Palm Sunday – A Declaration Of Christ’s Kingship

Speaker: Archbishop Loren Thomas Hines

March 25, 2024

in Spritual Growth

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WATCH

March 24, 2024

Readings: Isaiah 45: 21-25
Philippians 2: 5-11
Mark 14: 32-72

Palm Sunday 2024

Traditionally, when we approach Easter, we normally focus on the sadness, difficulties and tragic events leading to Easter. We should really focus on the victories and this is not to say the events leading to Easter are not important for these are avenues leading to this most triumphant event but our attention should be on the grace and mercy given to us. Christ knew that the hour was coming. He wanted to communicate with the Father. He brought Peter, James and John to Gethsemane to pray with Him. Jesus took upon flesh, became man so that He could live with man and identify Himself with human beings. Being human, He also suffered anxieties and worries. He was in the prime of His life when He was about to fulfill His mission. He had been in ministry to many people; healing them, meeting their needs and causing many miracles to happen. Humanly, He must have had questions. There were moments He struggled. In His agony, He even cried out to God and sweat drops of blood; “Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

Through His Ministry, many lives were changed. Although He had His doubts, He knew that God the Father had a plan. It’s not wrong to be afraid. To want to have the right answers. It becomes wrong when we do not make the right choices. It should be what God wants us to do.

Jesus wanted to have fellowship with the Father. During these moments, He’d asked the disciples to stay with Him and pray. But three times, Jesus found them asleep. On the third time, Judas arrived with soldiers carrying swords and clubs with them. He approached Jesus and kissed Him on the cheek. This was a sign that this man was the one to be seized. It was the ultimate betrayal. In our lives, how many times have we betrayed Christ? Jesus turns to the crowd, which was composed mostly of the Sanhedrin and said, “Why have you come with swords to arrest me? I have been in the temple so many times and yet you did not come for me.” When He was taken into their custody, He was treated so cruelly. A young man (according to the Gospel of Mark), had snug out of his house with a linen sheet. He was a follower of Jesus. But when they tried to seize him, he fled and left his garment behind. There is a theory that this young man must have been Mark himself, who was a witness to what was happening.

During Jesus’ trial, the high priest, chief priests, lawyers and other officers were present. Seventy-one men in all coming against Him. He did not defend Himself and spoke very little. They couldn’t find anything wrong with Him, so they brought Him to the higher court of Pontius Pilate. He did not say anything except that He was the King of the Jews. Peter was nearby and was confronted by those who recognized him as a follower. But three times, He denied he ever knew Christ. After the third time, a cock crowed, just as what the scriptures had said.

Isaiah 44:22 “I have wiped out your wrongdoings like a thick cloud and your sins like a heavy mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.” Philippians 2: 5-8 “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up His divine privilege, He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” We have been given authority to be like God, but in humility, we must submit to Him.

In religious traditions in the Orthodox church, Palm Sunday is one of the most joyous feasts. It is Christ’s crowning glory. Palm branches were a declaration that Christ was going to be crowned King. There will come a time when every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Palm Sunday is a declaration that Christ will be crowned the King of Glory. Let us go beyond the palms and really see what God can do for us.