I. SERMON NOTES

1. The Significance of Palm Sunday

We begin Holy Week: the week of the Last Supper, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Today is Palm Sunday.

Why palms?

Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem is recorded in all four Gospels:

• Gospel of Matthew 21 – cloaks, branches

• Gospel of Mark 11 – cloaks, branches

• Gospel of Luke 19 - cloaks

• Gospel of John 12 -palms

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Matthew, Mark and Luke mention cloaks and branches, but only John specifies palm branches - John 12:12–19

Just as Christmas has turkeys and pine trees, and Easter has chocolate eggs and hot cross buns, palms are a symbol. But palms were not associated with Passover (spring). They were linked to another Jewish festival.

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2. Passover and Hanukkah Brought Together
Jesus entered Jerusalem during Passover, the spring festival remembering God’s deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt. The blood of the lamb caused God to “pass over” the houses of the Israelites.

Another Jewish festival, mentioned in John 10:22, is Hanukkah (the Feast of Dedication), a winter festival. Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Temple after Jewish victory over oppressive Greek rule under Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

Around 164 BC, Judas Maccabaeus recaptured Jerusalem, cleansed the Temple, and rededicated it to God. When the Maccabees entered Jerusalem in triumph, they waved palm branches. Palms were the symbol of Hanukkah.

Yet in John 12, at Passover in spring, the crowds waved palms.

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Wrong festival — unless a point was being made.

John did not make a mistake. By combining Passover and Hanukkah imagery, Jesus and the crowd were declaring something new:

• God would save His people once again.

• The true King had come to claim His throne.

• True worship would be restored.
   

Jesus fulfilled Zechariah 9:9:
“Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.”

 

The people recognised the symbolism: “Behold, your King is coming.”

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3. A Different Kind of King

 

However, the disciples did not understand at first (John 12:16). They were thinking of earthly kings like the Maccabees — political deliverers who would overthrow foreign rulers.

They hoped for restoration like the days of King David and King Solomon.

Only later did they understand that God’s kingdom was more than earthly.

John frames the triumphal entry with the raising of Lazarus. The crowd followed Jesus because He had raised Lazarus from the dead. This sign pointed to something greater.

Jesus came not merely to defeat political enemies but to save from sin, evil and death.

He is the King who saves us from death itself.

He came to establish a heavenly kingdom breaking into our world.

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4. What Does It Mean for Jesus to be our King?

If Jesus is truly King, this cannot be mere intellectual assent.

 

He must have lordship over our lives.

 

Confident faith must be followed by action.

From this passage, we see three responses — the “Three Rs”:

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5. The Three Rs of Confident Faith

(1) Remember What Was Written
The disciples later remembered what had been written about Jesus.

We must know Scripture in order to remember it when our faith is tested.

Have we read the Bible through — at least the New Testament?

Illustration: A Bible Presbyterian lay leader showed a tattered Bible — his third one. It was worn out from use. He knew what was written about Jesus.

Resolve to read through the New Testament again this Eastertide.

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(2) Remain as a Witness
The crowd continued to bear witness.

Illustration: Professor Robert Tuttle of Asbury Theological Seminary prayed on every flight that God would let him speak to one person about Jesus — but only if that person initiated the conversation. On every flight, someone asked him about Jesus.

When we ask God for opportunities, He answers.

Personal examples:

• After praying for opportunities to practise counselling, a hawker and later a security guard approached and shared their problems.

• God sent people to talk.

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Ask God to bring someone you can witness to. Trust Him to give wisdom and words.

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(3) Run to Meet Him
The crowd went out to meet Jesus.

We too must run to Him — especially in times of difficulty:

• Illness

• Relationship breakdown

• Hard decisions

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Pray first. Cultivate the habit of turning to Jesus before anything else.

Pray before taking medicine.
Pray before sending a difficult email.
Pray for guidance, compassion, wisdom and understanding.

Even without problems, run to Him daily.

Example: Using the Lectio 365 app for morning, noon and night devotions. Even brief devotions help shape the day. Intentional habits matter.

How are we running to meet Jesus each day?

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Conclusion

 

Jesus is the true King who has come to save and restore true worship.

Let us:

• Remember what was written.

• Remain as His witnesses.

• Run to meet Him.

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May He be Lord over every aspect of our lives. Amen.