost them. But Jesus Christ founded His kingdom on love, and millions will still die for Him."

During that first Holy Week, the night He instituted the Holy Supper, the night before He went to the cross Jesus said to His disciples, "In the world you will have tribulation: but be of good cheer (have courage) ; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) Jesus shows surprising faith and courage - He sees victory in His cross! Most people think death and the cross are failure. But Jesus knows in His heart that He is right and that He is doing God's plan. Therefore He knows that He will get the victory and bring salvation to all those who love what is right and true. "Your King comes to you: He is righteous, and has salvation," our text tells us.

Jesus knew that God was ruling in Jerusalem that first Holy Week, not Caiaphas, Pilate or Herod, the God who loved the world and gave His only Son to die for its salvation. The prophet says, "He comes riding upon an ass and upon a colt the foal of an ass." Luke tells us that no man had ever sat on this young colt. Why does Jesus choose a donkey that no one has yet ridden? Because He intends to use this donkey for a holy purpose!

In the Old Testament Bible times animals used in the temple for sin offerings could not be used for any other purpose. They were separated and used only once for the holy purpose. Therefore, Jesus rides on this unused colt to impress upon all the He is on a holy mission, a one way ride to His death.

Jesus is the offering for sin, not the donkey. He is the holy, innocent Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29) On Friday He will die upon the cross as the offering to God to take away the sin of the world. Here we have a lamb riding on a donkey! God's holy joke!

That is why we have courage and hope in Jesus our Savior King. We know that we will not fail, but we will at last get the victory with Jesus. True, often it seems that evil and wrong are winning. The world becomes worse and worse and we become old, weak and die. But God is ruling and Jesus has gotten the victory! If we fight the good fight of faith, we shall share in His victory and glory. The Bible says, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17) The old things: sin, guilt, fear, death, hate, sorrow and sadness are passed away, and the new things: goodness, truth, love, peace, joy and eternal life are here!

On the first Palm Sunday God's people rejoiced greatly and shouted praises to Jesus their Savior King. Today we join with them and with millions of Christians all over the world and with the angels of heaven and say, "Praises to the Son of David! Praises to Him that comes in the Lord's name! Highest praises to Him!"

Amen.