Palm Sunday

No deletion commands could ever erase the vivid images painted in my memory of the great celebration, the great procession of the King soon to be crucified by the same crowd shouting their shallow praises.

I grown-up as a Sunday School kid, from the Beginner’s Class to the Adult Class the lessons were taught; until today. And year after year the Christian world celebrates it as well - the Palm Sunday.

Jesus entered Jerusalem .

I can see the throngs who threw their cloaks to the ground as Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt. They waved palm branches and cried, “Blessed is the King Who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in Heaven and glory in the highest!” Crowds gathered and lauded Him. They rejoiced in His powers of healing, in the miracles He’d performed; His popularity reigned supreme.

And some of the Pharisees did not like it. “Teacher, reprove Your disciples!” They did not call Jesus “King”. They called Him teacher. To them, Jesus was no greater than any other teacher.

Is it any different today?

As some celebrate the majesty of our King today, are there those like the Pharisees? Are there those who would like to silence our voices of praise and exultation - the “snakes and scorpions”?

Yes. There are.

There are those today who would like to still our voices; they’d like us to go away. There are those who scoff and see Jesus as no greater than any other religious leader. There are even those who rejoice in all the miracles Jesus performed, and later left Him alone to be crucified.

Those of us who know Him as Savior and Lord cannot be silenced by a few (even many) who would “reprove” us. We stand in allegiance to Him as the empty cross is lifted. We do not run away or cower in the face of difficulty and impending doom.

We want the world to know that Jesus Christ is King.
And He offers a peace that no other can give.
He offers a freedom no other can sustain.
He offers a Kingdom, no other can create.
Let us praise His holy name!
From shallow to hallow praises.


William Bolivar - PHIAA Gensan