Palm Sunday (Lent 6), 2024

Rev. Thomas Van Hemert

St. Matthew 26:1-27:66

Palm Sunday (This sermon was inspired by Rev. Trae Fistler’s Palm Sunday sermon in 2022)

March 24, 2024

In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Holy Week begins with our Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

Matthew records that this took place to fulfill what the Prophet Zechariah said, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” (Mt 21:4-5)

The verb “coming,” is best understood in this instance as a continuous action, just as we hear it this morning. “Behold, your king is coming to you.” The King, our Lord Jesus Christ is coming to us this day. He came to earth in the flesh when He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He comes to you this day through His Word and sacraments—as the Lord speaks to you and He joins His Word to water, bread, and wine to touch you and make you right with the Father. And our King will come again on the Last Day as judge. We will stand before Him holy and righteous because we stand in Him. He will take us to be with Him in heaven just as He has promised. He comes humble, and mounted on a donkey as He rides into Jerusalem. Herein, there is a connection between our Lord’s birth and His death on Good Friday just outside the walls of Jerusalem.

Before the King Jesus entered Jerusalem, preparation was necessary. When they drew near to Jerusalem with a great crowd on their heels, they stopped on the Mount of Olives. While they all waited there, our Lord sent two of His disciples to the village in front of them to retrieve a donkey and its colt. Just as the Lord had said, they found the donkey and its colt, untied them, and brought them to the Lord. All this took place to fulfill the Scriptures.

Many years before this, King David’s son Solomon was anointed king in the Kidron Valley near the Mount of Olives. Even though Solomon’s brother Adonijah tried to take the throne by deception, Solomon was the rightful heir and succeeded his father David. When Solomon was washed in the spring of Gihon and anointed as king over Israel and Judah, the trumpets sounded, and many rejoiced. King Solomon rode his father’s mule and the people followed making an uproar in the city.

Yet, King Solomon, as great, powerful, and wise as he was, was but a shadow of the king that was to come, our Lord Jesus Christ. In similar ways, our Lord walked the way of the king. He was washed in the Jordan River at His baptism and was anointed. He sat upon a humble donkey and was welcomed as great crowds went before Him and followed Him. They shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Mt 21:9). The shout of the people was “Hosanna” which is a shout of praise that means “save us now!” Hosanna was the Messianic cry for our Lord Jesus to save His people from their enemies and ultimately, from their sin. So now, the new and greater King came into Jerusalem, but his kingdom was not of this world. He came in humility mounted on a donkey, a beast of burden.

Riding in on a donkey wasn’t a threat of power or war, rather it revealed His royalty as He came in righteousness and with salvation to lead His people into the heavenly Promised Land. Our King laid aside His glory and submitted to the will of the Father. Our sins were laid upon Jesus and He was crucified. He came for that very hour to go to the cross to overthrow the prince of this world and to establish His eternal Kingdom for His people. We know that we have a place prepared for us in that kingdom.

Yet, the prince of this world, the devil still seeks worldly glory. He seeks to take the Kingdom from the King. The devil doesn’t want us to trust in the Lord’s faithfulness and forgiveness for us. Although the war has been won, there is still a battle being fought for our souls. The works of darkness still plague us and war against the Spirit of God in us. The prince of this world still tries to claim us as his own by tricking us with false promises of happiness and the sinful pleasures of this life. The temptations are well known. St Paul says: Orgies and drunkenness, sexual immorality and sensuality, quarreling and jealousy, fits of anger, etc. If we are honest, we could add to the list. We have selfish ambitions. We do not give thanks to the Lord as we ought. We lay around lazy and idle. We stare at our screens, the TV, computer, or phone all too often and avoid our neighbor who needs our love the most. Husband and wife do not love and honor each other as God has intended, rather they quarrel with each other. Children do not honor and obey their parents. St. Paul could have gone on and on because the prince of this world will not stop, he will do all he can to claim us as his own.

The same was true concerning the crowds on Palm Sunday. Many who were yelling “Hosanna!” in turn, a few days later would yell, “Crucify Him!” Their actions weren’t as pure as the appear. And the same is true for us. Our actions aren’t as pure as we want, when we try to convince ourselves. But Jesus knew His friends would abandon him in his time of need. For this reason, it’s not for their praise that Jesus rides into Jerusalem. It’s for their souls. The same can be said for us and about our worship. Because our worship is not for God and His benefit. Worship is for us. It’s for our eternity. In the Divine Service we come to receive from God for our eternal soul and we benefit now in the body as we are restored to image of God by receiving God as He comes to us.

Therefore, during this time of preparation as we prepare for Good Friday and our Easter celebration, we do so in repentance. We are struck to the heart and are terrified over our sins of thought, word, and deed. Yet, there is more to repentance to contrition. There is hope. Faith. There is certain hope that our Lord has forgiven every sin on the cross. Although we are undeserving, the Lord freely forgives. When you stand before Him, He will not cast you off but will welcome you as a dearly beloved child. God’s Word and promises remain. They cannot be undone. God’s will will be done.

In a few moments, we will sing the Sanctus. We will sing with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven: “Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth; heav’n and earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He, blessed is He, blessed is He, that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.” He comes to us through His Word and with His body and blood to touch us and make us right with the Father, to save us. He speaks and we are forgiven. He welcomes us into His Kingdom, and we will not be cast off. By His coming, our King Jesus has brought us into the royal family in heaven. We are washed, we are cleansed of every sin. In baptism, we have put on Christ, for we are joined to Him and robed with His righteousness. Because we wear this holy robe, the garment of salvation, He has prepared us a place in His royal banquet, a place at the royal table.

Behold, your King draws near to meet you! Prepare to meet your King by coming to where He has promised to be.

In Jesus’ name.