Palm Sunday: The Branch or The Hammer

FAITH

Mar 28

Jesus wept twice. Lazarus lay dead for four days. Seeing His friend Mary weeping over her brother, and friend, Lazarus. He groaned and was troubled with Mary and the Jews that were with her, yet we find tears down our Savior's face.

Jesus wept.

Yes, He loved Lazarus, but I believe He loved the people in that present moment just as equally.

Before He saw Mary, He saw Martha. With Martha He spoke death into life. He boldly confessed “Your brother will rise again”.

Yet, in that moment was giving life to the world.

Giving abundant life now and eternal life in the future.

Confidently declaring “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.”

And here we find Mary weeping. Unaware of what Jesus declared to Martha. Unaware of the promise of life to Lazarus and to herself. Troubled and disturbed, was He weeping not only for His love for Lazarus, but for the love He had for those around the tomb that day?

He grieved over their unbelief of resurrection and the eternal life that follows.

He knows how the pain and sorrow of death feels and will one day wipe all our tears away, yet can He weep for our own lack of confidence in the conclusion of John 11:26 “And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

That is the question…Do you believe this?

It is Palm Sunday.

Where the triumphal entry of our Lord Jesus is fulfilled as He approaches Jerusalem on a donkey.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9

Palm branches waving in the air shouting Hosanna!

Confessing Him as King.

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest! Luke 19:38

The Pharisees ask Jesus to make the people stop. Jesus instead declares that if they were to stop, God would make the truth known some other way, even if it took a miracle.

He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out." Luke 19:40

Through all the excitement, Jesus approaches Jerusalem, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace…” (Luke 19:42)

I love the Amplified Version “…the things that make for peace (for freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin and upon which your peace—your security, safety, prosperity, and happiness—depends)!”

Our Jesus on this Palm Sunday is weeping (the Amplified says audibly) saying, if only you would know what will bring you peace…

You want safety and security – He says I am Your Shelter and Refuge

You want prosperity – He says I offer you purpose

You want happiness – He says I offer you a Cross.